1st Century Literature in Various Regions, 21st Century Literature from the Philippines

and the World

Philippine Literature in the Postwar and Contemporary Period

 Lesson6 chapters
 Questions

Objective
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to identify postwar and contemporary literary authors
and their works and name their contributions to the development of literature in the Philippines.

What are the literary works published during the postwar and contemporary period in literature?

Learn about it!

Postwar and Contemporary Literature
Postwar and contemporary literature include all literary works written and published in the
Philippines from 1946.

After World War II, the Philippines had to deal with the economy and the need for rehabilitation and
reconstruction of infrastructures. There was political, economic, and social confusion, as well as
great poverty, and these issues found their way into the short stories and novels during that time.

During the postwar period, Filipino writers got their inspiration from American teachers and were
able to learn their techniques, which also helped in mastering the English language.

Writers wrote fiction that focused on courageous deeds as well as the sacrifices and suffering in the
lives of Filipinos. It was also common for writers to write about the experiences of the Filipino people
under the Spanish and American rule and the Japanese Occupation. Other subjects and themes
include:

 religious faith
 superstitions
 fantasy
 social problems
 poverty
 politics
 nationalism
 morality

Literary Works
Philippine literature flourished even more during the postwar and contemporary period. Writers were
able to produce short stories, novels, essays, and poems that continue to be read by Filipinos today.

Examples:
Some works written in the postwar and contemporary period are:

May Day Eve by Nick Joaquin, 1947

Waywaya by F. Sionil Jose, 1983
We Filipinos Are Mild Drinkers by Alejandro Roces, 1948
The Return by Edith L. Tiempo
History and Philippine Culture by Horacio de la Costa, 1965
Without Seeing the Dawn by Stevan Javellana, 1947

Explanation:
Nick Joaquin, a National Artist for Literature awardee, wrote articles under the name of Quijano de
Manila. His short story "May Day Eve," published in 1947, is about love in a patriarchal society. It
also made use of magic realism.

F. Sionil Jose, one of the most widely read Filipino writers in English, wrote the short story
"Waywaya," which is about pre-Hispanic society and the people’s struggle for moral order.

Alejandro Roces, a Filipino author, essayist, and dramatist, wrote the short story "We Filipinos Are
Mild Drinkers." This story focuses on the drinking habits and culture of Filipinos and Americans.

Edith L. Tiempo's poem "The Return" is a sentimental piece that talks about life in old age.

Horacio de la Costa wrote the essay "History and Philippine Culture," which emphasizes the
importance of understanding and presenting a nation’s culture.

Stevan Javellana wrote the first postwar Filipino novel in English, Without Seeing the Dawn.

This novel narrates what people experienced during World War II under the Japanese rule in

the Phi Tip

To be able to fully appreciate literature in the Philippines, as a reader and a critic, you must also be
aware of the country’s history, culture, society, and psyche (human spirit).

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