AMA Second Semester for 21st Century Literature from

the Philippines and the World

Page 2 – Week 1: Introduction to 21st Century Literature

Page 16 – Week 2: Pre-Spanish and Spanish Era Literature
Introduction to 21st Century Literature
 What is Literature?
o Literally, it means “an acquaintance with letters” as in the first sense given in the
Oxford English Dictionary
o In Latin, “littera” means an individual written character
o Represents a language or people; culture or tradition, passion and dignified
thoughts
o Introduces us to new world of experience
o Records the experience of man
o Imitates and interprets life through language
o Everything that is written
 Importance of Literature
o It is an expression of thought, feeling, emotions and attitudes towards life
o It can change a person’s outlook towards everything
o It educates and entertains
o Guidelines to follow in reading
 Read with purpose, not just for the story
 Avoid reading selections and television or video presentation that tackle
details of sin, crime and violence
 Individual titles should be evaluated with careful regard to the positive
principles set forth in Ellen White’s writings
 You should be able to discriminate between the best and the inferior
literature
 Brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever
things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise
think on these things (Phil 4:8)
 Literary Genres (Form)
o Poem
 Composition written in verses having standard measurements and
written with a higher intensity of artistic beauty
 William Woodsworth: “The spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings in
tranquility”
 WE need to use literary approaches and historical backgrounds in reading
this literary form
 The poet employs the following in constructing a poem:
 Diction
o Denotation and connotation of words
 Imagery
  Symbolism
 Figurative Language
 Rhythm
 Rhyme
 Three Classifications:
 Lyric
o Express the personal thoughts or emotions of the poet
o Can be a song, ode, elegy or sonnet
o Intended to be sung
 Narrative
o Tells a story
o Can be a ballad or epic
 Dramatic
o Theatrical Dialogue performed on stage
o Can be a tragedy comedy, melodrama or tragicomedy
o Short Story
 Short piece of fiction containing elements described in the char on these
pages
 “bite-size” version of a novel
 Brings you into the real world enabling you to understand the difficulties
of life and to empathize with others
 Small commercial fiction, true or imaginary, and smaller than a novel
 Composed with an easy beginning illustrated in its exposition
 A conflict that holds the problem solved in the selection
 A concrete theme that presents the subject matter of the story
 Some dialogs and actions that picture the rising action and climax
 Ends with a resolution
 Oral and short-lived
 Some examples are gossip, joke, fable, myth, parable, hearsay, and
legends
 Are now written for appreciation and evaluation
 Elements:
 Plot and Structure Plot
o Reflection of motivation and causation
o Sequence of events through which an author constructs a
story
o Has the following elements:
 Conflict
 Where plot is often created
  Controlling impulse in a connected pattern
of causes and effects
 Arouses curiosity, causes doubt, creates
tension and produces interest
 Classifications:
o External
 Between a character and an
outside force, such as
another character, nature,
society, or fate
o Internal
 Takes place within the mind
of a character who is torn in
between opposing feelings
or between different courses
of action
 Also called Dillema
 Exposition
 Introduces the story’s characters, setting,
and conflict
 Rising Action
 Occurs as complications, twists, or
intensifications of the conflict occur
 Climax
 Emotional high point of the story
 Falling Action
 Logical result of the climax
 Resolution
 Final outcome of the story
 Structure
o Defines the layout of the work
o Presents how each event causes or leads to the next
 Character and Characterization
o Verbal representation of a human being
o The character is either the protagonist or antagonist
o Classifications:
 Flat
 Has 1 or 2 predominant traits
 Character can be summed up in just a few
lines
  Round
 Complex, many faceted and has the
qualities of real people
 Static
 Remains essentially the same throughout
 Developing
 A character that undergoes a significant
change during the story
 3 Conditions that regulate change:
o Consistent with the individual’s
characterization as dramatized in
the story
o Sufficiently motivated by the
circumstance
o Must offer sufficient time for the
change to take place and still be
believable
o Characterization is the quality of the character which is
disclosed through actions, descriptions, both personal and
environmental, dramatic statements and thoughts,
statements by other characters and statements by the
author speaking as storyteller, or observer
 Setting
o Overall context – where, when, and in what circumstances
the action occurs
o Setting as place
 Physical environment where it takes place
o Setting as time
 Includes time in all of its dimensions
o Setting as Cultural Context (condition)
 Consider historical events and social and political
issues of the time
o Effect of Setting
 Creates atmosphere
 Gives insight to characters
 Provides connections to other aspects of the story
 POV
o Refers to whoever is telling the story
o The speaker, narrator, persona or voice created by the
author to tell the story
 o Relies on the physical situation of the narrator as an
observer and the speaker’s intellectual and emotional
position
o First Person – I, we
o Second Person – you (uncommon)
o Third Person – He, she, they (most common)
o It may be:
 Dramatic / objective – strictly reporting
 Omniscient – all-knowing
 Limited Omniscient – some insight
 Theme
o Central idea or message, which is often a perception about
life or human nature
 Stated Themes
 Directly present
 Implied Themes
 Inferred by considering all the element of a
story and asking what message about life is
conveyed
 Tone and Style
o Tone is the method by which writers and speakers reveal
attitudes or feelings
o Style is the manner in which an author uses words,
constructs sentences, incorporates non-literal expressions,
and handles rhythm, timing, and tone
o When asked to discuss style, you are being asked to
describe how or explain why the words, sentences, and
imaginative comparisons are effective in terms of what is
being created
o Diction is central to an author’s style, it includes
vocabulary and syntax
 Vocabulary – Choice of words
 Simple Words
o Everyday word choice
 Complex Words
o Flexing intellectual muscle
 Concrete Words
o Things we can touch, see, etc.
 Abstract Words
o Words expressing intangible ideas
  Syntax
 Refers to the arrangement of words, their
ordering, grouping and placement within
phrases, clauses, and sentences
 Symbolism, Allegory and Fantasy
o Symbol creates a direct, meaningful equation between a
specific object, scene, character, or action and ideas,
values, persons or ways of life
 Cultural (universal)
 When they are known by most literate
people
 Contextual (authorial)
 Created by the author and are private
o Allegory is a symbol that is complete and self-sufficient
 Fable
 Story about animals that possess human
traits
 Parable
 Allegory with moral or religious bent
 Allusion
 Use of other culturally well-known works
from the Bible, Greek and Roman
Mythology, famous art, etc.
 Fantasy
 Non-realistic story that transcends the
bounds of known reality
 Humor and Irony
o Irony is when things work out the opposite of what they’re
supposed to, or expect to
o Humor is a literary element of surprise, or it is a literary
element of surprise or be surprised without threat or
promise
 Guideline in reading a short story:
 First Reading
o Determine what is happening; where, what, who is
involved, or the major characters of the story
 Make a record of your reactions and responses
 Describe characterizations, events, techniques and
ideas
 Second Reading
 o Trace Developing Patterns
 Write expanded notes about characters, situations,
actions
 Write paragraph describing your reactions and
thoughts
 Write down questions that arise as you read
o Essay
 Presents the author’s point of view about any particular topic in a
detailed way
 Descriptive, lengthy, subject-oriented and comparative
 Different types are Personal, Expository, Response, Process, Persuasive,
Argumentative, Critical, Interview, Reflective, Evaluation, Observation,
Comparison, Application, Compare and Contrast, and Narrative
 Nonfiction
o Broadest category of literature
o True or about real events
o Informs and educate
o Nonfiction Text:
 Chapter titles and section headers that preview information
 Each page has words in a variety of fonts and types sizes
 Bold or italic fonts may be used to signal important words or phrases
 Diacritical marks may be used to guide pronunciation
o Use of Graphic Aids:
 Maps, charts, diagrams, photographs are usually included to illustrate or
summarize information
 Captions or labels must be examined carefully for relevant information
 Different vocabulary
 There may be words that are familiar
 General information
 Great deal of information to be understood and remembered
o Kinds of Nonfiction:
 Narrative
 Tells a story
 Types of narrative nonfiction:
o Autobiographies
 Writer tells his life in a first-person POV
 Focuses on the most significant events that
happened to him or her
o Memoir
 First-person POV
  Focus on one period of a person’s life
 Emphasize his or her relationship with other people
of the impact of significant historical events on his
or her own life
o Biography
 Third-person POV
 Write about someone else’s life
o Narrative Essay
 Either First or Third-person POV
 Relate a true story in a short composition
 Examples:
 Reflective Essay
 Personal Essay
 Journal
o Informative Nonfiction
 Includes essays, speeches, and articles that explain a topic or promote an
opinion
 Writers sometimes weave stories or personal anecdotes into their writing
 2 major types of Informative Nonfiction:
 Expository Essays
o Explain a topic
o Article that explain the steps in a process, report the news,
or analyze a work of literature
 Analytical Essays
 Research Reports
 Persuasive Essays
o Promote opinion
o May end with a call to action
 Advice columns
 Movie reviews
 Editorials
 Descriptive Essays
o Uses details related to the senses to create mental images
for the reader
 Character sketches
 Scientific observation
 The lead or introduction captures the reader’s attention and often
includes a thesis, or statement of the essay’s main idea
  The body develops the main idea by providing supporting details such as
facts, reasons, quotations, statistics, sensory details, examples,
observations, and personal experiences
 The conclusion may restate the main idea, summarize the essay’s main
points, or leave the reader with something to think about
 Characteristics:
 People, events, places, and ideas are real
 Narrated by an author who is a real person
 Presents facts, describes true-life experiences, or discussing ideas
 It is written for a specific audience and addresses a clear purpose
 Tone, the author’s attitude toward the subject or reader, is
displayed through the writer’s word choice and style
 Other info writers contribute to non-fiction:
 Style
o Way the writer uses the language
o Reflects the writer’s personality
o Includes:
 Level of formality
 Word choice
 Sentence construction
 Methods of organization
 Etc.
 Tone
o Author’s attitude toward the subject or reader
 Perspective
o POV of the author
o How he/she expresses the topic, either directly or
indirectly
 Purpose
o Author’s reason for writing
o To inform, explain, persuade, honor, entertain and warn
 Analyzing Nonfiction
 Begin by identifying the type of work you are reading
 Identifying the author’s purpose as you read may help you further
classify the work
 Content is an essential part pf your essay
o Be sure that the details are aligned to the focus of your
essay
 Look for familiar elements
 Poetry
o “A way of feeling life”, according to Daisy Zamora, a Nicaraguan poet
o “Word music, the dance of language” – A.D. Hope
o “Criticism of life” – Matthew Arnold
o “The spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” – William Woodsworth
o “Poetry is the lava of imagination” – Lord Byron
o “Blood, imagination and intellect running together” – W.B. Yeats
o Form of communication
o For you to understand the poem, you have to identify the idea or the theme that
the writer wants to deliver, his purpose in writing the poem and identify
techniques he used in his poem
o Basic Elements
 Speaker
 A voice that talks to the reader
 Not necessarily the poet
 The “What” of a poem
 Subject matter and theme or the central idea of the work
 The “How of the Poem (techniques):
 Structure:
o Number of stanzas, shapes, and lines
 Sound Devices
o Feelings and moods created by sounds
 Alliteration
 Repetition of initial consonant sounds in
words
 Onomatopoeia
 Use of words that sound like the objects or
actions they describe
 Assonance
 Repetition of vowel sounds
 Consonance
 Repetition of consonant sounds anywhere
in the lines
 Meaning Devices
o Simile (Figure of Speech)
 Explicit comparison using “like”, “as, “similar to”,
“resembles”
o Metaphor (Figure of Speech)
 Implied comparison
o Personification (Figure of Speech)
 Giving human qualities to an animal, object or
abstract idea
o Hyperbole (Figure of Speech)
 Huge exaggeration
o Imagery
 The use of description that helps the reader
imagine how something looks, sounds, feels,
smells, or taste
o Symbol (Figure of Speech)
 The use of one thing to represent another
 Rhyme
 Repetition of the same stressed vowel sound and any succeeding
sounds in two or more words
 Internal Rhyme
o Occurs within a line in poetry
 End Rhyme
o Occurs at the end of the lines
 Rhyme Scheme
o Pattern of the end rhymes, may be designated by assigning
a different letter of the alphabet to each new rhyme
o A-A-B-B
 Rhythm and Meter
 Rhythm is the pattern of sound created by the arrangement of
stressed and unstressed syllables in a line, and can be regular or
irregular
 Meter is a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables,
which set the overall rhythm of certain poems
 Stressed symbols are marked with (‘) and unstressed symbols (-)
 Form
 Includes lines/verses, stanzas, and shape
 Lines and Stanzas
 Line is a word or row of words that may or may not form a
complete sentence
 Stanza is a group of line forming a unit, in which they are
separated by a space
 Couplet
 A pair of rhyming lines in a poem often set off from the rest of the
poem
 Shakespeare’s sonnets all end in couplets
 Quatrain
  A 4 line stanza
o Types of Poem (traditional classification)
 Ballad
 Narrative poem written in 4-line stanza
 Ode
 A long stately form written in various stanzas
 Sonnet
 Lyric poem of 14 lines
 Blank Verse
 Unrhymed ten-syllable poem
 Free Verse
 Poem with no regular pattern or meter or rhyme
 Limerick
 5-line rhymed poem that makes fun
 Elegy
 A poem expressing grief, of subjective, meditative nature
 Epic
 Long narrative poem that narrates the life and adventures of a
hero
 Song
 Lyric poem that expresses deep thoughts, feelings and emotions
o Types of Poem (modern classification)
 Acrostic Poem
 A poem in which the first letter of each line, when read vertically,
spell out a word, which is usually the subject of the poem
 Shape poem
 Words are placed to make the shape of an object or ideas
described
 Diamond Poem
 7-lined diamond-shaped poem that specifies the part of speech in
each line, sometimes with contrasting ideas
 Haiku
 Japanese-style poem of three lines, each with a fixed number of
syllables (5-7-5, or 4-8-4)
 Mainly about nature and feelings
o Linguistic Devices
 Inversion
 It is the reordering (inverting) of the usual word order of a
sentence, often by placing the subject after the verb as in the lines
 Parallelism
  General term that includes a number of specific devices all of
which are rooted in having different parts of a sentence
corresponding parts in two sentences mirror each other in
structure
 A frequent device in prose as well as poetry
 Drama and its Elements
o Drama is told mainly through words and actions of characters and intended to be
performed by actors
o Feature films and any television program can be considered as drama
o Playwrights develop the script and stage directions
o Directors and readers visualize what is happening on stage
o Elements:
 Characters
 Reflect the personality of the characters
 Characterization is the method of conveying information about
characters in art
 Setting
 Geographical location of the play, time period, daily lifestyle of
characters and climate of the story
 Plot
 Serial arrangement of incidents, events or ideas
 Encompasses all the incidents and provides the aesthetic pleasure
 Divided into acts and scenes
 Acts/Scenes
o Indicate changes of location or the passage of time
 Conflict
o Makes the plot interesting and intriguing because of an
inbuilt conflict and twists
 Internal Conflict
o Clash between the character and his people
 External Conflict
o Occurs between 2 men: man vs. circumstances or man vs.
society
 Structure
o Presents the design of a completed action
 Dialogue
 Where the thoughts of characters are exhibited
 Portrays thoughts, emotions and feelings of the characters
 Includes clues to their background and personalities
 Used in advancing the plot
  Theme
 Central idea of all literary forms
 Point of View
 An instrument of the playwright to show how his actions and
words are arranged where the audience can draw their
conclusions
 Playwright may use soliloquy (talking to himself) or dramatic
monologue or aside
 Tone in drama signifies the attitude of the playwright to the story,
reader, characters, etc.
 Symbolism is an element used by the playwright to effectively
show his main point
 Foreshadowing
o A hint or clue to suggest what will happen later in the story
o It creates suspense and encourages the reader to go and
find out more about the event that is being foreshadowed
 21st Century
o 100 years = 36525 days
o There is no such thing as 21st Century Literature yet as we are midway the 21st
Century
Pre-Spanish Period
 Philippines before Spanish Colonization
o Philippines was Thalassocratic, which refers to a type of government with
primarily maritime realms
o It was recognized as a major center of trade, with merchants coming from
different parts of Asia and visiting the King of Sugbu (now Cebu) to seek
permission to trade in their waters
o Consists of 3 distinct social classes (hereditary):
 Maharlika (nobles)
 Timawa (freemen)
 Alipin (slaves)
 Namamahay
o Household slaves that are granted homes and can own
property
 Saguiguilid
o Slaves that do not have the right to own property
o They had their own alphabet, which was called Baybayin
 From the Tagalog word baybay meaning “to spell”
 Writing system used by the Filipinos in the Pre-Spanish period
 Derived from Brahmic scripts of India
 One of the writing systems used in Southeast Asia
 Was known incorrectly as Alibata, which was a term coined by Paul
Rodriguez Verzosa after the arrangement of letters of the Arabic alphabet
 The Philippine Literature in the Pre-Spanish Period
o They had their own form of literature even before the Spaniards came
o The Spanish missionary tried to obliterate the previous cultural records, and so
only the orally transmitted literature survived today
 The Myth
o Traditional or legendary stories which featured one or more deities or demigods
and explain some kind of practice, rite or phenomenon of nature
o The Tagalogs believe in the supreme deity called Bathala being the creator of
heaven and earth, and all living things
o Under Bathala are a pantheon of gods and goddesses, which are divided into 3
generations:
 First generation:
 Amanikable
o The Tagalog god of the sea, he was originally the of
hunters
 Idiyanale
 o The goddess of labor and good deeds
 Lakapati
o The goddess of fertility
 Mapulon
o The god of seasons and husband of Lakapati
 Second Generation
 Mayari
o The goddess of the moon
o One of the 3 daughters of Bathala by a mortal woman
 Tala
o The goddess of the stars
o Sister of Mayari
 Hanan
o The goddess of the morning
o Sister of Mayari and Tala
 Dumakulem
o The son of Idiyanale
o Strong and agile guardians of the mountains
 Anitun Tabu
o The goddess of wind and rain
o Sister of Dumakulem
 Angolay
o The goddess lost things
o Wife of Dumakulem
 Third Generation
 Apolaki
o The god of sun
o Chief patron of warriors
 Diyan Masalanta
o The goddess of love, conception and childbirth
o Youngest of all deities
o The Visayans call their supreme god Kaptan or Captan
o Bikolanos believe in their supreme god called Gugurang
o Malakas at Maganda
 One of the famous creation myths in the Philippines was the story of the
origin of man, the story of Malakas (The Strong One) and Maganda (The
Beautiful One)
 The Epic
o Refers to a long narrative poem which tells of heroic deeds or events
o Also edify:
 Religious Tales
 Animal Stories
 Philosophical and Moral Theories
o Biag ni Lam-Ang / Life of Lam-Ang
 Said to be a composite work of various poets who passed it from
generation to generation, and was first transcribed around 1640 by a
blind Ilocano bard named Pedro Bucaneg
 Consists of 477 lines and 206 stanzas (this is the Llanes version of the
epic: Leopoldo Yabes’ version consists of 305 stanzas)
 Revolved around the main character named Lam-Ang, wo was blessed
with the gift of speech the moment he was born
 He grew up with supernatural strength and has a pet cock and a dog
 It was divided into four parts:
 Prologue: The Birth of Lam-Ang
o Lines 5 – 108
 The Quest for the Father
o Lines 09 – 192
o His quest to find the Igorots who murdered his father and
seek revenge
 The Quest for a Wife
o Lines 455 – 1300
o The story of Lam-Ang and his love interest Ines Cannoyan
o His encounter with Sumarang and Saridandan, and the
wedding
 Epilogue: The Death and Restoration of the Hero
o Lines 1301 – 1477
o Tells the death and resurrection of Lam-Ang
o Aliguyon
 Ifugao Epic
 Follows the adventure of the hero Aliguyon, who fought an epic battle
with his arch-enemy Pumbakhayon
 This epic is in the form of a hudhud, which is a long tale that revolves
around the heroes of native Ifugao people, and is typically sung on special
occasions
 Traditionally sung in harvest time
o Labaw-Donggon
 Visayan Epic
 Follows the adventures of Labaw Donggon, the sun of the goddess
Alunsina and Datu Paubari, a mortal
  Includes:
 Slaying a giant with a hundred arms
 Facing the Lord of Darkness – all in order to win various maidens
o The Agyu
 Manobo / Illianon tale
 Divided into 3 parts
 Follows the adventures of a hero whose people had been driven out of
their land
 They go on a journey to Nalandangan, a sort of utopia where there are no
oppressors
 Folk Songs
o Originated in traditional popular culture or have been written in such style
o Oldest forms of literature in the Philippines
o Wide range of folk songs, for a variety of occasions:
 Kundiman (love song)
 Diana (wedding song)
 Oyayi or Hele (lullaby)
 Kumintang o Tagumpay (war song)
 Epigrams (Salawikain)
o Rhetorical device, witty, ingenious, or pointed saying that is tersely expressed
o They are memorable, brief, interesting, and in the Philippines, they served as
laws or rule on good behavior by ancient Filipinos
o Expression of truths, ethics, and good morals
 Riddles (Bugtong)
o It is a mystifying, misleading or puzzling question posed as a problem to be
solved or guessed, it is also rhythmic and parable
o Form of entertainment among Filipinos during Pre-Spanish period, and even until
today
o Improves quick thinking, and it also helped in broadening the vocabulary
o Done during special occasions, be it harvest time or a funeral

Spanish Colonialism
 The Philippines was under Spanish Colonialism for 300 years
 There has been significant influences in terms of the Philippines culture as seen in
clothes, arts, music, literature and attitude of both Filipinos and Spanish during that
time
 Some of the big changes affecting Philippine Literature while under the rule are the
following
o Roman alphabet became widely used over Alibata/Baybayin
 o Doctrina Cristiana has become the foundation of all activities related to religion
o There are many Spanish words that were integrated into our own language
o Myths and traditions of Europe became a part of Philippine literature
 Doctrina Cristiana
o One of the greatest contributions of the Spaniards to the Philippines is the
Roman Catholic religion and this objective inspired the creation of different
literature relating to religion
o It is the first religious book published in the Philippines on July 15, 1593
o Written by Fr. Domingo Nieva and Fr, Juan De Palencia
o Written in 2 languages, namely Spanish and Tagalog, this is also the first book
written in Alibata
o It resembles a prayer book with 87 pages and a size of 5” and 7”
o It contains the prayers and the regulations of Christianity
o There are only 3 original copies left
 One in Vatican
 One in a museum in Madrid
 One in the US Congress
o The Contents:
 The Ten Commandments of the Lord
 The Seven Mortal Sins
 Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen)
 Credo
 Dios Te Salva Maria (Ave Maria
 Pater Noster (Our Father)
 Nuestra Senora Del Rosario
o 2nd book published in the Philippines
o Written by Father Blancas de San Jose in 11602
o Contains of biographies of various saints, novenas, and some common questions
and answers regarding the religion
 Barlaan at Josaphat
o 3rd book published in the country in Tagalog
o Written by Father Antonio de Borja
o The original work was in Greek
o Deemed as the first ever novel published in the Philippines
o Was translated to Iloko in poetry form by Fr, Augustin Mejia
 Urbana and Feliza
o Original title: Ang Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini na si Urbana at si Feliza
o One of the novels during the Spanish period
o Written by Father Modesto de Castro who was from Laguna
 o It revolves around 2 sisters exchanging letters and telling each other stories
about their lives, as Urbana is in Manila and Feliza is in Bulacan
o in different situations
o The characters’ names also portray their attitude
 Urbana symbolizes urbanization and the ideal attitude in forging human
relationships
 Feliza’s name came from the Spanish word “feliz” which represents the
happiness which stems from goodness
 Honesto implies sincerity and truthfulness of heart
o Important morals
 Do not impose superiority over other people through cruelty in hopes to
gain respect
 Exhibit compassion towards the poor
 Success comes with a price
 Avoid mocking other people
 Remember to say a prayer of gratitude before leaving the house
 Secular Poetry
o One of the forefront literature in the Philippines during the Spanish Colonial
period along with religious prose and poetry
 The Pasyon
 Epic poem
 Tells the story of Jesus Christ’s life, trials, and sufferings
 Usually sung during the Holy Week and its recitation is called
Pabasa (Reading)
 Each stanza is composed of 5 lines with eights syllables each
 There are 4 known versions
o Don Luis Guian (1750)
o P. Mariano Pilapil (1814)
 Most famous Tagalog version
 Casaysayn nang Pasiong Mahal ni Jesucristong
Panginoon Natin na Sucat Ipag-alab nang Puso
nang Sinomang Babasa (The History of the Passion
of Jesus Christ Our Lord that Surely Shall Ignite the
Heart of Whosoever Readeth)
 AKA Pasyong Genesis and Pasiong Mahal
o P. Ancieto dela Merced (1856)
o Gaspar Aquino de Belen (1704)
 1st version
  Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Christong Panginoon
Natin na Tola (The Poem of the Passion of our Lord
Jesus Christ
 Awit
 A narrative type poem with 4 lines per stanza and dodecasyllabic
with 12 syllables per line and a pause after the 6th syllable
 Rhyming format is AAAA
 One of the most famous works using this type of poetry is
Florante at Laura by Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar
 Kinds of Dramas/Plays
 Senakulo
o Traditional depiction of the events before and after Jesus
Christ was crucified
o Based on the Bible and is usually done on the streets or in
churches
 Duplo
o Aims to entertain the bereaved family members after their
loss
 Moro-Moro
o Drama/Play that tells a story full of adventures and wars
o Comedy is about the battle between the Spaniards and the
Moros, who invaded Spain once
o Story is always the same, but the setting and the
characters change from time to time
o The first moro-moro shown in the Philippins is the Guerras
Piracticas de Filipina by Fr. Jeronimo Perez on 1637
o Another famous work is the one called Comedia which was
done in celebration of the sultan of Sulu, Ali-Mundin’s
transition to Christianity, which spurred the fame of moro-
moro in the land
 Santacruzan
o Ritual pageant/procession held on the last day of Flores de
Mayo throughout the country
o Depicts the search for the Holy Cross of Queen Helena and
her son, Emperor Constantine
 Carillo
o Shadow play using puppets made from cardboard
o Narrator behind the scree stirs the story to life
 Panunuluyan
 o Term translates to “looking for lodging”, usually done on
Christmas Eve
o In this event, the images of Mary and Joseph from the
church are brought around town, accompanied by 2
singers
 Sarsuela
o Comedy/Melodrama, accompanied by music with 3 parts,
and mostly conveys the intense and passionate feelings of
love, revenge, jealousy and loathing
 Propaganda Movement
o The Filipino propagandists during this era were known to possess the spirit of
nationalism, courage, intelligence, as most of them were born from families who
can afford to send their kids to renowned universities
o Jose Rizal
 Considered as a prolific writer as his list of literary work stretches
 Contributions to Philippine Literature are the following:
 Memories of My Town
 Kundiman
 Works and Writings
 Mostly written in Spanish, as this is the lingua franca in the
country during Spanish Colonialism, however, some were in
Tagalog. These works are the following:
o Novels and Essay
 Noli Me Tangere
 Novel, 1887
 Literally Spanish for ‘touch me not’, from
John 20:7
 El Filibusterismo
 Novel, 1891
 Sequel to Noli Me Tangere
 Alin Mang Lahi
 “Whatever the Race”
 Kundiman attributed to Dr. Jose Rizal
 The Friars and the Filipinos (unfinished)
 Toast to Juan Luna and Felix Hidalgo
 Speech, 1884
 Given at Restaurante Ingles, Madrid
 The Diaries of Jose Rizal
 Rizal’s Letters
 Compendium of Dr. Jose Rizal’s letter to his:
 o Family
o Blumentritt
o Fr. Pablo Pastells
o Other reformers
 “Come se gobiernan las Filipinas”
 Governing the Philippine Islands
 Filipinas dentro de cien anos
 Essay, 1889-1890
 The Philippines a Century Hence
 La Indolencia de los Filipinos
 Essay, 1890
 The Indolence of Filioinos
 Makamisa
 Unfinished novel
 Sa Mga Kababaihang Taga Malolos
 Essay, 889
 To the Young Women of Malolos
 Annotations to Antonio de Moragas, Sucesos de las
Islas Filipinas
 Essay, 1889
 Events in the Philippine Islands
o Poetry
 A La Juventud Filipina
 El Canto Del Viajero
 Briayle Del Viajero
 Go to AMA Week 2 page 19 for more
o Plays
 El Consejo de los Dioses (The council of Gods)
 Junto Al Pasing (Along the Pasig)
 San Euistaquio, Martyr (Saint Eustache, the martyr
o Marcelo H. Del Pilar
 Dubbed as the Great Propagandist
 One of the notable people during the Spanish Imperialism
 Popularly known as Plaridel, the editor and co-publisher of La Solidaridad
 Master in the use of his native language, Tagalog
 Aroused awareness in the Filipino people about the discrimination,
bigotry, and hypocrisy under the rule of Spanish tyrants
 Founded the newspaper called Diariong Tagalog in 11882, aiming to
spread the “democratic liberal ideas” to farmers and peasants
 Took over as editor of La Solidaridad in December 1889
  Works:
 Dasalan at Tocsohan by Marcelo H. Del Pilar
o Graciano Lopez-Jaena
 Hailed as a great genius in the country
 One of the most prominent staff members of the Spanish newspaper, Los
Dos Mundos, where his written works are known to invoke the and
inspire his fellow Filipinos
 Dreamt of becoming a physician
 He learned the common injustices in his community in Iloilo
 One of his prominent works is the short novel, Fray Botod, written when
he was 18, which is about a priest who used religion to commit
oppression, instead of being a role model to Filipinos
 The Spaniards, especially the friars, were incensed upon reading this
notable work while an inspiration to the Propaganda movement
 Works:
 La Hija Del Fraile (Ang Anak ng Prayle)
o Dwells on the arrogance of the friars
o Revealed the dire consequences tied to the marriage
between the Spanish and Filipinoss
 En Honor de los Filipinas (Ang Dangal ng Pilipinas)
o A speech that honors the efforts ad achievements of Juan
Lna, Felix Ressureccion Hidal, and Joaquin Pardo de Tavera
on the Paris Exposition held on May 6, 1889
 Mga Kahirapan sa Pilipinas
o Expresses Jaena’s objections to the rules and regulations
set by the reigning country as well as the unjust education
system in the Philippines
 Ang Lahat ay Pandaraya
o Article about a Filipina who boasted about her future as a
countess because she thinks she’ll marry a count from a
rich family in Madrid, eventually, she learns that the man’s
father was a measly shoemaker
 The republic is coming
o Antonio Luna
 AKA Taga-ilog
 Known for his works criticizing the rule of the government and the church
 His exceptional knowledge and skills in military landed him the job as the
general
 Works:
 Noche Buena
 o Story about the tradition of Christmas in the Philippines,
written to entertain and amuse the people from Madrid
 La Maestra de mi Pueblo
o Published when he was writing for La Solidaridad that tells
the story of a teacher and the flaws of the education
system for women
 Las Estrellas de mi Cielo (The Stars of My Sky)
o Collection of love poems, written for the female students
of La Concordia
 Impressiones
o Satirical observation of Spanish customs and idiosyncrasies
that he published on La Solidaridad when he was a student
in Europe
o The work drew the ire of Spaniards but Luna’s courage of
standing up to them initiated the respect for indios
o Mariano Ponce
 AKA Tikbalang, Nanding, and Kalipulako
 Another ally of propagandists seeking for Philippine reforms
 Regular contributor to the La Solidaridad, as co-founder, with his topics
varying from history, politics, sociology to travel
 Works:
 Mga Alamat ng Bulacan
o Legends and Folklore from Baliwag, Bulacan
 Pagpugot kay Longino
o Tagalog play performed on a plaza in Malolos
 Sobre Filipinas
o Contains Idealism for the freedom of the country
o Jose Maria Panganiban
 AKA Jomapa
 Known for possessing photographic memory
 Works:
 A Nuestro Obispo
o Poem he submitted when he was in elementary
 Noche de Mambulao (Gabi ng Mambulao)
o Poem
 Ang Lupang Tinubuan
o Poem
 Sa Aking Buhay
o Poem
 El Pensamiento
 o La Solidaridad, March 1889
 La Universidad de Manila
 Su Plan de Estudio
 Los Nuevos ay untamiento de Filipinas
o Dr. Pedro Paterno
 Poet, Novelist, Screenplay Writer
 One of the first Filipino writers to break free from strict rules imposed on
literature during the propaganda movement
 Works:
 Ninay
o First novel written in Spanish by a Filipino
o Revolves around the life of Ninay who died of cholera
o Composed of 10 chapters: one for the introduction and
the rest is the pasiyam for Ninay’s soul
 Sampaguita y Pesias Varias
o A collection of poems published on Europe in the year
1880
 A Mi Madre (For My Mother)
o Poem conveying the pain and sorrow of losing a mother
 During the Revolution
o When freedom was not achieved through the peaceful means of literature used
by propagandists, the revolutionaries made use of weapons
o Andres Bonifacio
 Established the Katipunan
 Born Tondo, Manila
 Eldest son
 Literature inspired him to form a revolt against the Spanish rule
 Notable works:
 Decalogo ng Katipunan
o He wrote the orders for the members of the Katipunan
o He gave a copy for Jacinto’s Kartilya ng Katipunan
 Katapusang Hibik ng Pilipinas
o The words of the poem exude the hate and threats
Bonifacio holds for the colonizers
 Pag-ibig sa Tinubuan Lupa
o A complete opposite of the previous poem, this one
conveys Bonifacio’s love for his country and his willingness
to die to fight for freedom
o Emilio Jacinto
 AKA Dimas-Ilaw and Pingkian
  Utak ng Katipunan
 Editor of the Katipunan’s publication, Ang Kalayaan
 Youngest member of the Katipunan
 Works:
 Ang Liwanag at Dilim
o Became the code of revolution
o Essays included:
 Ningning at ang Liwanag
 Ako’y Umaasa
 Kalayaan
 Ang Tao’y Magkapantay
 Ang Pag-Ibig
 Ang Gumawa
 Maling Pananampalataya
 Mga Aral ng Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Batan
o The kartilya that contains the orders and regulations of the
members of Katipunan
o Apolinario Mabini
 AKA Katabay in writing about politics, the government and philosophy
 Utak ng Himagsikan
 Dakilang Lumpo
 Works:
 Program Constitutional dele Republica Filipinas
o Contains the intentions for the government and education
system in the country
 El Desarollo Caida Dela Republica Filipina
o Explains the rise and fall in the republic of the Philippines
 El Simil de Alejandro
o Oppose the American government and emphasizes the
importance of human rights
o Published on El Liberal
 El Verdadero Decalogo
o Written on May1898, this piece describes the model
nationalistic Filipino
o Contains moral rules for the improvement of society