Philippine Literature in English Survey

Poetry

Early Period (1900s-1940s)

• "The Woman to Her Dead Husband" by Angela Manalang Gloria (1907) addresses love, loss, and memory's enduring power.
• "The Bamboo Dancers" by Jose Garcia Villa (1908) showcases innovative imagery and captures traditional Filipino dance's vibrancy.
• "The Sonnet" by Trinidad Tarrosa Subido (1912) highlights mastery of the sonnet form while exploring love and longing.
• "The Lover's Death" by Ricaredo Demetillo (1920) serves as an elegy reflecting deep grief and lyrical expression.
• "The Bamboo" by Carlos Angeles (1921) employs bamboo as a symbol of Filipino resilience and adaptability.

Post-War Period (1940s-1970s)

• "The Bread of Salt" by N.V.M. Gonzalez (1940s) delves into poverty, hunger, and human spirit's resilience.
• "The Man Who Made the Clouds" by Rolando Tinio (1937) whimsically explores creativity and imagination.
• "The Return" by Edith Tiempo (1919) examines homecoming, loss, and human relationships' complexities.

Contemporary Period (1970s-Present)

• "The Mango Tree" by Marjorie Evasco (1953) symbolizes the enduring strength of Filipino culture through the mango tree.
• "The Love Poem" by Ma.Luisa Igloria (1961) explores love's complexities with an experimental style.

Short Stories

Early Period (1900s-1940s)

• "How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife" by Manuel Arguilla (1911) reflects on love, family, and cultural differences.
• "Wedding Dance" by Amador Daguio (1912) intertwines themes of love, loss, and tradition's power.
• "The Mats" by Francisco Arcellana (1916) presents poverty, family struggles, and survival.
• "The Woman Who Had Two Navels" by Nick Joaquin (1917) discusses identity, colonialism, and Filipino culture's complexities.

Post-War Period (1940s-1970s)

• "The Day the Dancers Came" by Bienvenido Santos (1911) explores longing, loss, and meaning in a changing world.
• "The Visitation of the Gods" by F. Sionil Jose (1924) addresses colonialism and social justice struggles.

Contemporary Period (1970s-Present)

• "The Sound of Falling" by Merlinda Bobis (1959) tackles migration, identity, and belonging.
• "The Inheritance" by Dean Francis Alfar (1969) explores family tradition and complex relationships.

Drama

• "The Shadow of the Mountain" by Severino Montano (1915) discusses love, loss, and freedom struggles.
• "The Noli Me Tangere" by Nick Joaquin (1917) reimagines Rizal's classic, focusing on colonialism and social injustice.
• "The Serpent" by Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero (1917) explores themes of betrayal, ambition, and its consequences.

Nonfiction

• "The Filipino Rebel" by S. Lopez (1912) examines Philippine Revolution history and independence struggle.
• "The Woman Who Made the Clouds" by Carmen Guerrero Nakpil (1922) addresses women's roles and challenges traditional gender norms.
• "The Philippines: A Century of Struggle" by Resil Mojares (1943) provides a comprehensive overview of Philippine history and its challenges.

Novels

• "The Woman Who Had Two Navels" by Nick Joaquin (1917) reflects themes of identity and colonialism.
• "The Bamboo Dancers" by Bienvenido Santos (1911) explores love and meaning in cultural transitions.
• "The God of Small Things" by A.S. Byatt (1991), though not Filipino, discusses family and identity within human relationships.

Anthologies

• "Underground Spirit: Philippine Short Stories in English 1973-1989," edited by Gemino Abad (2010), features contemporary Filipino writers addressing diverse themes.