What are the 6 different literary periods in Philippine Literature? With clear explanations

What are the different literary periods in Philippine Literature?

Before the colonial rule dispensed and became a progression the entire frame of the Philippine culture was drawn around its history. Like every other country that sought autonomy, the Philippines battled for its independence, and as its approach to it developed, so did its literature.

Currently, there are six literary periods in Philippine literature which we would closely examine.

They are; the

1. pre-colonial period,
2. Spanish colonization periods,
3. propaganda and revolutionary period,
4. American colonial period,
5. Japanese occupation and
6. contemporary or modern period.

literary periods in Philippine Literature- Pre-colonial period (900 BC-1565)

The Laguna copperplate inscription symbolized the beginning of the pre-colonial period in 900 BC, a period that spelt across a century typically characterized by self-governance and cultural dispensation.

Before the arrival of the Spaniard army, the Filipinos had indulged in what would soon be recognized as preserved arts through their, as of then, conventional idiosyncrasy; the Filipinos were able to lunge their tradition through a trans-generational conduit as their culture was orally inclined.

Literary forms: the pre-colonial period of literature constituted 4 dissimilar forms specifically typified as:

1. Oral literature: the central idea is that simplistic phraseologies and rudimental concepts were conveyed through word of mouth from one generation to another. For example, riddles, the likes of Bugtong (otherwise seen as a battle of the wits), Tigmo-cebu, Paktakon-Ilonggo, and Patodon were carried on from one spell of generation to the other through oral confrontations.

However, the characters of the pre-colonial oral literature weren’t only housed in their riddles, they had also made spaces for proverbs; through which they were able to indoctrinate philosophy by shrouding food for thoughts in metaphors, only enough to follow through with Tanaga; a mono-rimming seven syllabic quatrain used to express insights about life.

1. Folk songs: widely a significant part of the Filipino culture, the folk lyric being a focus served to express the desires and objectives of the people as equal as it did with lifestyles and love interests. They were pictured as habitually deafening, monotonous, moralistic, and ingenious. Some examples are;

• Kanogan (Cebuano)- dirges(lamentations for the dead)
• Kalusan (Ivatan)- songs used to portray the livelihood of the people
• Hele- lullaby
• Tagay- (Cebuano and Waray) – songs used for revelry
• Ambahan (mangyan) – a heptasyllabic poem(structured per line) depicting human social undertaking; relationships and entertainment.

1. Folk tales: the pre-colonial period of literature sustained the influence of myths, legends, fables, and fantastic stories, using all four principles as the compass for their culture as they all hinged on certain ideologies that gave an explicit explanation to the dynamic nature of their environment, both the abstract and physical.

• Myths: likely tales that motioned the presence of balance In knowledge, impinging the ideologies in mind as to how the world was created, how and why animals retained specific abilities, why environmental factors differed, and the origin of their differences
• Legend: factored in self-motivated theories and explained its origins e.g. the legend of Maria Makling, why the pineapple has eyes.
• Fable: divulged animals as characters and pivoted appalling incidents on allegories.
• Fantastic stories: made the likes of supernatural characters an underlying centerpiece the likes “Tiyanak”, “ASwang”, and “kapre” etc.

1. Epic: during the pre-colonial period, epics were considered sustainable narratives that were transferred through oral means, they were based on traditions and recalled to be lengthy capturing supernatural events and heroic accomplishments some examples are;

• Kudaman (Palawan)
• Lam-ang (Ilocano)
• Hinilawod (Panay)
• Darangen (maranao)

Literary periods in Philippine Literature -Spanish colonization period (1565-1863)

The Spanish colonization period arose in the wake of improbable adaptation; it saw the implementation of Spanish as a language, a serving characteristic of that era, and as a medium of communication. Following the occupancy of the Spaniard populace, Tagalog religious and secular pieces of literature became doctored to champion the rise of Spanish indoctrination.

Literary reforms: the Spanish colonization period can be easily grouped into two;

1. Religious literature: the rise of Spaniard edict adulterated the communiqué of Filipinos causing a Spanish representation in the early catechism which ultimately served as a guide to proselytizing the Spanish language examples were:
2. Pasyon: a lengthy narrative poem that recalled the passion and death of Christ, one of the most popular religious recollections detailed by Aguino de ben in “ang ma hal na passion ni Jesu cristong panihnoon Natin”.
3. Senkulo: performance of the passion of Christ; a depiction of his death as detailed in the Pasyon.
4. Secular Literature: some examples of transliterated Tagalog literature were;
5. Awit: the portrayal of chivalry designed for singing and invocation
6. Korido, examples: Florante at laura by Francisco Baltarzar
7. Prose narratives: scribed to highlight adequate propriety; 1. Dialogo ii. Manual de urbanuda iii. Ejemplo iv. Tratado .

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Literary periods in Philippine Literature- Nationalistic/propaganda and Revolutionary period(1864-1896)

The nationalistic revolutionary period experienced a shift in the art of communication, the Franca lingua of the Philippines became subjected to charismatic levels of disturbance in their order of structure which began forestalling the ousting of Spaniard tutelage and a gradual return of nationalism.

The idea of Tagalog was soon installed as a means of communication and veers of propaganda literature (see editorials satire, exposee, etc.) that spearhead reformation and communicated seeds of nationalism to the general public begun traversing.

Literary reforms: the revolutionary period was classified into two:

Propaganda literature: their literature soon developed reformative tendencies and housed backlogs ranging from political essays prescribed to attack and uncover the abuse meted out by the Spanish governance.

Political essays

• Diariong tagalong- propounded by Marcelo De pillar
• La solidaridad.

Political literature

• Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo- Concocted by Jose Rizal who, after its release, paved the way for the realization of the revolution

Revolutionary literature: happened to be more propagandistic as it possessed even more violent objectives, it demanded complete autonomy for the Filipinos.

Political essays: objectified by moral invocation that inflated the spirits of nationalists e.g.

• Kalayaan—the newspaper of the society revised by Emilio Jacinto

Poetry

• Katapusang Hibik ng Philipinas—Andres Bonifacio
• True decalog- Apolinario Mabini
• Liwanag at dilim- Emiliano Jacinto

Literary periods in Philippine Literature -American colonial period (1910- 1945)

The American occupation period stretched out rapidly but impacted greatly on the dynamic literature of the Philippines, soon enough they began modeling after American and English literature.

Though their literature reforms saw great profit, the height of it existed in its dimension characterized by amateurism, gracelessness, inelegance, and awkward phrases and dictions.

Short stories

• footnote to the youth­- Jose Garcia villa
• dead star- Paz Marquez Benitez
• the key- Paz Latorena

Novel

• child of sorrow by Zollo Galang

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Literary periods in Philippine Literature -Japanese Occupation (1942-1960)

The Philippine poet decamped from the Balagtas tradition and resolved to scribe in simpler languages the likes of free verse resulting in the absconding use of meters and rhyming schemes, this elicited the rise of fiction over poetry.

As a cause-effect, the habituation of fiction gave route to the period of maturity and originality (1945-1960) where records of poetry, fiction, drama, and essays began spiking alarmingly. Filipino writers soon became conversant with the English language and mastered various writing techniques ultimately producing literary giants.

War years (1942-144)

Compiled short stories

• Suyuan sa Tubigan- Macario pineda
• Lupang Tinubuan- Narciso Reyes
• Uhaw ang Tigang na lupa- Liwayway Arceo

Period of maturity (1945- 1960): the rise of literary giants

Palanca awardees for literature and national artists awarded

• Jose Garcia villa
• Nick Joaquin
• Nvm Gonzales
• Gregorio Brillantes
• Gilda Cordero Fernando

Literary periods in Philippine Literature -Contemporary/modern period (1960-present)

1. The institutionalization of martial law began inhibiting human rights eventually containing the freedom of the press.
2. Enacted censorship drove writers to represent messages with symbolism and allegories subjectively
3. Theatres became protests and freedom enablers, the likes of Phil. Educational theatre association and Up theatre
4. Vitality, literary enthusiasm, and innovations evolved further after the advent of the 80s.