ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY

LOYOLA SCHOOLS
Lit 161: PHILIPPINE LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
Department of English
School of Humanities

2nd Semester, 2014-2015/

TTh, 900-1030, SEC A214A

Annette A. Soriano
annettesoriano@yahoo.com

Course Description
This is a survey of Philippine literature originally written in English from the early 1900s to the present. It looks at
the representative poetry, drama, prose fiction, and non-fiction of the period. More importantly, the survey
considers the stream of writing from English within the study of Philippine literature recorded and written in
various languages.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
Determine the factors and influences (historical and sociopolitical events, literary and cultural trends,
movements, and philosophies) that produced and shaped the texts from this period.
Analyze the issues in Philippine literary history, tracing significant achievements, directions, problems, and
questions in this field.
Identify the principal figures of this period and the literary qualities of their works to gain an understanding of
their uniqueness as well as their shared heritage.
Develop a critical framework for reading Philippine literary history: locating the writers craft, style, and
techniques in the forms history; identifying the authors distinct contribution to the genres growth; tracing
the significant themes and issues raised by the work; appreciating the text through formal, historical, and
generic strategies.
Form a critical stance on an issue/problem in Philippine Literature in English and articulate this in a wellwritten paper.
Course Outline & Time Frame
WEEK
TOPIC
1
Introduction to Philippine Literature in English
2

POETRY
Angela Manalang Gloria (1907), Jose Garcia Villa (1908), Trinidad Tarossa Subido (1912), Edith L.
Tiempo (1919),

POETRY
Ricaredo Demetillo (1920), Carlos Angeles (1921), Virginia Moreno (1925), Ophelia Dimalanta (1932),
Tita Lacambra Ayala (1931), Emmanuel Torres (1932)

POETRY
Rolando S. Tinio (1937), Myrna Pea Reyes (1938), Gemino Abad (1939), Cirilo F. Bautista (1941),
Merlie Alunan (1943), Alfred Yuson (1945), Ricardo de Ungria (1951)

POETRY
Rowena T. Torrevillas (1951), Marjorie Evasco (1953), Ma. Luisa Igloria (1961), Eric Gamalinda (1956),
Danton Remoto (1963), J. Neil Garcia (1969)

SHORT FICTION
Paz Marquez-Benitez (1894), Arturo Rotor (1907), Manuel Arguilla (1911), Bienvenido Santos (1911),

2
Amador Daguio (1912)
7
8

SHORT FICTION
N.V.M. Gonzalez (1915), Francisco Arcellana (1916), Nick Joaquin (1917), Estrella Alfon (1917),
SHORT FICTION
F. Sionil Jose (1924), Kerima Polotan (1925), Gregorio Brillantes (1932), Gilda Cordero-Fernando
(1932), Wilfrido Nolledo (1933)

SHORT FICTION
Rosario Cruz-Lucero (1949), Rowena Torrevillas (1951), Merlinda Bobis (1959), Dean Francis Alfar
(1969),

10

DRAMA
Severino Montano (1915), Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero (1917), Nick Joaquin (1917),

11

DRAMA
Nick Joaquin (1917), Elsa Martinez Coscoluella (1945)

12

NONFICTION
S.P. Lopez (1912), Carmen Guerrero Nakpil (1922), Doreen G. Fernandez (1934), Resil Mojares (1943)

13

NONFICTION
Randy David (1946), Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo (1944), Jessica Zafra (1965)
NOVEL
Bienvenido Santos (1911), Edilberto K. Tiempo (1912), Carlos Bulosan (1913)

14

15

NOVEL
Wilfrido Nolledo (1933), Ninotchka Rosca (1946)

16

NOVEL
Jessica Hagedorn (1949), Miguel Syjuco (1976)

Suggested Readings
Abad, Gemino, ed. Underground Spirit: Philippine Short Stories in English 1973-1989. 2 vols. University of the
Philippines Press, 2010.
. Upon Our Own Ground: Philippine Short Stories in English 1956-1972. 2 vols. University of the Philippines
Press, 2008.
___A Habit of Shores: Filipino Poetry and Verse From English, 60s to the 90s. University of the Philippines Press,
1999.
___. Likhaan Anthology of Philippine Literature in English from 1900 to the Present. University of the Philippines
Press, 1998.
. A Native Clearing: Filipino Poetry and Verse from English since the 50s to the Present, Edith L. Tiempo to Cirilo F.
Bautista. University of the Philippines Press, 1993.
Abad, Gemino, and Edna Z. Manlapaz. Man of Earth: An Anthology of Filipino Poetry and Verse from English 1905
to the Mid-50s. Ateneo University Press, 1989.
Arcellana, Francisco. Philippine PEN Anthology of Short Stories 1962, Philippine Chapter International PEN, 1962.
Carlos Palanca Foundation. An Anthology of Winning Works. 4 vols. Anvil Publishing, 2000.
Casper, Leonard. Six Filipino Poets, The Benipayo Press, 1954.
Croghan, Richard V., ed. The Development of Philippine Literature in English since 1900. Alemar-Phoenix
Publishing House, Inc., 1975.

3
Del Castillo, Teofilo, and Buenaventura S. Medina, Jr., Philippine Literature from Ancient Times to the Present.
Philippine Graphic Arts, Inc., 1974.
Francia, Luis, H., ed. Brown River, White Ocean: An Anthology of Twentieth-Century Philippine Literature in
English. Rutgers University Press, 1993.
Hufana, A.G., ed. Philippine Writings: Short Stories, Essays, Poetry. Regal Publishing, 1977.
Maramba, Asuncion David, ed. Philippine Contemporary Literature. Bookmark, 1978.
Ramos, Maximo and Florentino B. Valeros. Philippine Cross-Section. Phoenix Publishing House, Inc., 1964.
Yabes, Leopoldo, ed. Philippine Short Stories 1941-1955. 3 vols. University of the Philippines Press, 1981.
Course Requirements & Grading System
Quizzes & Short Essays
Class Participation
Final Paper
Final Exam

30%
30%
20%
20%
100%

Classroom Policies
1. Attendance will be checked immediately after the second bell. Students are allowed nine class
absences (cuts) although this is not recommended. There are no excused absences. Any student
who incurs ten absences will be automatically dropped from the course.
2. Class requirements such as short in-class essays and critical papers must be submitted
personally by the student during class time only. Late submissions will not be accepted. If
the student is absent, the student must email the paper to the teacher on the deadline and
give the hard copy of the paper when the student returns to class.
3. Cell phones and other forms of communication devices must be switched off or silent and may
not be used during class. Any student who disrupts the class by using any of these devices will
be asked to step out of the class and will then be marked absent. Texting is strictly not allowed
and phones must be kept out of sight.
4. Other electronic devices such as laptops and palm pilots may only be used with the permission of
the teacher.
5. Proper, disciplined behavior is expected at all times.
6. Students are expected to have read and prepared for the days activity. Bring your own copies of
the materials for the day.
7. Students cannot make-up for quizzes and in-class activities missed.
8. Please read the student handbook carefully. Rules and regulations stipulated in the handbook
will be adhered to strictly.
9. If a student needs any special arrangements ( due to death in the family, illness, etc.), please
speak to the teacher immediately.
10. IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT PLAGIARISM IS A CASE OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY, AND IS A MAJOR
OFFENSE IN THE ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY. Plagiarism is an act in which the offender
uses the same words or concepts (directly copies and pastes, or uses the same ideas) from
another person, website, etc., without proper citations. Submission of a plagiarized work means
an F in the task or course, with a disciplinary sanction from ADSA.
Consultation Hours
MWF: 1-2 pm/TTh: 1000-1100; by appointment at all other times.