Philippine Literature

POST – WAR PERIOD (1945-1960)

In the year 1941-1945, Philippine Literature was interrupted in its development when the
Philippines were again conquered by another foreign country, Japan. Philippine literature
in English came to halt.

After the war, it took some time before the writers could find their bearings.

-Writing in English was consigned to limbo.

the reason was that almost writings in English were stopped or strictly prohibited by the
Japanese.

* In other words, Filipino literature was given a break during this period.

* This had an advantages effect on Filipino Literature, w/c experienced renewed attention
because writers in English turned to writing in Filipino.

* After the war, however with a fervor and drive for excellence that continues to this day.

Until 50th years – literary output still carried the stock theme of war and its hardship.
Bitterness was a common tone.

Later a new group of writers sprung up.

*writing of this new group was characterized by liberalism in thought and outlook.

They were influenced by new literary theories by a new of symbolism, by existentialism

by the post-war European, new communication modes, by ideology and practice of
communism.

Filipino had by this time, learned to express themselves more confidently but post-war
problems beyond language and print like economic stability, the threat of new ideas and
morality had to be grappled with side by side.
Order for Masks

Virginia R. Moreno

About the Author:

Virginia Moreno is a feminist. She is recognized not only as a poet but as a Philippine
woman artist whose vision of art includes both aesthetics and politics. She is a poet
whose works are deeply imbricated in her country’s socio-political and cultural milieu.
Moreno has, however, managed to marry form, content and create texts whose
polyvalence of idioms allow readers to contend with their very own historicity. She is a
poet who has an interest in French Impressionism and Symbolist poetry while the rest of
her generation, having been immersed in English and American Literature

The poem, "Order for Masks", is clearly talking about the different roles that the woman,
who is the persona in the poem, has to portray throughout her life. It presents the
woman's three masks which represent the three tasks in her life and the three faces she
has to wear for the three men in her life. The first role that is illustrated is that of a sister –
the woman towards her brother. As a sister, she tries to differentiate herself from her
brother that is why she does things that are completely opposite or in contrast with the
things her brother does. She wants to be unlike him in every possible way so to make him
feel secure in his masculinity and to make him believe that she is not a threat to him. The
next role mentioned is that of a daughter – the woman towards her father. As a daughter,
she wants to show her father that she is the kind of woman that he expects her to be –
pure, innocent and chaste, leading him to believe that she is the perfect or ideal daughter.
Also, the woman is projecting to him that she is still the same child he knew and the same
face he made. The last role that she plays is that of a lover – the woman towards her
lover. This time, she projects herself as someone who does her best to satisfy and fulfill
the needs and wants of her partner. She makes him believe that by being the woman he
wants her to be, she is making herself the best partner for him. In the three roles that the
poem discusses, it can be said that the woman shapes her behavior, actions and
personality in accordance to the needs of the men. This, in a way, degrades or lowers the
status of the woman as it reduces her whole being to mere instrument that satisfies and
pleases men's needs and wants. But this conclusion is compensated by the other fact that
the poem is trying to imply. The poem shows that the woman, through her ability to make
the men in her life see and believe what she wants them.