LIT 1
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
NEGROS ORIENTAL STATE UNIVERSITY
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PHILIPPINE LITERATURE in ENGLISH - INTRO
LITERATURE
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Derived from the Latin term ‘litera’ which means letter
Faithful reproduction of man’s manifold experiences
blended into one harmonious expression
The body of all written works
10. The Book of the Dead: This includes the cult of Osiris and
the mythology and theology of Egypt
11. The Book of the Days: This was written by Confucius of
China. This became the basis of the Christian religion.
12. One Thousand and One Nights or The Arabian Nights:
from Arabia and Persia (Iran). It shows the ways of
government, of industries and the society of the Arabs
and Persians
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PRE-COLONIAL LITERATURE (BC-1564)
DIVISIONS OF LITERATURE
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FICTION - A form of any narrative or informative work
that deals with informative/events that are imaginary
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ex: short story, novels, films
NON-FICTION - Form of any narrative account or other
communicative work based on facts.
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Ex: news, biography, history, etc.
PROSE
POETRY
GENERAL TYPES OF LITERATURE
Consists of those written within the
common flow of conversation in
sentences and paragraphs
Refers to those expression in verse,
with measure and rhyme, line and
stanza and has a more melodious
tone
PRE-COLONIAL LITERATURE
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It is the body of works, both oral and written, that
Filipinos, whether native, naturalized, or foreign born
have created about the experience of people living in
or relating to Philippine society
ERAS OF PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
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PRE-COLONIAL
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SPANISH COLONIAL
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AMERICAN COLONIAL
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JAPANESE COLONIAL
o
CONTEMPORARY (includes Martial Law)
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The Bible or the Sacred Writing: This has become the
basis of Christianity originating from Palestine and
Greece.
Koran: The Muslim Bible originating from Arabia
The Iliad and the Odyssey: These have been the source
of myths and legends of Greece. They were written by
Homer.
The Mahab-harata: The longest epic of the world. It
contains the religion in India.
Canterbury Tales: It depicts the religion and customs of
the English in the early days. This originated from
England and was written by Chaucer.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe of
the US. This depicted the sad fate of slaves; this
became the basis of democracy later on
The Divine Comedy: by Dante of Italy, this shows the
religion and customs of the early Italians.
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Purgatorio
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Inferno
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Paradiso
El Cid Comprador: This shows the cultural characteristics
if the Spaniards and their national history
The Song of Roland: This includes Doce Pares and
Roncesvalles of France. It tells about the Golden Age of
Christianity of France.
FOLK SPEECHES - these are short works of literature that
are recited and shared
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RIDDLES – A puzzle in which an object to be
guessed is described in terms of another unrelated
object; relies on talinghaga or metaphor.
o
Cebuano – Tigmo
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Tagalog & Pampango – Bugtong
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Ilocano – Burburtia
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Bicol – Patototdon
PROVERBS - A short, pithy sayings, which
encapsulate and preserve a community’s beliefs,
norms, and codes of behavior.
 Bicol – Aramiga or Sasabihan
 Cebuano – Panultion
 Ilongo - Humbaton or Hurobaton
 Ilocano - Pagsasao
 Pampango - Kasebian
 Tagalog – Salawikain or Kasabihan
Examples:
o
Gaano man ang tibay ng piling abaka ay
wala ring lakas kapag nag-iisa (However
sturdy the abaca, It is weak when it is
alone)
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Hangga't makitid ang kumot, matutong
mamaluktot. (While the blanket is short,
learn how to bend)
FOLK SONG/ FOLK LYRICS :
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Lullabies - sung to put children to sleep; often
repetitive and sonorous
 Tagalog – Oyayi
 Ilongo – Ili-ili
 Ilocano – Duayya
 Pampango – Tumaila
 Ilongot – Baliwayway
 Aeta - Andang
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Children’s Songs - these songs are usually fun and
playful
 some are sung alongside games played by
children
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Love Songs - these aren’t about happy and
inspiring emotion only as some verse forms are sad
lyrics about unrequited love, such as the
panawagon and balitao.
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12 Literary Composition That Influence The World
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this period is aligned with ethnic tradition
focuses on oral lore that makes it literature circulate
easier to the Filipino tribal communities all over the
country
most of these works focus on every mundane lives of
the people, their culture , traditions, beliefs and lessons
e.g. Folk Speech, Folk Songs, & Folk Narratives
EXAMPLES of PRE-COLONIAL LITERATURE
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PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
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B S P S Y C H III
1st S E M E S T E R
2023–2024
M I D T E R M S
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Lecture notes by KISSHIA FAITH T. DAPLIN
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LIT 1
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
NEGROS ORIENTAL STATE UNIVERSITY
B S P S Y C H III
1st S E M E S T E R
2023–2024
M I D T E R M S
Courtships songs - an expression of love and
interest on the side of the singer towards the
subject the song is dedicated to.
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Ambahan - song of love but it isn’t romantic;
 more of a love from a parent, a friend, a mentor
towards the person they want to impart their
knowledge to.
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Work Songs - foster cohesiveness within the
community
 they depict the different forms of livelihood in
the country—farming, fishing, embroidery, salt
making, pottery, hunting, rowing, woodcutting
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Drinking Songs - these songs are mostly sung over
socializing and drinking
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Religious Songs - these songs contain a prayer
within its lyrics.
 Ambaamba - prayer of thanksgiving
 Bugyaw - exorcism chant
 Dag-unan - request for a good harvest
 Harito - asking for blessings
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Death Songs - these are songs that are laced with
grief, mourning and recollection
 known as dirges
FOLK NARRATIVES:
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Myths - these are narratives that explain how things
came to be: a location in the country, or natural
phenomena.
 these are regarded as sacred as
they usually involve divinities and spirits who
interact with humans
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Legends - they explain the origin of things
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Fables - these are short tales about animals having
distinct human characteristics, intelligences, and
personalities
 comparison between two opposing figures that
usually ends with a moral lesson.
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Epics - these are tales that involve heroic deeds
and tales of romance and adventure of a certain
character.
 the main character tends to survive the
impossible challenges thrown at him
 the main characters are usually male
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MYTH vs. FOLKLORE/FOLKTALE vs. LEGEND
MYTH
FOLKLORE/
LEGEND
FOLKTALE
explains
generalized
a story that
natural
term for the
involves
phenomena
collection of
history
or the
these tales that
beginning or
involve
creation of a
supernatural
certain
and magical
place, object
elements
or happening people and
nature
Lecture notes by KISSHIA FAITH T. DAPLIN
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