HANDOUT

21ST CENTURY LITERATURE FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND THE WORLD

FOR 12-ABM, 12-TVL TRANSFORMER STUDENTS

FIRST MAIN TOPIC – INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE

WHAT IS LITERATURE?

 Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2008) defines Literature as written artistic words, especially those with a
high lasting artistic value.
 Literature is also defined as the written or oral composition that tells stories, dramatic situations, and expresses
emotions, and analyzes and advocates ideas.
 Literature is a reflection of social, political, economic, and cultural realities. It is a part and parcel of man’s self-
realization and a symbol of man’s success and failure. It explains human nature, caliber and his/her destination.
 Literature is a creative work that depicts human life in a setting that society can appreciate, comprehend, and use.
 Literature serves as a vehicle for social expression, a window into life, and an interpretation of how people express
themselves in ways that teach us about how to live.

WHAT IS 21st LITERATURE?

 Any literary piece written/published from January 01, 2001 to present.

 As we use technology more frequently, we also develop new forms of expressive culture and learn about more of
those already in existence.
 Often breaks traditional writing.
 Deals with current themes and reflects technological culture.
 Some books were written in simple English and works of old writers were translated into language that was easier to
understand.

LITERARY GENRE
The word genre came from the French word that means 'category' or 'type'. It refers to the ways that texts, such as
literature, art or media, are categorized based on their content, form or style.
Understanding genre can help us understand the texts themselves. Different genres involve particular sets of
characteristics that are common features meaning that audiences will develop certain expectations based on genre.
Genre is important in order to be able to categorize writing based on their form, content, and style.
For example, this allows readers to discern whether or not the events being written about in a piece are factual or
imaginative.
Genre also distinguishes the purpose of the piece and the way in which it is to be delivered. In other words, plays are
meant to be performed and speeches are meant to be delivered orally whereas novels and memoirs are meant to be read.

PURPOSE AND FUNCTION

It can be useful to group texts into categories for the following reasons:
 Authors can appeal to specific audiences
 Audiences want to seek out the types of texts they enjoy
 It gives us a way of organizing and making sense of texts
 It distinguishes the way in which the text is to be delivered e.g. read, performed, delivered orally
HANDOUT
21ST CENTURY LITERATURE FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND THE WORLD
FOR 12-ABM, 12-TVL TRANSFORMER STUDENTS

TWO MAJOR DIVISIONS OF LITERATURE

·Prose is writing that resembles everyday speech. The word prose is derived from the Latin prosa which literally means
straightforward. Prose is adopted for the discussion of facts and topical reading and does not adhere to any particular formal
structures other than simple grammar.

Division of literature which covers a literary work that is spoken or written within the common flow of language in
sentences and in paragraphs which gives information, relate events, express ideas, or present opinions. Under this division,
we have two sub-divisions: the Fiction and Non-Fiction.

·Poetry is any writing in verse form. The word poetry is derived from the Greek poiesis which literally means creating. Poetry
relies heavily on imagery, precise word choice and figures and speech.

PROSE

1) FICTION
Fiction is a sub-division of prose which covers a literary work of imaginative narration, either oral or written,
fashioned to entertain and to make readers think and more so, to feel. It normally came from the writer’s
imagination.
 Legend is a prose fiction which attempts to explain the origin of things, places, objects that we see around us.
Example: The Legend of Makahiya, Why the Sea is Salty.
 Short story is a short prose fiction narrative depicting a simple characterization and plot conveying a moral which can
be read in one sitting. Example: The Diamond Necklace by Guy de Maupassant, Footnote to Youth by Jose Garcia-
Villa.
 Novel is a very long prose narrative depicting complex characterization and plot which is usually divided into
chapters. Example: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.
 Novella is a long prose narrative similar to but shorter than a novel but longer than a short story. Example: Treasure
Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, The Call of the Wild by Jack London.
 Fable is a short prose fiction narrative depicting animal characters which espouses a lesson in life. Example: The Lion
and the Mouse, The Monkey and the Turtle.
 Parable is a short prose allegorical narrative which presents a philosophical outlook in life. Example: The Parable of
the Sower, The Prodigal Son.
2) NON-FICTION
a sub-division of prose which covers a literary work of “real life” narration or exposition based on history and facts
whose main thrust is intellectual appeal to convey facts, theories, generalizations, or concepts about a particular
topic. Some literary genres that fall under non-fiction include:
 Biography is a prose non-fiction detailing the life of a person written by another person. Example: The Great Malayan
about the Life of Jose Rizal written by Carlos Quirino. Sometimes, a biography may be written by the same person,
hence, it is called autobiography. Example: I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education by Malala
Yousafzai
 History is a prose non-fiction record of events that transpired in the past. Example: The History of Filipino People
written by Gregorio Zaide.
 News is a prose non-fiction narrative of events that happen every day. The newspapers are written for this purpose.
Example: Philippine Daily Inquirer.
 Diary is a personal account of significant events that happen in the life of a person.
 Anecdote An anecdote is a brief narrative, a short account of an interesting or amusing incident usually intended to
illustrate or support some point in an essay, article, or chapter of a book.
 Essay is prose non-fiction which is a formal treatment of an issue written from the writer’s personal point of view.
Example: On the Indolence of the Filipinos written by Jose Rizal.
HANDOUT
21ST CENTURY LITERATURE FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND THE WORLD
FOR 12-ABM, 12-TVL TRANSFORMER STUDENTS

POETRY
division of literature works which covers a literary work expressed in verse, measure, rhythm, sound, and imaginative
language and creates an emotional response to an experience, feeling or fact. Traditionally, it has three sub-divisions
namely: Narrative poetry, Lyric poetry, and Dramatic poetry.
1) NARRATIVE POETRY
a sub-division of poetry which tells or narrates a story. It may be lengthy as an epic, or short as a ballad and typically
measured as a metrical tale.
A. Epic is a narrative poem which accounts the heroic exploits of a community’s hero, usually involving superhuman
abilities.
Example: Hudhod hi Aliguyon is an Ifugao epic.
B. Ballad is a narrative poem which depicts a single incident that transpired in a person’s life. It is usually recited
during gatherings in the past but it may be sung in the present days.
Example: Emily Dickinson, ‘It Was Not Death, for I Stood Up’.
C. Metrical Tale is a narrative poem which narrates a story in a “metered” or “measured” number of syllables hence
it was called metrical. There are two popular variations in Philippine Literature, the Awit and Corrido.
i.Awit is a romance metrical tale of dodecasyllabic measure which is recited during formal performances or informal
gatherings.
Example: Florante at Laura by Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar.
ii.Corrido is a martial or adventure metrical tale of octosyllabic measure which is recited for recreational purposes.
Example: Ibong Adarna by Jose Corazon dela Cruz.

2. LYRIC POETRY
a sub-division of poetry which features poems intended to be sung with the accompaniment of the musical
instrument called “lyre” hence, lyric poetry. The following are the types of lyric poems.
A. Song is a lyric poem of various theme which is meant to be sung in its entirety. Example: Bayan Ko written by Jose
De Jesus, arranged by Constancio De Guzman, and sung by Freddie Aguilar.
B. Ode is a lyric poem of noble and exalted emotion which has dignified countenance. Example: Ode to the West
Wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley.
C. Elegy is a lyric poem of sad theme such as lamentation for the dead, longing for a missing love, and a grief for
things beyond one’s control.
Example: Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray.
D. Sonnet is a lyric poem of 14 iambic pentameter lines usually about love and beautiful themes.
Example: Sonnet to Laura by Francesco Petrarch.
E. Idyll is a lyric poem celebrating the tranquil and beautiful landscapes of rural and country settings.
Example: Beside the Pasig River by Jose Rizal.

3. DRAMATIC POETRY
a sub-division of poetry which features poems meant to be performed on stage. Theater plays and dramatic
presentations belong to this type.
A. Tragedy is a dramatic poetry which features a hero whose hubris or shortcoming eventually causes his downfall
or defeat often ending in a very sad conclusion.
Example: Hamlet by William Shakespeare and The Three Rats by Wilfrido Ma. Guerero.
B. Comedy is a dramatic poetry which is similar with tragedy except that the hero triumphs and overcomes the odds
towards the end and emerges victoriously. Example: The Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare.
C. Melodrama is a dramatic poetry which is a combination of the elements of tragedy and comedy yet ends in a
happy note.
Example: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
D. Farce is a dramatic poetry which is an exaggerated comedy that aims to elicit laughter hence, relaxation.
Examples: Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.
E. Social Play is a dramatic poetry which tackles social issues and problems such as poverty, corruption,
discrimination, racism, sexism, among others, with an aim to bring awareness and bring about positive change.
Example: Zsazsa Zaturnah by Carlo Vergara.

References:
Archived web site. (n.d.). https://salirickandres.altervista.org/divisions-of-literature/
Ang, J. (20016). Literatura 21st Century Philippines and World Literatures. Mindshapers Co., Inc.