LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL

Topic: HIGHER EDUCATION AND LIFE ABROAD, EL FILIBUSTERISMO

Reporters: Cayobit, Karen San Jose, Aaron
Diaz, Francisco Tangi, Vincent
Malabanan, Angelica Verdial, Francisco

I. HIGHER EDUCATION: ATENEO DE MANILA (1872-1877)

Four months after the execution of GOMBURZA and the imprisonment of Dona
Teodora, Rizal was sent to Manila to enroll in Ateneo de Manila, formerly known as
Escuela Pia. It was a charity school for poor boys established in 1817, and was under the
management of the Spanish Jesuits in 1859. He was supposed to enroll in College of
San Juan de Letran since he took and passed the examination, but instead continued in
Ateneo because of his father’s choice.

A. Entering Ateneo de Manila

On June 10, 1872, he went to Manila accompanied by his brother Paciano to enter and
enroll in Ateneo. Upon admission, Father Magin Ferrando, the college registrar,
refused to admit Rizal for two reasons: (1) he was late for registration; and (2) he was
sickly and undersized for his age. Rizal was just eleven years old when he went to
Manila. It was because of Manuel Xerex Burgos’ intercession that he was able to enroll
in Ateneo. Manuel was the nephew of Father Burgos, one of the GOMBURZA martyrs,
whom the Rizals have a close relationships with. Also, at this time, Rizal was the first
member of his family to adopt the surname, where most of his siblings uses Mercado,
such as Paciano. It was because their family name “Mercado” had come under suspicion
of the Spanish authorities. He first boarded in a house outside of Intramuros, owned by a
landlord named Titay, whom had a debt with Rizal of about Php 300. To settle this debt,
Titay decided to make Rizal stay at their boarding house.

B. Jesuit System of Education

The Jesuits are members of The Society of Jesus, a scholarly religious congregation of
the Catholic Church, which originated in sixteenth-century Spain. The goal of Jesuit
education is training for blind service to the church and absolute submission to the pope
in Rome and the highest ranks of the Catholic Church. This system of education was
more advance than that of other colleges in that period because:
(1) It trained the character of students by rigid discipline and religious instruction;
(2) It promotes physical culture, humanities and scientific studies;
 (3) It offers vocation courses in agriculture, commerce, mechanics, and surveying, aside
from Bachelor of Arts academic courses;
(4) They were given splendid professors, and;
(5) They acquired prestige as an excellent college for boys.
The students attend mass in the morning before attending their daily classes, and Rizal
first heard the mass on June 1872. It has two organized groups of students named the
Roman Empire, composed of internos, or boarders, and the Carthaginian Empire,
composed of externos, or non-boarders. Each groups ha a hierarchy composed of, starting
from the bottom, Standard Bearer, Centaurion, Decurion, Tribune, and Emperor.
The Ateneo students wear the system’s official uniform called Rayadillo, a striped cotton
coat and hemp fabric trousers. The uniform was then adopted as the uniform for Filipino
troops during the days of the First Philippine Republic.

C. First Year 1872-1873

It was in June 1872 that Rizal first heard the daily mass organized by the Jesuits. His first
professor was Father Jose Bech, who he described as a tall thin man, has small deep-
sunken eyes and a sharp nose alike as that of a Greek, and think lips forming an arc
whose ends fell towards the chin. Father Bech was somehow related as to how Rizal
became “emperor” in Ateneo. As a newcomer, he was an externo, and was placed at the
bottom of the class for he knew little Spanish. But after a week, he showed progress and
he improved his class standing. Eventually, he became the emperor after a month of
progress. Because of his excellent performance, he was awarded a saint’s picture as a
prize. His Spanish improved because he was taking private Spanish lesson at Santa
Isabel College during recess and paid it for Php 3.00. However, at the end of the year he
was placed second. He returned to Calamba for his summer vacation, and, accompanied
by his sister Saturnina, he visited his mother at Santa Cruz, Laguna, where she was
being imprisoned at that time.

D. Second Year 1873-1874

Rizal lost the class leadership upon landing the second place before the end of his first
year, and for that he repented for neglecting his studies and studied even harder, thus
becoming the emperor once more. Because of his hard work, he received excellent grades
in all subjects and was awarded a gold medal. On his summer vacation, he immediately
went to visit his mother, who was still in prison. Dona Teodora told he son of her dream
the previous night, and Rizal interpreted it as the release of his mother from prison in
three month’s time. His interpretation came true, and Dona Teodora was released. Also,
over the course of his summer vacation, he developed an interest in reading, and had
three books he finished. His first favorite novel was The Count of Monte Cristo written
by Alexander Dumas. The story was about false accusation, suffering, and revenge,
which stirred Rizal’s boyish imagination, who was in his early teens. He also read non-
fiction literary such as Cesar Cantu’s historical work Universal History, which he
 persuaded his father to but a costly set of the book. His another favorite book was
Travels in the Philippines by Dr. Feodor Jagor, a German scientist-traveler who
visited the Philippines in 1859-1860.

E. Third Year 1874-1875

He won only one gold medal for his Latin studies, and failed to win the medal in his
Spanish studies. It was on the summer vacation of March 1875 that he returned to
Calamba after his mother’s release from prison.

F. Fourth Year 1875-1876

It was only in his fourth year that he became a member of Carthagian Empire upon
becoming an interno on June 16, 1875. It was his favorite professor, Father Francisco
de Paula Sanchez that discovered his talent in writing poetry and inspired him to study
harder and write poetry. Rizal described as a “model of uprightness, earnestness, and love
for the advancement of his pupils.” At the end of the academic year, he won five medals
and had excellent ratings, becoming the “true pride of Jesuits.” He received the degree of
Bachelor of Arts with highest honors at the age of 16 on March 23, 1877.

G. Extra-Curricular Activities
o An emperor and a campus leader outside
o An active member, later secretary, of Marian Congregration, a religious society.
He was accepted because of his academic brilliance and devotion to Our Lady of
Immaculate Conception, the college patroness.
o Member of the Academy of Spanish Literature and the Academy of Natural
Sciences
o Studies practical studies under Father Jose Villaclara, who advised Rizal to stop
communing with the muses and pay more attention to his studies
o Studies pating under Augustin Saez and sculpting under Romualdo de Jesus

H. Sculptural Works
He carved an image of The Virgin Mary on a piece of batikuling, a Philippine
hardwood, with just his pocket knife, which amazed the Jesuit fathers. He also carve an
image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as requested by Father Lleonhart. He intended to
take the image with him in Spain but forgot to do so, so the Ateneo boarders place it on
their dormitory’s door. It played a significant part in Rizal’s last hours at Fort Santiago.
 I. Poems
o Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration): the first poem written by Rizal
during his stay in Ateneo. He wrote this as a dedication to his mother for her
birthday, and also as a celebration for her release from prison that same year.
o El Embarque: Himno a la Flota de Magallanes (The Departure: Hymn to
Magellan’s Fleet): a tribute to Ferdinand Magellan, the first man to colonize the
Philippines
o Y Es Espanol: Elcano, el Primero en dar la Vuelta al Mundo (And He is Spanish:
Elcano, the First to Circumnavigate the World): a tribute to Magelan’s second in
command, Juan Sebastian Elcano, who took over and completed
circumnavigating the world after Magellan’s death
o El Combate: Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo (The Battle: Urbiztondo, Terror of Jolo):
just as like his other poems, this piece is a reflection of Rizal’s liking for history
o Por la Educacion Recibe Lustre la Patria (Through Education Our Motherland
Receives Light): this poem expresses Rizal’s high regards for education and
encourages Filipino to acquire education for them to be able to fulfill their dreams
and improve their motherland
o Alianza Intima Entre la Relgion y la Buena Educacion (The Intimate Alliance
Between Religion and Good Education): Rizal wrote this piece to express his
belief that religion should coexist with good education

J. Dramatic Work
Father Sanchez requested him to write a drama based on the prose story of St. Estace the
Martyr. He finished that request on June 2, 1876 entitled San Estacio, Martir.

K. First Romance
Rizal’s first romance was Segunda Katigbak, a pretty 14 year old Batanguena from
Lipa. He met her one Sunday, when Rizal was visiting his maternal grandmaother in
Trozo, Manila, accompanied by his friend Mariano Katigbak and Segunda herself. She
was studying at La Concordia College, the same institution where Rizal’s sister,
Olimpia, was boarding. Rizal came to know her more intimately during his weekly visits
to the college for her sister, whom was also a close friend of Segunda. Unfortunately,
Segunda was already engage to Manuel Luz.

II. HIGHER EDUCATION: UNIVERSITY OF SANTO THOMAS (1877-1882)

A. Mother’s Opposition and Enrollment
After graduating from Ateneo, Rizal had to go to UST for higher studies, as requested
and approved by Don Francisco and Paciano. Despite this, his mother was completely
opposed to this idea. After the traumatizing execution of the GOMBURZA, Dona
 Teodora wouldn’t let Rizal to study more because of the fear that the Spaniards will do
the same to him as they did to the martyrs. Rizal enrolled in two courses:
(1) Philosophy and Letters (1877-1878)
(2) Medicine (18878-1882)

B. Philosophy and Letters

On April 1877, Rizal entered the university at the age of 16. He enrolled in the program
mainly because of two reasons: his father, Don Francisco, liked it, and he was still
uncertain as to what career to pursue

C. Rizal’s Grades (1877-1878)

He also took up Cosmology & Metaphysics, Theodicy, and History of Philosophy during
his first term in UST

D. Surveying Course in Ateneo 1878

UST at this time was under the Dominicans, the rival religious group of Jesuits in
education. He remained loyal to Ateneo, even taking up a vocational course during his
first term. He excelled in all subjects in the course that led him to obtaining gold medals
in Agriculture, Commerce, Mechanics, and Surveying. On November 25, 1881, at the
age of 17, he passed the final examination, granting him the title of perito agrimensor
(expert surveyor). His loyalty to Ateneo continued and he participated in other
extracurricular activities.

E. Other Extracurricular Activities

o Literary Contests: Liceo Artistico Literario de Manila
 A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth)
 The Council of Gods
o One- Act Play
 Junto al Pasig (Beside the Pasig): a zarzuela, staged by Ateneans on
December 8, 1880 on the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception, the
patroness of Ateneo.
o Poems
 Abd el- Aziz y Mohama: a poem, declaimed by an Atenean Maneul
Fernandez on December 8, 1879 in honor of Ateneo’s patroness
 Al M.R.P. Pablo Ramon: a poem expressing the affection of Rizal to
Father Pablo Ramon

F. Medicine
He shifted from Philosophy and Letters to Medicine because of two reasons:
(1) The Rector of Ateneo, Don Pablo Ramon, advised him to
 (2) His decision was prompted by his desire to cure his mother’s failing eyesight

G. Rizal’s Grades (1887-1882)

As shown on his grades in his stay at UST for the course of four years, you can say that
Rizal performed poorly. The reasons as to why he performed poorly was because
medicine was not his vocation, and that of his discontentment with the system of
education. He experienced hostility from the Dominican professors of UST and have
been racially discriminated by the Spanish students.

H. Spanish Brutality
During his stay in UST, he didn’t just experienced hostility and discrimination. He also
became a victim of a Spanish Officer’s brutality. It happened on a dark summer night in
Calamba during his first summer vacation. He passed by a lieutenant of the Guardia Civil
but failed to recognized the latter as it was dark. Insulted, the officer slashed Rizal’s back
with his sword. He reported the incident to General Primo de Rivera, the Spanish
Governor General, but no resolution was done because of racial discrimination. Later on
he told Ferdinand Blumentritt his story, sending a letter on March 21, 1887, stating “I
went to the Captain General but I could not obtain justice; my wound lasted two weeks.”

I. Romances
(1) Jacinta Ybardolaza: was a professor of Rizal in Rhetoric and Potery from Pakil,
Laguna. He used to call her Miss L, and describe her as a fair lady with seductive and
attractive eyes. Rizal stopped his courting because he still has feelings for Segunda and
their romance was still fresh, and that his father objected their relationship because she
was his professor.
(2) Leonor Valenzuela: Rizal met Orang months after his sophomore year. He
transferred to another boarding house in Intramuros, and became acquainted with the
boarding house’s neighbors. Her parents, Capitan Juan and Capitana Sanday
Valenzuela, would often invite Rizal to social parties because of his clever sleight of
hand tricks. He courted Orang by sending her love letters written in invisible ink, which
consists of common table salt and water. He taught her how to read the letter by heating it
over a candle or lamp so that the message would appear.
(3) Leonor Rivera: born on April 11, 1867, she was Rizal’s cousins from Camiling,
Tarlac, and the daughter of his landlord uncle Antonio Rivera. At the star of his junior
year, Rizal lived in Casa Tomasina, a boarding house managed by his uncle. Leonor, or
Taimis as she calls herself in her letters to Rizal, was a student at La Concordia College,
where Soledad, Rizal’s sister, was also studying. He described her as a frail, beautiful
girl, who is a tender as a budding flower with kindly wistful eyes. The two became
engaged.

J. To the Filipino Youth (1879)

 It was written by Rizal at the age of 18 as a contest piece in a literary contest organized
by the Liceo Artistico- Literario de Manila (Artistic- Literary Lyceum Manila). He won
first prize, and was rewarded a feather shaped silver pen decorated with gold ribbons. In
the poem, Rizal beseeched the Filipinos to rise from lethargy, to let their genius fly
swifter than the wind and descend with art science to break the chains that have long
bound the spirit of the people. The poem is a classic because of two reasons:
(1) It was the first great poem written in Spanish by a Filipino who has been recognized
by Spanish literary authorities.
(2) It expressed for the first time the nationalistic concept that the Filipinos, not the
foreigners, were the “fair hope of the Fatherland”.

K. Unhappy Days and Decision to Study Abroad

Because of the hostility of the Dominican professor and the racial discrimination by the
Spaniards he had experienced, and the method of instruction was obsolete and repressive,
he decided to continue and complete his medical course in Barcelona, Spain. His brother
Paciano and sisters Saturnina and Lucia approved of his decision, however, his parents
and Leonor was left uninformed.
III. LIFE ABROAD
A. 1882-1887 First Travel of Rizal
After finishing Rizal’s 4-year Medical course in Unibersidad de Santo Tomas he
left for 3 reasons. First is because he was disgusted with the Dominicans method of
teaching and the prejudice that he received from the Dominican professors for being a
Filipino. Second, he had foreseen that studying abroad will someday help his fatherland.
Lastly, Rizal was on a secret mission that’s why he wanted to study in Spain. His mission
was to observe the life, culture, industries, government and laws in order for him to
prepare himself in liberating his fellow Filipino who are being oppressed by the
Spaniards. May 3, 1882 was his departure to Spain. It was kept secret to avoid giving
information to Spanish authorities and Friars. He boarded to Salvadora which docked in
Singapore on May 9. He then boarded to Djemnah to travel to Europe (May 11). He
arrived at French Harbor of Merseilles and after staying there for 2 days he left to
proceed to Spain on June 15. He arrived at Barcelona Spain on June 16, 1882. Here he
wrote “Amor Patrio” o “Love for Country” (highlights Rizal’s desire for us Filipino
to have a strong sense of Patriotism). This is because he was inspired with how people
in Barcelona seem to have freedom and liberty. People were open-hearted, hospitable and
courageous. During this time, he received a letter from his brother Paciano telling him
about the cholera outbreak and to continue his medicine course in Madrid.
November 3, 1883, he arrived at Madrid, Spain. Where he lived a simple life,
he budgets his money wisely and never wasted any coin to gambling or any vices.
Enrolled in Unbersidad Central de Madrid where he took up Medical, Philosophy
and Letters courses. In Madrid he was amazed on how Spanish Mason freely criticized
the government which is being prohibited in Philippines during that time. Rizal left
Madrid to visit Paris on June 1883. Here, he observed Dr. Nicaile treat his patients
in Laennec hospital. June 21, 1884, Rizal completed his medical course and
conferred the degree of Licentiate in medicine. After finishing his medical course, he
then go to Paris and Germany to specialized in ophthalmology without forgetting about
his mission – to observe European custom so that someday he’ll render a service to where
he came from. November 1885, he became an apprentice of Dr. Loousi Weckert, a
leading French ophthalmologist. He left Paris after acquiring enough knowledge in Dr.
Weckert’s clinic. Rizal moved to Germany on February 3, 1886 and worked under Dr.
Otto Becker. He specialized in ophthalmology to cure his mother’s growing eye ailment.
During his time in Germany he experienced poverty where he only eats one meal a
day and washed his clothes by himself because he can’t afford to bring it to laundry
shops. His brother, Paciano, tried to send him money. But it failed due to the locusts that
destroyed their crops and because the sugar market had collapsed. The publication of his
first novel, Noli Me Tangere was also delayed because of financial shortage, but when
his friend Maximo Viola heard about this news he sent Rizal enough money for the
publication of Noli. In 1887 he sent his closest friends copies of his first novel. After
 his grand tour in Europe with his friend Maximo Viola he decided to go back to the
Philippines.
His novel caused uproar in friars, and despite of being his life in danger, he insists
on returning home. It is because he really wanted to operate his mother’s eye and to know
the effect of his novel to his fellow Filipino people. He arrived at Manila on August 5,
1887 with a happy heart and excitement all over his body. August 8, 1887, he returned
to Calamba, his family’s excitement to see him turned in to worries. Rizal received a
letter from the Governor-General Terrero telling him to go to Malacanan Palace. There,
Rizal explained to the Gov-gen that he was just revealing the truth he isn’t an advocate of
rebellious ideas. The Gov-gen request for a copy of his novel and the time he have
read it, he knew that Rizal’s life is in danger.

B. Second Travels of Rizal

He left Calamba on February 1888 because of the Gov-general’s advice and
he doesn’t want to disobey his orders, he arrived at Hong Kong on February 8, 1888.
He stayed in Victoria hotel where he was being shadowed by Jose Varanda. It is
believed that he was sent to spy on Rizal’s doings and whereabouts. In Hong Kong he
studied the chinese way of life, culture, customs and wrote his observation in his diary.
Rizal’s favorite destination was the Land of Cherry Blossoms. It was February 28, 1888
when he arrived at Japan, where he fell in love with the manners of people, natural
beauty of japan and to a girl who captured his heart through her loveliness and put joy
and romance to Rizal’s sorrowing heart. Her name was Seiko Usui. After staying at
Yokohama, Rizal moved to Tokyo and visited by Juan Perez (secretary of legation and a
Spanish government’s way to monitor him) and offered him to live in Spanish Legation.
Because of financial shortage, Rizal accepted it anyways because it will also help him to
save money. During his life in Japan, he studied their language, drama, arts, music and
judo.
His company with O-sei-san and a job good job offered by Spanish legation
almost tempted him to settle in Japan, but it is not enough to destroy his burning desire to
liberate his people in his Fatherland. Despite of having a heavy heart, because of the fact
that he will never see this land again and his beloved O-Sei-san, he still enjoyed his trans-
Pacific voyage to U.S. In his way to U.S he met Tetcho Suehiro, Journalist, novelist
and a champion of human rights, who was exiled. Rizal told him about his story and
how his mission to free his oppressed fellowmen from Spanish dictatorship. Tetcho
was inspired and influenced by Rizal to fortify his own fight for human rights in his
own country. On April 28, 1888 he arrived in U.S where he saw racial prejudice
especially to Chinese and Negroes. The Belgic docked at San Francisco and the ship
was put under quarantine because of the alleged cholera outbreak. But then Rizal
discovered that this quarantine was motivated by political agenda because the ship was
boarded with more than 600 unskilled Chinese workers.
 It was May 18, 1888 when he chose to live in London for 3 reasons. (A) To
improve his knowledge in English language, (b) to study and annotate Morga’s
“Succesos De Las Islas Filipinas” which is only available in British Museum, (c)
London was a safe place from Spanish tyranny. He spent most of his time studying the
rare historical books about the history of the Philippines and became the President of
Associacion La Solidaridad, a patriotic newspaper founded by Graciano Lopez Jaena. In
1889 he visited to Paris and stayed with his friend, Valentin Ventura. This is because
Rizal had a hard time searching for an inn to stay because of a large demand due to
Universal Exploitation. He established kidlat Club which aims to unite all the young
Filipino so that they could enjoy their stay in Paris during the Universal
Exploitation. He also founded R.D.L.M which aims to disseminate useful knowledge
in the Philippines and redemption of Malay race. During the 28th of January on the
year 1890 Rizal left Paris for Brussels where he was busy writing his 2nd novel, El
Filibusterismo. During his stay in Brussels he received bad news such as Filipinos who
were destroying their nation’s image and the Calamba agrarian were getting worse.
Because of this Rizal planned to go back to the Philippines but t didn’t happen. In
August 1890 he arrived and stayed in Madrid to find justice for his family and
Calamba tenants, he tried all the legal means but no to avail. He could describe his
stay in Madrid with a lot of misfortune. One was Leonor Rivera married a British
engineer. When Rizal sought help with the Filipino colonyto protest the injustices of
Dominicans, things get worst. Silvestre, his brother-in-law received a copy of
eviction and the deportation of Paciano, Antonio, Silvestre and Narcisa to Mindoro.
Despite of all these misfortunes he took a vacation in the resort of city in Biarritz where
the Bousted Family invited him to their guest. And this is where Rizal finished the last
chapter of El Fili. Rizal fell in love with the daughter of Bousted family, Nellie Bousted.
He wants to marry Nelly, but it failed for Nelly wanted him to adopt Protestantism. Rizal,
having a firm stand, refused and another problem was Nelly’s mother doesn’t wish to
entrust her daughter to a man who’s poor in material things. On July 5, 1891 Rizal left
Brussels to move in Ghent because cost of printing there was cheaper. He found F.
Meyer-Van Loo Press who was willing to print his book on installment basis. Once again,
a close friend of Rizal heard the news about his problem in publication of his novel,
Valentin Ventura. He sent money to Rizal and the printing of El Fili was resumed.
After publication of his novel, he went to Hong Kong and lived there from November
1891 – June 1892. Before Christmas in1891, his family visited him in Hong Kong and
that was one of the happiest days In his life.
Rizal made up his mind to go back to Calamba on May 1892. On June 26,
1892, Rizal and his sister Lucia arrived in Manila. July 6, he went to Malacanan
Palace to resume his interviews. The Gov-gen presented leaflets that were allegedly
found in Lucia’s pillowcase. Despite denials and insistent demand for investigation, he
was still arrested. And on July 15, 1892 he was brought to Dapitan and handed to
 Captain Ricardo Carcinero, which later he befriended with. Rizal’s exile in Dapitan
lasted until July 31, 1896.

C. His Last Trip Abroad

Rizal boarded to Espana which had a lot of stopovers first at Dumaguete, to Cebu, Iloilo
Capiz, Romblon and to Manila. He missed the ship going to Spain but on midnight he
was able to ride Spanish cruiser. On September 7, 1896 he arrived at Singapore. Don
Pedro and his son adviced him to stay in Singapore and take the advantage of the
protection of the British Law. Sept 28 there was a passenger who told Rizal that he
would be arrested by the order of Governor-general Blanco and he will spent prison in
Cuerta. On September 30 he was officially notified by Captain Alemany that he
should stay in his cabin until further orders from Manila. November 3Rizal arrived
in Manila and transferred to Fort Santiago. November 20 was the start of his
preliminary investigation journeying to his death.

IV. EL FILIBUSTERISMO
A. The Background of the Publication of the El Filibusterismo
o He had begun writing it in October 1887, while practicing medicine in Calamba.
o The following year 1888 in London he made some changes in the plot corrected some
chapters already written.
o He wrote more chapters in Paris and Madrid and finished the manuscript in Biarritz
on March 29, 1891.
o Rizal Left brussels for Ghent, a famous university city in Belgium.
o Rizal found a publisher – F Meyer-van loo press
o August 6, the printing had to be suspended as Rizal feared.

B. Ventura the Savior of Fili

o His funds ran out in ghent, a similar calamity that he experienced in berlin.
o When everything is lost, help came from an unexpected source.

C. THE FILI COMES OFF THE PRESS

o September 18, 1891 el filibusterismo came off the press
o Rizal immediately sent on this date two printed copies to hongkong, obe for basa and
the other for sixto lopez.
o Rizal gratefully donated the original manuscript and an authographed printed copy to
valentin ventura,.
o He sent the other copies to bluementritt,mariano ponce, G. lopez jaena and etc.
o He dedicated the El Filibusterismo to FATHER GOMEZ, BURGOS, ZAMORA
o The original manuscript of el filibusterismo in rizal own handwriting is now
preserved in the filipina division of the bureau of public libraries Manila.
 o It consists of 279 pages of long sheets of paper
o Two features of manuscript do not appear in printed book, namely: foreword and the
warning.
o The titile page of el filibusterismo contains an inscription written by ferdinand
blumentritt.

D. MAJOR THEMES. PLOT AND CHARACTERS AND IDEAS OF EL

FILIBUSTERISMO
o Simoun Crisóstomo Ibarra reincarnated as a wealthy jeweler, bent on starting a
revolution
o Basilio Sisa's son, now an aspiring doctor
o Isagani poet and Basilio's best friend; portrayed as emotional and reactive; Paulita
Gómez' boyfriend before being dumped for fellow student Juanito Peláez
o Kabesang Tales Telesforo Juan de Dios, a former cabeza de barangay (barangay
head) who resurfaced as the feared Luzón bandit Matanglawin (Tagalog
for Hawkeye); his father, Old Man Selo, dies eventually after his own son Tano, who
became a guardia civil, unknowingly shoots his grandfather in an encounter
o Don Custodio Custodio de Salazar y Sánchez de Monteredondo, a
famous journalist who was asked by the students about his decision for the Academia
de Castellano. In reality, he is quite an ordinary fellow who married a rich woman in
order to be a member of Manila's high society
o Paulita Gómezthe girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of Doña Victorina, the old India
who passes herself off as a Peninsular, who is the wife of the quack doctor Tiburcio
de Espadaña. In the end, she and Juanito Peláez are wed, and she dumps Isagani,
believing that she will have no future if she marries him
o Father Florentino Isagani's godfather, and a secular priest; was engaged to be married,
but chose the priesthood instead, the story hinting at the ambivalence of his decision
as he chooses an assignment to a remote place, living in solitude near the sea.
o Macaraig - one of Isagani's classmates at the UST . He is a rich student and serves as
the leader of the students yearning to build the Academia de Castellano.
o Juli - Juliana de Dios, the girlfriend of Basilio, and the youngest daughter of
Kabesang Tales. To claim her father from the bandits, she had to work as a maid
under the supervision of Hermana Penchang
o Juanito Pelaez - a hunchbacked student who was a favorite of the professors. They
belong to the noble Spanish ancestry. After failing in his grades, he became Paulita's
new boyfriend and they eventually wed.
o Doña Victorina - Victorina de los Reyes de Espadaña, known in Noli Me Tangere as
Tiburcio de Espadaña's haughty and cruel wife. She is the aunt of Paulita Gomez, and
favors Juanito Pelaez over Isagani. 
 o Father Camorra - the lustful parish priest of Tiani, San Diego's adjacent town who
has longtime desires for young women. He nearly raped Juli, causing the latter to
commit suicide to escape.
o Ben-Zayb - the pseudonym of Abraham Ibañez, a journalist who believes he is the
"only" one thinking in the Philippines. Ben-Zayb is an anagram of Ybanez, an
alternate spelling of his name.

E. PLOT
o Thirteen years after leaving the Philippines, Crisostomo Ibarra returns as Simoun, a
rich jeweler sporting a beard and blue-tinted glasses, and a confidant of the Captain-
General. Abandoning his idealism, he becomes a cynical saboteur, seeking revenge
against the Spanish Philippine system responsible for his misfortunes by plotting a
revolution. Simoun insinuates himself into Manila high society and influences every
decision of the Captain-General to mismanage the country’s affairs so that a
revolution will break out. He cynically sides with the upper classes, encouraging them
to commit abuses against the masses to encourage the latter to revolt against the
oppressive Spanish colonial regime.

F. THEME
o Ideal means of achieving social reform

G. DIFFERENT BETWEEN NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO.

o Noli Me Tangere. It is a Latin word meaning "Touch Me Not". This book is a societal
novel. 
o Noli Me Tangere was dedicated to his Inang Bayan, the Philippines. 
o The history stated in the book "Uncle Tom's Cabin" of Hariet Beecher Stowe, that
tells the suffering of Negro slaves under the cruelty of the Americans, gave our hero
the idea. in writing this book.
o He saw the  similarity of this to the cruelty experienced by the Filipinos under the
Spanish rule. 
o This was published at Imprenta Lette in Berlin, Germany on March 1887 by the help
of Dr. Maximo Viola. As a thanks, Dr. Rizal gave the original manuscript and the
PLUMA he used in writing the novel to Dr. Viola.
o El Filibusterismo. It comes from the word "filibustero" which means a person who is
against the Roman Catholic. 
o This was dedicated to the "Three Martyrs", GomBurZa (Fr. Mariano Gomez, Fr. Jose
Burgos, Fr. Jacinto Zamora).
o  El Filibusterismo was first published in a publication company in Ghent, Belgium.
The publication of the book were stopped because of financial problem. By the help
of Dr. Valentin Ventura, the publication resumed and was finished on September
 1891. As a favor, Dr. Rizal gave the original manuscript of the novel with an
autographed copy of the book.

H. Synopsis of el filibusterismo?
o Simoun, a wealthy jeweler, just came to the Philippines. And he died at the end of the
story.
o VALUE AND ROLE OF THE YOUTH IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURE
OF SOCIETY(EL FILIBUSTERISMO)
o The Role Of Youth In The Future Society. ... Youth are expected to advance the
current technology, education, politics, peace of the country. On the other hand,
youths have also to maintain the culture of our culture, all good values in the
societies, development projects, Youth are back bone to the nation.They can change
the future of the society with their well being and courageous behavior.