The Images of Filipino Women as Shown in Philippine Literature

by Jill Christianae Rendon

Though each woman is unique, at one point or another, one falls into some sort of a stereotype. The women in the short stories read are typical either of young girls, teenagers, career women, city girls, nurturing mothers or wives, etc.

Julia Salas is the liberated woman who does not live according to people’s standards. She says what she thinks without sugarcoating, rather with utter honesty, a touch of practicality, expressed in humor, sweet feminine shyness and demure. She is so unlike Esperanza who is the educated type and the woman on pedestal, the type who looks at people and situations according to a specific belief. When perhaps urged to express some negative opinion, her speech would be coated with euphemism, articulated with grace and elegance. Carmen, on the other hand is the typical sister, concerned of the goings on in family members’ lives, the conformist who believes in things like the standard marrying age. Soledad is the submissive wife, the kind who looks to her husband’s best interest, the type, who is not courageous enough to confront things head on, but rather expresses her emotions and deals with them secretly. Tinay is the naïve type of wife, one who thinks of marriage as a practical stage, something that naturally happens to every woman. Trining is the young girl, one who has a world of her own. Playing Siklot solemnly by herself, she shows her ability to enjoy doing things alone, requiring less supervision and attention. Zita is the active young girl; the type who likes to show herself off, especially to her few favorite people, practicing the art of not being noticed. Lumnay is the type of woman who is nearly perfect except for one very important thing, one who is not brave enough to initiate a radical change against a law, but rather settles abiding with the norms and the notion that life must go on no matter what. Madulimay is the woman who may not possess many desirable characters like Lumnay, but has the ability every man looks for in a woman. Maria is the woman on pedestal, the city type of lady, used to the “conveniences” the city life offers, yet does not mind flexing to the provincial life, for some sake she has firmly decided to stand for. Tinang is the nurturing mother. Though hurt by a painful past, she moves on with life, wanting to protect and give the best for her child despite of it. Senora is the typical caring mistress who gets involved in her workers’ lives, the type who hides her concern towards them with blunt expressions of her opinions, bad as they may sound. Anastasia is the typical old lady who puts playful little girls to bed by telling them scary stories. Agueda is the rebellious, adventurous girl. She has characters typical of a young lady, strongly desiring to experience romance even in a creepy, mysterious way. Ms. Mijares is the educated woman, the type who keeps standards, specifically about men, but does not mind slightly altering them for her own sake. Girl (Magnificence) is the typical active, young girl who likes to have the best of the trends; the type who may not be able to name but can smell the offense as they come. Mother (Magnificence) is the nurturing mother, who could set aside her own emotions for the sake of her children, making her the type of woman who does not act out of impulse. Aida is the woman on pedestal, the girl of every man’s dream, and every teenage boy’s first love. She is raised with good manners, trained to be tactful and accommodating. Ms. Noel is the woman on pedestal, the model teacher, the type who cares more about standing up for her beliefs than being recognized or living a life of fortune.

Each character mentioned is rather different from the other, but thousands of other women are just in the same boat as them. No woman is ever alone.