Maître Tace

by Lazaro Francisco

Dans le temps suspendu de la societe philippine traditionnelle qui a perdure jusqu'au Vingtieme Siecle, Maitre Tace, un paysan courageux en butte a la haine du proprietaire de la terre dont il est l'un des tenanciers, se sacrifie corps et ame pour que son fils Delphin fasse des etudes de droit et, une fois etabli, defende la cause des opprimes. Ce chef-d'oeuvre de la litterature tagale plonge le lecteur occidental dans un monde etrange ou le tragique familier et universel se combine avec un exotisme en trompe-l'oeil.

346 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Prize-winning writer Lazaro A. Francisco developed the social realist tradition in Philippine fiction. His eleven novels, now acknowledged classics of Philippine literature, embodies the author’s commitment to nationalism. Amadis Ma. Guerrero wrote, “Francisco championed the cause of the common man, specifically the oppressed peasants. His novels exposed the evils of the tenancy system, the exploitation of farmers by unscrupulous landlords, and foreign domination.” Teodoro Valencia also observed, “His pen dignifies the Filipino and accents all the positives about the Filipino way of life. His writings have contributed much to the formation of a Filipino nationalism.” Literary historian and critic Bienvenido Lumbera also wrote, “When the history of the Filipino novel is written, Francisco is likely to occupy an eminent place in it. Already in Tagalog literature, he ranks among the finest novelists since the beginning of the 20th century. In addition to a deft hand at characterization, Francisco has a supple prose style responsive to the subtlest nuances of ideas and the sternest stuff of passions.”

Francisco gained prominence as a writer not only for his social conscience but also for his “masterful handling of the Tagalog language” and “supple prose style”. With his literary output in Tagalog, he contributed to the enrichment of the Filipino language and literature for which he is a staunch advocate. He put up an arm to his advocacy of Tagalog as a national language by establishing the Kapatiran ng mga Alagad ng Wikang Pilipino (KAWIKA) in 1958.

His reputation as the “Master of the Tagalog Novel” is backed up by numerous awards he received for his meritorious novels in particular, and for his contribution to Philippine literature and culture in general. His masterpiece novels—Ama, Bayang Nagpatiwakal, Maganda Pa Ang Daigdig and Daluyong—affirm his eminent place in Philippine literature. In 1997, he was honored by the University of the Philippines with a special convocation, where he was cited as the “foremost Filipino novelist of his generation” and “champion of the Filipino writer’s struggle for national identity.”

Reviews

[Janice Tabinas]

Hahahaha

[Tristan Coloma · Rating 5 out of 5]

How To Read ?

[Janine · Rating 2 out of 5]

how to read?

[Allenrei25]

Ang bobo. ng nakaisip nito tang ina niya kamo ang bobo. niya
ito ba yung pinagmamalaki niya ./. all nigga shitss ./.