Lesson 7

The Literature of Myanmar
• The literature of Myanmar consists of the body of writings in

the Burmese language produced in Myanmar (formerly known
as Burma).
• The stone inscription is the oldest form of Burmese literature;
the date of the earliest extant specimen is 1113. During the
next 250 years, more than 500 dedicatory inscriptions similar in
pattern but more developed in style were engraved on stone.
Many of these inscriptions contain eloquent prayers and poems
composed by royal ladies.
• Later inscriptions from the 14th to the 19th century were in a similar vein.
Imaginative literature scratched on a palm leaf with a stylus or written on
folded paper in steatite pencil originated under the auspices of Buddhist
monarchs in Myanmar and flourished from the 14th century until after
printing became prevalent in the 19th century. The authors were Buddhist
monks, monastery-trained courtiers, and a few court poets. This literature's
most notable features were Buddhist piety and a courtly refinement of
language. Historical ballads, panegyric odes, metrical versions of Buddhist
stories, and various other types of poetic forms, along with exhortatory
letters, constitute this literature. Prose works written in Burmese during this
long period are comparatively few.
• The introduction of printing into southern Myanmar led to a
change in Burmese literature. From 1875 onward, under British
rule, the owners of printing presses began to publish popular
works such as plays, complete with songs and stage directions.
• The tragic dramas of U Ku were extremely popular and
dominated the period between 1875 and 1885. In 1904 the first
Burmese novels appeared. The emergence of literary
magazines in the 1910s stimulated the popularity of short
stories and serialized novels.
• Nationalist and anticolonial themes were common in literature
from the 1920s to the 1940s. Following Burmese independence
in 1948, many writers tried to use literature to help create an
egalitarian society.
• After the military coup led by U Ne Win in 1962, however, the
government pressured writers to adapt the themes and style of
Socialist Realism, and freedom of expression continued to
erode through the turn of the 21st century.
In this Lesson, with the use of sample literary texts and activities,
you should be able to:
a. evaluate excerpts of speeches of a former prime minister;
b. describe the way of life of Burmese people as reflected in their
poetry;
c. discuss outstanding qualities of great leaders and compare
them with those of our own leaders in the Philippines.
Igniting Interest
Read each statement closely, and search for the missing
letter as suggested by each statement. See how fast you
can get this right.
1. I am the first letter of right.
2. You'll find me in fire but not in fore.
3. I have the sound of the sea and I can be found in the

middle of ice.
4. I'm the last sound you'll hear when you're free.

Igniting Interest
Do you know how amazing rice is? The Great Wall of China is held
together with sticky rice. It is also grown in all continents except
Antarctica. It is the staple food for almost two-thirds of the human
population and provides more than half of the food intake for the
majority of people in Southeast Asia. Rice, along with activities
related to it such as sowing, planting, and harvesting, is often the
subject of poems, songs, stories, and essays in Asian countries.
This is also true for Myanmar.
• In Burma, both men and women do agricultural work, but
individual tasks are often gender-specific. Men prepare the land
for planting and sow seeds while women transplant rice
seedlings. Harvesting is done by both men and women. Men
thresh the rice; they separate the rice grains from the stalks.
The women then pound out the grains from husks. As they
work, the women sing traditional folk songs that have been
collected and translated by U Khin Zaw.
• As you read the poems that follow, do not try to find
continuity of thought for they are separate and
independent from one another. Take note though of
the qualities and practices of the people reflected in
these songs. Some make fun of some customs or are
sung mainly to cause laughter.

Lesson 7

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The Literature of Myanmar

• The literature of Myanmar consists of the body of writings in

1. I am the first letter of right.

2. You'll find me in fire but not in fore.

3. I have the sound of the sea and I can be found in the

4. I'm the last sound you'll hear when you're free.

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