1. Philippine Literature
in the
Twentieth Century

2. • Americans landed in Manila on AUGUST 13,
1898.
• Political change was from Spanish domination
to American determinism.
• The cultural influences of Spain remain deeply
rooted in the people’s ways and traditions.
• The language of literature, following the
language of the elite, the powerful, and the
influential, shifted from Spanish to English.
Political Changes

3. • 1901- Phil. Normal School was founded
with English as a medium of instruction.
• 1908- University of the Philippines came
into existence.
• English became the official language and
the medium of instruction in the public
and the private schools.
The New Language

4. • THE PHILIPPINE FREE PRESS founded in 1905
began as a bilingual weekly.
• By the 1920’s, a new generation had grown up
in the American climate, speaking and writing
in English.
• By the 1930’s, the writers have mastered their
craft in English.
• By the 1940’s, a number of writers would be
recognized abroad.
The New Language

5. Writers in Spanish

6. • Worked for General Antonio Luna’s La
Independencia
• Editor of El Renacimiento
• Co-founder of La Vanguardia
• Used the pseudonyms “Fulvis Gil” and “Gil
Rosas”
• Collection of his verses --- Crisalidas --- was
published in 1914.
Fernando Ma. Guerrero

7. • Author of the lyrics of the Phil.
National Anthem
• Wrote for La Independencia
• His book of verses ---
Melancolicas --- was published in
1912.
Jose Palma

8. • Wrote in Spanish and Tagalog
• Won various awards in poetry and balagtasan
• His verse --- Pentelicas --- was published in
1914.
• Used the pseudonym “Baticuling”
• Published 3 novels --- Banacarrota de
Almas, Se Deshojo la Flor, El Pajaro de fuego
Cecilio Apostol

9. • Won in 1913 three literary contests with
his “Zapote,” “El Himno nacional filipino
al Sagrado Corazon de Jesus,” and
“Espana en Filipinas”
• Has two books of poetry --- “Cantos del
Tropico” (Songs of the Tropic, 1929) and
“Perfil de Cresta” (Profile of the
Top, 1957)
Manuel Bernabe

10. • Won the Zobel Prize for poetry in
1929 and the 1940 Commonwealth
Literary Contest in Spanish for De
Mactan a Tirad
• Crowned in 1926 as Rey del
Balagtasan Bisaya and in 1933 as
Principe del Hiligaynon
Flavio Zaragoza Cano

11. • Better known as a national figure in
politics, being the president of the first
Constitutional Convention in
1935, congressman and senator
• Wrote verses which were later compiled in
“Bajo los cocoteros” (Under the Coconut Tree)
• His two plays --- “Solo entre las sombres”
(Alone Among the Shadows) and “La ruta de
Damasco” (The Road to Damascus)
Claro M. Recto

12. • President of the University of the
Philippines
• Known for his “Biografia de Rizal”
• Commonwealth Literary Awardee
for biography
Rafael Palma

13. • Member of the Philippine Assembly and
later Director of the National Library
• His works --- La Revolucion
filipina, Dieterio Espiritual, Las cartas
politicos de Mabini, La constitution de
Malolos, and Hacia la Tierra del Zar
Teodoro Kalaw

14. • Wrote Efemeridas des Filipinas in
1914 in collaboration with
Mariano Ponce
• Last major work was Discursos y
articulos de Graciano Lopez Jaena
Jayme C. de Veyra

15. • Wrote Caretes, a collection
of stories which won the
Zobel Prize in 1925
• From Lipa, Batangas
Enrique Laygo

16. Vernacular
Drama

17. • A musical comedy usually of three or more
acts
• Introduced to the Spanish zarzuela with the
arrival of Dario Cespedes, a Spanish poet and
playwright and his troupe in 1878.
• Most popular in the 1920s and the 1930s
• Dealt mostly with romantic and domestic
situations
Zarzuela

18. • An Fiscal Mayor sa Simbahan (Asisclo Jimenez)
1906
• Maysa a Candidato (Mena Pecson Crisologo)
1908
• Codigo Municipal (Mena Pecson Crisologo) 1908
• Inday (Buenaventura Rodriguez) 1917
• Gugma sa Yutang Natauhan (Vicente Sotto) 1901
• Managuete (Norberto Romualdez) 1920
Earlier Zarzuelas

19. Thank you!