21st century

• Religious Literature:

  • Ladino poets or those versed in both Spanish and Tagalog wrote religious lyrics included in early catechism to teach Filipinos the Spanish language
  • Pasyon: a long narrative poem about the passion and death of Christ. Example: "Ang Mahalna Passion ni Jesu Cristong Panignoon Natin" by Aguino de Belen
  • Senakulo: dramatization of the pasyon, depicting the passion and death of Christ
• Secular (non-religious) Literature:

  • Awit: colorful tales of chivalry made for singing and chanting. Example: Ibong Adama
  • Korido: metrical tale written in octosyllabic quatrains. Example: Florante at Laura by Francisco Baltazar
  • Prose Narratives written to prescribe proper decorum:
  • Dialogo
  • Ejemploii. Manual de Urbanidad
  • Tratado. Examples: Modesto de Castro's "Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini na si Urbana at si Feliza" and Joaquin Tuason's "Ang Bagong Robinson" (The New Robinson) in 1879
• Nationalistic/Propaganda and Revolutionary Period (1864-1896):

  • Characteristics:
  • Planted seeds of nationalism in Filipinos
  • Language shifted from Spanish to Tagalog
  • Addressed the masses instead of the "intelligentsia"
  • Literary Forms:
  • Propaganda Literature:
  • Political Essays: satires, editorials, and news articles attacking and exposing the evils of Spanish rule
  • Diariong Tagalog founded by Marcelo del Pilar La Solidaridad, edited by Graciano Lopez-Jaena
  • Political Novels: Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal
  • Revolutionary Literature:
  • Political Essays inflaming the spirit of revolution
  • Poetry: True Decalogue by Apolinario Mabini, Katapusan ng Hibik ng Pilipinas by Andres Bonifacio, Liwanag at Dilim by Emilio Jacinto
• American Colonial Period (1910-1945):

  • Period of Apprenticeship (1910-1930):
  • Filipino writers imitated English and American models
  • Poems were amateurish and mushy with awkward and artificial phrasing and diction
  • Short Stories: "Dead Stars" by Paz Marquez Benitez, "The Key" by Paz Latorena, "Footnote to Youth" by Jose Garcia Villa
  • Period of Emergence (1920-1930):
  • Highly influenced by Western literary trends like Romanticism and Realism
  • Short Stories were the most prevalent literary form. Jose Garcia Villa earned the international title "Poet of the Century"
• Japanese Occupation (1942-1945):

  • War Years (1942-1944):
  • Tagalog poets broke away from the Balagtas tradition and wrote in simple language and free verse
  • Fiction prevailed over poetry
  • Notable works: "Suyuan sa Tubigan" by Macario Pineda, "Lupang Tinubuan" by Narciso Reyes, "Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa" by Liwayway Arceo
  • Period of Maturity and Originality (1945-1960):
  • Bountiful harvest in poetry, fiction, drama, and essay
  • Filipino writers mastered English and familiarized themselves with diverse techniques
  • Literary "giants" appeared
  • Awards:
  • Palanca Awards for Literature recipients: Jose Garcia Villa, Nick Joaquin, NVM Gonzales, Gregorio Brillantes, Gilda Cordero Fernando
  • National Artist Awards recipients: Jose Garcia Villa, Nick Joaquin