Development of Rizal’s Nationalism The meaning of his fall
Jose Rizal was born on June 19, 1861.  It was a
Wednesday evening in Calamba, Laguna, and his
mother nearly died in the process.  He was baptized
three days later, on June 22, by the parish priest of the
Catholic Church in his town, Fr. Rufino Collantes from
Batangas.  His godfather, Fr. Pedro Casanas, was a
close family friend.  Rizal's mother named him after St.
Joseph, to whom she was ardently devoted.
THE SURNAME
            Mercado was the original surname of the Rizal
family.  Domingo Lamco, Jose's great-great-
grandfather, adopted the name Rizal in 1731 and it
became a second surname of the family.  In Jose's
letter to Ferdinand Blumentritt, he says:
            "I am the only Rizal in because at home my
parents, my sisters my brother and my relatives have
always preferred our old surname Mercado. Our family
name was in fact Mercado, but there were many
Mercados in the Philippines who are not related to
us.  It is said that an alcalde mayor, who was a friend
of our family added Rizal to our name.  My family did
not pay much attention to this, but now I have to use
it.  In this way, it seems that I am an illegitimate son."
RIZAL'S BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATE
His baptismal certificate reads:
            "I, the undersigned parish priest of
Calamba, certify that from the investigation made
with proper authority, for replacing the parish
books which were burned September 28, 1862, to
be found in Docket No. 1 of Baptisms, p.49, it
appears by the sworn testimony of competent
witnesses that Jose Rizal Mercado is the
legitimate son, and of lawful wedlock, of Don
Francisco Rizal Mercado and Dona Teodora
Realonda, having been baptized in this parish on
the 22nd day of June in the years 1861, by the
parish priest Rev. Rufino Collantes, Rev. Pedro
Casanas being his godfather. -- Witness my
signature."
(Signed): Leoncio Lopez
 
 
Rizal’s complete name:
RizaJosé Protacio Mercado Rizal Alonzo Y Realonda
 
This outline shows the following:
Multiracial Ancestry/Mixed racial ancestry
Birth and Early Childhood
Studies/Education in the Philippines
Travels,lovelife,ideals, aspirations and
The objectives of this lesson are:
 To identify the significant factors contributed to
Rizal's being a hero;
 To know how his parents mold him to become
a better person;
 To appreciate the qualities of Rizal as a child to
his parents, student, champion and genius.
Let me introduce the description of who Rizal is?
He is a Patriot, a Physician, a Man of Letters who was
an inspiration to the Philippine nationalist movement
(La Solidaridad --- Katipunan ), and a National Hero
and pride of the Malayan race.
In terms of his ancestry, Rizal has a Mixed Racial
Origin.
From his father side:
Domino Lam-Co (a full-blooded Chinese from Amoy,
China) - - Ines de la Rosa (Chinese half-breed)
Francisco Mercado - -  Bernarda Monicha (21
children)
Juan Mercado - - Cirila  Alejandra (14 children)
Francisco Mercado Rizal
 
RIZAL'S FAMILY
            Francisco Mercado Rizal was born on May 11,
1818 in Binan, Laguna.  He was a graduate of the
College of San Jose in Manila, studying Latin and
Philosophy.  Francisco moved to Calamba to become
a tenant-farmer of a hacienda owned by the
Dominicans.  He died at the age of 80 on January 5,
1898 in Manila. About his father, Jose Rizal says that
he is "a model of fathers."
            Teodora Alonso Realonda was born on
November 8, 1826 in Manila.  She was a graduate of
the College of Santa Rosa.  She died at the age of 85
on August 16, 1911 in Manila. About his mother, Jose
Rizal says, "My mother is a woman of more than
ordinary culture; she knows literature and speaks
Spanish better than I. She corrected my poems and
gave me good advice when I was studying rhetoric.
She is a mathematician and has read many books."
 
Rizal is the seventh of eleven children:
1. Saturnina
2. Paciano
3. Narcisa
4. Olimpia
5. Lucia 
6. Maria
7. Jose
8. Concepcion
9. Josefa
10. Trinidad
11. Soledad

            Rizal's family was a mixture of races.  They
were a combination of Negrito, Malay, Indonesian,
Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish, though Jose was
predominantly Malayan.
 
 
Rizal’s Multiracial Ancestry are the following:
Spanish
Chinese
Japanese
Malayo-Polynesian
Negrito
            This is what makes us unique from all other
nations.  Our uniqueness is our differences.  We are a
combination of some races.  It is what makes us a
Filipino.
            It is difficult to say when Filipinos began to
think of themselves as Filipinos and not simply
as Tagalogs, Ilokanos or Visayans. Probably the
preliminary stage in the development of national
consciousness was reached when indios realized that
they have something in common, that is, a common
grievance against the Spaniards (De la Costa 1965:
213). Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, was the first to
think the indios as one nation when he first used the
word “Filipino” to refer to all inhabitants in the country
whether they are of Spanish or Filipino blood. During
the Spanish period, the native inhabitants were
called “Indios” while only the inhabitants with Spanish
blood (peninsulares,insulares or mestizos) were
regarded as Filipinos. Rizal could not have thought of
one people and one nation which include all people in
archipelago without the influence of the social milieu of
his time. Rizal was born and grew up in the
19th century, a period of massive changes in Europe,
Spain and in the Philippines. During this era, the glory
and power of Spain had waned both in her colonies
and in the world.
 
With respect to Rizal’s Immediate Family
This is his Father
- Studied Latin & Philosophy at the College of San
Jose (Manila)
- described by Rizal as “model of fathers”
- he inherited  . . . Profound sense of dignity, self-
respect, seriousness and self-possession
- a successful farmer
- he loved books
- an excellent model for Rizal that molded him up into
a man of honor
- understood the world of humanity which furnished
him with greater respect for other people, and a
greater respect to the dignity of labor.
This is her Mother
- born in Meisik, Sta. Cruz Manila.
- talented and remarkable woman
- he inherited . . . temperament of the poet and
dreamer and bravery for sacrifice
- his first teacher
- inculcated the value of knowledge and education to
the young Rizal
- a good Mathematician and Manager of business of
the Rizal family.
Rizal mentioned something about his mother, he said:
            “My mother is not a woman of ordinary culture.
She knows literature and speaks Spanish better than I
do. She even corrected my poems and gave me wise
advice when I was studying rhetoric. She is a
mathematician and has read many books.”
            It is Rizal’s mother that influenced him alot. His
mother encouraged him to express his ideas and
sentiments in verse.
            It was the “story of the Moth” that changed the
life of Rizal. “The Story of the Moth” is about the
mother moth warning its offspring of the danger of
fluttering to close to flame. The little moth did not heed
the advice, thus it was burned by the flame. 
            This gave him the moral lesson that if one
must succeed, he must take risks and prepare for the
worst consequences. Without courage, there will be no
glory.
            His mother knew of the consequences of
Rizal’s ideals and aspirations in changing the
Philippines as he fought against the Spaniards.  He
conquered death with his principles and fought well
against his enemies.
 
 
 
 
Rizal’s Birth and Early Childhood
In Calamba, Laguna:
19 June 1861 – birth
22 June 1861 – baptized
1864 - learned the alphabet from his mother
1865 - his sister Conception (8th child) died at the age
of three.
1865 – 1867 - his mother taught him how to read and
write
Leon Monroy - taught Rizal the rudiments of Latin
Uncle Manuel Alberto - taught the latter love for the
nature
Usman – Rizal’s dog
Uncle Gregorio - instilled love for education  
1869 - he wrote "Sa Aking Mga Kabata."
 
In Biñan, Laguna :
1870 - His brother Paciano brought Rizal to Biñan,
Laguna
Justinian Aquino Cruz – taught Rizal Latin and
Spanish
Juancho Carrera – taught him the art of painting
On 17th of December 1870 - Rizal returned to
Calamba after he finished his studies in Biñan.
 
Back in Calamba:
1871 - His mother was imprisoned in Sta. Cruz,
Laguna for allegedly poisoning the wife of Jose Alberto
1872 - Cavite Mutiny on January 20, 1872; his father
forbid the words:
Burgos
filibustero
Cavite
 
Rizal Education here and abroad 
In Binan and Calamba, Laguna
19 June 1861
JOSE RIZAL, the seventh child of Francisco
Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonso y Quintos, was
born in Calamba, Laguna.
22 June 1861
He was baptized JOSE RIZAL MERCADO at the
Catholic Church of Calamba by the parish priest
Rev. Rufino Collantes with Rev. Pedro Casañas as
the sponsor.
28 September 1862
The parochial church of Calamba and the canonical
books, including the book in which Rizal’s baptismal
records were burned.
1864
Barely three years old, Rizal learned the alphabet
from his mother.
1865
When he was four years old, his sister Conception,
the eighth child in the Rizal family, died at the age of
three. It was on this occasion that Rizal
remembered having shed real tears for the first
time.
1865 – 1867
During this time his mother taught him how to read
and write. His father hired a classmate by the name
of Leon Monroy who, for five months until his
(Monroy) death, taught Rizal the rudiments of Latin.
At about this time two of his mother’s cousin
frequented Calamba. Uncle Manuel Alberto, seeing
Rizal frail in body, concerned himself with the
physical development of his young nephew and
taught the latter love for the open air and developed
in him a great admiration for the beauty of nature,
while Uncle Gregorio, a scholar, instilled into the
mind of the boy love for education. He advised
Rizal: "Work hard and perform every task very
carefully; learn to be swift as well as thorough; be
independent in thinking and make visual pictures of
everything."
6 June 1868 
With his father, Rizal made a pilgrimage to Antipolo
to fulfill the vow made by his mother to take the child
to the Shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo should she
and her child survive the ordeal of delivery which
nearly caused his mother’s life.
From there they proceeded to Manila and visited his
sister Saturnina who was at the time studying in the
La Concordia College in Sta. Ana.
1869
At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first poem
entitled "Sa Aking Mga Kabata." The poem was
written in tagalog and had for its theme "Love of
One’s Language."
Rizal had his early education in Calamba and Biñan. It
was a typical schooling that a son of an ilustrado
family received during his time, characterized by the
four R’s- reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion.
Instruction was rigid and strict. Knowledge was forced
into the minds of the pupils by means of the tedious
memory method aided by the teacher’s whip. Despite
the defects of the Spanish system of elementary
education, Rizal was able to acquire the necessary
instruction preparatory for college work in Manila. It
may be said that Rizal, who was born a physical
weakling, rose to become an intellectual giant not
because of, but rather in spite of, the outmoded and
backward system of instruction obtaining in the
Philippines during the last decades of Spanish regime.
The Hero’s First Teacher
The first teacher of Rizal was his mother, who was a
remarkable woman of good character and fine culture.
On her lap, he learned at the age of three the alphabet
and the prayers. "My mother," wrote Rizal in his
student memoirs, "taught me how to read and to say
haltingly the humble prayers which I raised fervently to
God."
As tutor, Doña Teodora was patient, conscientious,
and understanding. It was she who first discovered
that her son had a talent for poetry. Accordingly, she
encouraged him to write poems. To lighten the
monotony of memorizing the ABC’s and to stimulate
her son’s imagination, she related many stories.
As Jose grew older, his parents employed private
tutors to give him lessons at home. The first was
Maestro Celestino and the second, Maestro Lucas
Padua. Later, an old man named Leon Monroy, a
former classmate of Rizal’s father, became the boy’s
tutor. This old teacher lived at the Rizal home and
instructed Jose in Spanish and Latin. Unfortunately, he
did not live long. He died five months later.
After a Monroy’s death, the hero’s parents decided to
send their gifted son to a private school in Biñan.
Early Schooling in Biñan
One Sunday afternoon in June, 1869, Jose, after
kissing the hands of his parents and a tearful parting
from his sister, left Calamba for Biñan. He was
accompanied by Paciano, who acted as his second
father.
The next morning (Monday) Paciano brought his
younger brother to the school of Maestro Justiniano
Aquino Cruz.
The school was in the house of the teacher, which was
a small nipa hut about 30 meters from the home of
Jose’s aunt.
Paciano knew the teacher quite well because he had
been a pupil under him before. He introduced Jose to
the teacher, after which he departed to return to
Calamba.
His teacher in Biñan was a severe disciplinarian. His
name was Justiniano Aquino Cruz. "He was a tall
man, lean and long-necked, with a sharp nose and a
body slightly bent forward. He used to wear a sinamay
shirt woven by the deft hands of Batangas women.
The boy Jose distinguished himself in class, and
succeeded in surpassing many of his older
classmates. Some of these were so wicked that, even
without reason, they accused him before the teacher,
for which, in spite of his progress, he received many
whippings and strokes from the ferule. Rare was the
day when he was not stretched on the bench for a
whipping or punished with five or six blows on the
open palm. Jose’s reaction to all these punishments
was one of intense resentment in order to learn and
thus carry out his father’s will.
Jose spent his leisure hours with Justiniano’s father-in-
law, a master painter. From him he took his first two
sons, two nephews, and a grandson. His way life was
methodical and well regulated. He heard mass at four
if there was one that early, or studied his lesson at that
hour and went to mass afterwards. Returning home,
he might look in the orchard for a mambolo fruit to eat,
and then he took his breakfast, consisting generally of
a plate of rice and two dried sardines. 
After that he would go to class, from which he was
dismissed at ten, and then home again. He ate with
his aunt and then began at ten, then home again. He
ate with his aunt and then began to study. At half past
two he returned to class and left at five. He might play
for a short time with some cousins before returning
home. He studied his lessons, drew for a while, and
then prayed and if there was a moon, his friends would
invite him to play in the street in company with other
boys.
First School Brawling
The afternoon of his first day in school, when the
teacher was having his siesta, Jose met the bully,
Pedro. He was angry at this bully for making fun of him
during his conversation with the teacher in the
morning.
Jose challenged Pedro to a fight. The latter readily
accepted, thinking that he could easily beat the
Calamba boy who was smaller and younger.
The two boys wrestled furiously in the classroom,
much to the glee of their classmates. Jose, having
learned the art of wrestling from his athletic Tio
Manuel, defeated the bigger boy. For this feat, he
became popular among his classmates.
After the class in the afternoon, a classmate named
Andres Salandanan challenged him to an arm-
wrestling match. They went to a sidewalk of a house
and wrestled with their arms. Jose, having the weaker
arm, lost and nearly cracked his head on the sidewalk.
In succeeding days he had other fights with the boys
of Biñan. He was not quarrelsome by nature, but he
never ran away from a fight.
Best Student in School
In academic studies, Jose beat all Biñan boys. He
surpassed them all in Spanish, Latin, and other
subjects.
Some of his older classmates were jealous of his
intellectual superiority. They wickedly squealed to the
teacher whenever Jose had a fight outside the school,
and even told lies to discredit him before the teacher’s
eyes. Consequently the teacher had to punish Jose.  Ateneo de Manila.
Life and Studies at Ateneo
The Jesuits were considered the best educators of
Spain, and perhaps of Europe, and so, when they
were permitted to return to the Philippines, although
their power to administer parishes was restricted
except in the remote regions of Mindanao, the
privilege of founding colleges, they had to apply to the
City of Manila for subsidies. That is why the college
which began to function in the year 1865 was called
the Ateneo Municipal. 
To enter the Ateneo, a candidate was subjected to an
entrance examination on Christian doctrine, reading,
writing, grammar, and elementary arithmetic. Jose did
not take his entrance examinations Jose did not
remain in Manila but returned first to his town to
celebrate the fiesta of its patron saint; it was then that
his father changed his mind and decided to send him
to the Ateneo instead.
Since Mercado, the first surname of the family, had
come under suspicion of the authorities because it
was the name used by Paciano when he was studying
and working with Father Burgos, in whose house he
lived, Jose adopted the second surname, Rizal.
Paciano who accompanied Jose, found him a house in
Walled City, but Intramuros looked gloomy to Jose,
and he later found lodging outside, in the house of a
spinster situated on CalleCarballo, district of Santa
Cruz. As if chance would furnish him data for his future
campaigns, he became acquainted in that house with
various mestizos, begotten by friars.
The Jesuitical system of instruction was considered
more advanced than that of other colleges in that
epoch. Its discipline was rigid and its methods less
mechanical. It introduced physical culture as part of its
program as well as the cultivation of the arts, such as
music, drawing, and painting. It also establishes
vocational courses in agriculture, commerce, and
mechanics as a religious institute, its principal purpose
was to mold the character and the will of the boys to
comply more easily with the percepts of the Church.
The students heard mass before the beginning of the
class, which was opened and closed with prayers.
On June 10, 1872, Jose together with his brother went
to Manila to grant his wish of enrolling Jose in San
Juan de Letran. Jose Rizal took the entrance
examination and passed them with flying colors, and
then he went back to Calamba to stay for a while with
his family and attend their town fiesta only to find out
that his father’s wish changed instead of enrolling him
to San Juan de Letran he wished to enroll him to
 
Thus, being an obedient child, upon his return to
Manila accompanied again by his brother Paciano,
they proceeded to Ateneo Municipal. At first Father
Magin Fernando, who was the college registrar,
denied them of admittance for two reasons: 
1. Late for registration
2. Sickly and undersize for his age. Jose Rizal
was then eleven years old.
However, they sought the intercession of Manual
Xerez Burgos, nephew of Father Burgos. As a result,
he was reluctantly admitted at the Ateneo.
First Year in Ateneo (1972-73)
Jose Rizal belonged to the class composed of
Spaniards, mestizos and Filipinos. His first teacher
was Fr. Jose Bech. As a newcomer and knowing little
Spanish, he was considered as inferior and placed at
the bottom of the class. He was an externo hence he
was assigned to the Carthaginians, an occupant of the
end of the line.
He proved he was no inferior for at the end of the
month he became the emperor and received a prize, a
religious picture. To improve his Spanish, Jose Rizal
took private lesson in Santa Isabel College during the
noon recess while students were playing and
gossiping. In the second half of the first year, his
performance declined and was not able to maintain his
academic supremacy that he held during his first half
of the term for the reason that he was affected so
much by the remarks of some professors. He placed
second at the end of the year although his grades
were marked excellent. 
According to AmbethOcampo there were only twelve
students in a class, nine of which, including Jose
Rizal, graduated sobresaliente with the same excellent
mark in all their subjects in school year 1876-77.
In the first two terms the classes were divided into
groups of interns and externs: the first constituted the
Roman Empire and the second, the Carthaginian
Empire. In each empire there were five dignitaries:
Emperor, Tribune, Decurion, Centurion, and Standard-
Bearer. These dignities were won by means of
individual competitions in which it was necessary to
catch one’s adversary in error three times. The
empires considered themselves in perpetual warfare,
and when an individual of one empire was caught in
error by one belonging to the enemy empire, a point
was counted in favor of the latter. At the end of each
week or two, the points in favor of each were added
and the empire, which obtained more point, was
declared winner.
There was a fraternity of Mary and Saint Louis
Gonzaga, to which only those who distinguished
themselves in the class for their piety and diligence
could belong. This fraternity met on Sundays and after
mass held public programs in which poems were
recited or debates were held. With all these
inducements it was only natural that should be a spirit
of emulation, a striving to surpass ones colleagues
found in the Ateneo.
The first professor Jose had was Fr. Jose Bech, whom
he describes as a man of high stature; lean body, bent
forward; quick gait; ascetic physiognomy, severe and
inspired; small, sunken eyes; sharp Grecian nose; thin
lips forming an arch with its sides directed toward the
chin." He was somewhat of a lunatic and of an uneven
humor; sometimes he was hard and little tolerant and
at other times he was gay and playful as a child.
Among Jose’s classmates were Peninsulares and
sons of Peninsulares; Francisco G. Oliva, very
talented but not very studious; Joaquin Garrido,
endowed with a poor memory but with much talent and
industry; and Gonzalo Marzano, who occupied the
throne of Emperor.
From the first days Jose learned to systematize his
work; he fixed a program of what he had to do in the
twenty-four hours of the day and did not in the least
deviate from it. Thus he disciplined his will and
subjected it to the commands of his reason.  the dungeon of Chateau d’ If, the finding of
As a newcomer, Jose was at first put at the tail of the
class, but he was soon promoted and kept on being
promoted so that at the end of one month he had
attained to the rank of Emperor. At the end of the term
he obtained marks of excellent in all the subjects and
in the examinations. He had reason to feel proud of his
advancement; and so when he went home on vacation
that year, he ran alone to see his mother in the prison
and tell her the happy news.
He must have uttered this exclamation on learning
from his mother that they had played her a mean trick.
The judge, who was a blind partisan of the friars
having been a domestic of theirs, told her that if she
confessed her culpability he would release her at
once. With the desire to see her children again, she
pleaded guilty; but the judge, instead of releasing her,
convicted her. In a few months the judge asked her
forgiveness for what he had done because according
to him his conscience hurt him, but the case had no
remedy because it was already on appeal.  Jose Rizal returned to Ateneo shortly before the
Second year in Ateneo (1873-74)
The second year, Jose had the same professor as in
the previous year; but instead of lodging outside the
City, he resided at No. 6 CalleMagallanes. At the end
of the term he obtained a medal, and upon returning to
his town, he again visited his mother in jail alone. This
was three months before her release.
The rejoicing that her release produced in his spirit
had much influence on the result of his studies in the
third year, for he began to win prizes in the quarterly
examinations. 
About that time he devoted himself to reading novels,
and one of those he enjoyed most was
Dumas’ (father) The Count of Monte Cristo, the
sufferings of the hero of twelve years. He also asked
his father to buy him a copy of The Universal History
by Cesar Cantanu, and according to himself he
profited much from its perusal. 
The family, who saw in Jose great aptitude for study,
decided to place him as intern or boarding student in
the college the following year. In the corner of the
dormitory facing the sea and the pier Jose passed his
two years of internship. Jose Rizal repented having
neglected his studies the previous year. He studied
harder this year and regained his leadership
composure and became an emperor again.
His Favorite Books
1. ‘Count of Monte Cristo’ (Alexander
Dumas) – characterized by Edmond Dantes
(the hero) in prison, is spectacular escape from
buried treasure on the rocky island of Monte
Cristo, and his dramatic revenge on his
enemies who had wronged him;
2. ‘Travels in the Philippines’ (Dr. Feodor
Jagor) – a German scientist-traveler who
visited the Philippines in 1859-1860. What
struck him most in this book were Jagor’s keen
oberservations of the defects of Spanish
colonization and his prophecy that someday
Spain would lose the Philippines and that
America would come to succeed her as
colonizer;
3. ‘Universal History’ (Cesar Cantu) – a non-
fiction historical work. He was able to acquire
an expensive set of this book by convincing his
father that this book would be of great aid in his
studies and enabled him to win more prizes.
Third year in Ateneo (187-75)
classes began to start his junior year. He met his
mother and informed him that she was finally released
from prison, just as he predicted when he visited her to
her prison cell in Santa Cruz, Laguna.
However, he was disappointed to the result of his
class performance as in the previous year, although
his grades remained excellent in all subjects. He won
a single medal in Latin. He failed to win a medal in
Spanish because his spoken Spanish was not that
fluent. A Spaniard who delivered Spanish with fluency
and right accentuation defeated him.
Fourth Year in Ateneo (1875-76)
On June 16, 1875, he became a boarder in Ateneo.
He befriended his professor Fr. Francisco de Paula
Sanchez, whom he regarded as great educator and
scholar. He inspired him to write poetry and to study
harder. Fr. Sanchez recognized his God-given talents.
Because of the inspiration and recognition given, he
regarded the Jesuit professor as “model of
uprightness, earnestness, and love” for the
advancement of his students.
Consequently, he resumed his studies with vigor and
dedication and topped all his classmates in all subjects
and won five medals at the end of the school term.
In the fourth year of his course he had Fr. Francisco
Sanchez as professor. Jose describes him as a model
of rectitude, a solicitude, and love for the student, and
his studied mathematics, rhetoric, and Greek, and he
must have progressed much, for at the end of the year
he-obtained five medals, which pleased him
immensely because with them I could repay my father
somewhat for his sacrifices.
His aptitude for poetry revealed itself early, and from
that time on he did not cease to cultivate it.
An incident which demonstrates Jose’s independence
of character took place at this time. Fr. Leoncio Lopez,
parish priest of the town, who was a great friend of his
father, also liked Jose as a little friend. He was
cultured but at the same time timid and tender. One
day Jose’s mother showed Father Lopez a poem of
his young friend and that the latter must have copied it
from a book. Jose, who heard this, answered the
priest violently, for which his mother reprehended him.
Afterward Father Lopez came to know from the Jesuits
themselves that Jose was a pupil who excelled in
poetry; and, in spite of his age, made a trip to Manila
expressly to apologize to Jose. That gesture of Father
Lopez’ won him Jose’s esteem and they became good
friends again, lending each other the books they had.
Last year in Ateneo (1876-77)
In the fifth years Jose had other professors: Frs.
Vilaclara and Mineves. He studied philosophy,
physics, chemistry, and natural history, but his
devotion to poetry was such that his professor in
philosophy advised him once to leave it, which made
him cry. But in his rest hours he continued cultivating
the Muses under the direction of his old professor,
Father Sanchez. Jose had then written a short story
(leyenda), which was only slightly corrected by his
professor, and a dialogue, which was enacted at the
end of the course, alluding to the collegians’ farewell.
However, philosophy, just and serve, inquiring into the
wherefores of things, interested him as much as
poetry; physics, drawing back the veil that divine
drama of nature was enacted, natural history seemed
to him somewhat uninteresting although he much liked
the shells and sometimes imagined seeing a goddess
in each shell he was on the shelf.
Jose was considered small of stature and he tried to
correct this defect by applying himself regularly to
gymnastics in the college. He also engaged in other
physical exercises, such as fencing. After his
baccalaureate, he surprised his family with his skill in
handling the sword when he gave an exhibition bout
with the best swordsman of the town.
He also devoted time to painting and sculpture. In
drawing and painting he was under the guidance and
direction of the Ateneo professor, the Peninsula Don
AugustinSaez, who honored him with his affection and
consideration because of his progress. In sculpture his
instructor was a Filipino, Romualdo de Jesus, who felt
proud in the last years of his life of having had such an
excellent pupil. 
Although there was a great improvement in his
performance but his previous years of performance
made a great effect, he graduated on March 23, 1877
(16 years old) and received the degree of Bachelor of
Arts, with highest honors and not a valedictorian.
Extra-Curricular Involvement
-an emperor inside the classroom
-campus leader
-active member and became a secretary, the Marian
Congregation Religious Society
-member of the Academy of Spanish Literature and
the Academy of Natural Sciences 
-poet
-studied painting under the famous Spanish Painter,
Agustin Saez
-improved his sculpture talents under the supervision
of Romualdo de Jesus
-Engaged in gymnastics and fencing and continued
the physical training under his sports-minded Tio
Manuel.
Finishes Surveying course in Ateneo (1878)
During his term in University of Santo
Tomas (1877 – 78), Rizal also studied at Ateneo; he
took the vocational course leading to a title of porito
agrimensor (expert surveyor)). In those days it should
be remembered, the college for boys in Manila offered
vocational courses in agriculture, commerce,
mechanics and surveying.  hostility at UST. His uncle, Antonio Rivera, Leonor’s
Rizal’s unhappy days at UST. Rizal’s Ateneo boy
wonder, found the atmosphere at the UST a
suffocating to his sensitive spirit. He was unhappy of
this Dominican Institution of high learning because:
1. the Dominican professors were hostile to him
2. the Filipino students were racially
discriminated, and
3. the method of teachings were obsolete and
repressive
 
Discontented days at UST
Fearful of the Spanish authorities who seem to frown
on those Filipinos who learn too much, she warned her
husband. “Do not send Jose again to Manila. If gets to
know too much, they will cut off his head!” Jose, who
was present in their family council when his mother
said this, was shocked. He knows her mother was a
woman of education and culture: she even taught him
and inspired him to write poetry; she came from a
family of high learning – her own brother (and his
uncle) Jose Alberto Alonso had been educated abroad
and could speak multiple Spanish, French, English
and German.  Secret departure on Spain
Rizal enters the university. In April 1877, Rizal, who
was barely 16 years old, matriculated in the University
of Santo Tomas taking up Philosophy and Letters. He
enrolled in this course for two reasons: (1) his father
like it and (2) he was “still uncertain to what career to
follow”. He had written to father Pablo Ramon, Rector
of the Ateneo, who had been good to him during his
days in Ateneo, asking for advice in the choice of
career. Unfortunately, Father Rector was in Mindanao
and during those days it several months to travel a
letter from Manila to Mindanao. Consequently during
his first term (1877-78) in the University of Santo
Tomas he studied Cosmology, Metaphysics, Theodicy
and History of Philosophy.  Rizal used a passport obtained by a cousin
It was during the school term (1878-79) that Rizal took
up medicine, enrolling simultaneously in preparatory
medical course and the regular first year medical
course.  Hidalgo from Manila arrived, announcing that the
The reasons why he studied medicine:  Spanish steamer Salvadora was scheduled to sail
1. He wanted to be a physician so that he may
cure his mother’s failing eyesight.
2. The Father Rector of the University, whom he
consulted for a choice of career, finally
answered his letter, and recommended
medicine.
 
Decision to study abroad
After finishing the fourth year of his medical course,
Rizal decided to study in Spain. He could no longer
endure the rampant bigotry, discrimination, and
father, encouraged him to go abroad. Both Paciano
and Saturnina, whom he contacted secretly, were of
similar opinion. 
For the first time, Rizal did not seek his parent’s
decision and blessing to go abroad, because he knew
that they, especially his mother will disapprove his
plan. He did not also bring his beloved Leonor in his
confidence. He had enough common sense to know
that Leonor, being a woman, and young and romantic
at that, could not keep a secret. Thus, Riza’s parent,
Leonor, and the Spanish authorities knew nothing of
his decision to go abroad in order to finish his medical
studies in Spain, where the professors were more
tolerant and understanding than those of the
University of Santo Tomas. 
With his parent’s blessings and unknown to Spanish
authorities, Rizal left Manila on May 8, 1882. He went
to Spain where he completed his university study,
improved his knowledge in language and arts. At that
time, the government in Spain was a constitutional
monarchy. 
 
 
Rizal’s departure in Spain was kept secret in order to
avoid detection by the colonial officials and the friars.
Even his own parents did not know that he was
leaving. Only Uncle Antonio Rivera, Paciano and
sisters and some close friends knew. Paciano gave
him 700 pesos. Saturnina gave hima diamond ring
which helped him very much during his days of
poverty in Europe. To maintain his studies and
Sojourn abroad, he needed a monthly allowance of 35
pesos, and this amount Paciano promised to send
regularly through Uncle Antonio. 
 
named “Jose Mercado”. To outwit the Spanish
authorities, he went to Calamba ostensibly to attain
the town fiesta. A cryptic telegram by Manuel T.
Singapore. Early in Morning in May 1, 1882, he left
Calamba by carromata, reaching manila after 10 hours
of travel. He had time to book travel. He had time to
book passage on the Salvadora, to write farewell
letters to his family and friends, and bid good-bye to
his friends. The kind Jesuit father, whom he visited to
say adios, gave him letters of recommendation to
members of their Society in Barcelona. He said also a
tearful farewell meeting to his beloved, Leonor. This
proved to be their last meeting, for they were destined
never to meet again.  trip to Spain.  After the passport inspection on Port-
 
Singapore
During the voyage, Rizal keenly observed the persons
and things around him and compared him with those
in Philippines. He was the only Filipino on board. His
fellow passengers were foreign travelers and some
Spanish imployees and merchants returning to
Spain. “Almost all of those men” he wrote, speaking of
the Spanish travelers, “spoke ill of the country for
which they have gone for pecuniary reasons”. 
 
After five days of sailing, the Salvadora reached the
English colony in Singapore. For the first time, Rizal
saw Singapore and was impressed by its progress and
beautiful sights. He particularly admired “the
confidence which the native Singapore seemed to
have their government” surely a great contrast to “the
fear of their shown in the Filipinos”.  abuses unworthy of their priestly habit or
 
First trip through Suez Canal
 
In Singapore, Rizal boarded in Djemnah, a French
steamer, which was sailing to Europe. It was Larger
and cleaner than the Salvadora. He tried to Speak
French in some passengers, but to his surprise, the
bookish French which he learned in Ateneo could not
be understood. He had to speak it with a mixture of
Latin and Spanish words, aided with much
gesticulation and frequent sketching on paper, to him
understood. 
 
A week after leaving Singapore, the steamer reached
Point de Galle. In the morning of May 18, voyage was
resumed, and in the afternoon on the same day the
steamer docked at the Colomb, Ceylon. From
Colombo the steamer crossed the Indian Ocean to
Café Guardafui in Africa. On May 18, he saw for the
first time the coast of Africa.On June 2, he arrived in
the city of Suez, the Red Sea terminal of the Suez
Canal.  Rizal completed his medical course in Spain. He was
 
Naples and Marseilles
 
From Port Said, the Djemnah proceed to its way to
Europe. On June 11, Rizal reached Naples. On the
night of June 12, the steamer docked at the French
harbor of Marseilles. 
 
Barcelona
 
At Marseilles, Rizal took the train for the last lap for his
Bou, Rizal continued his trip by rail, finally reaching
destination, Bacelona. 
Rizal became a Mason
 
In Spain, Rizal came in contact with the liberal and
republican elements, most of whom were Masons.
Being young and lonely in foreign country, he was
easily impressed by the way of the prominent Spanish
attacked the government and the Church. 
 
In due time, his friends who were Masons persuade
him to join Masonry. In 1883 he joined the Masonic
Lodge Acacia in Madrid. His Masonic name was
Dimasalang. 
 
Two reasons why he joined Masonry: 
1. The bad friars in the Philippines, by their
calling, Rizal drove to desperation and
Masonry.
2. He needed the help of Masons to fight the bad
friars in the Philippines, for Masonry, to Rizal,
was a shield to use in his fight against the evil
forces of tyranny.
 
Rizal became a master of Masons in Lodge
Solidaridad on November 15, 1890. Later, on February
15, 1892, he became a Master Mason of Le Grand
Orient France in Paris. 
 
Rizal’s salute to Luna and Hidalgo.
 
At the National Exposition of Fine Arts in Madrid in
1884, both Luna and Hidalgo won signal honors for
their country. They entered this art competition against
many painters in Europe, and emerged triumphant. 
 
Studies completed in Spain.
 
awarded the degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the
Universidad Central de Madrid on June 21, 1884. The
next academic year (1884-85) he studied and passed
all subjects leading to the degree of Doctor of
Medicine. “Due to the fact that he did not present the
thesis required for graduation nor paid the fees, he  
was not awarded his Doctor’s Diploma”.  In Berlin, Rizal was not a mere student or a curious
  tourist. He lived in this famous capital for five reasons:
Paris to Berlin   
  1. To gain further knowledge in ophthalmology.
After completing his studies in Madrid, Rizal went to 2. To further his studies in sciences and
Paris and Germany in order to specialize in languages.
ophthalmology.  3. To observe the conditions of German Nation.
4. To finish his novel, Noli Me Tangere
In Gay Paris (1885-86)  
  Rizal’s tour of Europe with Viola, 1887 
Shortly after terminating his study in Universidad  
Central de Madrid, Rizal, who was then 24 years old After the Noli came off the press in Berlin, Rizal
and already a physician, decided to go to Paris in planned to visit the important places in Europe. Dr.
order to acquire more knowledge in ophthalmology.  Maximo Viola agreed to be his traveling componion.
  Rizal had received Paciano’s remittance of 1,000
On his way to Paris, he stopped at Barcelona to visit pesos which was forwarded by Juan Luna to Paris. He
his friend, Maximo Viola, a medical student and a immediately paid Viola the sum of 300 pesos which
member of rich family in San Miguel, Bulacan.  the latter kindly loaned so that the Noli could be
  printed. Having paid his debt, and with adequate fund
In October, 1885, Rizal was living in Paris, where his in his pocket, he was ready to see Europe before
sojourned for about four months. He worked as an returning to Calmba. First, he and Viola visited
assistant to Dr. Louis de Weckert (1852-1906), leading Potsdam, a city near berlin, which Frederick the Great
French ophthalmologist.  made famous. 
   
In Historic Heidelberg The tour begins
   
After acquiring enough experience as an At the dawn of May 11, 1887, Rizal and Viola, two
ophthalmologist in Dr. Weckert’s clinic, Rizal brown-skinned doctors on roaming spree, left Berlin by
reluctantly left Gay Paris, where he spent so many train. It was an ideal reason for traveling. Spring was
happy days.  in the air, and all over the Europe the flowers were
  blooming, the meadows were turning green and the
First letter to Blumentritt villagers were humming with activity. According to
  Viola the luggage of Rizal included all the letters he
On July 31, 1886, Rizal wrote his letter in German to had received from his (Rizal’s) family and friends.
Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt, Director of the Their destination was Dresden, “one of the best cities
Ateneo of Leitmeritz, Australia. He had heard of this in German.” 
Australia ethnologist and his interest on Philippine  
language.  Dresden
   
Fifth Centenary of Heidelberg University Rizal and Viola tarried for some times in Dresden.
  Their visit coincided with the regional floral exposition.
Rizal was fortunate to be sojourned in Heidelberg Rizal was interested in botany, studied the “numerous
when the famous University of Heidelberg held his fifth plant varieties of extraordinary beauty and size.” They
centenary celebration on August 6, 1886. It was two visited Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, who was overjoyed to see
days before his departure, and he was sad because them. In the Museum of Art, which they also visited,
he came to love the beautiful city and its hospitable Rizal was deeply impressed by a painting
people.  of “Prometheus Bound” and recalled seeing a
  representation of the same idea in an art gallery in
Rizal welcomed in Berlin’s Scientific Circles. Rizal was Paris. 
enchanted by Berlin because of its scientific  
atmosphere and the absence of race prejudice.  Beautiful Memories of Leitmeritz
   
Rizal’s life in Berlin
Rizal had beautiful memories of his visit to Leitmeritz.
He enjoyed the warm hospitality of the Blumentritt
family. The proffesor’s wife Rosa, was a good cook,
and she prepared special Australian dishes which
Rizal liked very much. Prague. After Leitmeritz, Rizal
and Viola visited the historic city of Prague. Vienna.
On May 20, Rizal and Viola arrived in the beautiful city
of Vienna, capital ofd Australia-Hungary. Danubian
Voyage to Lintz. On May 25, Rizal and Viola left
Vienna on a rivedr boat to see the beautiful sights of a
Danube river.  from Lipa, Batangas.She was his puppy love,
 
From Lintz to Rheinfall
The river voyage ended in Lintz. They traveled
overland to Salzburg, and from there to Munich where
they sojourned for a short time savor the famous
Munich beer, reputed to be the best in Germany.
 
Crossing the Frontier to Switzerland
 
From Rheinfall, they crossed the frontier to
Schaffhausen, Switzerland. They continued their tour
to Bassel, Bern, and Lausanne. 
Geneva
 
After sightseeing in Lausanne, Rizal and Viola left on a
little boat, crossing the foggy Leman Lake to Geneva.
 
Rizal in Italy
 
From Geneva, Rizal went to Italy. He visited Turin,
Milan, Venice, and Florence. On June 27, 1887, he
reached Rome, the “City of the Ceasar”. After a week,
he prepared to return in Philippines
Women in the Life of Rizal
There are ten (10) recorded women in Rizal's life;
however some historians suggest that there have
been more.  Below are brief accounts of Jose Rizal's
romances
 
1. Julia/ Ms.L
2. Segunda Katigbak
3. Leonor Valenzuela
4. Leonor Rivera
5. Consuelo Ortiga
6. Gertrude Beckette
7. Sei San
8. Suzanne Jacoby
9. Nelly Boustead
10. Josephine Bracken
 
Rizal was only 15 when he first saw Julia by accident
in a river in Los Baños a few days after Easter in 1877.
She was wearing a red wraparound skirt. “Julia could
not catch the butterfly she was chasing. Rizal, ever
gallant, caught two,” Trillana wrote. Heart beating with
strange fondness, Rizal offered her the butterflies and
she laughed with innocent pleasure. He was instantly
attracted to her.
 
Rizal next met Segundina Katigbak, a charming girl
accordingto Trillana. Unfortunately, his first love was
engaged to be married to a town mate- Manuel Luz. 
Jose Rizal was only a young boy of sixteen (16) when
he first fell in love, and it was with Segunda Katigbak,
a girl from Lipa, Batangas and two years his
junior.  According to Rizal,"She was rather short, with
eyes that were eloquent and ardent at times and
languid at others, rosy-cheeked, with an enchanting
and provocative smile that revealed very beautiful
teeth, and the air of a sylph; her entire self diffused a
mysterious charm."
 
Stolen Glances
Rizal went to Trozo, Manila one day to visit his
grandmother.  His friend, Mariano Katigbak,
accompanied him.  Mariano's family were close with
Rizal's grandmother, and upon arrival at Lipa,
Mariano's sister Segunda was there at the old
woman's house along with other guests. Rizal was
drawn to hear instantly.  
 
Some of the other guests knew that Rizal was a skilled
painter and asked him to draw a portrait of
Segunda.  He obliged, and reluctantly worked on a
pencil sketch of the girl.  "From time to time, she
looked at me, and I blushed."
 
A Blossoming Love
Rizal's sister Olympia was a close friend of Segunda
and a student at La Concordia College, and Rizal went
to visit her every week, during which he came to know
Segunda more intimately.  Their affection for each
other grew deeper with every meeting, one that began
with "love at first sight." 
 
Hopeless from the Beginning
Unfortunately, Segunda was already engaged to be
married to her townmate, Manuel Luz, and although
Rizal had gotten hints of the lady's affection for him,
he timidly decided to back away and did not
propose.  Years later Segunda returned to Lipa and
wed her betrothed, leaving a frustrated Rizal to the
mercy of his nostalgic memories.  Rizal said while
recording his first romance three years later, "Ended,
at an early hour, my first love! My virgin heart will
always mourn the reckless step it took on the flower-
decked abyss.  My illusions will return, yes, but
indifferent, uncertain, ready for the first betrayal on the
path of love."
 
After his admiration for a short girl in the person of
Segunda, then came Leonor Valenzuela, a tall girl
fromPagsanjan. Rizal sends her love notes written in
invisible ink thatcould only be deciphered over the
warmth ofthe lamp or candle. He visited her on the eve
of his departure to Spain.
 
When Rizal was a sophomore at the University of
Santo Tomas and was boarding in the house of Dona
ConchaLeyva in Intramuros he met Leonor "Orang"
Valenzuela, his next-door neighbor and daughter of
Capitan Juan and Capitana Sanday Valenzuela. She
was a tall girl who carried herself with grace and
elegance.
Exchanging Love Notes
Rizal was always welcome at the Valenzuela
home.  He eventually courted Leonor by sending her
love notes, which he wrote in invisible ink made from a
mixture of water and table salt.  He taught Leonor how
to read his letters by heating them over a lamp or a
candle to allow the words to surface.
 
Almost simultaneously, Rizal was meeting another
Leonor. The girl, Leonor Rivera, would be his girlfriend
for the next 11 years. The two were distant cousins.
Rivera was to him his ideal woman, his model for
Maria Clara, one of the main characters in his first
novel, “Noli Me Tangere.”  Leaving for a Higher Cause
 
 
He was ready to marry her; unfortunately, Rivera’s
mother disliked Rizal who was then earning the
reputation of being a dissident. The two last saw each
other before Rizal left for Spain in May 1882. The
mother hid from Rivera all the letters that Rizal was
sending from Spain. After a passage of many years,
thinking that Rizal had abandoned her, Rivera sadly
consented to marry Henry Kipping, an Englishman
who was her mother’s choice. Rizal was said to have
cried shamelessly when news of the wedding reached
him. Rivera never got to know that Rizal loved her just
as much.
Rizal met Consuelo Ortiga y Rey, the prettier of Don
Pablo Ortiga’s two daughters, in Madrid. She fell in
love with him after only a few dates. He dedicated to
her “A la Senorita C.O. y R,” which became one of his
best poems. The Ortigas residence in Madrid was
frequented by Rizal and his compatriots. He probably
fell in love with her and Consuelo apparently asked
him for romantic verses. 
 
Rizal's romance with Consuelo did not turn into a
serious affair; he decided to take a step back for two
reasons:  first, he was still engaged to Leonor Rivera
at that time; and second, he was aware of his friend's
(Eduardo de Lete) affection for the girl and he did not
want to ruin their friendship over her.
While Rizal was in London annotating theSucesos de
las Islas Filipinas, he boarded inthe house of the
Beckett family, withinwalking distance of the British
Museum. Shefell in love with Rizal. Tottie helped him
inhis painting and sculpture. But Rizalsuddenly left
London for Paris to avoidGertrude, who was seriously
in love withhim.
The Artist's Right Hand
Gertrude was a buxom young lady with blue eyes and
brown hair.  She fell in love with Rizal and gave him all
of her attention during the family picnics and
gatherings.  When Rizal stayed indoors during rainy
days painting and sculpting, she helped him mix his
colors and prepare his clay.
Rizal enjoyed her company.  Eventually their flirtatious
friendship drifted towards a blossoming romance.  He
affectionately called her "Gettie," and in return she
called him "Pettie."
 
Rizal withdrew before his relationship with Gettie could
become more serious, realizing that he had a greater
mission to fulfil and that in order to accomplish it he
could not yield to the option of marrying her.  He
suppressed the yearnings of his heart and decided to
leave so that the lady may forget him.  Before he did,
however, he finished a number of sculptural works,
one of which was a carving of the heads of the Beckett
sisters.
 
On his second trip to Europe in1888, Rizal stopped by
Japan wherehe met O Sei San, a lovely andintelligent
daughter of a samurai. 
 
When Rizal was in Tokyo a few days after he had
moved to the Azabu district in 1888, he spotted a
pretty Japanese girl walking past the legion gate.  He
was captured by the lady's regal air and charisma and
endeavored to find ways to meet her.  The girl's name
was Seiko Usui.  She lived with her parents and often
took afternoon walks by the legation.  Rizal waited by
the gate one afternoon and introduced himself.
 
An Exploration of Beauty
Rizal and O-Sei-San, as he fondly called her, met
almost daily.  They toured the beautiful city spots,
enjoyed the scenery, and visited the picturesque
shrines.  Rizal was then a lonely young physician,
disillusioned by his frustrated romance with Leonor
Rivera and burdened by soured hopes for justice in his
country.  O-Sei-San provided the beautiful escape that
he deeply needed, and he saw in her the qualities of
his ideal woman.  He was her first love.
 
Sayonara
Because of his deep affection for her, Rizal was
almost tempted to settle down in Japan.  Conveniently
enough, he was also offered a good position at the
Spanish Legation during that time.  Rizal, however,
had set his sights on other matters.  He decided to
leave Japan and forget his romance, which pained him
gravely as attested by an entry in his diary. His 45-day
sojourn in Japan was one of the happiest interludes in
his life.
In 1890, Rizal moved to Brusselsbecause of the high
cost of living inParis. In Brussels, he lived in
theboarding house of the two Jacobysisters. In time,
they fell deeply in lovewith each other. Suzanne cried
whenRizal left Brussels.
 
On January 28, 1890, Rizal left for Brussels,
Belgium.  He stayed for a considerable time, paying
for room and board.  His landladies had a pretty niece
named Petite Suzanne Jacoby.  She was taken by
Rizal's charm and gallantry, and provided him good
company.  Rizal could have flirted with the lady,
considering that his beloved Leonor was far away and
he was a lonely man in a strange and foreign land, but
he realized he could not deceive her.
 
A Broken Heart
Suzanne fell in love with Rizal, and wept when he left
for Madrid in July 1890.  She wrote to him in French:  Filipinos in Madrid, a drunken Antonio Luna uttered
 
"Where are you now? Do you think of me once in a
while? I am reminded of our tender conversations,
reading your letter, although it is cold and
indifferent.  Here in your letter I have something which
makes up for your absence.  How pleased I would be
to follow you, to travel with you who are always in my
thoughts.
You wish me all kinds of luck, but forget that in the
absence of a beloved one a tender heart cannot feel
happy.
A thousand things serve to distract your mind, my
friend; but in my case, I am sad, lonely, always alone
with my thoughts -- nothing, absolutely nothing
relieves my sorrow.  Are you coming back?  That's
what I want and desire most ardently -- you cannot
refuse me.
I do not despair and I limit myself to murmuring
against time which runs so fast when it carries us
toward a separation, but goes so slowly when it's
bringing us together again.
I feel very unhappy thinking that perhaps I might never
see you again.
Goodbye! You know with one word you can make me
very happy.  Aren't you going to write to me?" 
In 1891, Rizal took a vacation in Biarritz in order to find
reprieve from his troubles in Madrid.  He was a guest
of the Boustead family in their winter residence, Villa
Eliada.  Mr. and Mrs. Boustead had two beautiful
daughters, Adelina and Nellie.
 
An Emotional Rebounce
Rizal having lost Leonor Rivera, entertained the
thought of courting other ladies. While a guest of the
Boustead family at their residence in the resort city of
Biarritz, he had befriended the two pretty daughters of
his host, Eduardo Boustead.  After having lamented
his frustrated romance with Leonor Rivera on account
of the lady's engagement to another man, Rizal came
to develop considerable affection for Nellie, the prettier
and younger daughter of Mr. Eduardo Boustead.  He
found her to be intelligent, morally upright, and full of
life.  Rizal wrote to his closest friends about his
intention to marry her.
 
 
Consent from the Lady's Past Love
Rizal used to fence with the sisters at the studio of
Juan Luna. Antonio Luna, Juan’s brother and also a
frequent visitor of the Bousteads, courted Nellie but
she was deeply infatuated with Rizal. In aparty held by
unsavory remarks against Nellie Boustead. This
prompted Rizal to challenge Luna into a duel.
Fortunately, Luna apologized to Rizal, thus averting
tragedy for the compatriots. Rizal's friends were
delighted to hear that he had found a suitable girl
whom he at last wished to settle down with.  Even
Antonio Luna, who had previously loved Nellie,
encouraged Rizal to court her and ask for her hand in
marriage. With all the encouragement from the friends
he held dear, Rizal wooed Nellie (also called Nelly)
who, in turn, returned his affections.  on the first available steamer to Manila in order to
 
A Broken Engagement
Rizal's marriage proposal failed for two reasons:  first,
Nellie demanded that he give up his Catholic faith and
convert to Protestantism, which was her religion.  Rizal
did not like this idea.  Second, Nelly’s mother did not
approve of Rizal, as she had no desire to entrust her
daughter to a man that was wanting in wealth
and persecuted in his own country.   In spite of the
circumstances, Rizal and Nellie parted as good
friends.
Rizal's exile in Dapitan was one of the most lonesome
and sorrowful periods of his life.  He missed the
company of his friends and family, and the death of
Leonor Rivera on August 28, 1893 left a gaping void in
his heart.
 
Josephine Bracken arrived at the shores of Dapitan
accompanying her blind adoptive father, Mr. George
Taufer.  No ophthalmologist in Hong Kong, their home
country, could cure the man's blindness and so they
sought the services of the famous Dr. Jose Rizal.
While on exile in Dapitan, Zamboanga, in early
February 1895, Rizal met an 18-year-old petite Irish
girl, with bold blue eyes, brown hair and a happy
disposition. She was Josephine Bracken, the adopted
daughter of George Taufer who had traveled to
Dapitan from Hong Kong to have his eye treated by
Rizal. Josephine stayed with Rizal’s family in Manila.
Upon her return to Dapitan, Rizal tried to arrange with
Father Antonio Obach for their marriage.  priest of Dapitan, Father Pedro Obach, refused to do
 
Overcoming Barriers
Rizal was immediately attracted to Josephine.  He
called her “dulceestranjera,” or sweet foreigner. The
loneliness and boredom of exile may have taken its toll
as he found himself falling in love quite easily.
However, Rizal’s sisters suspected Josephine of being
a spy for the Spanish authorities and a threat to his
security. Rizal and Josephine fell in love at first
sight.  Their romantic interlude went on for about a
month, after which they decided to marry. The priest of
Dapitan, however, refused to conduct the ceremony
without consent from the Bishop of Cebu.  
 
When Mr. Taufer heard of his daughter's plan to marry
he became so enraged at the thought of losing
Josephine that he attempted to kill himself with a razor
to his throat.  Rizal prevented this tragedy by holding
the man's wrists back.  Josephine left with her father
avoid more trouble.  Since Mr. Taufer's blindness was
venereal in nature, it was incurable.
 
Exchanging Vows
 
Mr. Taufer went back to Hong Kong alone, and
Josephine stayed in Manila with Rizal's family.  At
length, she returned to Dapitan.  Since no priest would
marry them, Rizal and Josephine held hands,
exchanged vows, and married themselves before
God. 
Romantic affair with Josephine Bracken
 
Rizal had always been missing his family and their
happy moments together in Calamba and his despair
doubled upon the announcement of Leonor
Rivera's death. Not soon, to his surprise, an Irish girl
enlightened his rather gloomy heart. This girl was the
18-year old Josephine Bracken who, to Wenceslao
Retana's words, was “slender, a chestnut blond, with
blue eyes, dressed with elegant simplicity, with an
atmosphere of light (gaiety).”
From Hongkong, she arrived in Dapitan in February,
1895 with his blind foster father, George Taufer, and a
Filipina named Manuela Orlac. Rizal's fame as an
opthalmic surgeon reached overseas, and one of
Rizal's friends, Julio Llorente referred the group to
Rizal. Rizal and Bracken instantly fell in love with each
and in just one month, they agreed to marry which
appalled and disturbed Taufer. However, the parish
so unless they be permitted by the Bishop of Cebu.