21ST CENTURY LITERATURE FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND THE WORLD

Definitions of Literature
 The word literature is derived from the Latin term litera which means letter.
 Literature refers to the practice and profession of writing. It comes from human interest in telling a story, in
arranging words in artistic forms, in describing in words some aspects of human experiences.
 Literature is characterized by beauty of expression and form and by university of intellectual and emotional
appeal.
 Literature shows us only what a society is like in a certain age, but also what individual feel about it, what they
hope from it, and how they can change it or escape from it.
 Literature is a faithful reproduction of man’s manifold experiences blended into one harmonious expression.
 Literature, according to Woodsworth, is the expression of life in words of truth and beauty. It is the written
record of man’s spirit, his emotions, thoughts and aspirations. It is the history and only history of the human
soul.

Why do we read literature?

1. read for pleasure
2. reading for relaxation
3. reading to acquire knowledge

Importance of Studying Literature

1. We study literature so that we can better appreciate our literary heritage.
2. Like other races of the world, we need to understand that we have a great and noble tradition which can serve as
the means to assimilate our culture.
3. Through such a study, we will realize our literary limitations conditioned by certain historical factors and we
can take steps to overcome them.
4. Above all, as Filipinos, who truly love and take pride of our own culture, we have to manifest our deep concern
for our own literature and this we can do by studying the literature of our country.

Approaches in Studying Literature

1. Analytical approach- the elements of fiction include plot, character, setting, point of view, theme, symbol,
allegory, style and tone.
2. Thematic approach- What is the story, the poem, the play, or the essay about?
3. Historical approach- it aims at illustrating the historical development of literature. All the literature exists in
time and as such bears the unmistakable imprint of the period and culture in which it is written.

Kinds of Literature
1. Oral/Unrecorded Literature- a kind of literature that is handed down from generation to generation by word
of mouth.
2. Written/Recorded Literature- a kind of literature that is handed down from generation to generation by means
of writing.

Literature has two basic divisions:

1. Prose is a form of literature written in an ordinary everyday language. It is a common form of discourse without
metrical structures.
2. Poetry is a form of literature written in verses in which metrical structure is usually observed. It draws its
striking lines from the formation of rhyme and rhythm.

The similarities and differences between prose and poetry are:

Prose
1. Ideas are expressed in forms of sentences.
2. Its structure is divided in paragraph.
3. Expressions are usually commonplace.
4. Rhyme, rhythm, not used.
5. It is usually long.
Poetry
1. Ideas are expressed in forms of verses
2. Its structure is divided into stanzas.
3. Expressions are usually figurative.
4. Rhyme and rhythm, essential.
5. It is usually short.

Prose and poetry are similar in the following aspects:

1. Both are considered as records of man’s thoughts and ideas drawn from the actualities of life.
2. Both are classified as pieces of literature.
3. Both are considered as vehicles of thoughts aimed to inform, to educate, to entertain, to persuade, and to
criticize for the enhancement of man’s wisdom.
4. Both serve as man’s outlets for suppressed emotions.

Kinds of Poetry
1. Narrative Poetry- is a poetry whose principal aim is to tell or narrate a story. It is considered as one of the oldest
form of literature.
2. Lyric Poetry- is the form of poetry in which the primary and direct object is to express the personal emotion or
emotional conception of the writer.
3. Dramatic poetry- is designed to be spoken and acted on stage.
Kinds of Narrative Poetry
1. Epic Poetry- is a long narrative poem elevated in style and dignified in tone telling of the adventured and
achievements of a hero important to the history of his race or nation.
a. Hinilawod- an ancient epic in Panay. It tells the story of the origin of the three divisions of Panay-
Iloilo, Antique and Aklan. It is about Alunsina, mistress of the eastern seas and paubari, a mortal, and
the adventures of their giant triplets.
b. Ibalon- an ancient epic in bicol which tells the story of three Bicol heroes, Baltog, Handiong and
Bantog.
c. The Darangans of Mindanao- the darnagans consists of 25 epic tales revolving around the great god-
like hero named Bantugan.
d. Hudhud and Alim- these two epics were produced by Ifugaos.
Hudhud- deals with the story of the great Ifugao culture and of a hero known as Aliguyon.
Alim -deals with the lives of the gods and the happenings in the sky world.

2. Ballad- is a simple narrative poem often meant for singing characterized by simplicity of language and usually
dealing with basic subjects such as love, honor or death.
3. Romance- is a long, imaginative poetical narrative about the adventures of fair ladies and brave knights.
4. Metrical Tale- has varied themes or subject matter. It deals mostly about homely joys and sorrows, events of
everyday living not of the aristocracy but of the folks, moral, religious, and political issues of the day.

Types of Lyric Poetry

1. Elegy- is a poem of mourning or reflection on the death of an individual.
2. Ode- is a serious or thoughtful poem, usually with a formal structure. It is about a subject written when the poet
is at the height of his emotion.
3. Sonnet- is a lyric poem of 14 iambic pentameter lines.
a. Shakespearean or English- consists of three quatrains of abab cdcd efef followed by a couplet, g.g.
Shakespearean sonnets generally use iambic pentameter.
b. Petrarchean or Italian- consists of fourteen iambic pentameter lines divided into octave rhyming
abbaabba and sestet rhyming cdecde or cdccdc.
4. Song- is a lyric poem set to mucic.
5. Idyll- is a descriptive poem of rural or pastoral character which expresses the poet’s feelings for his immediate
landscape.

Types of Dramatic Poetry

1. Tragedy- is a form of drama in which the leading characters are drawn into a dilemma by social and
psychological forces that finally drag the story to a sad ending, just like the death of the leading characters.
2. Comedy- is a form of drama in which the leading characters draw up with human follies in the light of
entertaining situations and eventualities that finally lead the story to a happy ending. It seeks to amuse/entertain.
Its purpose is to make the audience laugh.
3. Dramatic Monologue- it is a one-sided conversation, the speech is given by one character and the thought,
emotions of the speaker is revealed through his actions. E.g. “My Last Duchess”
4. Dramatic History- is a dramatic play dealing with a past historical event.
5. Masque- was a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in sixteenth and early 17 th century
Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio (a public version of the
masque was the pageant)
Masque involved music and dancing, singing and acting, within an elaborate stage design, in which the
architectural framing and costumes might be designed by a renowned architect, to present a deferential allegory
flattering to the patron. Professional actors and musicians were hired for the speaking and singing parts.

General Types of Prose

1. Essay- is a prose composition which discusses a particular subject. It may deal with any subject and may be
descriptive, expository argumentative, narrative or any combination of these; it may be humorous or serious. An
essay is usually unified by a central idea with all parts in the essay contributing to that idea.
2. Prose Drama- has the same types as the poetic plays except that these are in prose form.
3. Prose Fiction- is a prose composition in which character, setting or events are imaginatively created.

Types of Prose Fiction

a. Prose Allegory- is a prose form in which there is a long implied comparison between unlike things. It is
therefore a metaphor expanded to a considerable length. The greatest prose allegory in the literature of the
world is Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress published in 1678. The characters in this work are depicted vividly and
the experiences seem very real.
b. Prose Romance- a prose narrative treating imaginary characters involved in events remote in time and place
and usually heroic, adventurous or mysterious.
c. Short Story- is a prose narrative of limited length. In one sense, the short story is as old as any literary form and
must have existed for thousands of years before the art of writing was known. It presents a central theme with a
simple plot characterized by a pattern of events which are true to life usually intended to entertain or educate.
d. Novel- is a fictional narrative in prose of considerable length, relating a series of events drawn from the
actualities of life incorporating a pattern or plot and displaying the thoughts, the sensations and acts of the
characters.
 e. Fable- is a short allegorical tale conveying a moral or a principle of behavior. The characters are usually
animals talking and acting like human beings, but keeping their animal traits.
f. Parable- is a brief narrative (especially in the Bible) designed to illustrate a religious truth or teach a lesson.
g. Tale- is a story sets forth strange and wonderful events in more or less bare summary, without detailed character
drawing. The goal is revelation of the marvelous rather than revelation of character (e.g. Jack and the
Beanstalk” an English folktale in which the marvelous beanstalk and giant is more important than Jack’s
personality).
h. Fairy Tale- is a short story in which there are some supernatural or magical events. The characters, that are
neither individualized nor localized, are often not even given names, being called merely “a king”, “a queen”, or
“a princess”, or “a poor farmer”.
i. Myth- is a sacred story from the past. It may explain the origin of the universe and of life, or it may express its
culture’s moral values in human terms. Myths concern the powers who control the human world and the
relationship between those powers and the human beings.
j. Folktale- is a story that, in its plot, is pure fiction and that has no particular location in either time or space.
k. Legend- is a story from the past about a subject that was, or is believed to have been historical. Legends
concern people, places and events. Usually, the subject is a saint, a king, a hero, a famous person, or a war. A
legend is always associated with a particular place and a particular time in history.
4. Biography- is an account of a person’s life written by another.
5. Autobiography- is an account of a person’s life written by himself.
6. Letter- is a direct or personally written or printed message addressed to a person or organization.
7. Journal- is a prose composition published periodically for an exclusive readership.
8. Diary- is a daily record of personal activities, reflections or feelings written by a person for prosperity.

Point of View

Literature provides a lens through which readers look at the world. Point of view is the way the author allows you to
“see” and “hear” what’s going on. Skillful authors can fix their reader’s attention on exactly the detail, opinion, or
emotion the author wants to emphasize by manipulating the point of view of the story.

Point of view comes in three varieties, which the English scholars have handily numbered for your convenience.
1. First-person point of view is in use when a character narrates the story with I-me-my-mine in his or her speech.
The advantage of this point of view is that you get to hear the thoughts of the narrator and see the world
depicted in the story through his or her eyes. However, remember that no narrator, like no human being has
complete self-knowledge or, for that matter, complete knowledge of everything. Therefore, the reader’s role is
to go beyond what the narrator says.
2. Third-person point of view, in which the author uses you and your, is rare; authors seldom speak directly to
the reader. When you encounter this point of view, pay attention. Why? The author has made a daring choice,
probably with a specific purpose in mind. Most times, third-person point of view draws the reader into the story,
almost making the reader a participant in the action.
3. Omniscient-person point of view is that of an outsider looking at the action. The writer may choose third-
person omniscient, in which the thoughts of every character are open to the reader, or third- person limited, in
which the reader enters only one character’s mind either throughout the entire work or in a specific section.
Third person limited differs from first-person because the author’s voice, not the character’s voice, is what you
hear in the descriptive passages.

Tone and Mood

These are literary elements integrated in literary works. Identifying the tone and mood in literatures is an
important clue to discover the literary’s theme. Considering how the author creates a tone and mood helps the reader
understand and appreciate the author’s style.

Tone- is a manner, a feeling or atmosphere the author has meant to set in the story, or towards a subject. It can also be
considered as the attitude or feeling of the writer towards a subject. The tone can be revealed by the author’s choice of
words and details. The author may use a negative or positive tone for his work. Some possible adjectives to describe a
tone, are seriousness, bitterness, joyful, humorous, amusing, angry, ironic, suspicious, and many more.
Mood- is the feeling or atmosphere perceived by the reader. It is the emotions you feel while reading. The mood
indicates a prevailing feeling, or frame of mind, especially at the start of the story. It creates a sense of expectation to
readers of what is to follow. All the choices for setting, images, objects and details contribute in creating a mood.

Tone simple refers to how the author feels towards the subject, or towards something. You will know what the
author’s tone is implying by the words he uses.
While “mood” refers to the feeling of the atmosphere the author is describing. It is what the author makes you
feel when you read his writings. You can read a sentence, and feel sad, happy or angry.

Short Story
A short story is a work of fiction that can be read in one sitting with the plot, setting and characters contributing
to a single impression, a oneness of effect.
Elements of Short Story

1. Setting- time and place of the story

-puts the reader in the story by giving the reader the feeling of being in the situation
-creates atmosphere by the positive or negative feelings associated with the place
2. Characterization- involves understanding that a person’s character is inseparable from his actions.
3. Plot- is the pattern of events that is developed from the interactions between characters.
A plot is a pattern of events in a cause and effect relationship.
a. Cause- things that make something happen
b. Effect- what happens because something was done
Conflicts- the problem the characters encounter. Their conflicts can be:
a. External- conflict with others and nature
b. Internal- conflict within themselves
4. Voice/Tone- refers to the attitude a writer takes toward his subject and reader.
5. Theme- is a perception about life or human nature that the writer wants to share with the reader.
In most cases, the theme is not stated directly but must be inferred.
Themes can be revealed by:
-a story’s title
-key phrases and statements about big ideas
-the ways the characters change and the lessons they learn about life

Plot Outline
1. Exposition- the background or introductory information that the reader must have in order to understand the
story.
2. Rising Action- all of the events that take place leading up to the climax.
3. Climax- it is the turning point in the story, here the story is turned in a different direction, toward the
conclusion, which is the wrapping up of the story.
4. Falling Action- the immediate reaction to the climax.
5. Denouement- the conclusion of the plot, loose ends are tied up.

Types of Characters

1. Main or minor
2. Protagonist or antagonist
3. Round or Flat
4. Dynamic or Static
5. Stereotypes- Stock Characters

Symbolism
A symbol is a person, a place, an activity, or an object that stands for something beyond itself.

Mood-is a way of thinking or a state of mind. It is the feeling that the reader gets when reading something.
Tone- is the writer’s stand toward his subject or topic.

A writer chooses words, settings, events, characters and language to create a tone or mood. Poems and stories
can have sad, angry, gloomy, happy or exciting mood. They can also be light, serious, mocking, philosophic, sarcastic or
bantering in tone. Or they may express a tone of disgust, of condemnation, of admiration, or of detachment, all these are
achieved through the writer’s choice of words.

For example, if a writer wants his readers to be fearful, he may use adjectives like gloomy, hideous, afraid and
tearful. He may choose a graveyard setting, sinister character, stormy weather, violent events and a moonless night to
help create the mood of fear.

In Philippine literature we find literary works which reveal to us that the Filipino has a passion for the good, the
true and the beautiful. In Philippine poetry about nature, love and virtue we gain insight into the essence of beauty as
God’s gifts. The prose works about the joys in life sharpen our sense of what is worth living for.