The Struggle for Honor

Cortes, FaustaProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.6

Word count: 144K words
Chapters: 15

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Agawan ng Dangal by Fausta CortesAuthor: Cortes, Fausta,Language: Tagalog, Class: PL: Language and Literatures: Languages and literatures of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania, Release Date: May 30, 2013

Editor's review

Agawan ng Dangal is a work of Tagalog literature from the Philippines, made publicly available through Project Gutenberg and offering Chinese readers a rare entry point into Southeast Asian language and literature. Bibliographically it falls under Tagalog language and literature; the title means "Struggle for Honor," suggesting a narrative centered on honor, conflict, and the human condition. For Chinese readers, its value lies first in linguistic and cultural otherness: it offers direct contact with the rhythms of Tagalog expression and the Philippine literary tradition rather than a detour through English translation. Readers need not rush to find familiar novelistic conventions; they can first take in the texture of the language and the way the narrative unfolds, then grasp the cultural context of honor and dignity. It works well as a supplementary sample of regional literature, broadening readers' sense of what "world literature" can be, but it demands patience with an original work in neither Chinese nor English.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Philippine literature and Southeast Asian culture
Language learners who want to engage with Tagalog source texts
Researchers and enthusiasts doing comparative reading in regional literature
Readers willing to work patiently through foreign works not translated from English

Not a good fit for

Readers who read only Chinese translations and won't consult references
Casual readers expecting fast-paced popular fiction
Beginners with no Tagalog foundation at all

Reading tips

Learn some basic background on Tagalog before starting the text.
Work through it paragraph by paragraph with a dictionary, focusing on the rhythm of the language rather than speed.
Watch for how the theme of "honor" plays out concretely in the plot.
Compare with other Tagalog literary works to build a regional literary frame of reference.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What language is this book written in?

The original is in Tagalog, one of the major languages of the Philippines. There is no Chinese translation in the book, so readers need some Tagalog reading ability or must rely on dictionaries and translation tools.

What does the title Agawan ng Dangal mean?

It can be roughly understood as "Struggle for Honor" or "Contesting Honor." The title signals that the work revolves around honor, dignity, and conflict; as you read, note the choices characters make over honor and what they cost, to grasp the cultural context.

Can I read it without any Tagalog foundation?

It will be quite difficult. This is an original-language work with no sentence-by-sentence notes or translation. With no foundation at all, it is best to first learn basic Tagalog vocabulary and grammar, or read background material, then try working through the text with tools.

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About the author

Cortes, Fausta Author

Fausta Cortes is an author about whom relatively little public information is currently available; her nationality, dates of birth and death, and full biography all remain to be further verified. According to the existing bibliographic records, only one work can be confirmed, Agawan ng Dangal. The title of this work shows clear features of Tagalog, suggesting that it may be connected with the Philippine literary and linguistic tradition, and that its subject matter may involve themes such as honor, contest, and moral choice. Because more biographical materials and records of her works are lacking, it is still difficult to make a definite judgment about the overall character of her writing style, her creative periods, or her literary influence. Readers who wish to understand this author in greater depth will need to rely on further bibliographic organization and archival research. This introduction is based solely on the facts currently available in the database and makes no speculative additions regarding unknown information.