DIFFERENT PERIODS OF PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

I.PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD (--BC to 1564)

A. Characteristics
1. Based in Oral Traditions
2. Crude on ideology and phraseology
B. Literary Forms
1. Oral Literature
a. Riddles (bugtong) – battle of wits among participants
Tigmo –Cebu
Paktakon – Ilonggo
Patotdon – Bicol
b. Proverbs (salawikain) – wise sayings that contain a metaphor used to teach as a food for thought etc.
c. Tanaga - a mono-riming heptasyllabic quatrain expressing insights and lessons on life is "more emotionally
charged than the terse proverb and thus has affinities with the folk lyric."

2. Folk Songs
It is a form of folk lyric which expresses the hopes and aspirations, the people’s lifestyles as well as their loves. These are
often repetitive and sonorous, didactic and naive.
a. Hele or oyayi – lullaby
b. Ambahan (Mangyan) – 7-syllable per line poem that are about human relationships and social entertainment
c. Kalusan (Ivatan) - work songs that depict the livelihood of the people.
d. Tagay (Cebuano and Waray) – drinking song.
e. Kanogan (Cebuano) – song of lamentation for the dead

3. Folk Tales
a. Myths – explain how the world was created, how certain animals possess certain characteristics, why some
places have waterfalls, volcanoes, mountains, flora or fauna.
b. Legends – explain the origin of things
Why the Pineapple Has Eyes
The Legend of Maria Makiling
c. Fables – used animal characters and allegory
d. Fantastic stories – deal with underworld characters such as “tiyanak”, “aswang”, “kapre” and others.
4. Epics
These are “narratives of sustained length based on oral tradition revolving around supernatural events or heroic
deeds” (Arsenio Manuel)
Examples:
Lam-ang (Ilocano)
Hinilawod (Panay)
Kudaman (Palawan)
Darangen (Maranao)

II. SPANISH COLONIZATION PERIOD (1565 – 1863)

A. Characteristics
1. It has two distinct classifications: religious and secular
2. It introduced Spanish as the medium of communication.
B. Literary Forms
1. Religious Literature - Religious lyrics written by ladino poets or those versed in both Spanish and Tagalog were
included in early catechism and were used to teach Filipinos the Spanish language
a. Pasyon – long narrative poem about the passion and death of Christ.
The most popular was “Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Cristong Panginoon Natin” by Aguino de Belen
b. Senakulo – dramatization of the pasyon, it shows the passion and death of Christ
2. Secular (non-religious) Literature
a. Awit - colorful tales of chivalry made for singing and chanting
Example: Ibong Adarna
b.Korido – metrical tale written in octosyllabic quatrains
Example: Florante at Laura by Francisco Baltazar
c. Prose Narratives – written to prescribe proper decorum
i. Dialogo
ii. Ejemplo
iii.Manual de Urbanidad
iv. tratado
Examples: Modesto de Castro's "Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini na si Urbana at si Feliza"
and Joaquin Tuason's "Ang Bagong Robinson" (The New Robinson) in 1879.

III. NATIONALISTIC / PROPAGANDA AND REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD (1864 – 1896)

A. Characteristics
1. Planted seeds of nationalism in Filipinos
2. Language shifted from Spanish to Tagalog
 3. Addressed the masses instead of the “intelligentsia”
B. Literary Forms
1. Propaganda Literature - Reformatory in objective
a. Political Essays – satires, editorials and news articles were written to attack and expose the evils of Spanish rule
i.Diariong Tagalog – founded by Marcelo del Pilar
ii.La Solidaridad – whose editor-in-chief is Graciano Lopez-Jaena
b. Political Novels
i. Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo – Jose Rizal’s masterpieces that paved the way to the revolution
2. Revolutionary Literature – more propagandistic than literary as it is more violent in nature and demanded complete
independence for the country
a. Political Essays – helped inflame the spirit of revolution
Kalayaan – newspaper of the society, edited by Emilio Jacinto
b. Poetry
True Decalogue – Apolinario Mabini
Katapusang Hibik ng Pilipinas –Andres Bonifacio
Liwanag at Dilim – Emilio Jacinto

IV. AMERICAN COLONIAL PERIOD (1910 – 1945)

A. Period of Apprenticeship (1910-1930)
A. Characteristic
Filipino Writers imitated English and American models
B. Literary Forms
1. Poems -- written were amateurish and mushy, which phrasing and diction is awkward and artificial.
a. Short Stories
i. Dead Stars – Paz Marquez Benitez
ii. The Key – Paz Latorena
iii. Footnote to Youth – Jose Garcia Villa
b. Novels
i. Childe of Sorrow – first novel in English, by Zoilo Galang
B. Period of Emergence (1920-1930)
Highly influenced by Western literary trends like Romanticism and Realism.
a. Short Stories – most prevalent literary form
i. Jose Garcia Villa – earned the international title “Poet of the Century”

V. JAPANESE OCCUPATION (1942 - 1960)

A. War Years (1942-1944)
1. Tagalog poets broke away from the Balagtas tradition and instead wrote in simple language and free verse
2. Fiction prevailed over poetry
a. 25 Pinakamabuting Maikling Kathang Pilipino (1943) – compilation of the short story contest by the military
government.
b. Suyuan sa Tubigan – Macario Pineda Lupang Tinubuan – Narciso Reyes
c. Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa – Liwayway Arceo
B. Period of Maturity and Originality (1945-1960)
1. Bountiful harvest in poetry, fiction, drama and essay
2. Filipino writers mastered English and familiarized themselves with diverse techniques
3. Literary “giants” appeared
a. Palanca Awards for Literature
i. Jose Garcia Villa
ii. Nick Joaquin
iii. NVM Gonzales
iv. Bienvenido Santos
v. Gregorio Brillantes
vi. Gilda Cordero Fernando
b.National Artist Awards
i. Jose Garcia Villa
ii. Nick Joaquian

CONTEMPORARY/MODERN PERIOD (1960 – PRESENT)

A. Characteristics
1. Martial Law repressed and curtailed human rights, including freedom of the press
2. Writers used symbolisms and allegories to drive home their message, at the face of heavy censorship.
3. Theater was used as a vehicle for protest, such as the PETA (Phil. Educational Theater Association) and UP Theater.
4. From the eighties onwards, writers continue to show dynamism and innovation