The Woman in Merlie M. Alunan's Selected Poems

PJE 5007

The Woman in Merlie M. Alunan's Selected Poems

Status: PENDING

AUTHOR DETAILS

First Name

Last Name

Middle Name (Optional)

Affiliation

MANUSCRIPT INFORMATION

Article Title

The Woman in Merlie M. Alunan's Selected Poems

Abstract

This literary research explores The Tales of the Spiderwoman by Dr. Merlie M. Alunan, a poetry collection that presents layered female experiences through vivid and symbolic imagery. The study aimed to examine how selected poems—Woman of Many Words and Woman of No Account—reflect the roles, struggles, and inner lives of women within a patriarchal context. Using qualitative textual analysis grounded in feminist literary theory, the research analyzed the poems’ language, structure, and thematic elements.

Findings revealed that Woman of Many Words portrays a woman whose verbal expression symbolizes deep emotional labor and unacknowledged affection, while Woman of No Account exposes the silent suffering of a woman erased by cultural expectations from birth to death. Both poems highlight the complexity of feminine identity, revealing how women’s voices are often devalued, yet remain persistent and expressive forms of resistance.

The study concludes that Alunan’s work affirms women’s lived realities and challenges traditional gender roles through poetic discourse. It is recommended that further research examine more works by Boholana poets to expand the understanding of regional feminist literature and its role in cultural and gender discourse.

Methods

This linguistic study was primarily based on the selected poems of Dr. Merlie M. Alunan’s The Tales of the Spiderwoman. Specifically, the study focused on two poems, Woman of Many Words and Woman of No Account, to explore how Alunan constructs the voices, identities, and inner lives of Filipino women within a socio-cultural and feminist lens.
	This linguistic endeavor utilized the textual and thematic analysis of research to gratify the in-depth inquiry. Such an approach is deemed most suitable as this is not an experimental design. All the language in the corpora with the guidance of the Readers response theory are read, studied, and analyzed thereby interpreting them qualitatively.
	This research is organized into four phases: Phase 1 involves the collection of Merlie M. Alunan’s written works, specifically Woman of Many Words and Woman of No Account. Phase 2 includes the reading, interpretation, and analysis of the two selected poems. In Phase 3, the analysis is categorized according to the portrayed roles of women such us daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, and a career woman – and their perceived self-worth within the contexts of family and society. Finally, Phase 4 focuses on interpreting and discussing the results using the findings as a guide to understand the woman’s role and self-worth as reflected in the poems.

SUBMISSION DETAILS

Manuscript

Scope Statement

This research explores the representation of the Filipino woman in selected poems of Merlie M. Alunan, one of the Philippines' prominent female poets. By analyzing the sociocultural context embedded in her poetry, the research aims to highlight how literature reflects and challenges traditional narratives about womanhood in the Philippines. This study contributes the growing body of feminist literary criticism in Southeast Asia and affirms the value of women's voices in shaping national and cultural identity.