Rishi Jan T. Gonzaga

    * 3.1 Based on the given articles, identify and discuss the literary forms/ elements from the following: 

a.   a. Early Philippine Literature

Early Philippine Literature had a rich literary legacy; it manifested in our forefathers’ rituals and traditions. According to Dr. Lila Quindoza-Santiago, before being introduced to the Roman alphabet, the Philippines had their syllabary, which the Tagalogs called the Baybayin – a Sanskirt-like inscription. This syllabary became the medium for our ancestors to make and create literary works such as proverbs, songs, poems, epics, and riddles. However, there was the inadequacy of apparatus to print their literature. Literary forms were transmitted orally by incantation and recitation before being transcribed during the colonization of the Spaniards into the Roman alphabet (Quiros, n.d).

Songs or awit is the most popular literary form among all of those that were created back in the day. Songs vary in tunes and lyrics among ethnolinguistic communities, and that is what makes its origin recognizable (Quindoza-Santiago, n.d). For instance, among the Tagalogs, various song forms serve different purposes – Uyayi or hele (lullaby), Soliranin (travel), Talindanaw (seafarers), Kumintang (war), Maluway (collective labor), Kundiman (love song), Dalit (rhythm in dance), Panambitan (courtship), Pamanhikan (marriage preparation), and Subli (dance-ritual song for courtship and marriage). In the case of Ilocanos, the sought-after form of songs is the Dallot and the Duayya which are both love songs, and the Dung-aw which is played during wakes. Aside from those mentioned previously, there are numerous song forms such as Bagbagto, Kanta, Kalusan, and Iaji; all of these songs mirrored the life situation of our ancestors before the Spanish Colonization.

Aside from making tunes, the early inhabitants were also engaged in making riddles – Bugtong in Tagalog or Burburtia in Ilocano. Riddles are typically created to rhyme and employ a metaphor whose connotation gradually reveals the meaning of the riddle’s answer, which is also known as Talinhaga. Through the Ambahan, not only riddles are transmitted, but the narration of general folk experiences as well. Poets can test their skills in writing rhyme, meter, and metaphor through the Tanaga since it is rhyme and measured. Moreover, another literary form is the Salawikain or Tagalog proverbs. These proverbs impart a lesson or reflect standard norms, traditions, and beliefs in the community. According to Liraz Postan (2020), the Filipino culture is a profoundly rational and submissive one that accepts difficulty – but also anticipates ultimate success once that adversity is survived. Several of these proverbs are associated with the theme of tolerating what must be endured. There are 6 groups in classifying Philippine proverbs according to Professor Damiana Euginio: (1) proverbs indicating a broad outlook on life and the laws that govern it; (2) ethical proverbs endorsing certain virtues and criticizing certain vices; (3) proverbs representing a value system; (4) proverbs communicating general realities and insights about life and people; (5) hilarious proverbs; and (6) miscellaneous proverbs.

Now, let’s talk about epics. According to Esther Fleming (2020), Epic poetry in the Philippines is regarded as the pinnacle of Philippine folk literature, comprising narratives of the exploits of tribal heroes. Almost all of the country’s major ethnic groups have an epic chanted in various rituals. In the assortment of ASEAN’s sponsored study on Filipino epics, they stated epics translated into English and Filipino such as; Aliguyon, Biag ni Lam-Ang, Labaw Donggon, Agyu, and Sandayo. Some authors and scholars produced composite text and translation of these epics for people to understand their meaning without losing the essence of the epics. Early Philippine epics have things in common such as plots, supernatural characters, designated names, episodic, and has various versions. There is also a form of literature that contains short narratives. Alamat or short stories that explain how people, objects, and events came to be – is a form of literature that I find amusing to read. According to Judie Anderson, folktales are stories passed down from one generation to the next – they change throughout the time when different people tell them various things.

Since our forefathers’ literature mirrored the way of life in the past, the catastrophes, humor, and inspiration of the exquisite Filipino poetry, songs, folktales, and epics lets you take a look into the past. According to Blake, literature in the pre-colonial times was transmitted orally, and there is the temporality of the leaves and barks used by the locals for writing made only a few of early Philippine literature remain (Quiros, n.d). 

b. Philippine Literature in Spanish Colonial Period

Philippine literature encompasses a range of works; predominantly based on sociopolitical histories, personal experiences, and traditional folktales (Valdeavilla, 2018). According to Lumbera (n. d), the tale of the Passion of Christ substituted for the native oral tradition as part of the Spanish colonial campaign to discredit it; for the next three centuries, the unity of church and state was the foundation of Spanish colonization. The missionaries’ understanding of the locals and the church resulted in a significant and ecclesiastical influence (Macasantos, n. d). 

According to Resil Mojares, the dominant opinion was that learning the language by Filipinos would develop based on racial and colonialism preconceptions, a spirit of assertiveness and resistance among colonial people. A combination of business, politics, and religions brought Spain to the Philippine soil; and opened up the colony to the world (Mojares, n. d). Del Superior Gobierno, the first newspaper in the Philippines, came out in 1811 – it took several years for popular journalism to gain attraction, alongside the publication of papers like Diario de Manila and El Comercio. Since the country has been colonized, the Spaniards have imposed censorship in newspaper publishing. The disappearance of the ancient alphabet gave way to new literary forms such as lyrical songs and poems – the Komedya, dramas, Pasyon, Senakulo, Balagtas, and Sarsuwela. Soon enough, in the 19^th century, Ilustrados or Filipino intellectuals began to write about the hitch of colonization (Schumacher, 2000). Prose and propaganda literature (political essays, satires, and editorials) – like Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo (both written by Jose Rizal) became a way of informing the Filipino people about the unjust colonization of the Spaniards (Bauer, 2018). The novel and its sequel recount the life and eventual death of Ibarra, a Filipino who studied overseas who tries to transform his nation. In the sequel, El Filibusterismo, reappears as Simoun, a wealthy goldsmith, and accelerates social collapse by further ruining the social safety net until the disadvantaged respond violently to topple the system – as a result, he died in a violent manner. In some aspects, Rizal’s novels and patriotic literature were the logical end of the Propaganda Movement’s liberal reform drive. So what is the Propaganda Movement? According to Luebering (n. d), the Propaganda Movement was a reform and national awareness movement that began in the late 1800s among young Filipino immigrants. Despite the fact that its supporters declared allegiance to the Spanish colonial administration, the movement was ruthlessly suppressed by Spanish authorities, who murdered its most renowned member, Jose Rizal. According to John Schumacher (2000), Marcelo del Pilar, Antonio Luna, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce, Jose Ma. Panganiban, Jose Rizal, Pedro Paterno, and Antonio Luna were the intellectuals who spearheaded the propaganda movement (1872-1896). Following the defeat of the reformist movement, writers and social critics Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto, both deeply affected by the liberal concepts of the French enlightenment, wrote about human dignity. Emilio Jacinto wrote political essays in the native language – for instance, a Tagalog translation of Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios. Bonifacio’s most important work, according to Macasantos (n. d), are his poetry, the most popular being Pag-Ibig sa TInubuang Lupa. Like Bonifacio, Jacinto also chose to communicate to Filipinos by the use of the country’s native language.

 The golden age of Philippine Literature in Spanish produced a tremendous body of work. The most active genre was poetry, which was aided by the availability of Spanish-language periodicals such as El Renacimiento and La Vanguardia, and Balagtasan – a publicly-performed poetic joust. Some remarkable poets are Ma. Guerrero, Cecilio Apostol, Jesus Balmori, Manuel Bernabe, Claro Recto, and Flavio Zaragoza y Cano. Also, Zarsuwela is introduced in the field of theater arts during the Spanish colonization period. According to Nicanor Tiongson (n. d), the Zarzuela is a one-to-five-act drama featuring songs and dances representing the ups and downs of romantic love among romanticized Filipino characters, and frequently infusing modern political, economic, social, or cultural themes for relevancy and intrigue. In the essay and other written forms, the Spaniards made significant progress. According to Mojares, propagandists in the nineteenth century wrote writing that indicated how thoroughly Filipinos had adopted the Spanish language as their own – which was manifested into the early 20^th century in the work of Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, Rafael Palma, Jaime De Veyra, and Teodoro Kalaw. Liberalism contributed to natives becoming informed and Spanish becoming the dominant language. Nevertheless, the very emancipation ideals that it helped promote damaged Spanish, and its collapse led to nativism and a resurgence of literature in the native tongues. 

c. Philippine Literature in American Period

The American Regime started after they won the American-Spanish war, many Filipinos have resumed writing, and the people’s patriotism has not waned. Filipino writers dabbled in a variety of genres, including journalism, poetry, dramas, short stories, essays, and novels (Fleming, 2019). Literature during this era was deeply affected by education and culture. Many people were allowed to study since the Americans provided free education, and English was utilized to teach the Filipinos their language. This also helped Americans spread their ideals – universality, practicality, and democracy.

The use of English as a communication medium of teaching exposed Filipinos to Anglo-American ideologies, culture, and lifestyle – which became incorporated not just in the literature written but also in the mentality of the country’s intelligentsia (Quindoza-Santiago, n. d). During the American apprenticeship, Philippine Literature couldn’t help but imitate American patterns, as evidenced by early poets’ attempts at versification, rhyme, meter, and stanza. The replication of American patterns is evident not just in poems but also in the storytelling style and attentiveness to the technique of the narrative as executed by popular American literature.

The Americans funded schools like the Philippine Normal School (1901) and the University of the Philippines (1908); this contributed to the expansion of the English language. According to De Ungria, during the early years of the century the published works is influenced by the Americans – there is an imitation of writing styles. Filipino efforts were visible in student publications like The Filipino Students’ Magazine (1905), the UP College Folio (1910), The Coconut of the Manila High School (1912), and The Torch of the PNS (1913). According to Dr. Lilia Quindoza-Santiago, one of the goals of the UP Writers Club, created in 1926, was to improve and spread the “language of Shakespeare”.  After the publication of Dead Stars, a short story written by Paz Marquez Benitez, authors began to publish stories that were no longer based on American models. Story writers like A.E. Litiatco, Arturo Rotor, Icasino Calasang, Paz Loterna, Manuel Arguilla, and Lydia Villanueva started the publication of pieces that demonstrated both linguistic competence and a sharp Filipino sensibility. According to Quindoza-Santiago, other fictionists during the era included Consorcio Borje, Conrado Pedroche, Amador Daguio, Aida Rivera, Hernando Ocampo, Sinai Hamada, and Fernando Maria Guerrero. With the initiation of Salvador P. Lopez, the Philippine Writers League began discussing the importance of literature in societal structure. According to Lisandro Claudio (2016), Salvador Lopez (SP) grew up during a time of intercultural change. With SP, the essay in English took superiority in common political and governance discourse. In 1940, President Manuel L. Quezon awarded the following authors the first Commonwealth Literary Awards: Salvador P. Lopez (essay – Literature and Society), Juan C. Laya (novel – His Native Soil), R. Zulueta de Costa (poetry – Like the Molave), and Manuel Arguilla (short story – How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife).

On the other hand, Philippine literature was lively and imaginative throughout the early decades of American colonization. The English language teaching in schools made the intelligentsia of the Philippines grow much more globalized and lean towards American influence. Seditious plays in the manner of Zarzuela were performed throughout the early American period. Tanikalang Ginto; Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas; and Hindi ako Patay are some of Juan Crisostomo Sotto directed Zarzuelas – indicated against the imperialists of America. Other remarkable zarzuelas during the American Regime were Severino Reyes’ Walang Sugat and Patricio Mariano’s Anak ng Dagat. Other than Ilustrados, there were also early Tagalog authors who wrote novels like Ishmael Almado (Bulalakaw ng Pag-Asa); Valeriano Hernandez Pena (Nena at Neneng); and Faustino Aguilar (Pinaglahuan). Since Philippine Literature was lively during the regime, the Tagalogs, primarily Francisco Balagtas, created Balagtasan. Balagtasan is a literary form of debate used by Filipino writers and poets to communicate the most modern and current political viewpoints to remark on current societal issues. During the American period, different but simultaneous developments of Philippine Literature in English, Tagalog, and other languages only indicate that literature and writing, in any language and climate, may persist primarily through the active imagination of writers (Quindoza-Santiago, n. d).

*3.2 Discuss the significant developments of the following periods

a. Early Philippine Literature

    Early Philippine Literature had a rich literary legacy; it manifested in our forefathers’ rituals and traditions. This ambit is understood best through the lens of our country’s pre-colonial and contemporary culture’s socio-political histories. According to Dr. Lila Quindoza-Santiago, before being introduced to the Roman alphabet, the Philippines had their syllabary, which the Tagalogs called the Baybayin – a Sanskirt-like inscription. This syllabary became the medium for our ancestors to make and create literary works such as proverbs, songs, poems, epics, and riddles. However, there was the inadequacy of apparatus to print their literature. Literary forms were transmitted orally by incantation and recitation before being transcribed during the colonization of the Spaniards into the Roman alphabet (Quiros, n.d). At the time, there existed a variety of literary forms. However, due to its organic component (barks and leaves), it did not last long. In a more positive aspect, the country’s oral literature, including legends, myths, folktales, proverbs, songs, and riddles, were transmitted orally through recitation and incantation. These literary works have different versions; these impart a lesson or reflect standard norms, traditions, and beliefs in the community. Following Christine Godinez-Ortega (n. d), a successful take by the colonizers to erase the country’s history was burning their alphabet. We were able to understand more and better evaluate facts about our pre-colonial era thanks to the efforts of our archeologists, anthropologists, and ethnologists when compared to a massive amount of material regarding early Filipinos documented by Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and scholars of the past. Since our forefathers’ literature mirrored the way of life in the past, the catastrophes, humor, and inspiration of the exquisite Filipino poetry, songs, folktales, and epics let you take a look into the past (Godinez-Ortega, n. d). The origin of these literary works was anonymous – for it is most likely not composed individually. There are forms of indigenous oral literature; those that deal with the actions of gods or heroes and of ordinary men: myths that explain the beginning and end of things, usually through supernatural intervention, heroic stories that reflected the values and beliefs of the emerging class of new regulations, influencing over the native population as a result of colonization, and folk stories generated by the mainstream that contain their sentiments, prospects, and aspirations in life. 

b. Philippine Literature in Spanish Colonial Period

Philippine literature has developed in the diversity and richness of the country’s history. According to Lumbera (n. d), the tale of the Passion of Christ substituted for the native oral tradition as part of the Spanish colonial campaign to discredit it; for the next three centuries, the unity of church and state was the foundation of Spanish colonization. The missionaries’ understanding of the locals and the church resulted in a significant and ecclesiastical influence (Macasantos, n. d). According to Resil Mojares, the dominant opinion was that learning the language by Filipinos would develop a spirit of assertiveness and resistance among the colonial subjects, based on racial and colonialist assumptions. A combination of business, politics, and religions brought Spain to the Philippine soil; and opened up the colony to the world (Mojares, n. d). Since the country has been colonized, the Spaniards have imposed censorship in newspaper publishing. The disappearance of the ancient alphabet gave way to new literary forms such as lyrical songs and poems – the Komedya, dramas, Pasyon, Senakulo, Balagtas, and Zarzuela. The Spanish influence was evident in the locals’ literary works due to the borrowed style and form from Spanish work. The use of paper in Philippine written literature began with the arrival of the Spaniards. Religion, numerous folk tunes, and largely Spanish-influenced Filipino art forms are from the Spanish colonization. Soon enough, in the 19^th century, Ilustrados or Filipino intellectuals began to write about the hitch of colonization (Schumacher, 2000). Prose and propaganda literature (political essays, satires, and editorials) - became a way of informing the Filipino people about the unjust colonization of the Spaniards (Bauer, 2018). The golden age of Philippine Literature in Spanish produced a massive body of work. The most active genre was poetry, aided by the availability of Spanish-language periodicals such as El Renacimiento and La Vanguardia and Balagtasan – a publicly-performed poetic joust. In the essay and other written forms, the Spaniards made significant progress. According to Mojares, propagandists in the nineteenth century wrote writing that indicated how thoroughly Filipinos had adopted the Spanish language as their own. Which manifested into the early 20^th century in the work of Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, Rafael Palma, Jaime De Veyra, and Teodoro Kalaw. Liberalism contributed to natives becoming informed and Spanish becoming the dominant language. Nevertheless, the very emancipation ideals that it helped promote damaged Spanish, and its collapse led to nativism and a resurgence of literature in the native tongues.

c. Philippine Literature in American Period

The American Regime started after they won the American-Spanish war, many Filipinos have resumed writing, and the people’s patriotism has not waned. Filipino writers dabbled in various genres, including journalism, poetry, dramas, short stories, essays, and novels (Fleming, 2019). Many people were allowed to study since the Americans provided free education, and English was utilized to teach the Filipinos their language. This also helped Americans spread their ideals – universality, practicality, and democracy. The use of English as a medium of teaching exposed Filipinos to Anglo-American ideologies, culture, and lifestyle – which became incorporated not just in the literature written but also in the mentality of the country’s intelligentsia (Quindoza-Santiago, n. d). During the American apprenticeship, Philippine Literature couldn’t help but imitate American patterns, as evidenced by early poets’ attempts at versification, rhyme, meter, and stanza. The replication of American patterns is evident not just in poems but also in the storytelling style and attentiveness to the technique of the narrative as executed by popular American literature. Soon enough, in the 19^th century, Illustrados or Filipino intellectuals began to write about the hitch of the colonization; this was called the period of enlightenment. Marcelo del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Jose Ma. Panganiban, Mariano Ponce, Antonio Luna, Jose Rizal, Pedro Paterno, and Antonio Luna were the intellectuals who spearheaded the propaganda movement (1872-1896). Prose and propaganda literature (political essays, satires, and editorials) - like Noli Me Tangere (Jose Rizal) became a way of informing the Filipino people about the unjust colonization of the Spaniards. According to Mojares, propagandists in the nineteenth century wrote writing that indicated how thoroughly Filipinos had adopted the Spanish language as their own – which was manifested into the early 20^th century in the work of Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, Rafael Palma, Jaime De Veyra, and Teodoro Kalaw. Liberalism contributed to natives becoming informed and Spanish becoming the dominant language. Nevertheless, the very emancipation ideals that it helped promote damaged Spanish, and its collapse led to nativism and a resurgence of literature in the native tongues. On the other hand, Philippine literature was lively and imaginative throughout the early decades of American colonization. The English language teaching in schools made the intelligentsia of the Philippines grow much more globalized and lean towards American influence. During the American period, different but simultaneous developments of Philippine Literature in English, Tagalog, and other languages only indicate that literature and writing, in any language and climate, may persist primarily through the active imagination of writers (Quindoza-Santiago, n. d).

 

 * 3.3 How have these literary periods shaped our (a) ideological perspectives, (b) societal values, (c) and political views? Discuss each.

Philippine literature has evolved over many decades and has proven to be durable. With each passing epoch, new genres evolved, and these literary works came from all across the world, representing their culture, civilization, and way of life (Cruz, n. d). Philippine literature has developed in the diversity and richness of the country’s history (Blake, n. d). This ambit is interpreted best via the prism of our country’s pre-colonial traditions, as well as the colonial and contemporary culture’s socio-political histories. According to Esther Fleming (2019), Philippine literature allows us to learn about our culture, reflect on the past, and journey to new locations using our imagination.

During the pre-colonial period, people’s ideologies were based on the tradition and rituals of their tribe; their writings and political actions that ancient Filipinos considered themselves a sovereign nation with legitimate rights of their territory. Our forefathers were also aware that other cultures existed in the area and that they needed to band together to safeguard their homeland from external dangers. According to Liraz Postan (2020), the Filipino culture is a profoundly rational and submissive one that accepts difficulty – but also anticipates ultimate success once that adversity is survived. Tagalog proverbs or Salawikain helped pre-colonial people to learn the importance of virtues.  In the aspect of politics, early inhabitants believed in the power of Gods and Goddesses; ancestors worshipped and conducted rituals for them. Since our forefathers’ literature mirrored the way of life in the past, the catastrophes, humor, and inspiration of the exquisite Filipino poetry, songs, folktales, and epics let you take a look into the past (Godinez-Ortega, n. d).

In 1565, Spanish colonization of the Philippines started, although major writing in Spanish by Filipinos did not appear until the late nineteenth century (Mojares, n. d). According to Lumbera (n. d), the tale of the Passion of Christ substituted for the native oral tradition as part of the Spanish colonial campaign to discredit it; for the next three centuries, the unity of church and state was the foundation of Spanish colonization. According to Resil Mojares, the dominant opinion was that learning the language by Filipinos would develop a spirit of assertiveness and resistance among the colonial subjects, based on racial and colonialist assumptions. The Spaniards took their Latin culture and medieval philosophy, which emphasized hierarchy, discipline, dominance, and obedience, with them when they arrived. Soon enough, in the 19^th century, Ilustrados or Filipino intellectuals began to write about the hitch of colonization (Schumacher, 2000). The industrial revolution resulted in a vast movement of people all across the world, bringing wealth and opportunities for material growth to the working class. These large material developments shifted societal values, allowing for more social mobility. Prose and propaganda literature (political essays, satires, and editorials) - became a way of informing the Filipino people about the unjust colonization of the Spaniards (Bauer, 2018). Liberalism contributed to natives becoming informed and Spanish becoming the dominant language. Nevertheless, the very emancipation ideals that it helped promote damaged Spanish, and its collapse led to nativism and a resurgence of literature in the native tongues.

Many Filipinos have begun writing, and the patriotism among the people has not diminished. Filipino writers dabbled in various genres, including journalism, poetry, dramas, short stories, essays, and novels (Fleming, 2019). Filipino families shifted from patriarchal to matriarchal under American control and rehabilitation programs. Many people were allowed to study since the Americans provided free education, and English was utilized to teach the Filipinos their language. This also helped Americans spread their ideals – universality, practicality, feminism, capitalism, and democracy. The use of English as a medium of teaching exposed Filipinos to Anglo-American ideologies, culture, and lifestyle – which became incorporated not just in the literature written but also in the mentality of the country’s intelligentsia (Quindoza-Santiago, n. d). Soon enough, in the 19^th century, Illustrados or Filipino intellectuals began to write about the hitch of the colonization; this was called the period of enlightenment. During this period, Philippine literature portrayed Filipinos as self-sufficient people who did not require the spiritual guidance of priests or the guidance of family patriarchs. This profound influence on Philippine culture was the outcome of Filipino society’s overwhelming acceptance of American principles. Also, during this era, Filipino writers began to focus on the Philippines’ modernization and strove to portray a more liberal image of society. This prompted Filipinos to reconsider their conventional views, which had failed to produce a robust national economy. These literary periods have guided and influenced Filipino citizens not only in their works but in their values, ideologies, and perspectives as well.