Introduction To 21st Century Literature

21st Century
Philippine
Literature
The 21st Century Philippine Literature covers the new range
of developments in digital writings, creative writings and
genres.
Think of prose novels being serialized on blogs, with readers suggesting to authors (and authors
obediently accepting) that the plot or the characters should be changed.
Think of hypertextual poems, where readers move from one website to another because of embedded
links in the words, sometimes not returning to the original pages at all.
Think of enhanced eBooks, where readers are treated to audiovisual clips that not only support the
narrative in a novel, but actually are crucial to the development of plot and character.
Think of flash fiction, which has been brought to an extreme with six-word and even one-word short
stories.
How often do you engage in/ visit these types of social media? Discuss
with your group the reasons why you like visiting these media sites, and
what are the advantages and disadvantages of doing so.
• These platforms of social media are
tools that can be used by writers to
cover a wider range of readers.
• With the use of the different types of
technology, the writers are able to
connect with the readers in a less
expensive but easier way of
communicating their literary pieces.
• On the other hand, the pieces of
literature are made available to readers.
It is dependent on the readers if they
want to explore the beauty that the art
we call literature will be put to good use
or not.
Poetry
• written by a poet in meter or
in verse expressing various
emotions which use a lot of
techniques like figures of
speech. It heavily uses
imagery, meter and rhyme.
• Poetry is generally
considered to be the oldest
of the arts.
Poetry
• Among the literary genres, poetry
is the most closely related to
music. Like music, it appeals to
the senses and imagination.
• Like music, too it is meant to be

heard. Poets choose words or their
sounds as well as for their
meanings. They combine these
words to create vivid pictures and
to express deep feelings.
Unfortunately, there are now fewer
avenues for poets to present their works,
with prose writers dominating the
market. Gone, too, are the days when
poetry was a regular reading fare,
published in regional magazines like
Liwayway and Banawag, although a
number of exemplary works in the
vernacular have managed to land in the
mainstream. But what‘s really popular
or what sells today is lyric poetry (read:
Parokya ni Edgar, Brownman Revival,
Eraserheads etc.).
These days, poets — especially the
younger ones — still tend to write
about a variety of things, from urban
concerns to romance to gender
issues. But in the end, whatever one
may write about, in whatever theme
or format it may take, the poem, to
borrow the words of National Artist
for Literature Edith L. Tiempo,
―thus liberated remains ―firmly,
undeniably poetry.
Tagalog Literature
Tagalog region is the birthplace of a rich tradition of Philippine

culture in language, politics, economy and literature. Considering this
rich and invigorating cultural matrix, it is not surprising that it is the
Tagalog region that was destined to be the birthplace of historic men
in Philippine politics, culture and literature that includes Francisco
Balagtas Baltazar, Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini,
Emilio Jacinto, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Jose P. Laurel, Claro M. Recto,
Amado V. Hernandez, Lope K. Santos, Lazaro Francisco, Faustino
Aguilar, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Alejandro Abadilla, Modesto de
Castro.
Tagalog Literature
The literary tradition in the Tagalog regions is specially outstanding

in the field of oral literature like bugtong (riddle), proverbs, and
native songs. These oral literatures are always in poetic forms,
usually seven-syllabic rhymes, so Asian in form and perspective.
Tagalog Literature
At present, the Tagalog Literature is a blending of the elements of

Spanish, American and Filipino culture, sometimes with one of them
predominant but never alone. So, when we speak of the soul of the
Tagalog literature today, we speak of the harmonious blending of the
native and foreign elements: these make up the present day Tagalog
literature.
How well do you know the Tagalog region? Match the ideas, names or things that represent the
Tagalog region from the left to the places within the region given at the right.
Bulacan
Laguna
NCR
Quezon
Mindoro
Palawan
Cavite
Nueva Ecija
Bataan
Batangas
One type of poetry that has a wide collection and
samples in the Philippines is the narrative poetry. When
the writer uses the narrative style, he basically answers
the question, ―what happened then?
Narrative poetry tells a story. Its main

purpose is to entertain through story telling.
Example: Ballad-tells a story of a particular

time and place, usually over many verses.
An example of a narrative poem
made by a National Artist for
Literature is ―Mariang
Sinukuan by Virgilio
Senadren-Almario aka Rio
Alma.
At alam mo na ba,
Ang lupain ito'y dati raw masagana?
Mapagpala ang panahon, mataba ang lupa,
At tahimik ang loob ng bawat nilikha
Dahil nakasubaybay sa bundok na iyon
Ang aming diwata
Siya ang hingian
Ng tulong at tuwa ng sinumang may hapis,
Siya ang tanungan ng ulan at silahis,
siya ang katwiran ng inapi’t nilupig,
Siya ang sinukuan ng palalong dahas,
Siya ang pag-ibig.
Nungit may nagharing
Imbot sa puso ng kanyang lupai’t sakop
At lumason sa palay, mais, maya’t ilog.
Umilap ang usa, lumaganap ang salot,
Pumait ang ampalaya’t naging suwail
Ang araw at unos.
Natutong mag-impok
Ang langgam para sa tag-ulang di-matiyak;
Bundok na sanggunian ay hubad sa ulap
Kung paanong naglulutrina pati uwak;
May buwan naman biglang baha’t siyam-syam
Kung ginto ang pitak.
Nagbakod ang dating
Magkapitbahay, naglihim pati dampa,
Nahati ang lupain sa mayama’t dukha,
At lahat ng ito, wika ng matatanda'y
Sumpang di-mawawala hanggang nagtatampo
Ang aming diwata.
One of the most notable Filipino writer is Virgilio Almario aka
Rio Alma. He is a National Artist for Literature and has won
several awards for his works.
Rio Alma came from a family of peasant farmers in the
province of Bulacan, near Manila. His collection of criticism
Ang Makata sa Panahon ng Makina (The Poet in the Age of
Machines) is one of the founding works of modernist
criticism in Tagalog.
His poetry covers a broad range of forms, and is often
exuberant in expression and passionate in its sympathy for the
poor and the working class. His earlier works ranged from
expansive free verse to sonnets, but his more recent work
emphasizes formal convention.
He founded the Children‘s Communication Center (publisher
of Adarna Books), conducts the long-running poetry clinic,
Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Arte (Lira), has been
executive director of the National Commission for Culture
and the Arts (NCCA), and is currently dean of the college of
liberal arts at UP. He was conferred the Order of National
Artist for Literature in 2003.
In ―Typhoons, (2005) he tells of the ―
“perennial tempests” that visit the land, as he
finds himself waking with full amazement to
be greeted by clear daylight with each new
morning
Typhoons (An Excerpt) Rio Alma
(translated by Marne Kilates)
The typhoons‘ episodes of terror are yearly:

Berserk wind and shattered glass
Streaming from the mouths of a thousand serpents, Smoke
of dark crystal billowing
From beyond the ancient shoulders of the bristling land.
The heavens crawl with crackling electricity
And the verdicts of thunder are without forgiveness or pity
There were nights
When we were children watching
And listening for the keening
And whiplash of wet, demented monsters:
Turning wildly they tore every roof,
They toppled and smashed every wall and post;
The drains and canals choked,
The distressed bamboo begged for mercy.
We shut our eyes
At the final rumbling rape
Of our prostrate crops, the helpless land.
Tightly we shut our eyes, Tightly, ever tightly…
Only to wonder in the morning
What power of sun expunged
And expelled these armies of the night.
1. What is the event that the author was talking about in his
poem?
2. Where do you think did the story happen? Ex. City or rural
area, etc.
3. Can you give some details of how strong the typhoon was
based on the poem?
4. What happens when the morning comes?
5. Can this story happen in real life?
6. What do you do when there is a typhoon?

Figure of Speech is a literary device used as a word
or phrase that has a meaning that may be different
than its literal meaning. It adds color and interest,
and awakens the imagination.
Personification is a figure of speech in which a thing, an idea or an animal is given

human attributes. The non-human objects are portrayed in such a way that we feel
they have the ability to act like human beings.
Example:
The heaven smiled at me.
The poem ― “Typhoons” used numerous personifications. Can you give
the human qualities or traits mentioned in the following lines?
1. The heavens crawl with crackling electricity

What is being personified? Heavens
What human trait or quality is given? crawl
2. And whiplash of wet, demented monsters: Turning

wildly they tore every roof.
What is being personified? Typhoon
What human trait or quality is given? tore

3. The drains and canals choked.
What is being personified? Drains & canals
What human trait or quality is given? choked
4. The distressed bamboo begged for mercy.
What is being personified? bamboo
What human trait or quality is given? begged

5. What power of sun expunged
And expelled these armies of the night
What is being personified? sun
What human trait or quality is given? Expunged and

expelled
Mood is one element in the narrative
structure of a piece of literature. It can
also be referred to as atmosphere
because it creates an emotional setting
enveloping the reader
Mood is established in order to affect the

reader emotionally and psychologically
and to provide a feeling for the narrative.
It is how a reader feels after reading a
story.
Discuss with your pair what you like about the following:
a. Poem
b. Its subject
c. The mood the poem puts in you
d. What it makes you remember e. What it makes you
think about
What I like about
Title of the poem
Its subject
the mood the poem puts you in
What it makes you remember
What it makes you think about

The next example of a narrative poem is that of Dr.
Paolo Manalo, a professor in UP Diliman. His
work is a narrative poem with a different structure
and form compared to that of Rio Alma‘s more
traditional poetry style.
PAOLO MANALO is a poet born in Manila and an
assistant professor of English, literature and creative
writing at the University of the Philippines-Diliman.
Until recently, he was the literary editor of the
Philippines Free Press. His first book of poems,
Jolography (University of the Philippines Press,
2003) received the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial
Awards for Literature (2002) and the UP Gawad
Chanselor (2004).

Introduction To 21st Century Literature

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21st Century

• Like music, too it is meant to be

Tagalog region is the birthplace of a rich tradition of Philippine

The literary tradition in the Tagalog regions is specially outstanding

At present, the Tagalog Literature is a blending of the elements of

Narrative poetry tells a story. Its main

Example: Ballad-tells a story of a particular

The typhoons‘ episodes of terror are yearly:

4. What happens when the morning comes?

5. Can this story happen in real life?

6. What do you do when there is a typhoon?

Personification is a figure of speech in which a thing, an idea or an animal is given

1. The heavens crawl with crackling electricity

What human trait or quality is given? crawl

2. And whiplash of wet, demented monsters: Turning

What is being personified? Typhoon

What human trait or quality is given? tore

What human trait or quality is given? choked

4. The distressed bamboo begged for mercy.

What is being personified? bamboo

What human trait or quality is given? begged

What human trait or quality is given? Expunged and

Mood is established in order to affect the

What I like about

Title of the poem

the mood the poem puts you in

What it makes you remember

What it makes you think about

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