SURVEY OF AFRO-ASIAN LITERATURE

South Korea
 An East Asian nation on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, shares one of
the world’s most heavily militarized borders with North Korea.
Korean Literature
 Korea’s classical literature developed against the backdrop of traditional folk
beliefs of the Korean people; it was influenced by Taoism, Confucianism, and
Buddhism.
 Early Korean Literature were transcribe using Chinese characters.
 On the other hand, Modern Literature, developed out of its contact with Western
culture, following the course of modernization.
th
 The creation of the Korean Alphabet in the 15 century was a crucial point in
Korea’s literary history.
 Korean poetry originally was meant to be sung, and its forms and styles reflect its
melodic origins.
Four major traditional poetic forms
 Hyangga- it is the oldest poetic form.
 Pyolgok/changga- flourished during the middle and late Koryo period.
 Sijo- longest-enduring and most popular form of Korean poetry.
 Kasa- tends to be much longer than other forms of Korean poetry.
Top 10 Great Poets of South Korea
1. Seo Jeong-ju- (“Leper”)
2. Kim So-wol- (“Azaleas”)
3. Han Yong-un-(“Love’s Silence)
4. Jeong Ji-yong-(“Window”)
5. Kim Su-young-(“Grass”)
6. Kim Chun-su-(“A Preface Poem for Flower”)
7. Yi Sang-(“From Crow’s Eye View”)
8. Yoon Dong-joo-(“Another Hometown”)
9. Park Mok-wol-(“A Wanderer”)
10. Sok- (“ Namsinuiju Yudong Baksibongbang

Seo Jeong-ju
 He wrote under the pen name of “Midang”.
 He attended high school in Seodang Village until 1924.
 He studied Buddhism in College, and later on teaching it at colleges and
universities during and after Korean.
  He released fifteen poetry collection and more than 1000 poems.
 He established his own distinctive artistic personality, portraying Eastern and
Western values mixed together, then Seo started to soar high above the
contemporary literary horizon.
 He was called “The Father of Modern Korean Poetry”
Masterpiece
 Leper by Seo Jeong-ju

VIETNAM
 Famous for being the setting of Miss Saigon the Musical
 Famous for its bustling Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Mekong Delta, and Da Nang
 National Costume: Ao Dai

LITERATURE IN VIETNAM
Divided into two components:
1. Folk Literature
- Had a great significance in Vietnam and made immense contribution in
preserving and developing the National Language.
- Mythologies, epics legends, riddles, proverbs and folk songs.
2. Written Literature
- Since 1920’s, written literature has been mainly composed with the
national language with profound renovations, in form and in category.
- novels, new style poems, short stories, and drama
There are three scripts used in Vietnamese Literature

 Han Van- includes bishops declaration by the Vietnamese Kings, royal histories,
declaration from independence in China, and poetry.
 Chu nom- traditional script by Vietnamese people after they became
independent from china.

 Quoc Ngo- currently the modern script used by Vietnamese Literature,

National Script
Three Main Genres
1. Folk Literature
2. Myths
3. Cadao
To Hoai
 One of vietnam's greatest writer
 Nguyen Sen is his real name; To Hoai is his pen name
 Birthday: September 27, 1920 and he died on July 6, 2014
 Was a Vietnamese writer, playwright, screenwriter, journalist and correspondent.
Masterpiece
“THE ADVENTURE OF THE CRICKET”

INDONESIA
 Symbolic name: Garuda Pancasila
 Like the Bald Eagle in the United States, the Garuda is often used to represent
Indonesia. A great deal of symbolism runs through the Garuda. The eagle is a
symbol of creative energy. Its principal color, gold, symbolizes the greatness of
the nation.
INDONESIAN LITERATURE
 Indonesian literatures, the poetry and prose writings in Javanese, Malay,
Sundanese, and other languages of the peoples of Indonesia.
 They include works orally transmitted and then preserved in written form by the
Indonesian peoples, oral literature, and the modern literatures that began to
emerge in the early 20th century as a result of Western influence.
Characterisrics of Indonesian Literature
 The styles and characteristics of Indonesian literature change from time to time.
They sometimes follow the political dynamics of the country and the region.
 Its mainly about religion, deeds, human values, obedience, bravery, love,
morality and in a poetic form.
Famous writer
Pramoedya Ananta Toer
 Most famous Javanese novelist and short-story writer, the preeminent prose
writer of postindependence Indonesia.
 One of Indonesia’s greatest authors, who fought for freedom of speech, spent
most of his adult life in jail.
 His famous work Buru Quartet
Ancient Sanskrit Epics in Indonesia
 Ramayana
 -The Ramayana itself is a very lengthy story with almost 24,000 verses. It
is more than twice the length of the bible
 Mahabharata
- The Mahabharata is the longest epic poem ever written, consisting of
100,000 verses, or 1.8 million words in total which is 4 times the length of
the Ramayana.

Malaysia
Literature of Malaysia
 Malaysian Literature is typically written in any of the country’s four main
languages: Malay, English, Chinese, and Tamil.
 It portrays various aspects of malaysian life.
 Early Malays literature was influenced by Indian epics such as the ramayana and
mahabharata.
 The earliest work of Malaysian literature were transmitted orally in the absence of
writing script.
 Traditional Malay poetry was used for entertainment the recording of history and
laws.

THREE FORMS OF TRADITIONAL MALAY POETRY

 Mantera
- Sacred message of a text;repeated word or phrase in meditation
 Pantun
- A traditional oral form of expression
- Consist of quatrain which employs ‘abab’ rhyme scheme
 Syair
- can be a narrative poem, a didactic poem, or a poem used to convey
ideas on
religion or philosophy, or even one to describe historical event
Other types of Malaysian Literature
 Seloka
- A poem, similar to pantum
 Madah
-rhyming speech; a discourse through poetry
 Gurindam
- Poetry that sets to music.
  Kancil
- Serve as the main character in a number of stories.
- Regards as the humble
Famous Writers
Abdullah Abdul Kadir
 A Malayan writer of Indian origin
 Most cultured Malay who ever wrote
 One of the greatest innovators in Malay letters
 The father of modern Malay literature
 He wrote the Hikayat Abdullah, an autobiography

Ee Tiang Hong
 He was a Malayan poet of Chinese ancestry
 He wrote poetry in English
 His first book of poetry appeared in 1960
 Wrote the poem entitled "Some New Persectives"
Usman Awang
 Best poet in the Malay language
 He did not produce a very large corpus of poetry, only about 200 of them
 His poems are simple, clear, often romantic, and beautiful
 A master at weaving words into striking phrases, sentences and verses that are
of exceptional classical beauty and sometimes appear to be nostalgic and even
escapist.
Huzir Sulaiman
 A Malaysian actor, director and writer based in Singapore
 One of Malaysia's leading dramatists
 His plays, often charged with dark humor, political satire, and surrealistic twists,
have won
 numerous awards and international recognition.

Thailand
 In Thai Language, the name of the country is “Prathat Thai” which means “Land
of the Free”
 Only Southeast Asian country that was never been colonized by European
country.
Thailand Literature
 Sukhotai Literature
 Early Century
 Ayutthaya Period
 Siam Period
 Rattanakoshin Period
 Post World War II
- increased in prostitution, narcotics, and corruption associated with American
servicemen
-1960’s revolution short stories were written like “Sujit Wongthet’s Kamon
Lasandran or Second Nature” and “Witthayakon Chiangkun’s Mai Khoey or As if
it had never happened” these literary works highlighted the clash of American
modernism with rural life and traditional values.
 Contemporary Period
- Social Realism
- Infusion of foreign and western ideas
- Angkarn Kalyanapong focuses his works in environmental, political,
corruption, and erosion of Buddhist Values in Modern
Famous Writer
Sunthurn Phu 1786-1855
 Thailand's best-known royal poet. He wrote during the Rattanakosin period.
 Renowned for composing verse, and his epic poetry is popular in Thailand to the
present day.
 His works include Nirat Phukhao Thong, a collection of poems recounting his
journey to the Golden Mountain; Nirat Suphan, his journey to Suphanburi
Province; and the Phra Aphai Mani saga.

Philippines
Philippines Literature
 Philippine literature is literature associated with the Philippines from prehistory,
through its colonial legacies, and on to the present.
 Pre-Hispanic Philippine literature was actually epics passed on from generation
to generation, originally through an oral tradition. However, wealthy families,
 especially in Mindanao, were able to keep transcribed copies of these epics as
family heirloom. One such was the Darangen, an epic of the Maranaos.
 Philippine Literature is a diverse and rich group of works that has evolved side-
by-side with the country’s history. Literature had started with fables and legends
made by the ancient Filipinos long before the arrival of Spanish influence.
 The main themes of Philippine literature focus on the country’s pre-colonial
cultural traditions and the socio-political histories of its colonial and contemporary
traditions.
The Feature of Philippine Literature
Pre-Colonial Period ( Early Times-1520)
1. Riddle
2. Proverbs
3. Tanaga
4. Folk Songs
a. Hele or oyayi- lullaby
b. Ambahan (Mangyan)- about humanrelationships and social entertainment
c. Kalusan (Ivatan) - work songs
d. Tagay (and Waray) - drinking song
e. Kanogan (Cebuano)-song otlamentation for the dead

5. Folk tales Myths

6. Legends
7. Fables
8. Fantasy
9. Epics
10. Folk Tales
Spanish Colonization Period (1521- 1900)
1. Religious Literatures
a. Pasyon - long narrative poem aboutthe passion and death of Christ.
1704 Mahal Na Pasion ni Jesu Cristo
b. Senakulo - dramatization of thepasyon, it shows the passion and deathof Christ.
2. Secular Literatures
a. Awit- colorful tales of chivalry made for singing and chanting.
a. Ex: Ibong Adarnab.
b. Korido - metrical tale written inoctosyllabic quatrains.Ex: Florante and Laura by
Francisco Baltazar
Prose Narratives- written to prescribe proper decorum.
 1879 - Modesto de Castro’s “Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibinina si Urbana at si
Feliza" andJoaquin Tuason's "Ang Bagong Robinson“
 Oral Literature
 Written Literature
Nationalistic and Revolutionary Period (1864- 1896)
1) Propaganada Literature
a. Political essays- satires,editorials and news articles were written to attack
and expose the evils of Spanish rule.
 1882 - Diariong Tagalog
 1888 - La Solidaridad
b. Political Novels
 1887 – Noli Me Tangere
 1891 – El Felibusterismo
2) Revolutionary Literature
a. Political Essays helped inflame the spirit of revolution
1896 - Kalayaan - was a newspaper of the Katipunan which means
"independence and solidarity" editedby Emilio Jacinto.
b. POETRY
 1896 Hibik ng Pilipinas – Andres Bonifacio
 1896 Liwanag at Dilim – EmilioJacinto
 1898 True Decalogue – Apolinario Mabini

Rizalist Age (1896-1899)

JOSE RIZAL
 Philippine National Hero of the Philippines
1896 - Mi Ultimo Adios - a poem Written by Jose Rizal that was one of the last notes he
wrote before his death.
MARCELO H. DEL PILAR
 Popularly known as Plaridel, he was the editor and co-publisher of La
Solidaridad.
 1888 Dasalan at Tocsohan –a satire on the friars' hypocrisy,licentiousness and
greed sarcasm.
ANDRES BONIFACIO
 He was the "Father of the Philippine Revolution".
1896 - Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa-directed to the Filipinos in order toarouse their spirit
of nationalism andself-dependence.
American Colonization Period (1900-1945)
Period of Apprenticeship (1910-1930)
 Tagalog Novels
1906 Banaag at Sikat – by Lope K. Santos
 ROMANTIC POETRY
Pag-ibig by Jose Corazon de Jesus
 SHORT STORIES
1925 Dead Stars by Paz Marquez Benitez
Period of Emergence (1920-1930)
SHORT STORIES - most prevalent literary form.
Jose Garcia Villa - earned the international title "Poet of the Century".

Japanese Colonization Period (1943-1945)

 WAR YEARS (1942-1944)
 Suyuan sa Tubigan by Macario Pineda
 Lupang Tinubuan by Narciso Reyes
 Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa by Liwayway Arceo
Republic Period (1960-1985)
 1967 - Horizons Least a collection of works by Artemio Patacsil and Silverio
Baltazar
 1969- Mandaragit by Amado V. Hernandez
 1970- The government took part in reviving old plays like the Cenaculo, the
Zarzuela and the Embayoka of the Muslims.
 1972- Kerima Polotan Tuvera's novel The Hand of the Enemy
Contemporary Period
 Sa Ngalan ng Ina by Lilia Quindoza Santiago
Isarael
History of Israel
 Israel is a biblical given name.
 New name of Jacob after he wristled with an angel.
 Merneptah stele- first record of the name “Israel”
 Jewish- main religion of Israel
Literature of Israel
 World War II and the Arab-Israeli War of 1948–49 brought to the fore Palestinian-
born writers who dealt with the problems of their generation in colloquially
flavoured Hebrew.
 In the State of Israel, where Hebrew had become the official language, literature
developed on a large scale, mainly along contemporary western European and
American lines.
 Hebrew literature, the body of written works produced in the Hebrew
language and distinct from Jewish literature, which also exists in other
languages.
Famous Contemporary Hebrew Writer
Amos Oz
 Original name Amos Klausner
 He was an Israeli writer, novelist, journalist, and intellectual. He was also a
professor of Hebrew literature at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
 His work was translated into more than 35 languages.
Famous Works
 My Michael
 Black Box
 A Tale of Love and Darkness

Egypt
Egyptian Literature
 Ancient Egypt Pharoanic Period
 Roman Domination

Hieroglyphic
- It is a formal writing system used by the ancient Egyptians for religious
literature on papyrus and wood.
Heiratic
- It is a cursive writing system by ancient Egyptians. It was also written on
papyrus.
Condition of Egyptian Literature
  Wrote books, read books, possessed books and loved them.
 Moral and educational treatises
 Magic
 Essays (form of letters)
Islamic Egyptian Literature
 Paper and calligraphy
 Ibn al-nafis Theologus Autodidactus
Modern Egyptian Literature
Famous Writers
 Al-Nahda
 Naguib Mahfouz
 Zaynab

Naguib Mahfouz
 Egyptian Novelist and Screen writer
 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature
 34 novels and 350 short stories
 His famous novel work “Palace Walk”

India
 Known as the the “Land of Spirituality and Philosophy” 2nd most populous nation after
China and 7th largest in area.
 India and Bharat are officially name.
 The name India came into wide usage during the colonial period.
Indian Literature
2 Periods
1. Verdic
- 1500 B.C-200 BC
2. Sanskrit
- 200 BC- Present many types of literature achieved distinction.
THE VEDAS

 Rig Veda
- Anthology of 1028 hymns to various gods.
 Atharva Veda
 - (Prayer Books) many prose formula
 Sama Veda
- (Book of Chants) liturgues, mostly repetitions of hymns in the Rig Veda
(prescribed tunes).
 Yajur Veda
- (Book of Spells) incantations, notions about demonology and witchcraft.

Indian Literature
 The Indian constitution recognizes 14 official languages.
 Each has its original regional literature, but all owe a debt to a classical culture in
Sanskrit.
 Sanskrit literature has its origins in an oral tradition that produced tue Vedic holy
texts some time after 1500 BC.
2 Great Books in Hindu Tradition
1. Ramayana
2. Mahabharata

Other Major sanskrit literature are:

1. The Puranas
2. The Pancatantra

Major Writers during the peak of classical poetry

 Bartrihari
 Mayura
 Subhandu
 Kalidasa
Famous writers
 Madhusudan Dutt
- wrote the first play modeled on Western drama.
 Rabindranath Tagore
- introduced the short story to vernacular writing. (Major works: e.g.
Gitanjali, Gora and Ghare-Baire.