21st Century Philippine Literature PDF

21st Century Literature of The Philippines and The World Literature It is derived from the Latin term “litera” which means letter that deals with ideas, thoughts, and emotions of man. It can be defined as “pieces of writing that are valued as works of art, especially novels, plays,...

21st Century Literature of The Philippines and The World Literature It is derived from the Latin term “litera” which means letter that deals with ideas, thoughts, and emotions of man. It can be defined as “pieces of writing that are valued as works of art, especially novels, plays, and poems.” (Oxford Dictionary) It consists of those writings which interpret the meanings of nature and life, in words of charm and power, touched with the personality of the author, in artistic forms of permanent interest. It is an art that reflects the works of imagination; aesthetics and creative writing which are distinguished for the beauty of style or expression. Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become (C.S. Lewis). Pre-Colonial Literature Most literary works during the precolonial period were transmitted through oral tradition. In some cases, our ancestors made use of a writing system to pen down some works of literature. Early literary written forms of pre-colonial Filipinos were destroyed by the Spanish friars. Surviving texts were restored because of resistance and geographical isolation. Early Filipinos wrote on palm leaves or bamboo using knives as pens and sap from plants and trees as ink. 2024 August 28  2 The ancient Tagalog script had seventeen basic syllables composed of three vowels and fourteen consonants. ○ Vowels: a, e/i, o/u ○ Consonants: ba, ka, da/ra, ga, ha, la, ma, na, nga, pa, sa, ta, wa, ya Symbols used could be modified to present different vowel sounds. Common experiences of the community as subject matter Communal authorship Formulaic repetitions Stereotyping of characters Regular rhythmic and musical devices Literary Forms Riddles (bugtong) – battle of wits among participants Proverbs (Salawikain) – wise sayings that contain metaphor used to teach a lesson Folk songs – one of the oldest forms of pre- colonial literature (e.g., Hele or Uyayi, Ambahan, and Tagay) Folk Tales – stories about life, love, horror, humor, and adventure where one can derive lessons about life Myths – explain how the world was created; stories that involve the mythological deities Legends (Alamat) – explain the origin of things Fables – use animals as main characters of the story Spanish Colonial Period The literary scenes during this era were focused on religious themes due to the Christianization of the Philippines by Spaniards. Spanish Influences on Philippine Literature The first Filipino alphabet called baybayin was replaced by the Roman alphabet. Religious practices became based on the teachings of Christian doctrine. The Spanish language, which became the literary language during this time, lent many of its words to our language. European legends and traditions brought here became assimilated in our songs, corridos, and moro-moros. 2024 August 28  3 Ancient literature was collected and translated to Tagalog and other dialects. Our periodicals during the Spanish colonization gained a religious tone. Literary Highlights Introduced the first printing press ○ Doctrina Christiana – the first published book (1593) Literary outputs: Catechisms, confession manuals, grammar books dictionaries. Poems in Spanish and Tagalog were written by “Ladinos” who were well-versed in both languages. Pasyon - a Philippine epic narrative of the life of Jesus Christ, focused on his Passion, Death, and Resurrection Two popular Narrative Poems: ○ Awit (Song) – a lyric poem in a regular metrical pattern set to music. These have 12 syllables (dodecasyllabic) and are slowly sung to the accompaniment of a guitar or bandurria. ○ Kurido (Corrido) - a poem written with a regular measure of eight syllables (octosyllabic) and recited to a material beat. Nationalistic Period Literary Highlights The last of the 19th century saw a new breed of writers. If religion was the thematic focus during the Spanish era a strong feeling of nationalism was the main agenda of this literary. The period is divided into propaganda and the revolution. At the close of the 19th century, the revolutionists took over and there was a shift not only in language (from Spanish to Tagalog) but in the audience or readers from the “Intelligentisia” to the masses (Balabar, 1989, p.25). Bonifacio, Jacinto and Mabini were the prominent revolutionary writers. This period was truly significant because it produced a literature that was realistic and truly filipino (Balabar, 1989, p26) 2024 August 28  4 American Colonial Period Impact of the American Colonial Period on literature An initial boom in literature in Spanish before English became more widespread through promotion and schooling. Comics and satirical editorial cartoons began appearing in publications. Tagalog drama went from merely a form of entertainment to an expression of revolt. English sarswela (stage musicals) began to emerge. Filipino writers became apprentices to American writers, first learning to emulate their styles before creating their own. Essays and short stories became popular literary mediums. Japanese Occupation Impact of the Japanese Occupation on literature Filipino literature in English was limited. Philippine literature in general flourished in this period, especially those that were written in Tagalog and other Philippine languages. English plays during this period were translated into Filipino or the vernacular. More original dramas in Filipino were written. 2024 August 28  5 Filipino writers of other literary forms such as short stories, essays, and poetry were given distinct honors. “Without Seeing the Dawn” by Stevan Javellana was published in the United States in 1947. It depicts the experiences of Filipinos during the war between the Americans and the Japanese. Contemporary Philippine Literature Prominent political figures and media personalities openly critical of the government were arrested, incarcerated, and/or went missing. Literary works emerged to expose, narrate, or express anomalies, conspiracies, and leftist views about military abuses against citizens, economic plunder by bureaucrats and cronies of the regime, and impoverishment of the masses. Martial Law Years Protest Literature sometimes called revolutionary literature refers to works that express distaste, disagreement, or transgression to the present government, applicable to the current political, social, and/or economic conditions of the country when the works were written A notable example was Lualhati Bautista’s Dekada ’70 Protest Literature refers to literary works written by working-class authors about the working class It shows the experiences and struggles of the working class. Proletarian Literature refers to literary works produced by authors who are incarcerated or confined in a secluded area such as a prison cell During martial law, the government arrested not only political and media dissidents but also writers and scholars. Circumvention Literature Refers to literary works that express social and political transgression through metaphors, allegories, symbolisms, etc. 2024 August 28  6 prevalent from 1972 to 1983; the artists’ way of “talking about and speaking the truth” used subtle codes and symbols so that the Marcos regime’s censors and inspectors do not notice the subversive message in the works Post-EDSA Literature EDSA - Epifanio de los Santos Avenue Academic institutions included Creative Writing as a part of the curricular offerings Writers' organizations that periodically sponsor symposia on writer and/or set up workshops for its members and other interested parties Gay and Lesbian writings also started to emerge as a to re-frame traditional assumptions La Tondeña, sponsors of the venerated Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards in Literature ○ National Commission for Culture and Arts was created by law in 1992 AIM: develop writing that is multi-lingual, multi-cultural and truly national ○ NGOs and some institutions collaborated in giving recognition to writers from specific sectors in the society. WATCH: Prometheus Unbound by Jose F. Lacaba | Poem 21st Century Philippine Literature “Philippine writing in the 21st century has taken a new turn.” Danton Remoto From conservative plots, literary works nowadays are gender-sensitive, exploring the plurality of culture and challenging social normativities. Writers are also allowed to write both in English and Filipino. Technology plays an important role. From blogs, stories are materialized and turned into books. Stories uploaded via Wattpad not only materialize into books but are also adapted into movies. Women, lesbian, and gay writings continue to flourish and become recognized and accepted. 2024 August 28  7 More regional works are being recognized, and these literary texts are now included in workshops and awards. Writers also embark on translating their works into another language or dialect or translating a foreign work into Filipino. Literary Genres Textula ○ poetry genre mastered by Frank Rivera ○ these are poems written and read on mobile Graphic novels ○ a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using comic form ○ has been known as the cheapest form of entertainment and is thus well-accepted Spoken Poetry ○ poems meant to be recited in front of large audiences have become more fashionable than poems meant to be read silently by a single reader. eBooks and Wattpad ○ digital file containing a body of text and images suitable for distributing electronically and displaying on-screen in a manner similar to a printed book ○ readers are treated to audiovisual clips that not only support the narrative in a novel, but actually are crucial to the development of plot and character Flash fiction ○ a short form of narrative that may be told in less than 700 or 100 words, it is assumed to have the essential story details, and stylistic and structural features compatible with its brevity (Ben-Porat, 2011; Guimarães, 2010; Nelles, 2012; Taha, 2000). ○ also called as “dagli” in Philippine literature 2024 August 28  8 Poem Analysis 1. Ang Iisang Paa Ng Tsinelas Errol Merquita's "Ang Iisang Paa ng Tsinelas" sheds light on the hardships faced by war victims, particularly children. From Saripa's perspective, returning to her worn-out slippers, even though they are damaged, feels preferable to accepting a new, better pair. This metaphorically illustrates that children and other internally displaced persons (IDPs) might prefer to return to their devastated homes rather than embrace a new, improved life. The poem underscores how children come to see war as a normal aspect of their existence due to their constant exposure to it. 2. Bago Aplaya – Don Pagusara and Macario Tiu Don Pagusara's "Bago Aplaya" highlights the beauty found in simplicity. The speaker, a member of the Gagmayng Mananagat, values their humble way of life and views their catch of fish as a precious treasure. In contrast, Macario Tiu's "Bago Aplaya" reflects on the inevitability of change. The speaker faces significant transformations, symbolized by the metaphors of the traditional paddle (sagwan) and the motorized boat (bangkang de motor), representing the past and present. Overall, both poems explore the idea that change is an unceasing force that cannot be halted by human effort. # 2024 August 28