REVIEWER IN LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION TO ASEAN LITERATURE
• The word literature is derived from the
Latin word litera which means letter. It
has been defined differently by various
writers.
• Because literature deals with ideas,
thoughts, and emotions of man,
literature can be said to be the story of
man.
• Man’s love, grief, thoughts, dreams,
and aspirations coached in beautiful
language is literature.
• In order to know the history of a
nation’s spirit, one must read its
literature.
• Brother Azurin, said that “literature
expresses the feelings of people to
society, to the government, to his
surroundings, to his fellowmen, and to
his Divine Creator.”
WHY DO WE NEED TO STUDY
LITERATURE?
• We study literature so we can better
appreciate our literary heritage.
• We cannot appreciate something that
we do not understand.
• Through a study of our literature, we
can trace the rich heritage of ideas
handed down to us from our
forefathers. Then we can understand
ourselves better and take pride in being
a Filipino.
• Above all, as Filipinos, who truly love
and take pride in our own culture, we
have to manifest our deep concern for
our own literature and this can be done
by studying the literature of our
country.
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
• Our written literature, is about four
hundred years old.
• Our writers strove to express their
sentiments while struggling with a
foreign medium.
• The great mass of literature in English
that we have today is, indeed a tribute
to what our writers have achieved in
the short span of time. What they have
written can compare with some of the
best works in the world.
LITERATURE AND HISTORY
• Literature and history are closely
interrelated. In discovering the history
of a race, the feelings, aspirations,
customs and traditions of people are
sure to be included.
• Events that can be written down are
part of true literature. Literature,
therefore, is part of history.
LITERARY WORKS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED THE
WORLD
• The Bible or the Sacred Writings
• Koran
• The Iliad and the Odyssey
• The Mahab-Harata
• Canterbury Tales
• Uncle Tom’s Cabin
• The Divine Comedy
• El Cid Compeador
• The Song of Roland
• The Book of the Dead
• The Book of the Days
• One Thousand and One Night or the
Arabian Nights
GENERAL TYPES OF LITERATURE
• Literature can generally be divided into
two types;
 • prose
• poetry.
POETRY
• Poetry refers to those expressions in
verse, with measures, rhymes, line,
stanzas and melodious tone. students
who delight in the study of poetry and
appreciate poems are usually those
who have awareness of artistic
features.
• Poetry is not intended merely to
entertain. it has a very useful and
serious function: to embody the deep
truths that reveal to us the complex
living organism called human being.
• It has a two-fold function: to delight
and to instruct. it usually centers on
comments and ideas that are necessary
to human needs.
1. LYRIC POETRY
the utterance of the human heart is in
poetic form. in earlier times, lyric
poems were meant to be sung to the
accompaniment of a musical
instrument known as the lyre.
lyre- is a stringed musical instrument of
the harp class which was used by the
ancient Greeks
. DIVISIONS AND TYPES OF POETRY
- the subject and moods of lyric poetry
dwell on love, death and grief, religion
and feelings, the beauty and love of
nature, art, the world of fancy and
imagination, the environment and
others.
- it is subjective of the author’s feelings
and thoughts. it includes the following:
2. NARRATIVE POETRY
- SIMPLE LYRIC
- this embraces a wide variety of poems
and is characterized by subjectivity,
imagination, melody and emotion.
- b. song
- this is a short lyric poem which has a
specific melodious quality and is
intended to be sung and can be set
easily to music. it can either be religious
or secular. religious songs include
hymns, anthems and oratories. secular
songs deal with different themes and
emotions.
- c. sonnet
- it is a lyric poem of 14 lines with a
formal rhyme. it was perfected in italy
by francesco petrarca in the 14th
century.
- d. elegy
- - it is a poem expressing lament or grief
for the dead. it may express the
personal sorrow of the author over a
loss of a loved one or it may be a form
of meditation on death in general. it is
solemn and sorrowful, yet it can
suggest hope and faith to alleviate
sorrow.
- E. ODE
- - this is the most splendid type of lyric
poetry. it is exalted in tone, projects
deep feelings and expresses high praise
for some persons, objects, events or
ideas.
 - it tells a story following an order of
events. it includes the ballad, metrical
tale, metrical romance and epic.
A. BALLAD
- it is a short simple narrative poem composed
to be sung, and is orally told from one
generation to another. the folk, primitive or
popular ballads are kinds of ballads which were
written anonymously
b. Metrical romance
- it is a long rambling love story in verse
which is centered around the
adventures of knights and lords, and
their royal ladies during the age of
chivalry. it is heavily flavored in
romance, fantastic events, supernatural
occurences, magic and the ideals of the
medieval period such as truth, courage,
reverence and justice.
c. Epic
- this is a long, majestic, narrative poem which
tells the adventures of a traditional hero and
development of a nation.
3. DRAMATIC POETRY
This poetry has elements that are closely
related to drama because it is written in
dramatic form or makes use of a dramatic
technique. it may suggest a story but more
emphasis is placed on the character rather than
the narration.
EXAMPLES OF DRAMATIC POETRY:
A. DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE
- This is a combination of drama and poetry
which presents the speech of a character in a
particular situation at a critical moment. The
speaker addresses one or more people who are
present and are listening to the speaker, but
who remains silent. The personality of the
speaker, his character, his relationship to
others, and his values and attitudes towards life
are indirectly collected from his monologue.
B. THE SOLILOQUY
- this is a passage spoken by the speaker
in a poem or by a character in a play
except that there is no one present to
hear him except the reader or the
audience.
- the thoughts express the emotions
displayed, and the revelations are made
freely without inhibitions that give deep
insights into the character. it is often
used in poetic dramas to enrich, to
make characterizations cleared and to
inform the audience about other
developments in the play.
PROSE
it is a literary piece which is written in the form
of ordinary written or spoken language and
within the common flow of a conversation. It is
easily understood as compared to poetry.
- In subject matter, prose generally
concentrates on the familiar and the
ordinary, but may also deal with
subjects such as heroism, beauty, love
and nobility of spirit.
DIVISIONS AND TYPES OF PROSE
- PROSE IS USUALLY CATEGORIZED INTO
FICTION AND NONFICTION.
FICTION
This is defined as a series of imagined facts
which illustrates truths about human life.
Fiction is not contrary to truth at all. Incidents
that may not have happened in real life and
characters that may not actually have existed,
could be created by fiction to show what may
and can happen, as long as the laws of
probability and necessity are not violated. It
does not deal with what has been done, but
with what could happen within the bounds of
what is possible and probable.
- TYPES OF FICTION
- 1. SHORT STORY
- THIS IS A BRIEF, ARTISTIC FORM OR
PROSE FICTION WHICH IS CENTERED ON
A SINGLE MAIN INCIDENT AND IS
INTENDED TO PRODUCE A SINGLE
DOMINANT IMPRESSION WHICH MAY
BE SADNESS, SURPRISE, SYMPAHTY,
TERROR OR OTHER REACTIONS.
- THE QUALITIES OF A SHORT STORY ARE
ECONOMY, COMPRESSION, BREVITY
AND EMPHASIS.
- IT HAS A DEFINITE TIME AND PLACE
SETTING.
- IT MAY BE DEVELOPED WITHIN A DAY
OR TWO OR EVEN HOURS, USUALLY IN
ONE PLACE.
- ONLY THE IMPORTANT FEATURES OF
THE ACTION ARE NARRATED AND
EVENTS ARE COMPRESSED TO ALLOW
THE MEANINGFUL AND IDESPENSABLE
TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NARRATION.
- EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON IMPORTANT
DETAILS.
2. THE NOVEL
- THIS IS A MORE EXTENSIVE PROSE. THE
MODER NOVEL IS A NOVEL OF FICTION
WHICH IS ELASTIC. ITS LENGTH
EXTENDS TO HUNDREDS OF PAGES.
- THE LENGTH OF A NOVEL PERMITS A
GREATER NUMBER AND A VARIETY OF
CHARACTERS, A MORE COMPLEX PLOT,
AND A MORE ELABORATE USE OF THE
SETTING.
- NONFICTION
- THESE ARE LITERARY WORKS THAT ARE
BASED MAINLY ON FACT RATHER THAN
ON THE IMAGINATION, ALTHOUGH
THEY MAY CONTAIN FICTIONAL
ELEMENTS. EXAMPLES OF THESE ARE
ESSAYS AND BIOGRAPHIES.
- THE ESSAY
- THE ESSAY IS A PROSE COMPOSITION
OF MODERATE LENGTH, USUALLY
EXPOSITORY IN NATURE, WHICH AIMS
TO EXPLAIN AN IDEA, A THEORY, AN
IMPRESSION OR A POINT OF VIEW.
- THE ESSAY MAY BE CLASSIFIED AS
FORMAL OR INFORMAL.
- FORMAL ESSAY
- IT DEALS WITH SERIOUS AND
IMPORTANT TOPICS SUCH AS
PHILOSOPHY, THEOLOGY, SCIENCE,
POLITIC, MORALITY AND OTHERS. IT IS
PRIMARILY ADDRESSED TO THE
INTELLECT OF AN INDIVIDUAL. THE
TONE IS OBJECTIVE AND FORMAL.
- THE STYLE IS CLEAR AND
STRAIGHTFORWARD. IT PRIMARILY
AIMS TO TEACH OR TO INSTRUCT.
- INFORMAL OR FAMILIAR ESSAY
- THIS MAY DEAL WITH ANY SUBJECT,
EVEN THE ORDINARY AND
COMMONPLACE. IT POSSESSES A
CHARMING, INTERESTING, AND
DISTINCTIVE PURPOSE – TO ENTERTAIN
AND AMUSE. THEREFORE, THE TONE IS
LIGHT, FRIENDLY AND OFTENTIMES
HUMOROUS LIKE A PERSON TALKING
OT HIS FRIENDS WITH INTEREST AND
AFFECTION.
- OTHER FORMS OF ESSAY
- THE ESSAY MAY HAVE OTHER FORMS.
THE CRITICAL ESSAY SEEKS TO ANALYZE
AND EVALUATE A LITERARY WORK OR
ANY OTHER WORK OF ART, THE
BIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY DEALS WITH THE
PERSONAL LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF
AN INDIVIDUAL. AN ESSAY OF TRAVEL
INFORMS, AS WELL AS ENTERTAINS, BY
ITS PERSONAL TREATMENT OR
VARIOUS EXPERIENCES IN A GIVEN
PLACE AND TIME.
- DRAMA
- THE WORD DRAMA COMES FROM THE
GREEK WORK DRAN WHICH MEANS
“TO DO”. IT IS THE ART OF IMITATION
HUMAN ACTION OR A STORY
PRESENTED ON STAGE BY ACTORS
IMPERSONATING CHARACTERS IN A
GIVEN SITUATION. THE DRAMA
INVOLVES THREE ELEMENTS, THE
THEATER, THE ACTORS (AND
DIRECTORS), AND THE AUDIENCE.
- THE DRAMA IS WRITTEN EITHER IN
POETRY OR IN PROSE, OR A MIXTURE
OF BOTH. DURING THE ANCIENT TIMES,
AND UP TO THE 19TH CENTURY, DRAMA
WAS POETIC IN FORM. MODERN OR
CONTEMPORARY DRAMA IS USUALLY IN
PROSE. THE DRAMA IS TRADITIONALLY
CLASSIFIED INTP TRAGEDY AND
COMEDY.
- TRAGEDY
- TRAGEDY IS THE IMITATION OF AN
ACTION WHICH IS SERIOUS, COMPLETE
AND WITH CERTAIN MAGNITUDE. ITS
LANGUAGE IS EMBELLISHED BY EVERY
ARTISTIC ADORNMENT IN THE FORM
OF ACTION WHICH IS NOT NARRATIVE.
PITY AND FEAR ARE ITS OUTSTANDING
EMOTIONS.
- COMEDY
- COMEDY IS TODAY, AND ALWAYS HAS
BEEN, THE MOST POPULAR OF THE
DRAMATIC FORMS. TRUE COMEDY IS
REALLY SERIOUS AND FULL OF DEEP
MEANING, YET IT IS INFUSED WITH WIT,
SPARKLE, DELICATE SATIRE AND NEW
IDEAS. IT INJECTS THOUGHT EVEN WITH
LAUGHTER. USUALLY, THERE ARE NOT
MANY INCIDENTS IN A COMEDY.
QUALITIES OF A LITERARY MASTERPIECE
- THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF RECOGNITION
A LITERARY WORK CAN RECEIVE IS FOR
IT TO BE CONSIDERED A LITERARY
MASTERPIECE. FOR IT TO ACHIEVE
SUCH GREATNESS, A LITERARY WORK
MUST POSSESS THE FOLLOWING
QUALITIES:
- ARTISTRY
- THIS APPEALS TO OUR SENSE OF
BEAUTY. A PERSON IS SAID TO BE
ARTISTIC IF HE KNOWS HOW TO
APPRECIATE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.
- INTELLECTUAL VALUE
- A LITERARY WORK STIMULATES
THOUGHTS. IT MAKES OUR MENTAL
LIFE RICH BY MAKING US REALIZE THE
DIFFERENT FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS
ABOUT LIFE AND HUMAN NATURE.
FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS AND
UNIVERSAL CONDITIONS.
- STYLE
- THIS IS THE UNIQUE WAY IN WHICH
THE WRITER VIEWS LIFE, FORMS
HIS/HER IDEAS AND EXPRESSES THEM.
GREAT WORKS ARE MARKED BY THEIR
LASTING SUBSTANCES AND BY THEIR
DISTINCTIVE STYLES.
-

- SUGGESTIVENESS

- THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE

EMOTIONAL ASPECT OF LITERATURE.
THIS QUALITY MOVES US DEEPLY AND
STIRS OUR IMAGINATION TO WORK
ABOVE AND BEYOND THE LEVEL OF
ORDINARY LIFE AND EXPERIENCE.

- SPIRITUAL VALUE

- LITERATURE PUTS OUR SPIRITS HIGH BY

BRINGING OUT THE UNDERSTANDING
OR MORAL VALUES WHICH WE WILL
CHERISH OR PUT INTO PRACTICE, THUS
BRINGING US CLOSER TO OUR MAKER.

- PERMANENCE

- A GREAT WORK OF LITERATURE CAN

ENDURE THE TEST OF TIME. IT CAN BE
READ OVER AND OVER AGAIN AS EACH
READING GIVES FRESH ENJOYMENT.

- UNIVERSALITY

- GREAT LITERATURE OBSERVES NO

LIMITS. IT APPEALS TO ALL, ANYTIME,
ANYWHERE BECAUSE IT DEALS WITH
THE BASIC FEELINGS OF PEOPLE,