This document provides an overview of literature, including its history and major forms. It discusses how literature originated in early civilizations through oral and written traditions. The major forms are poetry, which uses aesthetic qualities of language, and prose, which uses ordinary syntax. The document also summarizes different types of prose and discusses literature in the Philippines from pre-Hispanic epics to forms that developed during the Spanish colonial period like religious poetry, metrical romances, corridos and awit. It notes how Filipino intellectuals in the 19th century began writing about colonization, fueling calls for reform.

1. • Literature is a term used to describe written or
spoken material. Broadly speaking, “literature’ is
used to describe anything from creative writing
to more technical or scientific works, but the
term is most commonly used to refer to works of
the creative imagination, including works of
poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction.

2. HISTORY
Taken to mean only written works, literature was first produced by
some of the world's earliest civilizations—those of Ancient Egypt and
Sumeria—as early as the 4th millennium BC; taken to include spoken
or sung texts, it originated even earlier, and some of the first written
works may have been based on an already-existing oral tradition. As
urban cultures and societies developed, there was a proliferation in
the forms of literature. Developments in print technology allowed for
literature to be distributed and experienced on an unprecedented
scale, which has culminated in the electronic literature.

3. MAJOR FORMS
Poetry
is a form of literary art which uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language
to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, prosaic ostensible meaning.
Poetry has traditionally been distinguished from prose by its being set in verse,
prose is cast in sentences, poetry in lines; the syntax of prose is dictated by
meaning, whereas that of poetry is held across metre or the visual aspects of the
poem.
Prose
is a form of language that possesses ordinary syntax and natural speech rather
than rhythmic structure; in which regard, along with its measurement in
sentences rather than lines, it differs from poetry.

4. SOME COMMON TYPES OF
PROSE
1. Nonfictional Prose: A literary work that is mainly based on fact although
it may contain fictional elements in certain cases. Examples are biographies
and essays.
2. Fictional Prose: A literary work that is wholly or partly imagined or
theoretical. Examples are novels and novella.
3. Heroic Prose: A literary work that may be written down or recited and
employs many of the formulaic expressions found in oral tradition. Examples
are legends and tales.
4. Prose Poetry: A literary work which exhibits poetic quality using
emotional effects and heightened imagery but are written in prose instead of
verse.

5. LITERATURE IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Philippine literature is the literature associated with the Philippines
and includes the legends of prehistory, and the colonial legacy of the
Philippines. Pre-Hispanic Philippine literature were actually epics passed on
from generation to generation originally through oral tradition. However,
wealthy families, especially in Mindanao were able to keep transcribed
copies of these epics as family heirloom. One such epic was the Darangen,
epic of the Maranaos of Lake Lanao.
Most of the notable literature of the Philippines was written during
the Spanish period and the first half of the 20th century in the Spanish
language. Philippine literature is written in Spanish, English, Tagalog, or
other native Philippine languages.

6. LITERARY FORMS IN PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE
Pre-history
Pre-colonial inhabitants of our islands showcase a rich past through their
folk speeches, folk songs, folk narratives and indigenous rituals and mimetic dances
that affirm our ties with our Southeast Asian neighbors
 Riddle – tigmo in Cebuano, bugtong in Tagalog, paktakon in Ilongo and
patototdon in Bicol is the most seminal literary form in the Philippines.
 Talinghaga or metaphor "reveals subtle resemblances between two unlike
objects" and one's power of observation and wit are put to the test.
 Tanaga – the extended form of metaphor, 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." Some examples
are the basahanon or extended didactic sayings from Bukidnon and the daraida
and daragilon from Panay.

7.  Folk song - 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 as in the children's songs or Ida-ida (Maguindanao), tulang
pambata (Tagalog) or cansiones para abbing (Ibanag).
 Examples are the lullabyes or Ili-ili (Ilongo); love songs like the
panawagon and balitao (Ilongo); harana or serenade (Cebuano); the
bayok (Maranao); the seven-syllable per line poem, ambahan of the
Mangyans that are about human relationships, social entertainment and
also serve as a tool for teaching the young; work songs that depict the
livelihood of the people often sung to go with the movement of workers such
as the kalusan (Ivatan), soliranin (Tagalog rowing song) or the mambayu,
a Kalinga rice-pounding song; the verbal jousts/games like the duplo popular
during wakes.
 Other folk songs are the drinking songs sung during carousals like the
tagay (Cebuano and Waray); dirges and lamentations extolling the deeds of
the dead like the kanogon (Cebuano) or the Annako (Bontoc).

8.  Folk narratives i.e. epics and folk tales are varied, exotic and magical.
They explain how the world was created, how certain animals possess certain
characteristics, why some places have waterfalls, volcanoes, mountains, flora
or fauna and, in the case of legends, an explanation of the origins of things.
 Fables are about animals and these teach moral lessons.
 Our country's epics are considered ethno-epics because unlike, say, Germany's
Niebelunginlied, our epics are not national for they are "histories" of varied
groups that consider themselves "nations."
 Epics come in various names: Guman (Subanon); Darangen (Maranao);
Hudhud (Ifugao); and Ulahingan (Manobo). These epics revolve around
supernatural events or heroic deeds and they embody or validate the beliefs
and customs and ideals of a community. These are sung or chanted to the
accompaniment of indigenous musical instruments and dancing performed
during harvests, weddings or funerals by chanters. The chanters who were
taught by their ancestors are considered "treasures" and/or repositories of
wisdom in their communities.

9. SPANISH COLONIAL TRADITION
“While it is true that Spain subjugated the Philippines for more mundane
reasons, this former European power contributed much in the shaping and
recording of our literature.”
Poetry and Metrical Romance
 Ladino Poems – are 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. Fernando Bagonbanta's "Salamat nang walang
hanga/gracias de sin sempiternas" (Unending thanks) is a fine example that is
found in the Memorial de la vida cristiana en lengua tagala (Guidelines for the
Christian life in the Tagalog language) published in 1605.
 Dalit – are meditative verses which is another form of religious lyrics appended to
novenas and catechisms. It has no fixed meter nor rime scheme although a number
are written in octosyllabic quatrains and have a solemn tone and spiritual subject
matter.

10. But among the religious poetry of the day, it is the pasyon in octosyllabic
quintillas that became entrenched in the Filipino's commemoration of Christ's
agony and resurrection at Calvary. Gaspar Aquino de Belen's "Ang Mahal na
Passion ni Jesus Christong Panginoon natin na tola" (Holy Passion of Our Lord
Jesus Christ in Verse) put out in 1704 is the country's earliest known pasyon.
Other known pasyons chanted during the Lenten season are Ilocano,
Pangasinan, Ibanag, Cebuano, Bicol, Ilongo, and Waray.

11. POETRY AND METRICAL
ROMANCESSome forms of poetry are:
 Dialogo (dialogue)
 Manual de Urbanidad (conduct book)
 Ejemplo (exemplum) and;
 Tratado (tratado). (The most well-known are Modesto de Castro's "Pagsusulatan
ng Dalawang Binibini na si Urbana at si Feliza" (Correspondence between the
Two Maidens Urbana and Feliza) in 1864 and Joaquin Tuason's "Ang Bagong
Robinson" (The New Robinson) in 1879, an adaptation of Daniel Defoe's novel.)
The most notable of the secular lyrics followed the conventions of a romantic tradition:
the languishing but loyal lover, the elusive, often heartless beloved, the rival. The
leading poets were Jose Corazon de Jesus (Huseng Sisiw) and Francisco Balagtas.
Some secular poets who wrote in this same tradition were Leona Florentino, Jacinto
Kawili, Isabelo de los Reyes and Rafael Gandioco.

12. Another popular secular poetry is the metrical romance, the awit and
korido in Tagalog. These are colorful tales of chivalry from European sources
made for singing and chanting such as Gonzalo de Cordoba (Gonzalo of
Cordoba) and Ibong Adarna (Adarna Bird). There are numerous metrical
romances in Tagalog, Bicol, Ilongo, Pampango, Ilocano and in Pangasinan. The
awit as a popular poetic genre reached new heights in Balagtas' "Florante at
Laura" (ca. 1838-1861), the most famous of the country's metrical romances.
 Corridos – Were widely read during the Spanish period that filled the
populace's need for entertainment as well as edifying reading matter in their
leisure moments. Set in octosyllabic quatrains.
 Awit –it is set in dodecasyllabic quatrains like corridos, these were also
widely read during the Spanish period as entertaining, edifying, reading
manner in their leisure time. It is also a fabrication of the writers imagination
although the characters and the setting may be European. The structure is
rendered dodecasyllabic quatrains

13. Again, the winds of change began to blow in 19th century Philippines. Filipino
intellectuals educated in Europe called ilustrados began to write about the downside
of colonization. This, coupled with the simmering calls for reforms by the masses
gathered a formidable force of writers like Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar,
Mariano Ponce, Emilio Jacinto and Andres Bonifacio.
This led to the formation of the Propaganda Movement where prose works such
as the political essays and Rizal's two political novels, Noli Me Tangere and the El
filibusterismo helped usher in the Philippine revolution resulting in the downfall of
the Spanish regime, and, at the same time planted the seeds of a national
consciousness among Filipinos.
But if Rizal's novels are political, the novel Ninay (1885) by Pedro Paterno is
largely cultural and is considered the first Filipino novel. Other Filipino writers
published the essay and short fiction in Spanish in La Vanguardia, El Debate,
Renacimiento Filipino, and Nueva Era. The more notable essayists and fictionists were
Claro M. Recto, Teodoro M. Kalaw, Epifanio de los Reyes, Vicente Sotto,
Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, Rafael Palma, Enrique Laygo (Caretas or Masks,
1925) and Balmori who mastered the prosa romantica or romantic prose.

14. EARLIEST WORKS OF
LITERATURE
 Doctrina Christiana, Manila, 1593, remarkable not only for
having been printed at such an early period in an elaborated
blackletter of the Spanish language, but also for having copies
made in Tagalog, both in Latin script and the commonly used
Baybayin script of the natives at the time, plus another
translation in traditional Chinese. It is also the first book
published in the Philippines.
 Tomas Pinpin wrote and printed in 1610 Librong Pagaaralan
nang mga Tagalog nang Uicang Castilla, 119 pages long,
designed to help fellow Filipinos to learn the Spanish language in
a simple way. He is also with the first news publication made in
the Philippines, "Successos Felices“.

15. POETRY AND METRICAL
ROMANCES
 Ladino Poems – Were natives of firstTagalog versifiers who saw
print: highly literate in both Spanish and the vernacular.
 Corridos –Were widely read during the Spanish period that filled
the populace's need for entertainment as well as edifying reading
matter in their leisure moments.
 Awit – like corridos, these were also widely read during the
Spanish period as entertaining, edifying, reading manner in their
leisure time. It is also a fabrication of the writers imagination
although the characters and the setting may be European.The
structure is rendered dodecasyllabic quatrains.

16. RELIGIOUS DRAMA
 The Panunuluyan– Literally, seeking entrance, the Tagalog version of the Mexican
Las Posadas. Held on the eve of Christmas, it dramatizes Joseph's and Mary's search for
Bethlehem.
 Senakulo – Was the dramatization of the passion and death of Jesus Christ.
 Salubong – An Easter play that dramatizes the meeting of the Risen Christ and His
Mother.
 Moriones – Refers to the participants dressed roman soldiers, their identities hidden
behind colorful, sometimes grotesque, wooden masks.
 The Santacruzan – Performed during the month of May which have the devotion for
the Holy Cross. It depicts St. Elena's search for the cross on which Christ died.
 Pangangaluwa – An interesting socio-religious practice on All Saint's Day which
literally means for The Soul.These were generally held during the nine nights of vigil
and prayers after someone's death, on the first death anniversary when the family
members put away their mourning clothes.

17. SECULAR DRAMAS
 The Karagatan – comes from the legendary practice of testing
the mettle of young men vying for a maiden's hand. The maiden's
ring would be dropped into sea and whoever retrieves it would
have the girl's hand in marriage.
 The Duplo – A forerunner of the balagtasan. The performances
consist of two teams; One composed of young women called
Dupleras or Belyakas; and the other, of young men called Dupleros
or Belyakos.
 The Comedia – It is about a courtly love between, a prince and a
princess of different religions. It is about a Christian-Muslim
relationship

18. MODERN LITERATURE (20TH
AND 21ST CENTURY)
• The greatest portion of Spanish literature was written during the American period, most
often as an expression of pro-Hispanic nationalism, by those who had been educated in
Spanish or had lived in the Spanish-speaking society of the big cities, and whose
principles entered in conflict with the American cultural trends. Such period of Spanish
literary production—i.e., between the independence of Spain in 1898 and well ahead into
the decade of the 1940s—is known as Edad de Oro del Castellano en Filipinas. Some
prominent writers of this era were Wenceslao Retana and Claro Mayo Recto, both in
drama and essay; Antonio M. Abad and Guillermo Gomez Wyndham, in the narrative;
Fernando María Guerrero and Manuel Bernabé, both in poetry. The predominant literary
style was the so-called "Modernismo", a mixture of elements from the French Parnassien
and Symboliste schools, as promoted by some Latin American and Peninsular Spanish
writers (e.g. the Nicaraguan Rubén Darío, the Mexican Amado Nervo, the Spaniard
Francisco Villaespesa, and the Peruvian José Santos Chocano as major models).

19. NOTABLE PHILIPPINE LITERARY
AUTHORS
 Nicanor Abelardo - was a Filipino composer known for his Kundiman songs, especially
before the Second World War.
 Estrella Alfon - was a well-known prolific Filipina author who wrote in English. Because
of continued poor health, she could manage only an A. A. degree from the University of the
Philippines
 Francisco “Franz” Arcellana - was a Filipino writer, poet, essayist, critic, journalist and
teacher.
 Liwayway A. Arceo - was a multi-awarded Tagalog fictionist, journalist, radio scriptwriter
and editor from the Philippines. Arceo authored a number of well-received novels, such as
Canal de la Reina and Titser.
 Francisco Balagtas y de la Cruz - also known as Francisco Baltazar, was a prominent
Filipino poet, and is widely considered as one of the greatest Filipino literary laureate for his
impact on Filipino literature
 Lualhati Torres Bautista - is one of the foremost Filipino female novelists in the history of

20.  Cecilia Manguerra Brainard - is an award-winning author and editor of nineteen
books. She co-founded PAWWA or Philippine American Women Writers and Artists;
she also founded Philippine American Literary House.
 Carlos Sampayan Bulosan - was an English-language Filipino novelist and poet
who spent most of his life in the United States.
 Linda Ty Casper - is a Filipino writer who has published over fifteen books, including
the historical novel Dream Eden and the political novels Awaiting Trespass, Wings of
Stone, A Small Party in a Garden, and Fortress in the Plaza.
 Gilda Cordero-Fernando - is a multiawarded writer, publisher and cultural icon
from the Philippines. She was born in Manila, has a B.A. from St. Theresa's College-
Manila, and an M.A. from the Ateneo de Manila University.
 Genoveva Edroza-Matute was a Filipino author. In 1951, she was the recipient of
the first ever Palanca Award for Short Story in Filipino, for her short story "Kuwento ni
Mabuti“.
 Zoilo Galang - is the Filipino author of the first Philippine novel written in the English
language A Child of Sorrow, published in 1921.

21.  N.V.M. Gonzales – was the author of “The Winds of April” “A Season of Grace”
‘The Bamboo Dancers”.
 Nick Joaquin - Nicomedes Márquez Joaquín was a Filipino writer, historian and
journalist, best known for his short stories and novels in the English language. He
also wrote using the pen name Quijano de Manila.
 F. Sionil José - or in full Francisco Sionil José is one of the most widely read
Filipino writers in the English language. His novels and short stories depict the
social underpinnings of class struggles and colonialism in Filipino society.
 Ambeth Ocampo - is a multi-awarded Filipino historian, academic, journalist,
and author best known for his writings about Philippines' national hero José Rizal
and for "Looking Back", his bi-weekly editorial page column in the Philippine Daily
Inquirer. He became the chair of the Philippines' National Historical Institute in
2002 and of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in 2005.
 José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda - was a Filipino nationalist,
novelist, poet, ophthalmologist, journalist, and revolutionary. He is widely
considered as one of the greatest heroes of the Philippines.

22.  Alejandro Reyes Roces - was a Filipino author, essayist, dramatist and a
National Artist of the Philippines for literature. He served as Secretary of
Education from 1961 to 1965, during the term of Philippine President
Diosdado Macapagal.
 Bienvenido N. Santos - was a Filipino-American fiction, poetry and
nonfiction writer. He was born and raised in Tondo, Manila. His family roots
are originally from Lubao, Pampanga, Philippines.
 Edilberto Kaindong Tiempo - also known as E. K. Tiempo, was a Filipino
writer and professor.
 Kerima Polotan-Tuvera - was a Filipino author. She was a renowned and
highly respected fictionist, essayist, and journalists, with her works having
received among the highest literary distinctions of the Philippines. Some of her
stories have been published under the pseudonym Patricia S. Torres.