American Colonial Period - Sarswela Philippine Literature

1. American Colonial
Period:
SARSWELA/ZARZUELA

2. Zarzuela / Sarswela
• THE FATHER OF OF DRAMA
• A MUSICAL COMEDY OR MELODRAMA
THREE ACTS WHICH DEATH AND MEN’S
PASSION AND EMOTIONS LIKE LOVE,
HATE, REVENGE, CRUELTY, AVARICE,
OR SOME POLITICAL PROBLEM

3. Historical Background
• TREATY OF PARIS OF 1898 - SPAIN CEDED THE
PHILIPPINES FOR 20 MILLION DOLLARS TO THE
UNITED STATES.
• THE YEAR TURNED, THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION
AGAINST SPAIN BECAME THE PHILIPPINE-
AMERICAN WAR. BY 1901, THE AMERICANS
HAD DEFEATED THE FILIPINOS.
• AMERICA INTRODUCED MAJOR CHANGES IN
THE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, EDUCATIONAL,
AND CULTURAL SECTORS.

4. Historical Background
• THE COMPANIES OF RATIA AND CARVAJAL CONTINUED
TO DRAW CROWDS TO THE SPANISH ZARZUELA, WHILE
TROUPES LED BY HERMOGENES ILAGAN, SEVERINO REYES,
AND FLORENTINO BALLECER PACKED MANILA THEATERS
WITH THEIR ORIGINAL SARSWELA. MEANWHILE, THE
SARSWELA FLOURISHED IN THE ILOCANO, BICOL, ILONGO,
AND CEBUANO REGIONS. LIKE THE COMEDIA OR MORO-
MORO THAT LIVED ON WITH ITS COMBAT DANCE OR
BATALLA BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS, THE
SARSWELA TOOK ON MORE COMBATIVE AND SUBVERSIVE
FORMS DURING THE AMERICAN AND JAPANESE PERIODS.

5. Sarwela during American Colonial Period
was characterized by:
• NATIONALISM
• FREEDOM OF SPEECH
• EXPERIENCE
DESIRE FOR FREEDOM
• LOVE OF COUNTRY
• FIGHT AGAINST COLONIALISM AND
IMPERIALISM

6. Examples of Sarwela during American
Colonial Period:
• PAG-IBIG SA
TINUBUANG LUPA
– PASCUAL POBLETE
• TANIKALANG GINTO –
JUAN ABAD

7. Examples of Sarwela during American
Colonial Period:
• MALAYA – TOMAS
REMIGIO
• KAHAPON, NGAYON
AT BUKAS – AURELIO
TOLENTINO
• WALANG SUGAT –
SEVERINO REYES