21 CENTURY
ST
LITERATURE
FROM THE
PHILIPPINES AND
THE WORLD
Literature is a term used to describe
written and sometimes spoken material.
Derived from the Latin
word literature meaning "writing
formed with letters," literature most
commonly refers to works of the
creative imagination, including poetry,
drama, fiction, nonfiction, and in some
instances, journalism, and song.
Literature
The precolonial literature includes all literature produced before the Spanish
colonization like chants, proverbs, songs, and folk narratives. These were all
passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth.
Philippine folk narratives are varied and distinct. They depict the people’s
livelihood, customs, and traditions.
1. Folktale – This is a characteristically anonymous, timeless, and placeless tale
circulated orally among a people.
2. Fable – This features animal characters or inanimate objects that behave like
people.
3. Legend – This is presented as history but is unlikely to be true.
4. Myth – This is told to explain a belief, a practice, or a natural phenomenon.
5. Epic – This narrative poem celebrates the adventures and achievements of a hero.
Pre-colonial Literature
Expeditions to the Philippines were sent by Spain in
the 16th century. In their conquest, the Spaniards
brought Christianity with them. The clergy made a
great impact on faith, education, and government.
Through the Manila-Acapulco trade (1565–1815),
liberal ideas entered the country. Also, the trade gave
rise to a wealthier middle class. Children in middle
class families could then be sent to Europe to get an
education. Upon their return, they brought European
ideals of liberty and freedom with them. Such ideals
would then give rise to Filipino nationalism.
Spanish Colonial Period (1521–1898)
The Spanish missionaries taught the gospel through the native language, so
they hired natives to translate Spanish religious instructional materials.
Eventually, the natives became fluent in Spanish and became known as ladinos.
Ladinos mainly wrote devotional poetry. Two of them were Fernando
Bagongbanta and Gaspar Aquino de Belen. Bagongbanta wrote “Salamat nang
walang hanga/gracias de sin sempiternas,” which appeared in Memorial de la
vida cristiana en lengua tagala (1605), a book containing basic Catholic doctrines.
On the other hand, de Belen wrote “Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Christong
Panginoon natin na tola” (1704), the earliest version of pasyon.
Also, the native drama called the komedya or moro-moro was popular. It depicted
the war between Christians and Muslims, wherein the former always wins. The
poet Jose de la Cruz (1746–1829) was a master of such art form.
Native literature continued. Though the Spaniards destroyed the written
literature in their effort to replace it with their own, the oral tradition survived
and flourished in areas beyond the reach of the Spaniards.
Philippine Literature
during the Spanish Occupation
Francisco Baltazar (1788-1862), the master of traditional Tagalog poetry,
became well-known for his work Florante at Laura (1838–1861), the most
famous metrical romance of the country.
Pedro Paterno (1857–1911) wrote Sampaguitas y poesias varias (1880), the first
poetry collection in Spanish by a Filipino; and the novel in
Spanish Ninay (1885), considered to be the first Filipino novel.
Jose Rizal (1861–1896), a prominent ilustrado and the country’s national hero,
is famous for the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. These novels
portray the corruption and abuse of the Spanish officials and the clergy.
Andres Bonifacio (1863–1897), the founder of the Katipunan, wrote the poem
“Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa.” This poem appeared in the Kalayaan, the
official newspaper of the Katipunan, in March 1896.
Leona Florentino (1849–1884), known as the “mother of Philippine women’s
literature,” was a poet in both Ilocano and Spanish. Twenty of her poems
were preserved and exhibited in Europe. The poems were included in the
Encyclopedia International des Oeuvres des Femme in 1889.
The US established a civil government in 1901. Free public
education was introduced. Also, English was the medium
of instruction.
In 1934, President Roosevelt signed a bill making the
Philippines a commonwealth. On May 14, 1935 Manuel L.
Quezon was elected president.
American Occupation
(1898–1940)
The production of literary works in English is the direct result of the
American colonization of the Philippines. The first collection of poetry in
English is Filipino Poetry (1924), edited by Rodolfo Dato. The short story
“Dead Stars” (1925) by Paz Marquez Benitez is considered as the first
Filipino modern short story in English. A Child of Sorrow (1921) by Zoilo
M. Galang is the first Filipino novel in English. The novel His Native
Soil (1940) by Juan C. Laya won first prize in the First Commonwealth
Literary Awards in 1940.
Filipino writers in English during the apprenticeship period (1900–1930)
imitated American writing. The poet Fernando Maramag writes in the
Romantic tradition in his sonnet “Moonlight on Manila Bay” (1912).
Filipino fictionists copied Sherwood Anderson, William Saroyan, and
Ernest Hemingway. Jose Garcia Villa used the Anderson pattern. Manuel
Arguilla and N. V. M. Gonzalez were influenced by Anderson and
Hemingway. Francisco Arcellana was influenced by Saroyan.
Literary Works Produced
On December 8, 1941, the Japanese attacked Manila.
On January 2, 1942, Japanese occupied Manila. They set up a Council
of State in the country and started propaganda to remold the Filipinos.
In October 1943 the Japanese declared the Philippines “independent.”
On September 20, Jose P. Laurel was elected president.
MacArthur and his Allied forces returned to the country in 1944. They
landed on Leyte on October 20, and the biggest naval battle in history
ensued.
The Japanese surrendered formally on September 2, 1945.
Japanese Occupation
(1941–1945)
Philippine literature in English, as a direct result of American
colonization of the country, could not escape being imitative of
American models of writing especially during its period of
apprenticeship. The poetry written by early poets manifested
studied attempts at versification as in the following poem which is
proof of the poet’s rather elementary exercise in the English
language:
The Tagalog short story reached its maturity during the period. The
best works were compiled by the Liwayway magazine editors in Ang
Pinakamabuting Maikling Kathang Pilipino ng 1943, which came out in
1944. It is a collection of stories that won a contest sponsored by the
Japanese. The top four stories were “Lupang Tinubuan” by Narciso
G. Reyes, “Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa” by Liwayway Arceo,
“Nayon at Dagat-dagatan” by N. V. M. Gonzalez, and “Suyuan sa
Tubigan” by Macario Pineda.
Literary Works Produced
Postwar and contemporary literature include all literary works written and
published in the Philippines from 1946.
After World War II, the Philippines had to deal with the economy and the
need for rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructures. There was
political, economic, and social confusion, as well as great poverty, and these
issues found their way into the short stories and novels during that time.
During the post-war period, Filipino writers got their inspiration from
American teachers and were able to learn their techniques, which also
helped in mastering the English language.
Writers wrote fiction that focused on courageous deeds as well as the
sacrifices and suffering in the lives of Filipinos. It was also common for
writers to write about the experiences of the Filipino people under the
Spanish and American rule and the Japanese Occupation.
Postwar and Contemporary Literature
Other subjects and themes include:
religious faith
superstitions
fantasy
social problems
poverty
politics
nationalism
morality
Postwar and Contemporary Literature
Philippine literature flourished even more during the post-war and
contemporary period. Writers were able to produce short stories,
novels, essays, and poems that continue to be read by Filipinos
today.
Some works written in the postwar and contemporary period are:
May Day Eve by Nick Joaquin, 1947
Waywaya by F. Sionil Jose, 1983
We Filipinos Are Mild Drinkers by Alejandro Roces, 1948
The Return by Edith L. Tiempo
History and Philippine Culture by Horacio de la Costa, 1965
Without Seeing the Dawn by Stevan Javellana, 1947
Literary Works
Nick Joaquin, a National Artist for Literature awardee, wrote articles under the
name of Quijano de Manila. His short story "May Day Eve," published in 1947, is
about love in a patriarchal society. It also made use of magic realism.
F. Sionil Jose, one of the most widely read Filipino writers in English, wrote the
short story "Waywaya," which is about pre-Hispanic society and the people’s
struggle for moral order.
Alejandro Roces, a Filipino author, essayist, and dramatist, wrote the short
story "We Filipinos Are Mild Drinkers." This story focuses on the drinking habits
and culture of Filipinos and Americans.
Edith L. Tiempo's poem "The Return" is a sentimental piece that talks about life
in old age.
Horacio de la Costa wrote the essay "History and Philippine Culture," which
emphasizes the importance of understanding and presenting a nation’s culture.
Stevan Javellana wrote the first postwar Filipino novel in English, Without Seeing
the Dawn. This novel narrates what people experienced during World War II
under the Japanese rule in the Philippines.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
THE FAMOUS WRITERS
Filipino literary critic, poet, painter, and short story writer.
He was born on August 5, 1908 in Manila.
He was named as the National Artist for Literature in 1973,
and he was also a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship.
He wrote Man Songs.
Some of his well-known literary works are "Mir-i-nisa" (won
in the Philippines Free Press in 1929), and "Footnote to Youth"
(published in 1933).
Jose Garcia Villa is known for introducing the reversed
consonance rhyme scheme. (such as with near and run, and
light and tell)
He is also known for his comma poems, where he employed a
comma after every word.
He used the pseudonym Doveglion
He died on July 7, 1997.
JOSE GARCIA VILLA
Carlos P. Romulo was a Filipino diplomat, statesman,
journalist, and soldier.
He was born on January 14, 1898 in Intramuros, Manila
and grew up in Camiling, Tarlac.
He was the first Filipino journalist who was awarded with
the Pulitzer Prize in Journalism.
He was also the first Asian who served as the president of
the United Nations General Assembly.
"I am a Filipino" is one of the many essays written by
Carlos P. Romulo. It was published in The Philippines
Herald in August 1941.
He was conferred as National Artist for Literature in 1982.
He died on December 15, 1985.
CARLOS P. ROMULO
Francisco Arcellana is a Filipino teacher and a contemporary
writer. He is one of the prominent Filipino fictionists in English.
He is known for innovating and exploring new literary forms and
experimenting with different techniques in short story writing.
He was a member of the group The Veronicans, which was
composed of influential Filipino writers who aimed to use sensible
literature in order to create a greater impact on the Philippines.
He was also the first director of the University of the Philippines
Creative Writing Center.
Some of his well-known literary works are the short stories "The
Man Who Would Be Poe," "Death in a Factory," "A Clown
Remembers," "The Mats," and "Lina."
In 1990, he was awarded as the National Artist for Literature.
His short stories "Flowers of May," "Christmas Gift," and "The
Mats," were adapted as screenplays.
Francisco Arcellana
Nestor Vicente Madali Gonzalez is an award-winning Filipino poet,
essayist, fictionist, journalist, editor, and teacher of creative writing.
He is the first president of the Philippine Writers’ Association.
He is also honoured as one of the great Filipino writers who
advanced literary traditions and culture.
He was a recipient of the following awards: The Republic Cultural
Heritage Award, the Jose Rizal Pro-Patria Award, the Carlos Palanca
Memorial Award for Literature, and the National Artist Award for
Literature in 1997.
Some of his published works are Seven Hills Away (1947), Children of
the Ash-Covered Loam and Other Stories (1954), and The Bamboo
Dancers (1949), which appeared in Russian translation in 1965 and
1974.
Seven Hills Away is a collection of short stories that sketch the daily
lives of the Filipino kaingeros in his hometown province, Mindoro.
The Bamboo Dancers is a diasporic novel that features the challenges
faced by Filipinos in America.
N.V.M. Gonzalez
Edith L. Tiempo was a Filipino writer in English. She was a
poet, fiction writer, and literary critic.
She was known for using intricate and witty representations to
portray significant human experiences.
Some of her well known poems are "The Return," a poem that
describes the characteristics of old age.
As a fictionist, she was known for her moral profoundness.
One of her remarkable short stories, "The Black Monkey," won
third prize in the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award. "The Black
Monkey," which is set during the time when guerrillas were
fighting against the Japanese during World War II, narrates the
tormenting encounter of a woman with a monkey.
She was awarded as the National Artist for Literature in 1999.
She founded with her husband the Silliman University
National Writers Workshop, which produced great young
writers of her time.
Edith L. Tiempo
