Introductory Message
Welcome to the 21st Century Literature Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on
Geographic, Linguistic and Ethnic Dimensions of Philippine Literary history from
PreColonial to the Contemporary.
This module was collaboratively designed, developed and reviewed by educators from public
institutions to assist you, the teacher or facilitator in helping the learners meet the standards set
by the K to 12 Curriculum while overcoming their personal, social, and economic constraints
in schooling.
This learning resource hopes to engage the learners into guided and independent learning
activities at their own pace and time. Furthermore, this also aims to help learners acquire the
needed 21st century skills while taking into consideration their needs and circumstances.
In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the body of the module:
As a facilitator you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this module. You also
need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to manage their own learning.
Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist the learners as they do the tasks included
in the module.
Welcome to the 21st Century Literature Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on
Geographic, Linguistic and Ethnic Dimensions of Philippine Literary history from
PreColonial to the ContemporarY.
Literature allows a person to step back in time and learn about life from the one who walked
before us. Looking back to the history of literature we have here in the Philippines can help us
to accumulate a better understanding of the religion, the culture, the belief and the way of living
our ancestors had experienced in the past. And with the 21st Century and all its trimmings
allow; we can usher in new era of 21st century literature.
This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful opportunities for guided
and independent learning at your own pace and time. You will be enabled to process the
contents of the learning resource while being an active learner.
In this module, we will look back to the different literature we had in the Philippines
from Pre-Colonial up to the contemporary.
Better understanding of the history of literature allows us to gain a deeper understanding
on the different literature we had in the past which are almost the same in the literature we have
now in the 21st Century.
Appreciation of the different literature we have is like recognizing also the life of our ancestors
where they describe using the literature they had in the past.
And often times, literature/art does imitate life.
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
1.Identify the geographic, linguistic and ethnic dimensions of Philippine history
from the pre-colonial to the contemporary
2.Compare and contrast the literary from pre-colonial up to the contemporary
3.Distinguish the different themes during a certain period.
Directions:
Read each item carefully, choose the letter of the correct answer and write your answers
on your notebook.
1. It is a witty saying using metaphors aimed at teaching virtues.
a. Epics
b. Proverbs
c. Riddles
d. Tanaga
2. It is a type of literature which explains the origin of things.
a. Epics
b. Legends
c. Myths
d. Riddles
3. It is a corrido about the magical bird with healing powers and the three brothers in the quest
for the magical bird.
a. El Filibusterismo
b. Florante at Laura
c. Ibong Adarna
d. Noli Me Tangere
4. Who wrote the first short story in English written in the country entitled, “Dead Stars?
a. Amado V. Hernandez b. Jose Garcia Villa
c. Paz Marquez Benitez
d. Zoilo Galang
5. Who wrote the two famous novels “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo” that paved
the way revolution?
a. Apolinario Mabini
b. Jose P. Rizal
c. Juan Luna d. Marcelo H. Del Pilar
Giving an idea about the geographic, linguistic and ethnic dimensions of Philippine
literary history from pre-colonial to the contemporary. Identify the different types of literature
from the past to the 21st century.
Create a song or a poem that reflects your understanding of what “literature” is all about.
Write your answer on a sheet of paper.
Example:
It can tell us about different HISTORY
You can deliver through POETRY
Literature has a thousand MILIEU
Read some works of it and you will know its VALUE
Literature is a kind of GOLD
And its importance never gets OLD
We can discover things through our own ABILITY And
it plays a big part in our HISTORY
.
Literature is a word used to describe written and spoken materials (at times). Originally
from the Latin word litera meaning “letters”, literature most commonly mean works of the
creative imagination. This includes poetry, drama, fiction, non-fiction, and in some occasions,
journalism.
To put it simply, literature symbolizes the culture and tradition of a language or a group of
people. Many have tried to define the concept on precise terms but the accepted definition of
literature has been constantly changing, just like life continuously changes.
For many, the word literature suggests a higher art form; merely putting words on a page
doesn’t necessarily equate to creating literature. A canon is the accepted body of works for a
given author. Some works of literature are considered canonical, that is, culturally
representative of a genre (poetry, prose, or drama).
Philippine Literature: A Timeline
I. Pre-Colonial Period (B.C. –
1564)
A. Characteristics
1. Based on oral tradition
2. Crude on ideology and phraseology
3. Consisted of both written and oral literature
4. Language of oral literature was the language of daily life.
5. Earliest alphabet (Alibata), of Asokan origin, consisted of 17 letters (3
vowels + 14 consonants).
B. Literature
1. Oral Literature
a. Bugtong (Riddles) – a puzzling question to be solved or guessed.
b. Salawikain (proverbs) – witty sayings using metaphors aimed at
teaching virtues.
c. Tanaga – a mono-riming heptasyllabic quatrain expressing insights
and lessons.
2. Folk Songs
a. Hele/ Uyayi – a lullaby
b. Kumintang – a war song
c. Harana – serenade
d. Diona/Ihiman – wedding song
e. Talindaw – boating song
f. Balitaw – love song
3. Folk Tales
a. Myths – explain how the world was created and other phenomena
b. Legends – explain the origin of things
c. Epics – narratives revolving around supernatural events or heroic
deeds
C. Notable Works
1. Biag ni Lam-ang – an epic centered on the life and adventures of Ilocos folk
hero named Lam-ang
2. Hinilawod – an epic from Panay which recounts the exploits of three
Sulodnon demigod brothers
II. Colonial Period (1565-1863) A.
Characteristics
1. It has two distinct classifications: religious and secular.
2. Spanish became the medium of communication.
3. The alibata was replaced by the Roman script.
4. The Filipinos were introduced to an education system.
B. Literature
1. Early colonial literature was limited to religious topics.
2. Filipinos were introduced to religious materials such as prayer books,
novenas, doctrines, crucifixion, and the lives of saints.
3. The once highly imaginative folk narratives were replaced by sober and
religious writings.
4. Poetry developed in form and structure but the religious undertones were
evident.
5. The epics were overshadowed by the emergence of awit (heroic poem) and
the corrido (legendary religious poem).
6. Early forms of Philippine drama during the Spanish colonial period were the
duplo and the Karagatan.
7. More popular dramas were later introduced such as the cenaculo
(reenactment of life and sufferings of Christ), the moro-moro (a play about
the conflict between Christians and Muslims), and the zarzuela (music
comedy).
C. Notable Works 1. Gaspar Aquino de Belen’s “Ang Mahal na Passion ni
Jesucristong Panginoon Namin”, an outstanding Christian narrative poem
intended by the religious authorities to replace the heathen epics.
2. Bernardo Carpio – a myth about the legendary strongman of Montalban.
3. Ibong Adarna – a corrido about the mythical bird with healing powers and
the three brothers in the quest for the magical bird.
4. Florante and Laura – an awit on the struggle and love of the Duke Florante
and Princess Laura of Albania.
III.
Revolutionary Period (1864-1910) A. Characteristics
1. Planted seen of nationalism.
2. Language shifted from Spanish to Tagalog.
3. Addressed the masses instead of the elites.
B. Literature
1. Propaganda Literature – reformatory in objective
a. Political essays – Satires, editorials and news articles were written to
expose the evils of Spanish rule.
b. Political novels – Rizal’s novels were meant to awaken the minds of the
Filipinos.
2. Revolutionary Literature – more propagandistic than literary in nature
a. Political essays helped inflame the spirit of revolution.
b. Poetry – poems of the period focus on love for the country.
C. Notable Works
1. Diariong Tagalog founded by Marcelo H. del Pilar
2. La Solidaridad – the famous publication by the propagandists
3. Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, two novels written by jose Rizal
that paved the way to the revolution.
4. El Verdadero Decalogo (The True Decalogue) Apolinario Mabini’s literary
masterpiece which aims to propagate nationalism.
IV.
Post-Colonial Period – American Regime (1910-1912)
A. Characteristics
1. English was introduced in the second decade of the 20th Century.
2. Literary works were written in three languages – Tagalog, Spanish and
English.
3. More Filipino writers emerged and free verses, plays and critical essays.
4. Philippine literature became commercialized in the 1920’s when weekly
magazine Liwayway and Bisaya published stories.
5. Most literary works centered on nationalism, love for country, sense of
belongingness, loss of identity, and heroism.
B. Period of Apprenticeship (1910-1912)
1. Filipino writers imitated English and American models.
2. Poems written during the period were amateurism and mushy.
C. Period of Emergence (1920-1942)
1. Highly influenced by Western literary trends like Romanticism and Realism.
2. Literary works were carefully and intelligently crafted.
D. Notable Works
1. Child of Sorrow by Zoilo Galang, the first Philippine novel in English.
2. Dead Stars by Paz Marquez Benitez, the first short story in English written
in the country
3. Footnote to Youth by Jose Garcia Villa, one of the early short stories during
the period which tackles a delicate subject matter on teenage marriage.
4. Ninay, the very first Filipino novel written in Tagalog.
V.
Japanese Occupation (1942-1945)
A. Characteristics
1. Tagalog writers started to write in simple language and free verse.
2. Fiction prevailed over poetry.
3. The Japanese censured all publications, except Tribune and Philippine
Review.
4. The Japanese language Nipponggo was introduced but not well-embraced
by Filipinos.
B. Literature
1. Writers were exposed to new literary forms such as Haiku and Tanka.
a. Haiku – a free verse of Japanese origin, with 17 syllables divided into
three lines (5-7-5).
b. Tanka – similar to Haiku but with 31 syllables divided into five lines
(5-7-5-7-7)
2. Many Filipino writers wrote plays, poems, short stories, etc. in Tagalog and
other vernacular language.
3. Topics and themes were often life in the provinces ro escape Japanes control
and censorship.
C. Notable Works
1. Suyuan sa Tubigan by Macario Pineda
2. Lupang Tinubuan by Narciso Reyes
3. Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa by Liwayway Arceo
VI.
Liberation Period (1945-1960)
A. Characteristics
1. Filipino writers mastered English and familiarized themselves with diverse
literary techniques.
2. Bountiful harvest in poetry, fiction, drama and essay.
3. Journalistic and literary criticism emerged.
B. Literature
1. Literary “giants” appeared like Nick Joaquin, NVM Gonzales, Bienvenido
Santos, and Gilda Cordero Fernando among others.
2. Literary guilds and awards were established to honor outstanding works.
3. Common themes focused on search for identity, homesickness, rural life and
conditions in rural community.
C. Notable Works
1. Wedding Dance by Amador Daguio which dwells on love and marriage
among local ethnic people.
2. Children of the City by Amadis Ma. Guerrero which centers on an
abandoned child in the streets of Manila.
3. The Day the Dancers Came by Bienvenido Santos which talks about
homesickness of an expatriate.
VII. Modern Period (1960-1999)
A. Characteristics
1. The declaration of Martial Law repressed Filipino writers to write delicate
subject matters, particularly about prevailing crisis during the period.
2. Writers used symbolisms and allegories to drive home their message.
3. Theater was used as a vehicle for protest such as the PETA and UP Theater.
4. Campus newspapers showed rebellious emotions.
5. Bilingual education was initiated in public and private schools.
6. From 80’s onward, writers continued dynamism and innovation.
B. Literature
1. The irreverence for the poor reached its peak during this period.
2. The Carlos Palanca Awards continued to give annual awards to literary
masterpieces.
3. Almost all themes in most writings dealt with the development of progress
of the country.
4. Themes of most poems dealt with patience, regard for native culture,
customs, and the beauties of nature and surroundings.
5. The government led in reviving old plays and dramas.
C. Notable Works
1. Dekada 70 by Lualhati Bautista which focuses on the life of Filipinos during
the Martial Law regime
2. The Rosales Saga by F. Sionil Jose
3. The Flowers of May by Francisco Arcellana
VIII. The 21st Century (1960-1999)
A. Characteristics
1. Themes have changed from sentimentalized romanticism to a more realistic
and naturalistic delineation.
2. Gay and lesbian literature came out.
3. Strong feminist tendencies are evident.
4. More social problems tackled.
5. TV and films have become more popular.
B. Literature
1.
2.
3.
4.
Daring and controversial choice of subject matter.
Very innovative in structure and style.
Influence of different-isms and literary trends from the West.
Characters, plot structure and narrative techniques are more complex.
C. Notable Works
1. Ladlad by Danton Remoto chronicles the lifestyle of gays and dilemma they
encounter in life.
2. Women Loving: Stories and a Play by Jhoanna Lynn Cruz, an anthrology of
lesbian-themed stories.
3. Twisted Series by Jessica Zafra, a collection of essays about current events,
technology, and life in the society.
Discussion of Activity 1 (5 pts. each)
Complete the semantic web below with a word or group of words relevant to literature.
Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
LITERATURE
The Spider and the Fly
Fable
Mr. Spider wanted to marry Miss Fly. Many times, he told her of his love and begged
her to become his wife, but she always refused, for she did not like him.
One day when she saw Mr. Spider coming again, Miss Fly closed all the doors and
windows of her house and made ready a pot of boiling water. She waited, and when Mr. Spider
called, begging her to allow him to enter, she answered by throwing boiling water at him. This
made Mr. Spider very angry and he cried, “I will never forgive you for this, but I and my
descendants will always despise you. We will never give you any peace.”
Mr. Spider kept his word, and even today one can see the hatred of the spider for the fly.
1. What are fables?
2. What do you think are the characteristics of Filipino are depicted in the given fable?
3. What is the moral lesson in the story?
Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper:
1. Are legends be accepted as truth? Explain briefly your answer.
2. Compare and contrast the early fables from the comic strips or cartoons.
Example: The Rabbit and the Turtle – Tom and Jerry
Write a two-paragraph fable for the picture given. You may use Kapampangan or Tagalog
words. (Write your answer in a separate sheet of paper.)
“Name That Piece!” Identify what period/time the given literary piece was written.
____________1. Hinilawod
____________2. Diariong Tagalog
____________3. Bernardo Carpio
____________4. Suyuan sa Tubigan
____________5. Ladlad
____________6. Women Loving
____________7. Dekada 70
____________8. Children of the City
____________9. Dead Stars
____________10. La Solidaridad
Here are the lyrics of both the Tagalog and Kapampangan version of Lupang Hinirang and
answer the questions below.
Lupang Hinirang (Tagalog)
Bayang magiliw,
Perlas ng Silanganan
Alab ng puso,
Sa Dibdib mo'y buhay. Lupang Hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig, Di ka
pasisiil.
Sa dagat at bundok,
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula,
At awit sa paglayang minamahal.
Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y
Tagumpay na nagniningning,
Ang bituin at araw niya,
Kailan pa ma'y di magdidilim,
Lupa ng araw ng luwalhati't pagsinta,
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo,
Aming ligaya na pag may mang-aapi,
Ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo.
Balen Ming Tibuan (Kapampangan)
Isla ning abac
Perlas na ning aslagan
Lugud mi queca
Daya mi cacawal!
Balen ming tibuan
Pugad da ring bayani
E re alusub
Ing nuan mung lugal!
Qng asul mung banua, dagat, bunduc
Tutyup ing taguimpan!
Acaquit ming saslag qng biga
Ing gloria ning calayahan!
Deng batwin at aldo
Ning quecang bandera atmo sala!
Tanda no ning diwa At
tagumpe, at deti, e la matda!
Malagung labuad a quecaming palsintan
Qng candungan mu caligayan! 'Nia
patia sinupil daca o piglocu Subu m'ing
bie mi qng uli mu!
Valuing Questions:
1. What are your insights about the lyrics of the song?
2. How does it feel to be Kapampangan when you sing the song using your mother
tongue?
Create a Proverb and Tanaga using any two pictures below. ( Kapampangan/Tagalog )
Example:
Ang hindi marunong sumunod sa payo ng doktor
Iipunin ay sandamakmak na gamot.
What have you learned regarding the history of Philippine literature in this module? Write
a 2-3 sentences explanation on a separate sheet of paper.
What OPM song you have listened which you think can relate the pandemic we are
experiencing right now? Explain why you choose that song. Write your answer in a separate
sheet.
Test I. Classify the characteristics of literature in each given number. Write Pre-Colonial,
Colonial, Revolutionary, Japanese, Liberation, Modern and 21st Century on the blank.
____________________1. Based on oral tradition.
____________________2. It has two distinct classifications: religious and secular.
____________________3. The Alibata was replaced by the Roman script.
____________________4. English was introduced in the second decade of the 20th
century.
____________________5. Tagalog writers started to write in simple language and free
verse.
____________________6. Fiction prevailed over poetry.
____________________7. Writers used symbolisms and allegories to drive home their
message.
____________________8. Bilingual education was initiated in public and private
schools.
____________________9. Gay and lesbian’s literature came out
____________________10. TV and films have become more popular.
Test II. Identify what type of literature is being described in the following statement.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
A puzzling question to be solved or guessed.
A witty saying using metaphors.
A mono-riming heptasyllabic quatrain expressing
It explains how the world was created and other phenomena.
It explains the origin of things.
Test III. Give a brief description about the following notable works in Philippine Literature
1.Biag ni Lam-Ang
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2.Florante at Laura
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3.Noli Me Tangere
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Write a song about how to be safe in the COVID -19 PANDEMIC. You can use Tagalog
or Kapampangan language. Write your answer in your notebook.