Rod Antalan

IP 362

A. Agcaoili

Module 3

Module 3 is composed of two different parts which describe the many different influences upon Philippine drama over the course of time. They serve to chow the points in time where Philippine drama and theater has changed and progressed due to the various occupations in the history of the Philippines. They describe how different forms of drama were introduced and how the old ones were modified by the foreign rulers.

The first part of module 3 describes how the Philippine drama was unwritten yet was still able to be passed on from generation to generation. These dramas consisted of song, chant, and even story which were all conveyed through the use of speech. They were oral dramatic forms that were memorized so that they could be passed along to future generations. It goes on to describe how Spanish influence came about and changed the Philippines as well as the Philippine drama. These brought along many different forms of theater such as the komedya, sarswela, and sinakulo. These forms made it impossible to be completely memorized because there would be so much to remember. This forced the dramas to be written in order for them not be lost and forgotten. After the Spanish had been forced to leave, the Americans took their values and pushed them into the Philippines drama creating such things as bodabils (influenced onto them from the French) and enforcing the use of the English language, which lead to the creation of seditious plays. The Japanese also influenced the Philippine theater and media forms. By making propaganda which aided them in their political needs.

Philippine theater was also influenced b its own people not just by their previous foreign rulers. Ferdinand Marcos brought upon many changes into the Philippine drama and theater. He imposed rules that prevented people from saying the things they wanted about his dictatorship. People were forced to figure out methods of expressing themselves without actually saying exactly what they meant. It was these kinds of dramas that were soon banned and got those involved very deadly consequences.

It was these things which helped to mold the Philippine Drama into how we view it today. They help to display and sometimes even expose the life of the times. They show change and acceptance yet display qualities and values from the days from before foreign colonization and influence. This is important because it shows the resilience of the Philippine people who can accept change and yet still hold on to the ideas and concepts which have been passed down to them from many generations before.

Module 4

Module 4 was the play which depicted the life of Gabriela Silang. This play was about an Ilokano woman who was very important to the Philipppines. She was no ordinary woman because she aided in the struggle for Philippine independence during the time of Spanish colonization.

It begins by Gabriela searching to finally reunite with her mother whom she seems to have lost contact with. They finally find each other once more in the beginning of the play. They are catching up with one another and Gabriela reveals that she is in love with a man named Diego Silang. It turns out that Diego Silang is actually an ilokano rebel leader fighting against the Spanish rule in hopes of getting Philippines’ its independence from foreign rule.

As the play progresses, you are able to see how committed Diego is to fighting against the Spanish. Soon this commitment is passed onto Gabriela who displays a great passion for the cause. In the end, the play is not completed but it ends with Gabriela questioning how far this war will end for the two of them. Diego replies that this is only the beginning and that he does not fear because she is at his side.

Although I was not able to read the rest of the play, I went online and did some researching on Gabriela Silang and found that her husband was assassinated in 1763 by order of the royal authorities. She fled to the mountains where she set up a headquarters for her revolting army. She organized and helped to lead the troops of her Tinggian community to help fight against the foreign rule.

Forsaken House Powerpoint