RIZAL LIFE

Rizal travel to Germany and Paris

The values that can be drawn from Noli Me

Tangere, and the characters of Noli Me Tangere
and the people they portray.

Shiera Jane Adante

1.) Give the objectives of Rizal in going to Germany and Paris.

At the age of 21, Jose Rizal completed his scholastic career in Manila and in
1882, went to Spain and acquired his degree as a Doctor of Medicine, and
also a license to practice Philosophy and the Fine Arts. During his stay in
Spain, Rizal became a Master Mason in Acacia Lodge No. 9 in 1884. He
later moved to France where he became a specialist in diseases of the eye.
He also found time to join a French Masonic Lodge during his sojourn in
France. In 1885, he went to Germany to study Schiller, after which he
visited Austria. Jose Rizal became a cultured gentlemen who was
comfortable at all levels of society. He later settled in Belgium for a period
where he wrote his highly celebrated novel, "Noli Me Tangere" in Spanish.
The title is Latin for "Touch me not."

After six months of practice as an assistant physician under the well-known

ophthalmologist. Dr. Otto Becker, at the University of Heidelberg Eye
Clinic, Dr. Rizal departed from Heidelberg on 9 August 1886 and travelled
to various parts of Germany. His journey covered numerous historic towns
and cities, such as Mannheim, Mainz, Ruedesheim, Bingen, Koblenz, Bonn,
Cologne, Frankfurt/Main, Erfurt, Leipzig, Dresden, Potsdam, and Berlin.
This trip could be considered as a very significant and constructive aspect of
his life because in the course of his travel he acquired a broad knowledge
and deep understanding of Germany and its people, its history, culture,
literature, customs and traditions which greatly influenced his two immortal
novels, the "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo".

In Paris, Rizal continued his study on various languages and practiced his
artistic skills, and finished two statues - “The Beggar” and “The Maid With
A Basket.” He organized a social club called Kidlat Club which brought
together young Filipinos residing in France. Soon, the members of the said
club founded a new Filipino society – the Indios Bravos, an organization
which envisioned Filipinos being recognized by Spain for being excellent in
various fields of knowledge.
 Rizal did not wish to waste time in Madrid during the summer vacation.
After he had taken the examination. He left for Paris, as he had told
Consuelo Ortiga he would. He arrived in Paris on the 17 th of June of 1883.
On the 21st he wrote his parents and brother describing Paris and the Trip.
He noted the urban development from Hendaya to Paris.

Rizal went on describing the changes and development of his ideas, with a
conviction that he did not hesitate in communicating to his parents.

 He thought of a publication exclusively by Filipinos, which would really

have something to say and which would expose in a frank and direct style,
different from that of the Circulo, the real situation in the Philippines. The
idea was accepted in principle but when the time came for discussing the
financial contributions the desertion was almost general. For this reason, in
spite of appeals to the Filipino residents in other countries, the idea was
finally abandoned.

It was then, perhaps, that the idea of writing a novel began to germinate in
Rizal's mind, a novel would, like a painting with vivid colors, be the drama
of his country. Thus was conceived theNoli Me Tangere.
The idea of an early death was like a refrain that kept coming back in his
dreams, repeating itself in his saying and writings. Consuelo Ortiga, in her
memoirs corresponding to his period, writes that she told Rizal: "If I
believed in certain things, I would say that you will be immortal." Rizal not
only rejected this but in addition replied" "I think I shall die soon. If
something happens, something that exists only in my thoughts, you will see I
was right."

2.) Give the characters of Noli Me Tangere in the people they portray in those
characters.

Ibarra
 Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra y Magsalin, commonly referred to the novel
as Ibarra or Crisóstomo, is the protagonist in the story. Son of a Filipino
businessman, Don Rafael Ibarra, he studied in Europe for seven years. Ibarra
is also María Clara's fiancé. Several sources claim that Ibarra is also Rizal's
reflection: both studied in Europe and both persons believe in the same
ideas. Upon his return, Ibarra requested the local government of San Diego
to construct a public school to promote education in the town. In the sequel
of Noli, El filibusterismo, Ibarra returned with different character and name:
he called himself as Simoun, the English mestizo.
Represents the author himself, who tries to save the mother country
Philippines, not through bloody revolution but through exposure in media.

María Clara

María Clara de los Santos y Alba,-commonly referred to as María Clara, is

Ibarra's fiancée. She was raised by Capitán Tiago, San Diego's cabeza de
barangay and is the most beautiful and widely celebrated girl in San
Diego. In the later parts of the novel, María Clara's identity was revealed as
an illegitimate daughter of Father Dámaso, former parish curate of the town,
and Doña Pía Alba, wife of Capitán Tiago. In the end she entered local
covenant for nuns Beaterio de Santa Clara. In the epilogue dealing with the
fate of the characters, Rizal stated that it is unknown if María Clara is still
living within the walls of the covenant or she is already dead.
 The character of María Clara was patterned after Leonor Rivera, Rizal's first
cousin and childhood sweetheart.
Maria Clara - represents Filipina of mix blood during Spanish regime in the
Philippines.

Capitan Tiago
Don Santiago de los Santos, known by his nickname Tiago and political
title Capitán Tiago is a Filipino businessman and the cabeza de barangay or head
of barangay of the town of San Diego. He is also the known father of María Clara.
In the novel, it is said that Capitán Tiago is the richest man in the region
of Binondo and he possessed real properties in Pampanga and Laguna de Bay. He
is also said to be a good Catholic, friend of the Spanish government and was
considered as a Spanish by colonialists. Capitán Tiago never attended school, so he
became a domestic helper of a Dominican friar who taught him informal education.
He married Pía Alba from Santa Cruz.
Padre Dámaso
Dámaso Verdolagas, or Padre Dámaso is a Franciscan friar and former parish
curate of San Diego. He is best known as a notorious character that speaks with
harsh words and has been a cruel priest during his stay in the town. He is the real
father of María Clara and an enemy of Crisóstomo's father, Rafael Ibarra. Later on,
he and María Clara had bitter arguments whether she marry Alfonso Linares or go
to covenant. At the end of the novel, he again re-assigned into a distant town and
was found dead one day. In popular culture, when a priest was said to be like Padre
Dámaso, it means that he is a cruel but respectable individual. When one says a
child is "anak ni Padre Damaso" (child of Padre Dámaso), it means that the child's
father's identity is unknown.
Elías
Elías is Ibarra's mysterious friend and ally. Elías made his first appearance as a
pilot during a picnic of Ibarra and María Clara and her friends. He wants to
revolutionize the country and to be freed from Spanish oppression. The 50th
chapter of the novel explores the past of Elías and history of his family. In the past,
Ibarra's great-grandfather condemned Elías' grandfather of burning a warehouse
which led into misfortune for Elías' family. His father was refused to be married by
his mother because his father's past and family lineage was discovered by his
mother's family. In the long run, Elías and his twin sister was raised by their
maternal grandfather. When they were teenagers, their distant relatives called
them hijos de bastardo or illegitimate children. One day, his sister disappeared
which led him to search for her. His search led him into different places, and
finally, he became a fugitive and subversive.
Filosofo Tacio
Filosofo Tacio, known by his Filipinized name Pilosopo Tasyo is another
major character in the story. Seeking for reforms from the government, he
expresses his ideals in paper written in a cryptographic alphabet similar
from hieroglyphs and Coptic figures hoping "that the future generations may
be able to decipher it" and realized the abuse and oppression done by the
conquerors.  His full name is only known as Don Anastacio. The educated
inhabitants of San Diego labeled him as Filosofo Tacio (Tacio the Sage)
while others called him as Tacio el Loco (Insane Tacio) due to his
exceptional talent for reasoning.
Pilosopong Tasyo typifies the Filipino who is caught between two disparate
cultures, the East and the West. 
Rizal attempted to show us that reciprocal inhibition or sublimation or
resorting to other activities to forget unpleasant experiences is the common
refuge of intelligent people. Repressing his personal problems through
reading was the only way Tasyo could preserve the appearance of sanity and
blend in with the "normal" world.

Doña Victorina
Doña Victorina de Espadaña, commonly known as Doña Victorina, is an
ambitious Filipino woman who classifies herself as a Spanish and mimics
Spanish ladies by putting on heavy make-up. The novel narrates Doña
Victorina's younger days: she had lots of admirers but she didn't choose any
of them because nobody was a Spaniard. Later on, she met and married Don
Tiburcio de Espadaña, an official of the customs bureau who is about ten
years her junior. However, their marriage is childless.
 Her husband assumes the title of medical doctor even though he never
attended medical school; using fake documents and certificates, Tiburcio
practices illegal medicine. Tiburcio's usage of the title Dr.consequently
makes Victorina assume the title Dra. (doctora, female doctor). Apparently,
she uses the whole name Doña Victorina de los Reyes de de Espadaña, with
double de to emphasize her marriage surname. She seems to feel that this
awkward titling makes her more "sophisticated."
In Doña Victorina, Rizal has drawn a picture of the Filipino woman who has
a distorted view of herself. Rejecting her own kind as inferior and admiring
everything foreign, especially Hispanic, she reinvents herself. She alters her
physical appearance through artificial means -- by using cosmetics that
lighten the color of her skin and by hiding her Asian frame inside
voluminous European dresses.

Padre Hernando de la Sibyla – a Dominican friar. He is described as short and

has fair skin. He is instructed by an old priest in his order to watch Crisóstomo
Ibarra.

Padre Bernardo Salví – the Franciscan curate of San Diego, secretly harboring
lust for María Clara. He is described to be very thin and sickly.

Basilio – Sisa's 10-year-old son. An acolyte tasked to ring the church bells for the
Angelus, he faced the dread of losing his younger brother and falling of his mother
into insanity. At the end of the novel, Elías wished Basilio to bury him by burning
in exchange of chest of gold located on his death ground.

Crispín – Sisa's 7-year-old son. An altar boy, he was unjustly accused of stealing
money from the church. After failing to force Crispín to return the money he
allegedly stole, Father Salví and the head sacristan killed him.

Doña Consolacíon – wife of the Alférez, nicknamed as la musa de los guardias

civiles (The muse of the Civil Guards) or la Alféreza, was a former laundrywoman
who passes herself as a Peninsular; best remembered for her abusive treatment of
Sisa.

Don Tiburcio de Espadaña – Spanish Quack Doctor who is limp and submissive
to his wife, Doña Victorina.
Teniente Guevara - a close friend of Don Rafael Ibarra. He reveals to Crisóstomo
how Don Rafael Ibarra's death came about.

Alfonso Linares – A distant nephew of Tiburcio de Espanada, the would-be fiancé

of María Clara.

Gobernador General (Gobernador Heneral) – Unnamed person in the novel, he is

the most powerful official in the Philippines, a hater of secular priests and corrupt
officials, and Ibarra's sympathizer.

Don Filipo Lino – vice mayor of the town of San Diego, leader of the liberals.

Padre Manuel Martín - he is the linguistic curate of a nearby town, who says the
sermon during San Diego's fiesta.

Don Rafael Ibarra - father of Crisóstomo Ibarra. Though he is the richest man in
San Diego, he is also the most virtuous and generous.

Dona Pía Alba - wife of Capitan Tiago and mother of María Clara. She died
giving birth to her. In reality, she was raped by Dámaso so she could bear a child.

Sisa - represents the mother Philippines losing her sanity due to suppression by

colonizers

3.) Give at least 10 values that can be drawn from Noli Me Tangere.
 Chapter 1- In this chapter, Kapitan Tiyago, the gobernadorcillo of San
Diego offered a food banquet which invited many people from the town
including parish priests, civil guards and lay people regardless of nationality.
The novel ended when Kapitan Tiyago entered the main hall and with
another young man, attempting to introduce the latter. Just like now we are
still having a fiesta and invited some of our friends to join with us.
 Chapter 3- Jele-jele bago quiere - A pidgin Spanish Tagalog saying,
meaning that one pretends not to desire a thing which is in reality one wants.
Age, Dignity and Rulership

 Chapter 4- he is an example of a good son. He wanted to know the real

reason in his father death.

 Chapter 8-This chapter shows a country's lack of progress during those

times. Rizal likens the "good Filipino" to the Barkas Bridge -- it is
dilapidated but continues to serve others, rises and falls at the whim of the
Pasig river's tide, and sometimes gets destroyed by the river. At that time,
Filipinos continued to serve the oppressive government.

 Chapter 9- Here we see the Ibarra is completely unaware that the priests are
plotting against him. Those Dominicans are deathly afraid of Ibarra because
they know he--with his education--is not ignorant of his situation. Also,
Ibarra might later rise as a leader for the indios.

 Chapter 21-Sisa shows her love to her two sons Crispin and Basilio. Just
like what mothers do, they will do everything for their sons.

 Chapter 23- The picnic was held. Ladies and men are having a good time
with each other while riding in a boat. It shows the old culture on courting a
girl.

 Chapter 32-Ibarra donated a school for children.

 Chapter 55- Elias helps his friend Ibarra to escape. It shows how good Elias
is. He is willing to risk his life for Ibarra. Just like the people today, some of
the Filipinos are willing to die for the one they love.

 Chapter 62- Maria Clara is one example of a brave woman. She stands in
her own words. She chooses to offer herself and serve God than to marry a
 man she doesn’t love. Maria Clara shows dignity which every woman must
have in our time.

Refences : http://ningaskugonbaga.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_archive.html
http://ningaskugonbaga.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_archive.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noli_Me_Tangere_(novel)