Handout No.

1 21ST Century from the Philippines and the World

mans vehicle for self

a form of catharsis/relief
came from the Latin word expression
Littera which means letter

primordial aim is to entertain preserver of culture of a

LITERATURE
nation

tool for cultural transmission

showcase peoples national
upheavals

A. Introduction to Philippine Literature in the 21st Century

Despite all linguistic debates about what is standard and what is not, creative writers have jumped the gun and used
English, especially the non-standard kind, in the creation of language. Dr. Lily Rose Tope (2009)

The usage of English in the Philippines has now moved from being beholden to General American English toward
our own variety of English.Today, Filipino writers no longer struggle to write like the Americans, we use the kind of
English used in PH Society.

B. Description of Todays Philippine Literature:

1. Derived from predominantly Western ways of writing

2. Deals with uniquely Filipino experiences
3. Its forms are no longer limited to realism
4. When it comes to language, our young writers today use English unapologetically

C. Pre-Colonial Period of Philippine Literature

Nature Forms
Oral and written traditions Traditional Verses
Folk wisdom Riddles, proverbs, short poems
Communal and collective Folk songs
Language of daily life Ritualistic chants, spells
Functional Folk Narratives
Transmission of beliefs, Epics, myths
mores
values, ideals, customs, and mores Legends, fables
Entertainment Folktales, fantastic stories
Traditional Verses

1. Riddles
Usually a rhyming couplet with a regular syllabic count; varying from four syllables to as many as 14.
Draw their subjects from everyday life and are used to test wit, ingenuity, and imagination.

2. Proverbs
Terse statements of practical wisdom based on long experiences and observations about life.
Covers a wide range of subjects from the expressions of general attitudes toward life exhortations on
behavior.
Stated in figurative language and are usually rendered in rhyming couplet.

3. Songs
Great variety, expressive of gamut of human experiences and feelings.
(work, worship, wedding, war through the use of percussive and stringed musical instruments)
Includes lullabies, street songs, work songs, game songs, victory songs, love songs and funeral dirges.

Folk Narratives

1. Folk Epics
Are lengthy narrative poems revolving around supernatural events, heroic deeds, or folk heroes.
Either chanted or sung with a certain seriousness of purpose.
Recited in communal gatherings as a way of strengthening tribal pride and unity.

2. Creation Myths
deal mainly with the creation of the universe, the origin of people, the gods, supernatural beings, and
divinities.

3. Legends
deal mainly with the origin of local phenomena or happenings, origin of places, plants, animals, things,
and names.

4. Fables
deal with animals and inanimate beings made to speak and act like rational beings and teaching
morals.

5. Fantastic Stories
deal with the unseen world or the underworld, and with odd, whimsical, or grotesque characters

6. Folk Tales
deal with humorous or heroic stories about native culture heroes, village idiots, trickster, tramps, and
other stock characters.