Geography Language Ethnicity

Pre-colonial Period -As literary works The language of oral -In this period, epics
created in the setting literature, unless the became the emergent
of a society where the piece was part of the genre. Epics are long
resources for economic cultural heritage of the narrative verses
subsistenceland, community, was the relating the feats of
water and forest language of daily life. ancestral heroes
where communally At this phase of literary against great odds.
owned, the oral development, any These are being
literature of the member of the chanted at important
precolonial Filipinos community was a events in the life of a
bore the marks of the potential poet, singer community in order to
community. The or storyteller as long as inspire the people and
subject matter was he knew the language to remind them of their
invariably the common and had been attentive ideals and values.
experience of the to the conventions of
people constituting a the forms.
villagefood
gathering, creatures
and objects of nature,
work in the home,
field, forest or sea,
caring for children, etc.
Spanish colonial -In the course of - The Spanish language -The Filipino populace
Period Spanish colonization in which became the embraced Spanish
the Philippines, the literary language Roman Catholic
friars constructed during this time lent Christianity almost
opulent Baroque-style many of its words to unquestioningly. The
church edifices. These our language. This Spanish authorities
structures are still influence is evident congregated the
found today even in the way we tell scattered Filipino
everywhere across the time ("alas singko y population into
country and they media"), in the way we clustered village
symbolize the cultural count ("uno, dos, settlements, where
influence of Spain in tres"), and in the family they could more easily
Filipino life. The names we carry ( Dela be instructed and
opulence of these Cruz, Reyes, Santos, Christianized under a
edifices was clearly etcetera). friars eye. This policy
visible in the ornate paved the way for the
facades, paintings, and emergence of the
sculpture, as well as in present system of
the behavioral patterns politico-territorial
of the people and in organization of villages,
the intricate rituals towns, and provinces.
associated with Roman Some scholars claim
Catholic churches. that the Spaniards only
superficially
Christianized the
 Filipinos, most of
whom learned to recite
the prayers and chants
by rote, without any
idea as to their
meaning. Some native
inhabitants became
only nominal
Christians.
American colonial -The free education in -The English medium -The combination of
Period public schools allowed introduced many writing in a borrowed
many Filipinos access Filipinos to the Anglo- tongue while dwelling
to information and American ways of on Filipino customs and
knowledge. Those who thought, life ways and traditions earmarked
took advantage of the culture. This became the literary output of
available education embedded in the major Filipino
through levels of psyche and literature fictionists in English
education, such as produced by much of during the American
college, enjoyed an the countrys educated period.
improvement in social classes. This educated
status. class was the product
of vibrant and colorful
Philippine literature.

Contemporary Period