LITERATURE AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS: Examples:

Literary Folk
Definition. “Kantata ni Daragang Magayon” (M. Bobis) “Ibalong:
Literature is said to be a product of and a commentary on the life process, literature being life itself. It is an oral or “Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained” (J. Milton) “Beowulf”
written record of man’s thoughts, feelings and aspirations which has stood the test of time because of its universal “Divine Comedy” (Dante) “Aeneid”
appeal.
Metrical Romance – a long rambling story which embodies the ideals of the medieval times (age of chivalry);
Two Broad Categories talks about the lives and adventures of the nobility, of chivalry and knighthood Ex. King Arthur and the Knights
of the Round Table (Thomas Malory).
Utilitarian Artistic/Aesthetic Metrical Tale – a long narrative poem which tells of the lives of ordinary people; has element of realism. Ex.
Decameron (Giovanni Boccaccio), The Canterbury Tales (Geoffrey Chaucer).
“Literature of Knowledge” “Literature of Power” Ballad – a narrative about (1) a heroic deed, (2) love episode/romantic encounter or (3) a supernatural element,
but simpler than the epic, metrical romance and metrical tale. Ex. Sir Patric k Spens, Lochinvar, Lord Randal.
chief aim is to supply information - to arouse human interest B. Dramatic Poetry – a stage presentation or production in verse form
appeals to the mind/intellect - appeals to feelings/emotions Tragedy – has a sad ending; main character often meets death; has a somber or serious tone. Examples: Romeo
and Juliet (Shakespeare), Oedipus the King (Sophocles)
factual 1. fanciful Comedy – light and sprightly in tone; always has a happy ending. Examples: The Merchant of Venice
objective 2. subjective (Shakespeare). The Frogs (Aristophanes)
impartial 3. partial, at times C. Lyric Poetry – reflects varied moods and emotions of the author
uses direct language 4. uses indirect/figurative Ode – a monodrama where the author is the actor himself who shares an unforgettable experience of his life. Ex.
language Annabel Lee (Edgar Allan Poe), Ode to the West Wind (Percy Bysshe Shelley).
Elegy – a poem about death or mourning expressed in lamentation. Ex. O Captain my captain (Walt Whitman),
Examples: news articles, memos, Examples: short story, novels, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (Thomas Gray)
Encyclopedia, dictionary, textbooks, etc. poems, myths, etc. Sonnet – a poem of fourteen rhymed lines in iambic pentameter Ex. Sonnet 18 (Shakespeare), How do I Love
Thee (Elizabeth Barret Browning)
Two Literary Forms Song/Psalm/hymn – song is a poem intended to be sung; psalm is a religious song; hymn a song of
Prose – all forms of written or spoken expression that are consciously organized and that lack rhythmic patterns; praise/adoration either sacred or secular.
it implies logical order, continuity of thought and individual style. Modern ballad – based on a narrative which serves as the poet’s inspiration; there is a story behind.
Poetry – an arrangement of lines in which form and content fuse to suggest meanings beyond the literal meanings Idyll – a poem of rural or pastoral feeling; expresses sentiment for his immediate surroundings. Ex. Trees (Joyce
of the words; the language of poetry is more compressed and also more musical. Poetry has rhyme, meter and Kilmer)
rhythm.
Rhyme. Words rhyme when the sound of their accented vowels and all succeeding sounds are identical PROSE
Rhythm. It refers to the cadence of poetic lines or prose passage Short story – a narrative told by a known author with characters, setting, plot and theme.
Meter. The repetition of a regular rhythmic unit in a line of poetry (iamb, trochee, anapest, dactyl) Novel – an extended form of a short story; with several settings and more characters, minor and major themes,
Standards/Merits: main plot and subplots.
Artistry/Style – has to do with beauty & forcefulness in the weaving of words, with how all elements are Myth – prose narratives which are considered to be sacred and true in societies where they are told; embodiment
combined to form a creative whole. of dogma or religious doctrines; set in the remote past (when the world was young and not as it is today)
Intellectual value – the capacity to stimulate or stir the mind, to make others think Legends – prose narratives considered to be true in societies where they originated and thrived; situated in the
Permanence – the timelessness & the timeliness; its relevance today as when it was written. distant past (when the world was young but much as it is today)
Suggestiveness – the capacity to uplift the emotions; to soothe the cares of man. Folktales – definitely fiction; not an embodiment of dogma; told for entertainment.
Spiritual value – the capacity to inspire lofty thoughts, especially about the divine/godly/spiritual Parables – stories containing morals or religious lessons; allegories (an extended metaphor).
Universality –the truth and meaning that transcend time & space, religion, age and creed Fables – characters are animals; expressed the follies of man without directly attacking them.
THE LITERARY GENRES Essay – a literary exposition expressing the author’s views or ideas about a subject; maybe formal or informal

POETRY
A. Narrative – tells a story in verse form THE ELEMENTS OF FICTION
Epic- the longest form of narrative poetry; tells about the exploits/adventures and heroic deeds of a hero or a semi- Setting – the time, place, atmosphere
legendary being; it is set in the distance past. Characters – the actors in the literary piece; (1) highly developed/well-rounded, (2) flat/character types
There are two types: Hero - epitome of perfection
literary epic – has a known author; written by a single author Villain – epitome of evil
folk epic/epic of growth – originates from a group of people Protagonist – the lead character; an ordinary person
Antagonist – opposes the lead character
Anti-hero – a hero and a villain in one May or may not carry a moral
Plot – organic or episodic Language is ordinary, everyday speech
Point of View –1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person, omniscient, multiple Naturalism
Conflict – internal/psychological (man vs. himself); social (man vs. man, man vs. society, society vs. man), man Extreme realism; brought about by advancement in Science
vs. nature There is heavy pessimism, cynicism
Theme Does not bring man much hope; shows ugliness of life
Language Man is pictured as a weakling who cannot rise above the forces of fate, heredity and environment
Man s a loser because he is doomed from the start
Symbolism
TRENDS AND MOVEMENTS Shortest-lived trend because it didn’t have much in terms of tenets; writers used personalized symbols
Trend – a temporary literary fashion often spearheaded by a philosophical foundation which is considered to be A reaction against naturalism
absolute by its forerunners and followers. Imagism
Movement - though quite similar to a trend, develops in a larger scale and for a longer period than a trend; it is of Does not necessarily carry a thought/theme, but focuses on hard, vivid images
greater magnitude than the trend because it practically affects all the other branches in the field of humanities. Lack of theme did not allow it to stand the test of time
Movements dadaism
Romanticism (16th century) irrational, devoid of logic; nihilistic, pessimistic and disruptive
First movement in literary history featured brutality in comic form
first proliferated England and Spain Surrealism
the age of individualism and self-expression (renaissance) grotesque distortion of reality
a period of optimism, freedom, uniqueness as a person no sense, no order; can explore the subconscious
came about because of accomplishment of a major scale Impressionism
there was unrestrained enjoyment so the maxim was: “let us drink the cup of life to the lees Purpose is to know how external qualities affect the person internally
focuses on a setting that is far, distant, magical, mystical, imaginative and exotic, past or present but transports the
reader into an unfamiliar place Expressionism
characters are of heroic proportions, often larger than life; hero usually comes from the nobility or the ruling class; Purpose is to know how internal qualities affect his perception of the reality
has supernatural elements; villains are the exact opposite of the hero
plot focuses on adventure; displays cosmic struggle between good and evil; there is also the struggle of an Existentialism
individual against the society, its norms and its laws, but the individual triumphs because the story has to have a It says: man is born into a hostile and purposeless universe and that he must oppress the cruelty of his environment
happy ending (if a tragedy, he dies only after accomplishing his purpose) through the exercise of his freewill. His choice determines his act and his act determines his essence.
theme embodies poetic justice Absurdism
language is usually verbose, flowery, replete with figurative language Strives to express the senselessness of the human condition and the inadequacy of the rational approach by open
abandonment of rational devices and discursive thoughts.
Neoclassicism
a reaction against romanticism Experimental theatre
age of reason Combined everything! Anything and everything goes.
setting is in contemporary Paris during the 17th century; current, new and familiar
characters are never highly individualized/flat or types SIGNIFICANT LITERARY PERIODS
plot did not patronize adventures; revolved around a social problem; there is also the cosmic struggle between
good and evil’ the society. Its norms and its laws triumphs over the erring individual 1.Ancient Times – 5th century BC Golden Age of Greece
theme is on poetic justice Notable Literary Figures
language is refined and polished; prefers the expression of truth in a most refined and pleasant manner Homer (Epic – “Iliad”)
Trends Sappho and Pindar (Lyric)
Romanticism (late 18th century – early 19th) Aesop (Fables)
A revolt against science, authority, materialism and discipline and an affirmation of individuality and imagination Demosthenes (Oratory)
Romantic writers abandoned the witty and measured couplet and concerned themselves with the primitive, the Aeschylus (“The Oresteian Trilogy”), Sophocles (“Antigone”) , Euripides (“Medea”) - tragedy
bizarre, the irregular and the unique Aristophanes ( “The Frogs,” comedy)
Realism Plato(“The Republic”), Aristotle (“The Poetics”) (Literary criticism)
Pervading sentiment: “Life goes on. Man may not be perfect but definitely has redeeming qualities to
compensate for his misfortune.” 2.Roman Conquest – 200BC to 450 AD
Setting is now, current, familiar Notable Literary Figures
Characters are real people Virgil (“Aeneid” - Epic)
Plot focuses on the individual Ovid (“Metamorphosis” - Lyric)
Horace, Cicero (Literary Criticism) Naturalism – Ernest Hemingway (“For Whom the Bell Tolls”), Flaubert (“Madame Bovary”), Guy de
Seneca (Tragedy) Mauppasant (“A Piece of String”
Plautus and Terence (comedy) Imagism – Ezra Pound, Ammy Lowel
Symbolism – Rimbaud
3. Dark Ages to the Medieval Times 20th century – rise of the anti-art crazes
Early middle – epic poetry (“Beowulf”) Notable Figures: James Joyce, T.S. Eliot, William Butler Yeats
Middle middle – ballad (Tales of Robinhood), metrical romance (King
Arthur), mystery plays, miracle plays, morality plays, interludes IMPORTANT LITERARY TERMS
Late middle – literary epic (“Divine Comedy” by Dante), Metrical Tales
(“The Decameron” , “The Canterbury Tales”) Alliteration. The repetition of initial consonant sounds as in “sweet spring”
Allusion. Reference to a historical or literary person, place or event with which the reader is assumed to be
4. 16th Century Renaissance (Age of Romanticism) familiar.
Spain Analogy. A point by point comparison between two dissimilar things.
Epic (“El Cid”) Aphorism. A brief statement that expresses a general truth about life.
Drama (Lope de Vega) Autobiography. A story of a person’s life written by that person.
Novel ( “Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes) Comic relief. A humorous scene, incident or speech included in a serious drama to provide respite from emotional
intensity.
England Connotation. The emotional response evoked by a word.
Sonnets, Drama (“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by Shakespeare) Consonance. The repetition of consonant sounds within and at the ends of words, as in down and mine.
Dramatic Monologue (“Dr. Faustus” by C. Marlowe) Couplet. Two consecutive lines of poetry that end with rhyming words.
Lyric Poetry (“Heart Exchange” by Philip Sidney,”The Nymph’s Drama. Literature that develops plot and characters through dialogues and actions; literature in play form.
Reply to the Shepherd” by William Raleigh, Dramatic monologue. A lyric poem in which the speaker addresses a silent listener in a moment of deep emotion.
“Song to Celia” by Ben Johnson,etc) Epigram. A short poem notable for its conciseness, balance, wit and clarity.
Epistle. A formal literary letter addressed to a specific person but intended for a wide audience.
5. Late 16th Century to early 17th Fiction. Imaginative works of prose, including the novel and the short story.
Rise of the baroque literature, a trend which was an excess of romanticism; very unnatural/exaggerated; emphasis Foil. A character who provides a striking contrast to another character.
was on form Foreshadowing. A writer’s use of hints or clues to indicate events that will occur later in a narrative.
Free verse. Poetry written without regular patterns of rhyme and meter.
17th Century Rhyme scheme. Pattern of end rhyme in a poem.
In England, the rise of Puritanism (Ex. “Paradise Lost” by John Milton Romance. Any imaginative narrative concerned with noble heroes, gallant love, chivalry or daring deeds.
In Spain, the Age of Reason – revival of the arts of the Greeks and the Romans (Ex. Tartuffe by Moliere) Satire. A combination of critical attitude with wit and humor for the purpose of improving society.
Soliloquy. A speech given by a character while she is alone.
18th century, period of neo-classicism in Europe Speaker. The voice that talks to the readers.
France (Jean Jacques Rosseau, Voltaire) Stream of consciousness. The technique of presenting the flow of thoughts, responses and sensations of one or
England (Alexander Pope, John Dryden, Daniel Defoe, Joseph Addison more character.
Symbol. A person, place or object that represents something beyond itself.
18th century, transition from neoclacissism to Romanticism Surprise ending. An unexpected twist at the conclusion of the story.
England, Thomas Gray (“Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”), Tone. The attitude that a writer takes toward his subject matter.
William Wordsworth (“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud ”), Robert Burns (“A Red, Red Rose”), Percy Bysshe Understatement. Creating emphasis by saying less than is actually or literally true, ex. not bad to mean pretty
Shelley (“Ode to the West Wind”), John Keats (“Ode on a Grecian Urn”), Samuel Taylor Coleridge (“Kublah good.
Khan”), Mary Shelley (“Frankenstein”), Lord Byron (“She Walks in Beauty”)

France, Victor Hugo (“Les Miserables”, “Phantom of the Opera,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”)
America, Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne (“The Scarlet Letter”), Edgar Allan Poe (“The Cask of
Amontillado”), Ralph Waldo Emerson (“Self-Reliance”), William Cullen Bryant (“Thanatopsis”)
19th Century Victorian Period (England) – advent of Labor and
capitalism
Realism – Henrick Ibsen, John Steinbeck
GREEK AND ROMAN GODS AND GODDESSES
ZEUS (JUPITER)- the supreme ruler; the Lord of the sky, the rain-god and the cloud-gatherer; his breastplate
was the aegis; his bird was the eagle; the oak was his tree; his oracle was Dodona, the land of oak trees.
HERA (JUNO) – Zeus’s wife and sister; she was the protector of marriage; the cow and the peacock were sacred
to her; Argos was her city.
POSEIDON (NEPTUNE) – the ruler of the sea; Zeus’s brother and second to him in eminence; he was
commonly called ‘the earth-shaker” and was always shown carrying his trident, a three-pronged spear.
HADES (PLUTO) – the third brother among the Olympians, who drew for his share the underworld and the rule 12. The Song of Roland (France) Folk Epic
over the dead. He was god of wealth, of the precious metals hidden in the earth. 13. Paradise lost and John Milton Literary Epic
PALLA ATHENA (MINERVA) – the daughter of Zeus and his favorite child; she was battle goddess; she was Paradise Regained
also the embodiment of wisdom, reason and purity. Argos was her favorite city; the olive was her tree and the owl 14. Le Morte D’Arthur Thomas Malory Metrical Romance
her bird. 15. Idyll’s of the King Alfred Tennyson Metrical Romance
PHOEBUS APOLLO- “the most Greek of all the gods;” the master musician; the God of Light and Truth; the 16. Faerie Queene Edmund Spencer Metrical Romance
sun-god; the laurel was his tree. 17. Canterbury Tales Geofrey Chaucer Metrical Tale
ARTEMIS (DIANA)- Apollo’s twin sister; one of the three maiden goddesses of Olympus (Aphrodite, Athena & 18.The Rime of the Ancient
Artemis); the Lady of the wild things; As Apollo was the sun, she was the moon. Mariner Samuel Coleridge Metrical Tale
APHRODITE (VENUS) – the goddess of love and beauty; the laughter-loving goddess; the myrtle was her tree; 19. Lochinvar Sir Walter Scott Literary Ballad
the dove her bird, sometimes the sparrow and the swan. She is the wife of Hephaestus (Vulcan), the lame and 20. Ode to the West Wind Percey Bysshe Shelley Ode
ugly god of the forge. 21.Elegy Written in a Country Thomas Gray Elegy
HERMES (MERCURY) –he was Zeus’s messenger; also the solemn guide of the dead. Churchyard
ARES (MARS) – THE God of War0; son of Zeus and Hera; his bird was the vulture. 22. Macbeth Shakespeare Tragedy
HEPHAESTUS 9VULCAN AND MULCIBER) – the God of fire, the son of Hera; he was protector of the 23. Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare Tragedy
smiths. 24. Othello Shakespeare Tragedy
HESTIA (VESTA)-the goddess of the hearth, the symbol of the home. 25. Hamlet Shakespeare Tragedy
26. A Midsummer Night’s Shakespeare Comedy
NOTABLE WORKS BY FILIPINO AUTHORS Dream
27. The Taming of the Shrew Shakespeare Comedy
“A Child of Sorrow,” first novel in English by Zoilo M. Galang, 1929. 28. As You Like It Shakespeare Comedy
“Life and Success,” first volume of essays in English, Zoilo M. Galang 29. The Les Miserables Victor Hugo Novel
“Box of Ashes and Other Stories,” first collection of short stories in book form, ZM Galang, 1925 30. The Hunchback of Notre Victor hugo Novel
“Sursum Cordia,” by Justo Juliano, first known Filipino poem in English Dame
“The Distance to Andromeda and Other Stories”, by Gregorio Brilliantes, 1960 , portrayed individual anxieties 31. Rip Van Winkle Washington Irving Short Story
“The Butcher, The Baker, The Candlestick maker,” by Gilda Cordero Fernando, 1962, centered on the individual 32. The Legend of the Sleepy Washington Irving Short Story
“The Day the Dancers Came,” by Bienvenido Santos, 1907, vividly portrayed a man’s search for national identity Hollow
“The Bamboo Dancers”, by NVM Gonzales 1959, first winner of Republic Cultural Heritage Award for Literature 33. The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne Novel
“Literature and Society” by Salvador P. Lopez; as a writer, he emphasized literature from the masses, for the 34. Rappaccini’s Daughter Nathaniel Hawthorne Short Story
masses 35. Thanatopsis William Cullen Bryant Poem
“Footnote to Youth” by Jose Garcia Villa; he stressed art for art’s sake
“Three Generations” by Nick Joaquin Relate an actual classroom assessment strategy in the teaching of language and/or literature; identify its purpose/s;
“Like the Molave”, a poem by Rafael Zulueta Da Costa, describe the qualities of the Filipino people discuss the steps and its benefits. MORE, evaluate its validity, reliability and practicability.
“How my Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife,” by Manuel Arguilla
“The Life of Cardo” by Amador T. Daguio; a short story EXAMPLE
“The Small Key” by Paz M. Latorena Evaluating with Journal Questions
Hildie Brooks, seventh and eight grade teacher, Manhattan, Kansas
IMPORTANT WORKS OF IMPORTANT WRITERS
For the past several years, I have been testing my students with a strategy I call “journal questions.” On Monday
Works Authors Genre of each week, I write a journal question on the board and the students must write a minimum of three paragraphs
in response to the question of the week. The questions are based on the concepts developed during the previous
1. Iliad (Greece/Homer) Folk Epic week. The students must identify, explain and support their own ideas. The emphasis is not on the correct answer
2. Odyssey (Greece/Homer) Folk Epic but, but on the ability of the student to express his or her own ideas. For example in the seventh grade class, the
3. The Oresteian Trilogy Aeschylus Drama journal question dealt with why do people start to use mind-altering drugs and whether there are any good reasons
4. Oedipus the King Sophocles Drama to start to use drugs.
5. Antigone Sophocles Drama
6. Medea Euripides Drama There are numerous benefits to this type of evaluation. The students learn to think for themselves instead of
7. The Republic Plato Criticism spitting back memorized facts and figures. The students must support their opinions without fear of being put
8. The Poetics Aristotle Criticism down for their opinions. One of the most enjoyable aspect is being able to get to know the students in a more
9. Aeneid Virgil Literary Epic intimate way through the writing of their own ideas
10. Beowulf (England) Folk Epic
11. El Cid (spain) Folk Epic Validity, Reliability, Practicability….