Period of Self Discovery

PERIOD OF SELF-DISCOVERY AND GROWTH (1925-1941)
A new set of colonizers brought about new changes in Philippine literature. New literary forms
such as free verse (in poetry), the modern short story and the critical essay were introduced. American
influence was deeply entrenched with the firm establishment of English as the medium of instruction in
all schools and with literary modernism that highlighted the writer's individuality and cultivated
consciousness of craft, sometimes at the expense of social consciousness.
In this period Filipino writers acquired mastery of the English Language. Evidently, they began to
write confidently and competently. They wrote in free verse, sonnets, odes, elegies and others. They even
started to write novels and dramas.
POETRY
Poetry was original, spontaneous, competently written and later, incorporated social
consciousness. Notable writers in this field wrote not only love poems but patriotic, religious, descriptive
and reflective poems as well. They wrote in free verse, in odes and sonnets and in other types.
Noteworthy names in this field include:
1. Marcelode Gracia Concepcion

2. Jose Garcia Villa
3. Angela Manalang Gloria
4. Abelardo Subido
5. Trinidad Tarrosa Subido
6. Rafael Zulueta da Costa
Jose Garcia Villa
- The first to break away from the conventional forms and themes of Philippine poetry placed the
Philippines on the literary map with his publication of his books in the U.S.
Some of the writings this time:
1925: The Philippine Writers Association (Manila)
1926: A Collection of Verses By: Luis Dato (Manila)
1932: Bamboo Flute By: Marcelo de Gracia Concepcion
1934: Moon Shadows on the Water By: Aurelio S. Alvero
1934: An English-German Anthology of Filipinno Poets
By: Pablo Laslo
1936: My Book of Verses By: Luis Dato
1937: First Leaves By: Rafael Zulueta da Costa
1939: Nuances By Aurelio S. Alvero
1940: Like the Molave and other Poems By: Zulueta da Costa
By: Casipong, De La Fuente, Sedaya BSED3

1940: Many Voices
1941: Poems by Dovelgion By: Jose Garcia Villa
SHORT STORY
Because of the incentives provided by publications like the Philippine Free Press, The Graphic,
The Philippine Magazine and college publications like the UP Literary Apprentice, poetry and the short
story flourished during these times. From 1930 to 1940, the Golden Era of Filipino writing in English saw
the short storywriters "who have arrived," like Jose Lansang's The Broken Parasol, Sinai C. Hamada's
Talanata's Wife, Fausto Dugenio's Wanderlust, Amando G. Dayrit's His Gift and Yesterday, Amador T.
Daugio's The Woman Who Looked Out of the Window.
Characteristics of the short stories during these times:
There were still remnants of Spanish influence in the use of expressions that were florid,
sentimental, exaggerated and bombastic. The influence of the Western culture also was already evident.
Some of the writings this time:
1927- Filipino Love Stories by Paz M. Benitez (First Anthology of Filipino short stories)
1929- Philippine Short Stories by Jose Garcia Villa
1930- Mir-in-isa By Jose Garcia Villa (won first place in The Age Press short story writing contest)
1932- Tales of the Philippines by Zoilo M. Galang
How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife by Manuel Arguilla
ESSAYS AND OTHER PROSE STYLES
Essays during this period improved with the years in quality and quantity, in content, subject and
style. Essayists like Carlos P. Romulo became even more eminent editorial writers.
The notable writers of essays during this period were:
Political and Social Reflective Essays:
1. Federico Mangahas
2. Salvador P. Lopez
3. Pura S. Castrence
4. Vicente Albano Pacis
5. Ariston Estrada
6. Jose A. Lansang
Critical Essays:
1. Salvador P. Lopez
2. I.V. Mallari
3. Ignacio Manlapaz
4. Jose Garcia Villa

5. Arturo B. Rotor
6. Leopoldo Y. Yabes
7. Maximo V. Soliven (They Called it Brotherhood)
Personal or Familiar Essays:
1. F. B. Icasiano (Mang Kiko)

2. Alfredo E. Litiatco
3. Solomon V. Arnaldo
4. Amando G. Dayrit
5. Consuelo Gar
The Notable Works during this period were:
1940: Literature and Society by Salvador P. Lopez
- A collection of critical reflections and serious essays
- won first prize in Commonwealth Literary Contest
1940: The Filipino Way of Life by Camilo Osias
- was published
- A series of essays on the Filipino way of life as drawn from history, folkways, philosophy and
psychology of the Philippines.
1941: F. B. Iscasiano (Mang Kiko) were reprints of the best Iccasiano's essays in the Sunday Times
Magazine under the column from my Nipa Hut.
-It is an essay of the common Tao and is written with humor and sympathy.
August 16, 1941: Carlos P. Romulo had an editorial printed in the Philippine Herald. Entiled I AM A
FILIPINO.
-It was reprinted in his book MY BROTHER AMERICANS in 1945 in New York
BIOGRAPHY
1935: I. P. Caballero and Marcelo de Gracia Conception Wrote about Quezon.
1938: The Great Malayan by Carlos Quirino Won a prize in the national contest sponsored by the
Commonwealth of the Philippines.
1940: The Birth of Discontent by I. V Mallari
HISTORY
1937: The Brief History of the Philippine Islands by Teofilo del Castillo
PUBLICATION
The Philippine Free Press provided the first incentives to Filipino writers in English by offering
prizes to worthwhile contributions.

THE DRAMA
Drama during this period did not reach the heights attained by the novel or the short story. The
UP provided the incentives when they introduced playwriting as a course and established the UP Little
Theater.
The Writers of Play during this period:
Carlos P. Romulo (Daughters for Sale)
Jorge C. Bacobo (The Radiant Symbol)
REFERENCES:
Period of Self-Discovery and Growth | PDF | Poetry (scribd.com)
Self Discovery of Filipino | PDF | Poetry | Philippines (scribd.com)

PERIOD OF SELF-DISCOVERY

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PERIOD OF SELF-DISCOVERY AND GROWTH (1925-1941)

Noteworthy names in this field include:

1. Marcelode Gracia Concepcion

Jose Garcia Villa

Some of the writings this time:

1925: The Philippine Writers Association (Manila)

1926: A Collection of Verses By: Luis Dato (Manila)

1932: Bamboo Flute By: Marcelo de Gracia Concepcion

1934: Moon Shadows on the Water By: Aurelio S. Alvero

1934: An English-German Anthology of Filipinno Poets

By: Pablo Laslo

1936: My Book of Verses By: Luis Dato

1937: First Leaves By: Rafael Zulueta da Costa

1939: Nuances By Aurelio S. Alvero

By: Casipong, De La Fuente, Sedaya BSED3

1941: Poems by Dovelgion By: Jose Garcia Villa

Characteristics of the short stories during these times:

Some of the writings this time:

1929- Philippine Short Stories by Jose Garcia Villa

1932- Tales of the Philippines by Zoilo M. Galang

How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife by Manuel Arguilla

ESSAYS AND OTHER PROSE STYLES

The notable writers of essays during this period were:

Political and Social Reflective Essays:

By: Casipong, De La Fuente, Sedaya BSED3

Personal or Familiar Essays:

1. F. B. Icasiano (Mang Kiko)

The Notable Works during this period were:

1940: Literature and Society by Salvador P. Lopez

- A collection of critical reflections and serious essays

- won first prize in Commonwealth Literary Contest

1940: The Filipino Way of Life by Camilo Osias

1935: I. P. Caballero and Marcelo de Gracia Conception Wrote about Quezon.

1940: The Birth of Discontent by I. V Mallari

By: Casipong, De La Fuente, Sedaya BSED3

The Writers of Play during this period:

Carlos P. Romulo (Daughters for Sale)

Jorge C. Bacobo (The Radiant Symbol)

Period of Self-Discovery and Growth | PDF | Poetry (scribd.com)

Self Discovery of Filipino | PDF | Poetry | Philippines (scribd.com)

By: Casipong, De La Fuente, Sedaya BSED3

By: Casipong, De La Fuente, Sedaya BSED3

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