21st Century Literature Overview

Literature Overview

• Derived from Latin "littera," meaning "letter of the alphabet."
• Encompasses imaginative and creative works, including poetry and prose.
• Can be classified by language, national origin, historical period, genre, or subject matter.
• Exists in both oral and written forms, with oral literature adapted into written format.

Literary Text Characteristics

• Narrates a story and expresses emotions, thoughts, and ideas.
• Draws on imagination or real-life experiences.
• Provides significant information, transcending cultures, languages, and time.

Literary Structure

• Commonly refers to narrative organization in literature.

Major Forms of Literature

• Poetry:
  • Written in lines characterized by rhythm, sound, imagery, and form.
  • Main purpose is to express emotions and ideas.
• Prose:
  • Follows natural speech patterns and grammatical structures, arranged in paragraphs.

Types of Poetry

• Narrative Poetry: Tells a story with characters, settings, and conflicts.
• Dramatic Poetry: Engaging narrative intended for recitation or performance.
• Lyric Poetry: Focuses on expressing feelings rather than storytelling.

Types of Prose

• Fiction: Born from creativity, involving imagined characters and conflicts.
• Non-Fiction: Based on real events, aiming to inform, interpret, or describe factual experiences.

Genre and Literary Elements

• "Genre" refers to different forms of literature.
• "Literary elements" are identifiable characteristics of a text.

Epic and Ballad

• Epic: Long narrative poem about heroic deeds, derived from Ancient Greek 'epos.'
• Ballad: Poetic song, often anecdotal, passed through oral tradition, expressive of dramatic or romantic themes.

Metric Tales

• Narrative told in measured arrangements of words or rhythms.
• Short stories in verse, straightforwardly told.

Philippine Literature Periods

• Pre-colonial Period:

  • Features chants, proverbs, riddles, songs, and folk narratives.
  • Limited access due to the absence of a writing system; literature primarily oral.

• Colonial Period:

  • Spanish Period:
    • Introduced corrido, pasyon, cenaculo, and komedya.
    • Literature conveyed sarcasm and pessimism; themes of nationalism emerged.
  • American Period:
    • Free public education led to accessible literature; notable works by Zoilo M. Galang.
  • Japanese Period:
    • Writers faced restrictions; focus shifted to short stories in local vernaculars.

• Post-colonial Period:

  • Marked by freedom, activism, and focus on social issues like poverty and injustice.

Examples of Filipino Literary Works by Genre

• Epic: "Biag ni Lam-ang" (Anonymous)
• Novel: "Noli Me Tangere" (Jose Rizal)
• Essay: "What is an Educated Filipino" (Francisco Benitez)
• Short Stories: "Footnote to Youth" (Jose Garcia Villa), "Dead Stars" (Paz Marquez Benitez)
• Myth: "How the World Began" (Anonymous)

Types of Pre-colonial Literature

• Folk Tales: Anonymous, timeless stories circulated orally.
• Legends: Prose narratives explaining origins of things or names.
• Myths: Supernatural narratives providing existential explanations.
• Epics: Long narrative poems focusing on heroic achievements.
• Folk Songs: Oldest form reflecting culture and emotions, e.g., kundiman.
• Other Forms: Proverbs, riddles, chants, maxims, sayings, idioms, tanaga (four rhyming lines of seven syllables each).

Ancient Writing

• Baybayin: Pre-colonial form of writing used in the Philippines.

This quiz explores the origins and classifications of literature, derived from the Latin word 'littera,' meaning 'a letter.' It covers both oral and written forms, including poetry and prose, highlighting how literature can be categorized by language, genre, and historical context.