Assignment in Rizal Course (Final Period)

1. Read, understand and interpret the following selections from Dr. Rizals Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo.
From El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed):
Chapter 7 SIMOUN
Simoun paused with a repressed sigh, and then slowly resumed, while his gaze wandered about:
"Yes, I am he who came here thirteen years ago, sick and wretched, to pay the last tribute to a great and
noble soul that was willing to die for me. The victim of a vicious system, I have wandered over the world,
working night and day to amass a fortune and carry out my plan. Now I have returned to destroy that
system, to precipitate its downfall, to hurl it into the abyss toward which it is senselessly rushing, even
though I may have to shed oceans of tears and blood. It has condemned itself, it stands condemned, and I
don't want to die before I have seen it in fragments at the foot of the precipice!"
Simoun extended both his arms toward the earth, as if with that gesture he would like to hold there
the broken remains. His voice took on a sinister, even lugubrious tone, which made the student shudder.
"Called by the vices of the rulers, I have returned to these islands, and under the cloak of a
merchant have visited the towns. My gold has opened a way for me and wheresoever I have beheld greed
in the most execrable forms, sometimes hypocritical, sometimes shameless, sometimes cruel, fatten on the
dead organism, like a vulture on a corpse, I have asked myself--why was there not, festering in its vitals,
the corruption, the ptomaine, the poison of the tombs, to kill the foul bird? The corpse was letting itself be
consumed, the vulture was gorging itself with meat, and because it was not possible for me to give it life
so that it might turn against its destroyer, and because the corruption developed slowly, I have stimulated
greed, I have abetted it. The cases of injustice and the abuses multiplied themselves; I have instigated
crime and acts of cruelty, so that the people might become accustomed to the idea of death. I have stirred
up trouble so that to escape from it some remedy might be found; I have placed obstacles in the way of
trade so that the country, impoverished and reduced to misery, might no longer be afraid of anything; I
have excited desires to plunder the treasury, and as this has not been enough to bring about a popular
uprising, I have wounded the people in their most sensitive fiber; I have made the vulture itself insult the
very corpse that it feeds upon and hasten the corruption.
From Noli Me Tangere (The Social Cancer):
Chapter 19 : The Schoolmasters Difficulties
The schoolmaster shook his head sadly. "A poor teacher struggles not only against prejudices but
also against certain influences. First, it would be necessary to have a suitable place and not to do as I must
at present--hold the classes under the convento by the side of the padre's carriage. There the children, who
like to read aloud, very naturally disturb the padre, and he often comes down, nervous, especially when he
has his attacks, yells at them, and even insults me at times. You know that no one can either teach or learn
under such circumstances, for the child will not respect his teacher when he sees him abused without
standing up for his rights. In order to be heeded and to maintain his authority the teacher needs prestige,
reputation, moral strength, and some freedom of action.

"Now let me recount to you even sadder details. I have wished to introduce reforms and have
been laughed at. In order to remedy the evil of which I just spoke to you, I tried to teach Spanish to the
children because, in addition to the fact that the government so orders, I thought also that it would be of
advantage for everybody. I used the simplest method of words and phrases without paying any attention
to long rules, expecting to teach them grammar when they should understand the language. At the end of
a few weeks some of the brightest were almost able to understand me and could use a few phrases."
The schoolmaster paused and seemed to hesitate, then, as if making a resolution, he went on: "I
must not be ashamed of the story of my wrongs, for any one in my place would have acted the same as I
did. As I said, it was a good beginning, but a few days afterwards Padre Damaso, who was the curate
then, sent for me by the senior sacristan. Knowing his disposition and fearing to make him wait, I went
upstairs at once, saluted him, and wished him good-morning in Spanish. His only greeting had been to put
out his hand for me to kiss, but at this he drew it back and without answering me began to laugh loud and
mockingly. I was very much embarrassed, as the senior sacristan was present. At the moment I didn't
know just what to say, for the curate continued his laughter and I stood staring at him. Then I began to get
impatient and saw that I was about to do something indiscreet, since to be a good Christian and to
preserve one's dignity are not incompatible. I was going to put a question to him when suddenly, passing
from ridicule to insult, he said sarcastically, 'So it's buenos dins, eh? Buenos dias! How nice that you
know how to talk Spanish!' Then again he broke out into laughter."
Ibarra was unable to repress a smile.
"You smile," continued the schoolmaster, following Ibarra's example, "but I must confess that at
the time I had very little desire to laugh. I was still standing--I felt the blood rush to my head and
lightning seemed to flash through my brain. The curate I saw far, far away. I advanced to reply to him
without knowing just what I was going to say, but the senior sacristan put himself between us. Padre
Damaso arose and said to me in Tagalog: 'Don't try to shine in borrowed finery. Be content to talk your
own dialect and don't spoil Spanish, which isn't meant for you. Do you know the teacher Ciruela?[64]
Well, Ciruela was a teacher who didn't know how to read, and he had a school.' I wanted to detain him,
but he went into his bedroom and slammed the door.
"What was I to do with only my meager salary, to collect which I have to get the curate's approval
and make a trip to the capital of the province, what could I do against him, the foremost religious and
political power in the town, backed up by his Order, feared by the government, rich, powerful, sought
after and listened to, always believed and heeded by everybody? Although he insulted me, I had to remain
silent, for if I replied he would have had me removed from my position, by which I should lose all hope in
my chosen profession. Nor would the cause of education gain anything, but the opposite, for everybody
would take the curate's side, they would curse me and call me presumptuous, proud, vain, a bad Christian,
uncultured, and if not those things, then anti-Spanish and a filibuster. Of a schoolmaster neither learning
nor zeal is expected; resignation, humility, and inaction only are asked. May God pardon me if I have
gone against my conscience and my judgement, but I was born in this country, I have to live, I have a
mother, so I have abandoned myself to my fate like a corpse tossed about by the waves."
2. Secure a copy and interpret these selected poems of Dr. Rizal.
a. Last Poem of Rizal a.k.a Ang Pahimakas (Mi Ultimo Adios)
b. Our Mother Tongue
c. Hymn to Labor
d. To the Philippines Youth
f. Education Gives Luster to the Motherland

3. Discuss further the unfinished works of Jose Rizal and explain the possible complexities and
conflicts that made these documents unfinished and unpublished.
4. Based on the essay of Dr. Rizal To the Indolence of the Filipino is it true that the Filipinos are
indolent by nature?
5. Reflecting on Dr. Rizals To the Young Women of Malolos, how does Dr. Rizal describe
authentic faith and religion?

Note:
1. Put your answers in MS Word (doc. or docx. file) and save the file using your name (surname
first).
2. Submit your assignment by uploading it to prescribed yahoo group for the class inside the folder
of Assignment (Assignment for the Final Period). To access simply click the link File, click the
folder Assignment link and upload the document.
3. Deadline of the submission will be on 6 October 2012, Saturday.