21 CENTURY LITERATURE

ST

FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND

THE WORLD:
AN INTRODUCTION
ISAGANI E. DITAN, RGC, RPM, LPT, CTP
OBJECTIVES
• 1. identify literature and its various genres, forms, elements, and
traditions;
• 2. differentiate/compare and contrast the various 21st century
literary genres and the ones from the earlier genres/periods citing
their elements, structures and traditions;
• 3. recognize the various influences that affect the type of literature
produced in the philippines; and
• 4. express appreciation of literature by identifying its benefits through
composition writing
INTRODUCTION
• Philippine literature is as rich and diverse as the 7000
plus islands that make up our archipelago.
• this is not surprising considering that we have 183
living languages ([Link]) across 17 regions
comprised of 82 provinces.
• literature in the Philippines have come in various
genres (forms) and have been appreciated and
analyzed for their forms, elements, structures, and
traditions.
MEANING OF LITERATURE
• Latin word "littera" "a letter of the alphabet".
• Britannica, literature is traditionally defined as body of
written works associated to imaginative and creative
works of poetry and prose and can be classified
according to variety of systems such as language,
national origin, historical period, genre and subject
matter.
LITERATURE
• oral or written form.
• The oral literature handed down from one
generation to another, then later on
transformed into written form.
LITERARY TEXT
• The products of written literature are called
literary text.
• A text can be considered literary if it has the
elements of psychological characterization
and chronology.
• literary devices ÷metaphor and symbolism.
CHARACTERISTICS OF LITERARY TEXT
• (1) it narrates a story;
• (2) it expresses feelings, thoughts, and ideas
which can either be based from the imagination
or real life experiences of the author or other
people; and
• (3) it delivers significant information and crosses
boundaries of time, places, cultures and
languages.
LITERARY STRUCTURE
• refers to the organizational method used in literature
in which the most common type is the narrative.
• Parts of the narrative structure (or plot) are the
• exposition,
• rising action,
• climax,
• falling action,
• and resolution (denouement).
•Exposition: The introduction of a story, providing
background information about characters, setting, and
the main conflict.
•Rising Action: The series of events that build tension
and develop the conflict, leading up to the climax.
•Climax: The turning point or most intense moment in
the story, where the main conflict reaches its peak.
•Falling Action: The events that follow the climax,
leading toward the resolution and showing the
consequences of the climax.
•Resolution (Denouement): The final part of the story
where the conflict is resolved, and loose ends are tied
up.
LITERARY STRUCTURE
• refer to "the general features or characteristic of
genre, style, a specific literary trend, literature as an
art form, and finally, art as a whole" (The Great Soviet
Encyclopedia).
• For Murphy (n.d.), literary structure may involve
arrangement of various elements according to
purpose, style, and genre to effectively convey the
intended meaning for the audience.
 TWO MAJOR FORMS OF
LITERATURE
•1. Poetry
•2. Prose
POETRY
• This literary type is usually written in lines
and is characterized by having the element
of rhythm, sound, imagery, and form.
• Its main purpose is to express feelings,
thoughts, and ideas.
 3 TYPES OF POETRY
• a. Narrative Poetry. This poetry tells a story and has
the elements of a narrative such as characters, setting,
conflict, etc.
• b. Dramatic Poetry. This is an emotionally appealing
drama written in verse that tells a story and is
intended to be recited or sung in front of the audience
by a character speaking in poetry.
• c. Lyric Poetry. It is the most common type of poetry
that focuses on expressing feelings rather than telling
a story.
•Haiku: A traditional Japanese form of poetry consisting of three lines with
a syllabic pattern of 5-7-5. Haikus often focus on nature and capture a
moment or feeling.
•Ode: A formal, lyrical poem that expresses admiration or praise for a
•
person, object, or event. Odes are often serious in tone and elaborate in
structure.
•Elegy: A poem of mourning or reflection, typically written to honor
someone who has passed away. It expresses sorrow and lament but may
also celebrate the life of the deceased.
•Sonnet: A 14-line poem, usually written in iambic pentameter, with a
specific rhyme scheme. Common forms include the Shakespearean
(ABAB CDCD EFEF GG) and Petrarchan (ABBA ABBA CDE CDE)
sonnet.
•Song Lyric Poetry: A form of poetry written to be sung, often focusing
on emotions, relationships, or personal experiences. Song lyrics typically
have a rhythmic and melodic quality.
•Haiku
Example:
An old silent pond...
A frog jumps into the pond— •Sonnet
Splash! Silence again. Example:
—Matsuo Bashō (Famous Japanese haiku poet) Sonnet 18 (Shakespeare)
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
•Ode Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Example: —William Shakespeare (One of the most famous
Ode to a Nightingale sonneteers)
Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird! •Song Lyric Poetry
—John Keats (Famous English poet known for his Example:
odes) Blowin' in the Wind
How many roads must a man walk down
•Elegy Before you call him a man?
Example: —Bob Dylan (Famous singer-songwriter known for his
Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard poetic lyrics)
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea,
—Thomas Gray (Famous for his elegy)
PROSE
• In contrast to poetry, this literary piece applies a
natural flow of speech and grammatical
structures which are mainly consisting of
complete sentences arranged logically and
sequentially in a paragraph form.
2 TYPES OF PROSE
• a. Fiction. This serves as a product of the writer's wild
imagination and creative thinking where the
characters react to the conflict and various issues
central to the main idea of a literary work.
• b. Non-fiction. These are stories inspired by real
events where the writers aim to present, interpret, or
describe experiences based on facts.
3 TYPES OF FICTION
I. short story,
II. novel,
III. and novella.
• The main genres are crime, fantasy, romance,
science fiction, western, inspirational, historical
fiction and horror.
NON-FICTION
• These are stories inspired by real events where
the writers aim to present, interpret, or describe
experiences based on facts.
• The judgments, opinions, and commentaries of
the writers may be presented in the form of
essays, journals, diaries, feature articles,
editorials, and the like.
GENRE
• refers to the forms of literature.
• “may be determined by literary technique, tone,
content, or even (as in the case of fiction) length.
• The most general genres in literature are (in
loose chronological order) epic, tragedy, comedy,
and creative nonfiction.
GENRE
• They can all be in the form of prose or poetry.
• Additionally, a genre such as satire, allegory or
pastoral might appear in any of the above, not
only as a sub-genre, but as a mixture of genres.
• Finally, they are defined by the general cultural
movement of the historical period in which they
were composed.
GENRE
• Genre should not be confused with age
categories, by which literature may be classified
as either adult, young-adult, or children's.
• They also must not be confused with format,
such as graphic novel or picture book.” (Glossary,
Curriculum Guide)
LITERARY ELEMENTS
• Literary elements refer “to particular
identifiable characteristics of a whole text.
• they represent the elements of storytelling
which are common to all literary and narrative
forms.
• The common elements of a story are setting,
character, conflict, theme, point of view, and
plot.
PLOT
• has its own elements such as
exposition,
rising action,
climax,
falling action,
and resolution or denouement
POETRY
• In poetry, there are four essential elements:
form,
imagery,
rhythm,
and sound.
FORMS OF POETRY
• Poetry comes in different forms such as
whether it is
• free verse,
• couplet,
• limerick, etc.
POETRY
• Imagery ÷why we see pictures in words and it adds color in any types
of literature especially in poetry.
• Rhythms and sounds are somehow similar.
• While sound deals with the common use of rhymes and other literary
devices such as repetition (repeating of words, phrases, or lines),
alliteration (repeating same consonant sounds), assonance (repeating
same vowel sounds), and onomatopoeia (the use of the actual sound
to represent someone or something), rhythm is more concerned with
the flow of the beat such as whether it is fast or slow.
• In general, both sounds and rhythms are the key ingredients that give
poetry a musical effect (Encyclopedia Britannica).
TRADITION
•refers to the specific traits of literary
works that define a generation or period
in history.
LITERARY TRADITION
• “is a collection of works that have an underlying
interconnectedness and coherence that makes them
more than simply a group of works sharing geography
or group.
• Irish poetry and drama, for example, extend over
several centuries, involving writers with a range of
voices and preoccupations; and yet it is often thought
that they are distinctively "Irish."
An Overview of Philippine Literature
•Philippine literature can be divided into
three most important periods:
pre-colonial,
colonial, and
post-colonial.
STYLES OF PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
• The styles and themes used in Philippine
literature were born from a combination of the
country’s history, mythology, culture, and foreign
influences, evolving throughout different periods
while also adopting common writing
philosophies and movements of the time.
PRE-COLONIAL LITERATURE
• chants, proverbs, songs, and folk narratives are considered under pre-
colonial period which are mostly of oral traditions.
• Our forefathers also valued words of wisdom for teaching values as
evidenced by numerous proverbs or salawikain.
• Story telling was used to explain phenomenon and to teach lessons
as well.
• Having bugtong or riddles was also a favorite past time and listening
to narratives of bravery, magic, and heroism in epics was a box office
hit.
SPANISH LITERATURE
• The focus of literature suddenly changed upon the arrival of Spaniards.
• An emphasis on morality and religion was common in literary forms
such as Corrido, Pasyon, and Cenaculo.
• The production of printed materials started but it was mostly of
religious purposes and themes.
• Literacy paved the way to develop sense of nationalism among Filipinos
during the latter part of Spanish colonization.
• Filipinos started to write about oppression, corruption, and other social
ills such as in the works of Dr. Jose P. Rizal entitled Noli Me Tangere and
its sequel El Filibusterismo.
SPANISH LITERATURE
• The Spanish colonization of the Philippine islands led
to the introduction of European literary traditions.
• Many of these were influenced heavily by the Spanish
language and the Catholic faith.
• These traditions include poetry such
as tanaga, ladino, corridos, and awit; religious dramas
such
as moriones, santacruzan, panunuluyan and senakulo;
and secular dramas like comedia, duplo,
and karagatan.
FILIPINO AUTHORS DURING SPANISH PERIOD
• Many Filipino authors rose to prominence during this time,
such as
• Francisco Balagtas, the author of Florante at Laura (1838);
and
• Huseng Sisiw, author of Singsing ng Pagibig. Balagtas's title,
which combines history, romance, and religion, became the
premier Filipino story taught in schools nationwide.
• Another influential writer was Leona Florentino, the mother
of Philippine women's literature whose work catapulted
feminism to the forefront of the revolution.
NEWSPAPERS
• On December 1, 1846, the first daily newspaper, La Esperanza, was
published in the country.
• The first provincial newspaper was El Eco de Vigan (1884), which was
issued in Ilocos.
• In Cebu City, El Boletín de Cebú (The Bulletin of Cebu) was published
in 1890.
• One of the most influential Spanish-language Filipino newspaper also
include El Renacimiento (1901), printed in Manila by members of the
Guerrero de Ermita family until the 1940s.
AMERICAN PERIOD
• Knowledge and information became accessible to all Filipinos
because of the free public education.
• All forms of literature were explored by Filipino writers.
• During this period, short stories were the most prevalent
literary form.
• With the new knowledge of English language, many writers
started to gain recognition both locally and internationally like
Jose Garcia Villa who earned the International title, “Poet of
the Century" as an example.
AMERICAN PERIOD LITERATURE
• The first English novel written by a Filipino was The
Child of Sorrow (1921) written by Zoilo Galang.
• The early writings in English were characterized
by melodrama, unreal language, and unsubtle
emphasis on local color.
AMERICAN PERIOD LITERATURE
• The most well-known was Manuel Arguilla and his
anthology How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife and
Other Short Stories (1940), which won first prize in the
Commonwealth Literary Contest.
• During this time, there was also a resurgence of interest in
Filipino mythology and folklore, and many works concerning
them would be published, with the most well-known being
the many anonymous stories about the folk character Juan
Tamad (1919).
JAPANESE PERIOD LITERATURE
• Philippine Literature was interrupted in its development
when we were conquered by Japan between 1941-1945
since freedom of expression was uncommon back then.
• Filipino writers in the Philippines were forbidden to write
anything against the government and only those who were in
exile had the privilege to do so.
• As a result of banning the English language, short stories
written in the vernaculars flourished in the country.
LATE 20 CENTURY LITERATURE
TH

• As the Philippines gained its sovereignty from America,

patriotism once again became a central theme in Filipino
literature.
• Besides stories of Filipino mythology and history, there was
also a boom in tales depicting the simple life of the common
Filipino.
• These stories often took place in the countryside, and
portrayed every day Filipino activities like church-going,
farming, courting, and cockfighting.
LATE 20 CENTURY LITERATURE
TH

• The most well-known example was the short story My

Brother’s Peculiar Chicken by Alejandro Roces
• Carlos Bulosan, Nick Joaquin, Bienvenido Santos, Lualhati
Bautista, and Rolando S. Rinio.
• Carlos Bulosan - America Is In The Heart (1946), which
became one of the earliest glimpses and representations of
the life of Asian-American immigrants in the West.
• F. Sionil Jose is also a similar author who tackled social
injustice and elitism in his Rosales Saga (1973-1984).
LATE 20 TH
CENTURY LITERATURE
• Later on, political and protest literature became wildly
present, especially during the Martial Law era.
• By this time, there became a focus on criticizing and
satirizing the current status of the Philippines rather than just
celebrating the nation like those before it.
• These works include the powerful Mga Ibong
Mandaragit (1969) by Amado V. Hernandez and the Conjugal
Dictatorship (1976) by Primitivo Mijares.
PINOY KOMIKS
• It was around this period as well that the golden age
of Filipino comics and sequential art emerged.
• Many Filipino comic books, strips, and graphic
novels soared in popularity, making names of writers
and artists like Pablo S. Gomez, Mars Ravelo, Francisco
V. Coching, Carlo J. Caparas and Gilda Olvidado.
REFERENCES
•
[Link]
ury-Lit-SHS_Q1_Mod1_Introduction-to-Philippine-Literature_VerFinal
_Aug-[Link]

• [Link]
ASSESSMENT A1
• 1. Why is it important to learn about the pre-
colonial literature of the Philippines?
• 2. How does the literature during the Spanish
era differ from the literature during the pre-
colonial era?
• 3. Which era do you think has been able to exert
its influences the most? Why?