Book Review

Villaroman, Noel. Rizal in Barong Tagalog. Quezon City: New Day Publishers,
[2016], c2016. 294 pp. ISBN 978-971-10-1355-4

Review by Nina Camille R. Alcaide, BS Chemistry, University of the Philippines-

Diliman

Rizal in Barong Tagalog gives its readers a chance for a new and variant
perspective in viewing the country’s national hero. It is a rather fresh take on a
historical topic such as the life of the great Jose Rizal. More than what he is known
for his greatness with being a hero, this book was able to display a glimpse of
Rizal’s entireness, him as a human being.

The book, unlike the usual biographies already written about Rizal, is rather
composed of numerous essays serving its purpose of giving the readers new
insights on the hero’s different aspects of life. It directly aims to be able to
introduce the hero to the readers, but done through Rizal’s own words and
convictions as conveyed by his letters, personal diary entries, and writings. The
author did not limited his book with context and ideas coming only from his own
words, but gave the hero the liberty to able to acquaint himself to the readers.
Likewise, this book served the intention of presenting him in a new standpoint, as
an ordinary Filipino citizen, who went through the same conventional pursuits in
life, faced even the most ordinary conflicts in life. The book was able to present
Rizal’s life on a different level from which the people might be able to relate to
him easier. And more than anything else, as the title suggests, this book goals to
form a familiarity between the hero and among itss citizens: the Filipinos. The
“Barong Tagalog” served as a sort of link or connection defying the huge distance
of more than a century of separation. Representing Rizal, and seeing him in a
clothing which is something very dear, very close in the hearts and souls of his
kababayans, could instantly break that wall hindering ourselves from fully seeing
him as one of the Filipinos.

Rather than by starting from Rizal’s birth up to his death, the author structured the
book by dividing it into seven chapters, composed of multiple essays, with each
chapter touching specific aspects of Rizal’s life, totaling into 294 pages. One can
notice that these essays were written carefully and independently from each other
that there’s no need for the readers to go through each previous parts to understand
the succeeding ones. Regardless, the entirety and cohesiveness of the book is still
there. The author was able to lay down the important and eventful moments of
Rizal’s life in such a manner, and with such casual and reasonably informal tone
making it easier for the people reading to grasp the message and context he is
trying to convey. Although the general feeling of the book was just relaxed and
calmly, one would still sense the emotions the author has in some specific parts.
He over-all used an easy, comfortable speech and even cracked some jokes
occasionally, which would be beneficial to the wide range of readers, but one could
still detect touches of poetic quotes and intakes in some specific parts, for instance
with this one taken on the third chapter of the book:

“Rizal did not only cure his patients’ eyes but he also removed a
social cataract that enabled Filipinos to see the injustices of the Spanish colonial
rule.”

These subtle expressive and dramatic lines creates sudden strong emotions while
you read through the pages. Sarcasm and humor were also used by the author in his
theme all throughout the essays, with one example displayed by this mention:
 “… well our valentine received a dose of his own medicine, don’t you
think?”

One basic structure or pattern of the essays observed was the author often starting
his introductions with his own personal experiences. This greatly reflects his
profession as someone working for the United Nations, providing him such
experiences in the many places he was able to visit, with some which were the
same places Rizal went to during his travels. That sort of connection between the
author and the hero would have been an advantage for the former in collecting
inspiration in writing his book. From time to time, one could also notice how the
author would include well-researched informational details all through-out the
essays. He would also provide definitions whenever he’s about to give his own
opinions or take so that he and the reader would be on the same page, as well as
background/context whenever he deems helpful. This can be seen multiple times in
the third chapter, as shown below in one of the paragraphs taken from the stated
section:

“Basra is one of the strongholds of Shi’a Islam in the Middle East.

Understandably, there is nothing in its streets, buildings and public areas
that indicates it is the Christmas season. Until the 1960’s, thousands of
Christian families were living alongside Muslims in this part of Iraq. But the
vast majority of Christians have since left to escape discrimination, poverty
and violence. There are less than a hundred Christian families no living in
Basra.”

Although, there were some parts were there were too many “filler information”
that instead of focusing on discussing Rizal and his actions, which was the aim of
the book in the first place, the article somehow took a different track.
In achieving his goal of presenting Rizal through the hero’s own words, the author
did not fail in providing letters, diary entries, conversations, and several writings,
all from reliable sources. However, the author did use a specific theme of leaving
numerous open-ended questions, as if parting it off to the readers to analyze and
have their own speculations about what they could all possible mean. This gives
the readers the opportunity to look at Rizal in a new viewpoint and for them to
form their own opinions about Rizal. Free from smokescreen and cover-ups from
the historians who depicted him as a “perfect human being” incapable of
committing mistakes. A lot of writers have already placed Rizal in that pedestal
without any flaws or weaknesses, and even conceals them just to not put any stain
in his name. The author, however, being honest and genuine in this book, was able
to point that out and mentioned:

“This is the problem when we elevate our heroes to divine status, and
think of them as incapable of committing mistakes. The truth is that they, like the
rest of us, were subject to frailties of human nature.”

This argument was also used by the Archbishop during their plea against the
passing of the Rizal Law, also pointing out how the hero was overly elevated that
the people tend not to see his own shortcomings.

Nonetheless, the author was not too cruel to not give Rizal the benefit of the doubt
or defend him in some instances and even said:

“Our heroes lived in a completely different period from ours. Trying

to understand them using a fresh set of eyes will likely reveal interesting insights.”

By saying ‘fresh set of eyes’, he meant allowing ourselves to see Rizal in a

different point of view, maybe even in the modern means, and not “from an
orthodox vantage point.” He pointed out the significance of being able to perceive
Rizal not only as a hero, but as well as Rizal being a human being, being an
ordinary Filipino. And existing as the latter includes everything starting from his
travels as a student, his ventures as a businessman, his relationships with his
family; as a son, a brother, a husband, his romantic relationships and friendships
made, his flaws and mistakes, success and triumphs, all his ups and downs, and all
that is in between. A particular poem was mentioned in the book entitled “A Las
Flores de Heidelberg” which was of course written by Rizal while he was in
Germany terribly missing his family. Showing and radiating so much sadness, the
author was able to comment on the lines of this poem:

“At the time he wrote the poem, these were the sad thoughts of a 25-
year old Rizal who had been away from his family and country for almost four
years. They show Rizal as a human being who was vulnerable as you and me to
sorrow and loneliness.”

Despite everything else, of course Rizal is still a human being, vulnerable to

sadness especially of being alone, away from his loved ones. Above all, Rizal was
still a son to his parents, and a brother to his siblings.

But of course, the author kept the genuineness of the book by being frank in
exposing Rizal and what people could perceive as his other side. While others may
introduce him with only praises and high admirations, the book entailed and
showed even the rather undesirable characteristics of Rizal. The hero’s letters and
diary entries (his and of those individuals involved as well) revealed a lot of secrets
including his possible involvement in prostitution, being unfaithful with his
infidelity towards Leonor when he had a romantic fling with Consuelo, and his
numerous involvement with a lot of women. One particular part displayed Rizal
somewhat being a judgmental person:
 “Rizal’s description of some Filipinos he met in Europe – mayabang,
plastic, at walang-isip – is fascinating. His frank and honest description of them
demonstrates that he was a good reader of a person’s character.”

Another noticeable comment of the author was his fearless and emotional take
about one of Rizal’s strong words:

“A despicable whore? A prostitute involved in great scandal? That’s

a strong, possibly unfair, language but that was how Rizal described Dona
Antonia, . . . . . . I wonder why Rizal in his letter did not discuss and debunk her
arguments, instead of doing a character assassination of the poor woman. Rizal
also chose to spread “chismis” about this woman whom he barely knew at all.
Understandably, human emotions sometimes got the better of Rizal.”

Agreeably, that was actually very unlikely of Rizal.

Encapsulating what the author want to partake into his readers, it is this: “Filipinos
should appreciate Rizal in his entirety, because that is the Rizal.” But how can we
be sure that we know Rizal, the whole of Rizal? Much have already been written,
for sure, a lot have already been uncovered and published to the public, but this
book was able to supplement more to that. Rizal, the author believes, still is an
incomplete, blurry picture. Nevertheless, he achieved a noteworthy
accomplishment of clearing off that image.