Narito ang buod ng El Filibusterismo Kabanata 38 (Tagalog version), audio format. Ang pamagat ay “Ang Kasawiang Palad”

Please visit website to view premium content

Tata Selo = lolo ni Tano (Carolino)

It looks like for some students, Kasawian refers to Chapter 39. Anyway, check out this musical/video:

Narito ang buod ng El Filibusterismo Kabanata 39 (Tagalog version), audio format.

Please visit website to view premium content

Some of you are asking…

What is talampas in English?
Talampas is the Tagalog word for plateau. In the Philippines, an example of a plateau is Tagaytay.

We’re guessing that the priest in Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo threw the treasure chest into the Pacific Ocean.

Can you guess where in the Philippines you will find a plateau that’s near the Pacific Ocean?

Let’s learn about the sufferings of Aladin (ang pagdurusa ni Aladin).

Stanza 347 – Aladin says that now that Florante has told his story, it’s now the turn of Aladin, son of the famous Sultan Ali-Adab, to tell his story also.

Stanza 348 – Aladin talks about how depressed he is.

Stanza 349 – He’s so sad, he wants to just cry and die in the forest.

Stanza 350 – Aladin sobs like mad. Then the forest remains still and calm for 5 months. Then one morning, Aladin invites Florante to take a stroll around the forest.

Stanza 351 – During the walk, Aladin gives more details about his sad life.

Stanza 352 – He boasts about how strong he is from fighting various wars/battles, to strengthen him as he tries to win the heart of Flerida.

Stanza 353 – He likens Flerida to the goddess Diana. There is reference to Houris.

Stanza 354 – Fortunately, he wins Flerida’s heart because of his perseverance. But the sultan’s desire for Flerida wanted to get in between the two.

Stanza 355 – And here’s why Aladin’s suffering begins. After winning the battle at Albania, Aladin returns to Persia… only to be jailed.

Stanza 356 – Aladin’s offense? Deserting the Persian army. And when news came of Florante regaining Albania, Aladin was ordered beheaded.

Stanza 357 – On the eve of Aladin’s execution, a general visited him in his cell to tell him he was pardoned. But Aladin considered this a fate worse than death.

Stanza 358 – Aladin was ordered banished, sent into exile. He obeys the order of his father, the sultan.

Stanza 359 – But he was heartbroken. He cannot stand imagining Flerida on someone else’s lap.

Stanza 360 – Aladin says that it has been 6 years that he was been suffering and wandering around. But his story is cut short when he and Florante hear other people talking in the forest.

Florante at Laura Tagalog Notes

» Talasalitaan para sa Saknong 347 – 360 (PDF)

In this section, you’ll hear the story of Flerida (salaysay ni Flerida).

Stanza 361 – Florante and Aladin overhear Flerida speaking to Laura. Flerida says that when she received news that her jailed love (Aladin) was going to be beheaded, she threw herself at the feet of the sultan.

Stanza 362 – She tearfully begged that Aladin be spared. The sultan said that he will forgive Aladin only if Flerida accepts his (the sultan’s) love.

Stanza 363 – Flerida decides that she cannot allow Aladin to die, so she agrees to the sultan’s wishes.

Stanza 364 – Although she has closed her heart to the sultan, she relents and sacrifices for the sake of the life of Aladin, her love.

Stanza 365 – The sultan is ecstatic over the acceptance of Flerida, and immediately releases Aladin. He banishes Aladin from the Persia.

Stanza 366 – Flerida reveals that Aladin leaves Persia, but they did not even get the chance to speak with one another.

Stanza 367 – As people celebrated in the Persian kingdom because of the upcoming wedding (between the sultan and Flerida), she thought of disguising herself as a soldier so that she can escape from the palace.

Stanza 368 – One night (midnight), Flerida escapes through a window, accompanied by no one except her desire to find Aladin.

Stanza 369 – For a number of years, Flerida wandered across mountains and forests, until she arrived and saved Laura from Adolfo.

Stanza 370 – Flerida’s story is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Duke Florante and Prince Aladin (who revealed themselves because they recognized their voices), and Flerida’s joy know no bounds.

Stanza 371 – What tongue can express the joy between reunited lovers? (I wonder if Balagtas was hinting at something here…)

Stanza 372 – To what heavenly heights can Florante possibly reach, now that he is staring at the joyous face of his much-desired Laura? (More innuendos?)

Stanza 373 – In that lonely forest which has transformed into a paradise for those four, how can you blame them for forgetting their breaths several times? (Ahem…)

[Did you like this quick summary of Florante at Laura?]

Florante at Laura Tagalog Notes

» Talasalitaan para sa Saknong 361 – 373 (PDF)

First of all, figures of speech are words which are expressed in a way such that you no longer focus on their literal meaning. Instead, you are encouraged to think of those words in a different way, and in the process are able to sense greater depth or emotional intensity from the ideas the writer is trying to get across.

Simile (Pagtutulad o Simili) – You compare two different things (or people) and use phrases such as “is like” (tulad ng, parang, tila, magkasing-, magkasim-, mistula, kahalintulad) or “as” to show that these different things are the same. For example, “my love is like a red, red rose…”

Metaphor (Metapora o Pagwawangis) – a more definite form of comparison. Instead of saying “is like” you use “is” when comparing two seemingly different things. Sometimes, you even drop the “is” and simply connect the words (mostly nouns, but verbs can sometimes be used). For example,

Personification (Personipikasyon o Pagtatao) – giving human qualities or even human actions to non-human things, animals, objects or even places (i.e., the sky shed tears).

Apostrophe (Apostrope o Pagtawag) – directly addressing an object as if it were a person (i.e., Death where is thy sting?).

Hyperbole (Pagmamalabis o Hayperbole) – the use of exaggeration and bold statements.

Synecdoche (Senekdoke o Pagpapalit-saklaw) – when you make a small part represent the whole (i.e., ask for her hand in marriage).

Onomatopoeia (Panghihimig o Onomatopeya) – words whose letter sounds, evokes a certain emotion, or whose meaning triggers a memory related to a certain sound.

For example, if you’ve ever stood near a bamboo (kawayan) grove on a windy day, you’ll hear the “Ssssssss…” of the leaves. In Tagalog, the term for that sound is “lawiswis ng kawayan” (note how the word lawiswis makes you imagine the sound of bamboo leaves in the wind).

Notice how much more effective this is if the reader has personally experienced that “Ssss” sound while resting under the shade of bamboo trees on a windy afternoon, after feasting on fish, rice, and manggang hilaw with bagoong.

Alliteration (Aliterasyon) – a set of words which begin with the same letter.

For more examples of tayutay (figures of speech):

• http://tl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tayutay
• http://tl.answers.com/Q/Ano_ang_mga_uri_ng_tayutay_at_halimbawa
• http://www.angelfire.com/ct2/evenski/poetry/figuresofspeech.html
• Tayutay at mga Halimbawa

We enjoin all Philippine literature enthusiasts to keep an eye out for different figures of speech when you read the Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo, Florante at Laura, Ibong Adarna, and other short stories, novels, or even poems that you come across in your literature studies.

In this section, you’ll hear the side of Laura (nagwika si Laura).

Here are the various stanzas…

Stanza 374 – The three (Florante, Aladin, Flerida) happily listened to the story of Laura’s life.

Stanza 375 – Laura addresses Florante and narrates to him that not long after he left the kingdom of Albania, whispers of a growing disturbance reached the palace.

Stanza 376 – But people were having a hard time understanding the problem, similar to a doctor trying to figure out the cause and location of an illness.

Stanza 377 – Soon the kingdom was surrounded by armed soldiers.

Stanza 378 – People were shouting, screaming that King Linceo be put to death for starving the people.

Stanza 379 – All this was done by Adolfo, who blinded the people and fooled them into thinking the trouble was caused by the king.

Stanza 380 – King Linceo was soon dragged from his throne, and beheaded.

Stanza 381 – Even those who were loyal to King Linceo were decapitated. The executions did not stop until all the loyal ones were wiped out.

Stanza 382 – Count Adolfo ascended to the throne, and threatened Laura with death, if she will not accept his offer of love.

Stanza 383 – Laura played along, so that she could have enough time to seek revenge, and to get the word out to Florante in Etolia.

Stanza 384 – Laura asked for 5 months, before she will fully accept Adolfo. But she promised herself that if Florante does not rescue her in time, then she will just take her own life.

Stanza 385 – Laura has a letter sent to Florante, and in less than a month Florante returns to Albania (only to be captured by Adolfo).

Stanza 386 – Adolfo was worried that Florante would return with a huge army, so he sends Florante a letter “signed” by King Linceo urging him to come home alone.

Stanza 387 – When Laura learns of this, she decides to end her own life. But before that could happen, Menandro’s army arrives and surrounds the kingdom of Albania.

Stanza 388 – Laura is guessing that her letter for Florante may have been read by Menandro, which explains why Menandro was like a hungry wolf upon arriving at Albania.

Stanza 389 – Seeing the hopeless/winless situation, Adolfo and his allies flee at night, bringing Laura (who’s tied to a horse).

Stanza 390 – In the forest, Adolfo tries to take advantage of Laura, but he is pierced by someone’s arrow.

Stanza 391 – Flerida narrates how she heard the cries of a woman, and how this moved her to take action.

Stanza 392 – Flerida eventually finds Laura, and sees Adolfo trying to force himself on her. So Flerida shoots him with her arrow.

Florante at Laura Tagalog Notes

» Talasalitaan para sa Saknong 374 – 392 (PDF)

[Content protected for Fal, Gold members only]

In this section called “Happy Ending” (Maligayang Wakas), you’ll find that while Florante, Laura, Aladin, and Flerida are still talking in the forest, they are found by Menandro and his army (ehersito / hukbo).

Stanza 393 – The army was searching for Adolfo in the forest, and Menandro was so happy to find his close friend (katoto / matalik na kaibigan na lalaki) Florante and Laura still alive after so many years.

Stanza 394 – The army from Etolia joyously hailed Florante as King of Albanya, and shouted long live, Princess Laura.

Stanza 395 – They bring Aladin and Flerida to the kingdom (reyno / kaharian), who got baptized into the Christian faith after getting married.

Stanza 396 – The famed of widely known (bunying) Sultan Ali-Adab passes away, Aladin goes back home to the city of Persia, Duke Florante ascends to the throne together with his beloved (liyag) Laura.

Stanza 397 – Under Florante’s reign, peace returns to the kingdom where the hopeless and the downtrodden (lugami) are able to rise, and the depressed (namimighati) become joyous (napasatuwa).

Stanza 398 – Everyone raises their hands to heaven in gratitude for the kingdom or government they support (tangkilik). The king and queen think only of showing compassion to the people (kabig).

Stanza 399 – They live together well/diplomatically/smoothly (mahinusay), until they finally attain (masapit) peace in their land. [I know something's lost in the translation...]

In this last stanza, Francisco Balagtas tells his muse (musa) to stop and willingly place herself at the unshod feet (yapak) of Selya (the one that got away).

And that is the end of Florante at Laura.

Here are the stanzas for your reference. Please let us know if you would like to hear a recording of these being read out loud.

Florante at Laura Tagalog Notes

» Florante at Laura Talasalitaan, Saknong 393 – 399 (PDF)

[Content protected for Fal, Gold members only]

You can find at Gutenberg the e-text version of Florante at Laura, in case you’re wondering which Tagalog or Filipino version is correct.

For example, some books will use the word namimighati in Stanza 397, while others will use nagpipighati. I don’t know if the version in Gutenberg.org is the official or correct one.

You will find illustrations of the key characters in Obra Maestra II: Florante at Laura (by Maybel V. Amog, Nelia P. Pagoso, and Felicidad Q. Cuaño), which is available in popular book stores here in the Philippines.

Mindmap - Florante at Laura Characters

We will add the description of each character in the future. To be continued…

Quite a few of these are summaries posted in blogs such as Xanga or Blogger (or Blogspot), but it looks like these were mostly based on a documented which was uploaded to Scribd.

The shortest summary found online, Buod ng Florante at Laura comes with a disclaimer regarding the accuracy of the notes. Given that you can read it in less than 10 minutes, go ahead and check it out.

The one in Scribd, Florante at Laura Summary of Chapters is actually in Filipino (Tagalog), despite the English title.

The summary is 12 pages long, and covers Aralin 1 until 23:

Florante at Laura summary of chapters

If you’re interested in a mindmap of the Florante at Laura summary, please let us know by leaving a comment below. Thanks!

Please leave a comment below and let us know if you need help in Florante at Laura, Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo, or any other subject related to Philippine literature.

That way, we will know what to focus on when it comes to writing summaries or guides. Thanks!