There are two heroines in Balagtas' masterpiece, Laura and Flerida. Both of them are blessed with mesmerizing beauty.

The main character of Francisco Balagtas' masterpiece is an exemplary man who believes in pure love and unassuming kindness.

During the ravages of American colonialism in the Philippines in the first half of the twentieth century, he was hailed as a hero and role model by intellectuals and artists who believed in the enlightening power of language and poetry.

Though Balagtas’ work may have been based on the Filipino colonial experience in the 19th century, what he discusses is universal and timeless.