Survey of Philippine Literature

In its broadest sense, is any written work.

Literature

Etymologically, the term derives from Latin litaritura/litteratura “writing formed with letters,” although some definitions include spoken or sung texts. More restrictively, it is writing that possesses literary merit.

Literature

It is a collection of different written texts.

Literature

It is the desire of people to convey their own knowledge, experience, vision through written texts. It can be concluded that it is a storehouse of human knowledge in a printed and accessible form.

Literature

This is the most basic and important function of literature. We can learn many new things about the world with its help; we can fill ourselves with knowledge and become smarter.

Knowledge Sharing

Literature affects the feelings and outlook of a person. Why do we read fairy tales in childhood? Well, mostly because they clearly distinguish between good and evil, which helps children to understand what is good and what is bad from an early age. Thanks to artistic images, authors convey basic educational principles to the child. Also, literature like language is an element of culture. It expresses people’s life and culture they have from one generation to another.

Upbringing

Very often, we are impressed by some characters and do not like others. We can agree with a point of view of the author, and we can disagree with it altogether. Also, a book can be a topic for discussion with your friends and acquaintances.

Communication

a lot of people still enjoy reading books to entertain themselves. After all, books can take you anywhere without you even leaving your couch, and they can provide you with hours of fun.

Entertainment

Literature helps us to form our own vision of beauty. It pleasantly influences us, changing our behavior in society and attitude towards people in general. It helps us to notice everything beautiful around us.

Shaping the Aesthetic Taste

Literature helps us to develop ourselves. Thanks to books, articles, magazines, we have the opportunity to fill ourselves with new knowledge, cultivate good qualities and strive for something more.

Self-development

The more we know, the more we have the desire to tell others about it and find out what they think about it. As the saying goes: "Truth is born in dispute," and so it is. People very often reflect on processes, events, knowledge, which they read and discuss various issues with others.

Development of thought Process

every time from reading good verses or beautiful work, or a book with a great plot, or other interesting facts and scientific works.

Pleasure

The more a person reads, the more words they learn, as well as different designs and options for constructing sentences. People can enrich their vocabulary thanks to literature.

Shaping Speech

Ordinary characters, events, and settings can be turned into something artistic, poetic and beautiful. Also, literature can be used to transform societies through the criticism of societal ills and injustices. Literature as a tool for awareness criticizes society by pointing out the evils and other injustices in society. When criticized, the people in a particular society take necessary actions.

Transformation

a division of literature which covers a literary work that is spoken or written within the common flow of language in sentences and in paragraphs which gives information, relate events, express ideas, or present opinions.

Prose

covers a literary work of imaginative narration, either oral or written, fashioned to entertain and to make readers think and more so, to feel. It normally came from the writer’s imagination.

Fiction

attempts to explain the origin of things, places, objects that we see around us.

Legends

narrative depicting a simple characterization and plot conveying a moral which can be read in one sitting.

Short Story

a very long prose narrative depicting complex characterization and plot which is usually divided into chapters.

Novel

a long prose narrative similar to but shorter than a novel but longer than a short story.

Novella

a short prose fiction narrative depicting animal characters which espouses a lesson in life.

Fable

a short prose allegorical narrative which presents a philosophical outlook in life.

Parable

covers a literary work of “real life” narration or exposition based on history and facts whose main thrust is intellectual appeal to convey facts, theories, generalizations, or concepts about a particular topic.

Non-fiction

detailing the life of a person written by another person.

Biography

may be written by the same person

Autobiography

record of events that transpired in the past.

History

narrative of events that happen everyday.

News

a personal account of significant events that happen in the life of a person.

Diary

narrative that depicts a single incident in a person’s life.

Anecdote

formal treatment of an issue written from the writer’s personal point of view.

Essay

a division of literature works which covers a literary work expressed in verse, measure, rhythm, sound, and imaginative language and creates an emotional response to an experience, feeling or fact.

Poetry

tells or narrates a story. It may be lengthy as an epic, or short as a ballad and typically measured as a metrical tale.

Narrative Poetry

accounts the heroic exploits of a community’s hero, usually involving superhuman abilities.

Epic

depicts a single incident that transpired in a person’s life. It is usually recited during gatherings in the past but it may be sung in the present days.

Ballad

a narrative poem which narrates a story in a “metered” or “measured” number of syllables hence it was called metrical.

Metrical Tale

romance metrical tale of dodecasyllabic measure which is recited during formal performances or informal gatherings.

Awit

a martial or adventure metrical tale of octosyllabic measure which is recited for recreational purposes.

Corrido

features poems intended to be sung with the accompaniment of the musical instrument called “lyre."

Lyric Poetry

a lyric poem of various theme which is meant to be sung in its entirety.

Song

a lyric poem of noble and exalted emotion which has dignified countenance.

Ode

a lyric poem of sad theme such lamentation for the dead, longing for a missing love, and a grief for things beyond one’s control.

Elegy

sub-division of poetry which features poems meant to be performed on stage.

Dramatic Poetry

a lyric poem of 14 iambic pentameter lines usually about love and beautiful themes.

Sonnet

a lyric poem celebrating the tranquil and beautiful landscapes of rural and country settings.

Idyll

features a hero whose hubris or shortcoming eventually causes his downfall or defeat often ending in a very sad conclusion.

Tragedy

the hero triumphs and overcomes the odds towards the end and emerges victoriously.

Comedy

a combination of the elements of tragedy and comedy yet ends in a happy note.

Melodrama

an exaggerated comedy that aims to elicit laughter hence, relaxation.

Farce

which tackles social issues and problems such as poverty, corruption, discrimination, racism, sexism, among others, with an aim to bring awareness and bring about positive change.

Social Play

The messages or testimony are verbally transmitted in speech or song and may take the form, for example, of folktales, sayings, ballads, songs, or chants. In this way, it is possible for a society to transmit oral history, oral literature, oral law and other knowledges across generations without a writing system.

Oral Tradition

Oral Lore

As an academic discipline, it refers both to a set of objects of study and a method by which they are studied -- the method may be called variously

The theory of Oral Formulaic Composition and The Parry-Lord Theory

If there is a Filipino proverb that can very accurately capture the Filipino character, it is this one. It’s a metaphor that instructs you to be compassionate and forgiving if someone has wronged you. It also reflects the notoriously non-confrontational nature of Filipinos, who prefer peace and quiet.

Kapag binato ka ng bato, batuhin mo ng tinapay

Basically, this proverb tells us not only to pray for blessings but to work for them. God will be gracious to people who act and help themselves.

Nas diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa

This Filipino proverb simply means that you cannot force someone to believe facts when they don’t want to. Sometimes, there is something about the truth that some people just don’t like to bear.

Mahirap gisingin ang nagtutulog-tulugan

This old Filipino proverb is a fair warning to all: Gossip travels fast. Interestingly, it also gives us insight that our Filipino ancestors may have peddled gossip long before the birth of mass media.

May pakpak ang balita, may tainga ang lupa

The literal translation of this adage is "The rage of a quiet person is kept inside him." This proverb is a warning to people not to take someone’s silence as a sign of submission or tolerance, especially if he is being picked on. He might be hiding his true feelings or has bottled up emotions and could be harboring ill thoughts or intentions about you without you knowing.

Ang taong walang kibo, nasa loob ang kulo

This old Filipino adage offers another nugget of wisdom about being wary of your surroundings, environment, or the people around you because they could betray you or might not have the purest intentions.

Lahat ng gubat ay may ahas

This is the Filipino proverbs’ version of the Western adage, “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” This simply means that people in dire situations may do terrible things to survive and get themselves out of trouble.

Ang taong gipit, sa patalim kumakapit

This old adage is actually lecturing about prudence in making decisions. A person who makes decisions on a whim or impulse tend to make bigger mistakes. This could also apply to modern work. A person who works fast could make more mistakes along the way.

Ang naglalakad ng matulin, kapag natinik ay malalim

This is one of the Filipino proverbs that teaches us about the importance of family or community. It means that the problem of a single member often extends and impacts the whole family.

Ang sakit ng kalingkingan ay ramdam ng buong katawan

This pertains to how bad people always seem to live longer. It also means that bad habits are difficult to get rid of.

Ang masamang damo ay mahirap mamatay

This adage is a metaphor for people who destroy their reputations by their own actions.

Walang nakakasira sa bakal kundi sariling kalawang

According to this Filipino proverb, the more achievements you have, the humbler you should be.

Ang palay ay parisan, habang nagkakalaman lalong nagpupugay

This proverb is a warning to anyone who talks too much—you will eventually get into trouble. Less words, less mistakes.

Ang nakatakip na bibig ay hindi pinapasukan ng langaw

This is one of the Filipino proverbs that emphasizes what is truly valuable in life, and that is relationships and family, not money. Owls tend to inhabit abandoned structures, hence signifying emptiness or loneliness. The palace signifies wealth. Worded differently, this proverb could also be understood as “What good is your money if you live miserably?”

Aanhin mo ang palasyo kung ang nakatira ay kuwago?

a folk tradition, mirrors the Ilonggo’s folks’ creative or poetic intuition. It encapsulates in a single form the workings of the creative mind of the Ilonggo folks or the common tao

Lo-as

Lo-a

Instead of glorifying national heroes, Philippine epics are specific to a particular part of the country, and thus they are referred to as

Ethno-Epic or Regional Epic

Epics of Luzon: Ifugao

The Hudhud

Epic of Luzon: the Ilocos region

Biag ni Lam-ang

Epic of Luzon: Kalinga's Epic Song

The Ullalim

Epic of Luzon: Bicol

The Ibalon

The Epic of Western Visayas: The longest Epic of Hiligaynon People

The Hinilawod

Wpic of Mindanao: 1st Epic

Indarapatra and Sulayman

Epic of Mindanao: recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity

The Darangan