The Rosales Saga
Encyclopedia
The Rosales Saga, also known as the Rosales Novels, is a series
of five historical and political novels written by Filipino National Artist F. Sionil José
. Chronologically, it is composed of five interconnected novels, namely Po-on (written in 1984), Tree
(written in 1978), My Brother, My Executioner
(written in 1973), The Pretenders
(written in 1962), and Mass
(written in 1973). The Rosales Saga traced the five generations of two families, namely the Samsons (poor farmers) and the Asperri (wealthy mestizo
s) through Spanish and American periods in the History of the Philippines
up until the period after Philippine Independence. José begun writing the series in 1962 and completed it in 1984.
in Luzon, Philippines. José used a variation of styles for the novels. José also focused on different families with different social statuses. The object that connected and bound these families was the “giant Balete
tree" located at the plaza of Rosales town.
One of the common themes in the Rosales Novels were intimate relationships and marriages between cousins, the father figure who was beaten up by the political and social structures, vengeful and aggressive attacks on persons who symbolized the repression and subjugation, the love-hate relationship among the characters against the town of Rosales, as well as the barrio
s in it such as places named Cabugawan, Carmay, and Sipnget.
, pursued the life of the unnamed heir of the Asperri clan. The unnamed narrator witnessed the adversity of the Filipino peasants under the encomienda
system during the Spanish colonial regime, as well as the resulting uprisings created by the peasants. However, the nameless story-teller was unable to free himself from his own position that carried cultural and economic benefits.
The succeeding three books after Tree reinforced the existing strain between Philippine colonial heritage and bona fide patriotism.
, concentrated on the life of Luis Asperri and his half-brother Victor during the 1950s, a time that was plagued with the Hukbalahap
rebellion. Luis Asperri was the illegitimate son of Don Vicente Asperri. Don Asperri took Luis Asperri as an heir due to the absence of a legitimate son by the former. Luis abandoned his peasant roots in order to embrace the status of a landowner. His half-brother Victor warned Luis that if the peasantry did not receive economic justice, the Hukbalahap insurgents would annihilate the elite class. In the end, Luis expected his demise at the hands of the Hukbalahap rebels.
, recalled the life of Antonio “Tony” Samson, the son of Victor, the half-brother of Luis Asperri in My Brother, My Executioner (Victor was imprisoned for life for murdering Luis Asperri). Antonio Samson obtained a PhD degree from Harvard University
in the United States
. By marrying a rich Filipina mestiza, Antonio Samson became an Ilustrado
and worked for his father-in-law. As a result, Antonio Samson was unable to marry his true love and cousin, Emy, with whom he sired an illegitimate son. Feeling undeserving of Emy and his son because of his denunciation of his peasant origins, Antonio Samson committed suicide.
, the timeline jumped forward into the 1970s, to narrate the life of Pepe Samson, the illegitimate son of Antonio Samson and his cousin Emy. Pepe Samson went to live in Manila
in order to study in college. He became a member of the revolutionary group called The Brotherhood. The novel ended with the scene when Pepe left Manila to adhere to the cause of the mountain guerrillas.
, which is not a part of the Rosales Saga series, Pepe Samson reappeared as a full-pledged insurgent, while some other Rosales Novels characters also resurfaced.
Book series
A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their publisher....
of five historical and political novels written by Filipino National Artist F. Sionil José
F. Sionil José
F. Sionil José or in full Francisco Sionil José is one of the most widely-read Filipino writers in the English language. His novels and short stories depict the social underpinnings of class struggles and colonialism in Filipino society...
. Chronologically, it is composed of five interconnected novels, namely Po-on (written in 1984), Tree
Tree (novel)
Tree is a 1978 historical novel by Filipino National Artist F. Sionil José. A story of empathy and subjugation, it is the second in José’s series known as The Rosales Saga or the Rosales Novels...
(written in 1978), My Brother, My Executioner
My Brother, My Executioner
My Brother, My Executioner is a novel by Filipino author Francisco Sionil José written in Philippine English. A part of the so-called Rosales Saga - a series of five interconnected fiction novels - My Brother, My Executioner ranks third in terms of chronology...
(written in 1973), The Pretenders
The Pretenders (novel)
The Pretenders is a 1962 historical novel written by Filipino National Artist F. Sionil José. It is the second to the last novel composing José’s series known as The Rosales Saga.-Description:...
(written in 1962), and Mass
Mass (novel)
Mass, also known as Mass: A Novel, is a 1973 historical and political novel written by Filipino National Artist F. Sionil José. Together with The Pretenders, the Mass is the completion of José’s The Rosales Saga, which is also known as the Rosales Novels...
(written in 1973). The Rosales Saga traced the five generations of two families, namely the Samsons (poor farmers) and the Asperri (wealthy mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
s) through Spanish and American periods in the History of the Philippines
History of the Philippines
The history of the Philippines is believed to have begun with the arrival of the first humans via land bridges at least 30,000 years ago. The first recorded visit from the West is the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan, who sighted Samar on March 16, 1521 and landed on Homonhon Island southeast of Samar...
up until the period after Philippine Independence. José begun writing the series in 1962 and completed it in 1984.
General description
All of José’s five novels were in set in Rosales, PangasinanRosales, Pangasinan
Rosales is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. It is sometimes called as Carmen, Pangasinan based on its progressive barangay, Carmen...
in Luzon, Philippines. José used a variation of styles for the novels. José also focused on different families with different social statuses. The object that connected and bound these families was the “giant Balete
Banyan
A banyan is a fig that starts its life as an epiphyte when its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree...
tree" located at the plaza of Rosales town.
One of the common themes in the Rosales Novels were intimate relationships and marriages between cousins, the father figure who was beaten up by the political and social structures, vengeful and aggressive attacks on persons who symbolized the repression and subjugation, the love-hate relationship among the characters against the town of Rosales, as well as the barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
s in it such as places named Cabugawan, Carmay, and Sipnget.
Po-on
The first book in the Rosales series, Po-on, focused on the Samson family. The time period was during the Philippine-American war when Filipino revolution and nationalism were presented as a solution for the social and political problems in the Philippines.Tree
The second novel,TreeTree (novel)
Tree is a 1978 historical novel by Filipino National Artist F. Sionil José. A story of empathy and subjugation, it is the second in José’s series known as The Rosales Saga or the Rosales Novels...
, pursued the life of the unnamed heir of the Asperri clan. The unnamed narrator witnessed the adversity of the Filipino peasants under the encomienda
Encomienda
The encomienda was a system that was employed mainly by the Spanish crown during the colonization of the Americas to regulate Native American labor....
system during the Spanish colonial regime, as well as the resulting uprisings created by the peasants. However, the nameless story-teller was unable to free himself from his own position that carried cultural and economic benefits.
The succeeding three books after Tree reinforced the existing strain between Philippine colonial heritage and bona fide patriotism.
My Brother, My Executioner
The third novel, My Brother, My ExecutionerMy Brother, My Executioner
My Brother, My Executioner is a novel by Filipino author Francisco Sionil José written in Philippine English. A part of the so-called Rosales Saga - a series of five interconnected fiction novels - My Brother, My Executioner ranks third in terms of chronology...
, concentrated on the life of Luis Asperri and his half-brother Victor during the 1950s, a time that was plagued with the Hukbalahap
Hukbalahap
The Hukbalahap , was the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines , formed in 1942 to fight the Japanese Empire's occupation of the Philippines during World War II. It fought a second war from 1946 to 1954 against the pro-Western leaders of their newly independent country...
rebellion. Luis Asperri was the illegitimate son of Don Vicente Asperri. Don Asperri took Luis Asperri as an heir due to the absence of a legitimate son by the former. Luis abandoned his peasant roots in order to embrace the status of a landowner. His half-brother Victor warned Luis that if the peasantry did not receive economic justice, the Hukbalahap insurgents would annihilate the elite class. In the end, Luis expected his demise at the hands of the Hukbalahap rebels.
The Pretenders
The fourth novel, The PretendersThe Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
, recalled the life of Antonio “Tony” Samson, the son of Victor, the half-brother of Luis Asperri in My Brother, My Executioner (Victor was imprisoned for life for murdering Luis Asperri). Antonio Samson obtained a PhD degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. By marrying a rich Filipina mestiza, Antonio Samson became an Ilustrado
Ilustrado
The Ilustrados constituted the Filipino educated class during the Spanish colonial period in the late 19th century....
and worked for his father-in-law. As a result, Antonio Samson was unable to marry his true love and cousin, Emy, with whom he sired an illegitimate son. Feeling undeserving of Emy and his son because of his denunciation of his peasant origins, Antonio Samson committed suicide.
Mass
In the fifth and last Rosales Novel, MassMass (novel)
Mass, also known as Mass: A Novel, is a 1973 historical and political novel written by Filipino National Artist F. Sionil José. Together with The Pretenders, the Mass is the completion of José’s The Rosales Saga, which is also known as the Rosales Novels...
, the timeline jumped forward into the 1970s, to narrate the life of Pepe Samson, the illegitimate son of Antonio Samson and his cousin Emy. Pepe Samson went to live in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in order to study in college. He became a member of the revolutionary group called The Brotherhood. The novel ended with the scene when Pepe left Manila to adhere to the cause of the mountain guerrillas.
Connection with Viajero
In José’s separate novel ViajeroViajero
Viajero, Spanish for "The Wanderer" or "The Traveller", is a 1993 English-language novel written by multi-award winning Filipino author F. Sionil José. The literary theme is about the constant search of the Filipino people for “social justice and moral order”...
, which is not a part of the Rosales Saga series, Pepe Samson reappeared as a full-pledged insurgent, while some other Rosales Novels characters also resurfaced.