Origins and rise of the Filipino novel : a generic study of the novel until 1940 / Resil B. Mojares

Includes bibliography and index.

This generic study of the Filipino novel situates its development in the context of the narrative tradition and social history of the Philippines. It marks out lines of descent, identifies shifts in modes of narrative representation, considers literary changes in relation to the larger society, and thus offers the reader with a view of the novel not only in itself but also in history. In addition to the approach it uses, the book is important in its attempt to draw an expanded image of the Filipino novel by bringing together data from several languages and regional literatures. Studied are novels in Spanish, English, Tagalog, Cebuano, as well as some works in Iloko and Hiligaynon. The book ranges through a vast expanse of literary history, from epics and religious exempla to romances and modern novels. The book, however, aims not just at breadth of coverage but depth of analysis. Hence, sections of the study focus on the works and achievements of individual writers. The past decades have witnessed a considerable advance in both quantity and quality of literary research in the country. This book is presented as contribution to this movement.