PRE-SPANISH PERIODPRE-SPANISH PERIOD

*Filipinos had its own alphabet

*wrote on fragile materials (bamboo, leaves of palms)

*with existence of schools called BOTHOAN (in Panay); teachers were priests, priestesses, judges; materials – documents, manuscripts, book of ritual and magic, genealogies, calendars, impt. Laws and records of notable events

*Literary forms: sayings, lyrics, legends, epics, proverbs, riddles, ritualistic utterances (on simple life experiences)

*Sample epics: Hinilawod (Panay) Hudhud and Alim

(Ifugao) Darangen (Maranaw)

*Characteristics of literary works: immaturity, lack of sophistication and modes of expression lacked naturalness and simplicity

SPANISH PERIOD

*Characteristics: shift from nature and natural phenomena to preoccupation with the lives of saints, miracles, hymns, and invocations founded on Christian doctrine

Reading fare come from pamphlets, novenas, and prayer books that are religious in nature

Marked by literary imitation

Fanciful but lacked imagination

Plots were repetitious Themes are trite Characters were mere

clichés

*Forms: continuation of duplo and karagatan

Metrical romance (awit and corrido)

Pasion Cenaculo Moro-moro Carillo (shadow play) Tibag Zarzuela Florante at Laura by Francisco

Baltazar

PROPAGANDA AND THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD

*occurrence of nationalist literature*works were satirical and critical in natureDiariong Tagalog (1882), Spanish-Tagalog newspaper signaled the open campaign for reformsLa Solidaridad (mouthpiece of reform movement)Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo

Propaganda writings turned to revolutionary writings of the “rebel patriots”

Kalayaan(Liberty), newspaper of the society

Apolinario Mabini’s “True Decalogue” Jose Palma’s “Filipinas

THE EARLY PERIOD (1900-1930)

August 13, 1898 – American forces occupied Manila

April 1900 – Pres. William McKinley directed the Phil Commission to make English the medium of instruction in all public schools

US Army – first teachers

1901 – 600 Thomasites replaced the first teachers

- Phil. Normal School was founded Aim: To train the Filipinos in the art of teaching so that they could eventually take charge of elementary education

1899 – English newspapers published (The Courier, The Insular Press, The Manila Freedom)

1900 – The Daily Bulletin was founded

1902 – Cablenews started

1905 – The Phil Free Press was founded; edited by F. Theodore Rogers; started as a bilingual in English and Spanish; published the first Filipino short stories in English in 1908

1908 – UP was founded (became the forerunner in the use of English for higher education)

Oct 1910 – College Folio was founded ( printed works of promising writers; early selections on ghost stories and folk tales; taught a moral message)

Topics for compositions: folk tales and experiences

Style of writing: formal and imitative; use of Spanish expressions; awkward grammar; difficulty in the use of pronouns and prepositions

1913 – The Torch of PNS was published

1920 – Phils Herald began its publication (founded by Manuel L. Quezon and the magazine section edited by Paz Marquez Benitez)

PMB makes familiar names such as Paz Latorena, Loreta Paras, Jose Garcia Villa, Casiano T. Calalang

1924 – AVH Hartendorp became the editor of Phil Education Magazine; renamed to Phil Magazine four years after; became the most influential literary magazine in the country; published some of the best Filipino writing in English)

1925 – FreePress began paying for theoriginal manuscripts and offered P1,000 for the best short stories

Other Publications: Manila Tribune, Graphic, Woman’s Outlook, Woman’s Home Journal, Philippine Collegian

1925 – Phil Writers Assn was organized with Rizal G. Adorable as President Early members include Paz Latorena, Loreto Paras, Jose Garcia Villa, Jose Panganiban, Remedios Mijares, Casiano Calalang, Arturo B. Rotor, and Augusto Catanjal

1927 – Writers Club founded at UP; published Literary Apprentice

DRAMA and NOVEL – hardly written because the vernacular plays and zarzuela still dominated the stage

A Child of Sorrow by Zoilo M. Galang – first Filipino novel in English published in 1921 (Other works include Visions of Sower, 1924 and Nadia,1929.)

Ernest Lopez, another novelist; published Awakening in 1929

ESSAYS- popular form of expression -light and humorous - serious subjects include education,

history, politics, and social problems

1921 – Zoilo M. Galang published Life and Success,the first volume of essays in English

1924 – Thinking for Ourselves appeared edited by Vicente M. Hilario and Eliseo QuirinoMaster of Destiny by Zoilo M. Galang

Essayists: Francisco Benitez, Jorge Bocobo,

Amador T. Daguio, Leandro Fernandez, Zoilo M. Galang, Fernando Ma. Guerrero, Fernando Maramag, Camilo Osias, Claro M. Recto, Carlos P. Romulo, and Eulogio B. Rodriguez

SHORT STORIES

1910-1924 – Period of the Novices

1925-1931 Period of Phenomenal Growth

Characteristics -tales were romantic -adventures, themes, and plots

imitated-with difficulties in grammar-with tendency toward

sentimentalism

WORKS PRAISED FOR HIGH LITERARY QUALITY

Jorge Bocobo’s “Horrible Adventure” (Phil Review, May 1916)Paz Marquez Benitez’s “The Siren of 34 Real” (Phil Review, July 1917)

September 20, 1925 – Phil Herald published “Dead Stars’ – one of the best short stories written by a Filipino

1925 – Zoilo M. Galang published the first collection of short stories in book form, Box of Ashes and Other Stories

1926 – Jose Garcia Villa encouraged yearly selection of best short stories

1927 – first anthology of Filipino short stories was edited by Paz Marquez Benitez, Filipino Love Stories

1928 – best short stories were compiled by Jose Garcia Villa in Philippine Short Stories:The Best 25 Stories of 1928

1930 – original and significant stories written“Zita” by Arturo B. Rotor – considered one of the finest love stories in Filipino literature

Early short story writers: Paz Marquez Benitez, Jorge Bocobo, Amador T. Daguio, Paz Latorena, Tarcila Malabanan, Jose Villa Panganiban, Arturo B. Rotor, Loreto Paras Sulit, Jose Garcia Villa.

POEMS

Sursum Corda –first known Filipino poem in English; written by Justo Juliano, appeared in Philippine Free Press in 1907

Poems borrowed images and similes from English or American poets

Reminiscences – first collection of poems in book form; written by Lorenzo Paredes

Never Mind- collection of Filipino poetry in English published in 1922 by Procopio Solidum

Filipino Poetry – anthology of Filipino poems published in 1924 by Procopio Solidum

Other poets: Rafael Zulueta da Costa, Luis Dato, Angela Manalang Gloria, Alfredo Elfren Litiatco, Fernando M. Maramag, Natividad Marquez, Juan F. Salazar, Abelardo Subido, Trinidad Tarrosa Subido, Jose Garcia Villa.

THE EMERGENCE PERIOD (1935-1945)

• a time of self-discovery and of rapid growth

*golden age of Phil Lit in English

*Qualities:Consciously set out to create national literature

Gained full control of the English language

Experimentation with different literary forms, techniques, and moods

Three groups of writers emerged ( concerned with social consciousness, concerned with craftsmanship, concerned with local color)

Causes of the flowering of creative energyPhilippine Book Guild (1937)Philippine Writers Guild (1939)Free press, the Graphic, Philippine MagazineCommonwealth Literary Awards (1940)

Works given recognition: Lit and Society by S.P. Lopez (essay)

How… Wife by M.E. Arguilla (short story)

Like the Molave by R. Z. da Costa (poetry)

His Native Soil by Juan Cabreros Laya (novel)

Policy – issue weekly supplements when lit works were published

1941-1945 – Japanese occupation; lit devt interrupted

From romantic idealism to romantic realism (Arguilla, Gonzales, Joaquin, B Santos, C.V. Pedroche, E Alfon)

Poetry – meager (JG Villa made a name)Western poets served as

models

1935 – gave authors sense of responsibility; essays flourished

Movies took over the zarzuela

Emergence of dramatists (Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero and Severino Montano

Novel – Juan C. Laya’s His Native Soil N.V. M. Gonzalez’s Winds of April

CONTEMPORARY PERIOD (1945-Present)

Mushrooming of periodicalsCollege papers appeared

• Creation of Barangay writers Project (1946)

• NTC offered a 3-unit course in the Phil Contemporary Lit in English

• Continuous recognition of good literary outputs

• Palanca Memorial Award was created• National writers Conference held (PEN)• Republic Cultural Heritage Award and

Pro patria Awards created

Qualities of lit*sensitive to literary fashions abroad*more incentives offered to creative works*writers have better knowledge of their craft*guerilla and liberation stories begin to appear*saw the appearance of literary criticism

Noted writers:Nick JoquinF. Sionil JoseN.V.M. GonzalesJ.G. VillaG. BrillantesGilda Cordero-FernandoEdith TiempoKerima Polotan-Tuvera

Poetry –symbolist Displayed considerable consciousness

Poets: E. Tiempo V. Moreno C. Angeles C. Bautista O. Dimalanta R. Demetillo B. Lumbera

Essays – offshoot of new political freedom

Filipino playwriting least developedPlaywrights: Virginia R Moreno

Alberto S FlorentinoWilfrido Nolledo

Novels-reflect social and political realities