Allaine Jaleeza S. Ramirez

1. What do you know about the different Literary Periods in Philippine Literature? 

The thing that I always notice is that literature always reflects a country’s current circumstances during that certain time period. The current political, cultural, technological, situation of the Philippines directly influences the written pieces of literature at that time. First, let us define what a literary period is exactly. Literary periods are spans of time for literature that shares the same intellectual, linguistic, and artistic influences. We can see the evolution of humankind reflected through the themes that we see in literary pieces. 

Literature does not just evolve based on how the style or subject matter changes. Already published works of literature are themselves constantly changing, morphing, mutating, and will continue to for all eternity. No piece of literature will ever mean the same or look the same from one period of time to another. Literature is subjective and it is all about discussing opinion, and the people that come to discuss these stories all come from a different time and different environments. Hence a text’s concept or subject matter will never be permanently agreed upon and everyone will always have varying opinions. But take in mind that it has to be an educated opinion with proper evidence. 

There are overall 10 literary periods in the Philippines: Pre-Colonization, Spanish Colonization, Period of Enlightenment, The American Regime/Colonization, The Japanese Period, Period of Activism, Period of the New Society, Period of the Third Republic, Post-EDSA 1 Revolution, and the 21st Century Period. 

2. What are the essential elements of the literary pieces under different periods of Philippine literature? 

The period has distinct characteristics that help to distinguish it from the others. Themes and messages in particular are different. The theme of a story is significant since it is part of an author's motivation for writing the story. Literary themes are influenced by and contextualized by historical events. 

The literary works of the pre-colonization era and the Spanish colonization era, for example, are vastly different. Religion and culture are recurring themes. There were many tales about our folklore and myths before the Spanish conquered the Philippines. Great epics and legends were written about the gods we used to worship, as well as songs and tales about simple living. However, the arrival of the Spaniards marked the start of a new era. They took Christianity with them, and as a result, the central themes of our stories altered, being replaced by a new god. Aside from that, there was a modification in the writing system. Our alphabet was written in a variety of ways, but the Baybayin is the most well-known and widely used. A common misconception is that everyone used Baybarin in the pre-colonial era. But Baybayin is just one of at least 16 different writing systems that were used in the pre-colonial Philippines, just like how Tagalog is just one of the very few dialects spoken in our country. Most of the songs and stories were also mostly told orally; through singing or speaking. Though written texts existed as well in leaves, bamboo, and the ground. But during the Spanish era, our colonizers made sure to wipe out most of those existing evidence. They introduced the use of paper. Most printing presses were owned by religious administrations resulting in Christian

values being at the center of almost every literary text. Everything was printed in Spanish, which disadvantaged impoverished Filipinos who couldn't speak the language or couldn't afford to because schooling was only available to the wealthy at the time. During the Age of Enlightenment, Filipinos began to recognize the injustice with which our people were forced to live within our own country. Themes in stories became more passionate, highlighting the cruelty of the Spaniards. A well-known example is Jose Rizal's Noli Mi Tangere and El Filibusterismo, which Filipinos continue to study and learn about because of their cultural significance in spearheading the country's fight for independence. When the Americans came the country started adopting English writing styles and themes, which were then heavily monitored during the Japanese invasion. When the Philippines finally gained freedom from its past conquerors, a new period of activism was born. Activism is deeply intertwined with the history of Filipino youth. The youth moved to seek reforms as a result of society's faults. Some individuals still feel that the democratic system is stable and that the problem is with the people in charge. Some people believed that democracy should be replaced by socialism or communism. Armed factions were organized in order to overthrow the democratic government. As a result, there have been several writings and discussions on the subject. As for the period of new society, writings commonly discussed the continuous development and progress of the country. The Period of the Third Republic was a turning point for Philippine literature as the Martial Law was finally lifted and everyone was able to write more freely than before. Then during the Post EDSA 1 Revolution, Filipino people were able to regain their lost independence. Newspapers were able to write completely without any restrictions. Literature of the 21st century can be seen as a response to and engagement with existing forms of expressive culture as our lives intertwined more with technology. We now have access to a vast array of materials thanks to the internet, which has allowed individuals, particularly the youth, to begin writing and expressing their views, ideas, and feelings. Today's youth enjoy unprecedented freedom to explore their own identity, have open debates about gender and sexuality, and engage in art and culture exploration. 

Human history is reflected through literature. Every novel, song, or play you read or watch is influenced by the political setting in which it was written. Literature can be a tool used for revolution. Politics and social injustices can be tackled in literary pieces. Literature serves as the foundation to understanding humanity’s evolution.