The different literary periods in Philippine literature include the pre-colonial period, the Spanish colonial era, the American colonial era and the contemporary period. Literature in the Philippines evolved as part of the country’s changing history.

Local writers directly influence literary traditions. Writers directly and indirectly reply to writings of others on literary traditions. Basically, a majority of writers will write on their past history or what happened to them in common a while .

Philippine literature is literature associated with the Philippines from prehistory, through its colonial legacies, and on to the present. Pre-Hispanic Philippine literature was actually epics passed on from generation to generation, originally through an oral tradition.

The diversity and richness of Philippine literature evolved side by side with the country’s history. The average Filipino’s unfamiliarity with his indigenous literature was largely due to what has been impressed upon him: that his country was “discovered” and, hence, Philippine “history” started only in 1521.

The Philippines is unique for having important works in many languages. Philippine authors made these languages their own, adding a distinct voice to them that was unique to our archipelago. The most politically important body of Philippine literature is that which was written in Spanish.

The 10 Best Books in Philippine Literature

• Noli Me Tángere by Dr. José Rizal.
• Florante at Laura by Francisco Balagtas. Florante at Laura | © Anvil Publishing.
• Mga Ibong Mandaragit by Amado V. Hernandez.
• The Woman Who Had Two Navels by Nick Joaquin.
• Po-on A Novel by F.
• Banaag at Sikat by Lope K.
• Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco.
• Dekada ’70 by Lualhati Bautista.

• THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS.
• ELEMENTS OF FICTION.
• Theme— Theme has to do with what you see as the story’s point, message, function, or implied view of life.
• Plot and Structure— Plot and structure have to do with the arrangement, sequence, and organization of.

Elements of Form and Content: Summary

• Plot – organisation, structure, and sequence of events in a story/novel.
• Setting – the context and physical environment in which the story is set.
• Characters – imaginary people represented in a story.
• Language – the writer’s choice of words (language).
• Style – Uniqueness of the writer.

Devices studied include allusion, diction, epigraph, euphemism, foreshadowing, imagery, metaphor/simile, personification, point-of-view and structure.

Imagery is language used by poets, novelists and other writers to create images in the mind of the reader. Imagery includes figurative and metaphorical language to improve the reader’s experience through their senses.