LIFE, WORKS AND

WRITING OF DR.
JOSE P. RIZAL
SAMUEL B. BARBO, JR
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL IN BRUSSELS
➢ January 28, 1890 – Rizal left Paris, France
and moved to Brussels, the capital city of
Belgium.
➢ Jose Alejandrino – his roommate in
Brussels.
➢ Jose Rizal suffered in financial difficulties
and when it got worse he wanted to return
to the Philippines.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL IN BRUSSELS

➢ June of 1890 – He wrote a letter to

Mariano Ponce stating his desire to go
home. “I have not received anything from
the Philippines, that is why I am thinking
of going back there as soon as possible
and may God say what will happen next.”
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL IN BRUSSELS

➢ Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Mariano

Ponce – extended their invitation for
Rizal to move to Madrid.
➢ Paciano – gave Rizal instructions to
proceed to Madrid.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL IN MADRID
➢ August 1890 – Rizal arrived in Madrid,
Spain and attended a reunion of
Filipinos.

❖ 1st incident:
➢ Antonio Luna – while drunk, insulted
Rizal for his (Luna’s) failure to win the
heart of Nellie Boustead. The infuriated
Rizal challenge Luna to a fencing duel.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL IN MADRID
❖ 2nd incident:
➢ Wenceslao Retana – a Spanish scholar
who was hired by Catholic corporations
to neutralize the La Solidaridad in
Madrid. Rizal challenged him to a duel to
the death. Retana knowing that Rizal
was an expert shooter and a good
swordsman, apologized through a
published article.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL IN MADRID

➢ May 1890 – Rizal was informed of the

Royal Audiencia’s decision on the
Calamba Hacienda case.
➢ September 1890 – Rizal received a
letter from his sister Saturnina of the sad
events that overtook their family in
Calamba.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL IN MADRID

➢ Saturnina informed Rizal about:

1. His brother-in-laws were again arrested
and deported to Mindoro.
2. She also informed Rizal of the eviction of
the entire family including his father Don
Francisco who was then 78 years old in
their old house in Calamba.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL IN MADRID
➢ Rizal then expressed his loss of hope in
Spain through writing a letter to
Blumentritt.
➢ Don Manuel Becerra – a Spanish
politician, Rizal seek his help.
➢ He also thought of seeking and audience
with the Queen Regent Maria Cristina
herself but she had no influential friends
to help him.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL IN MADRID
➢ December 1890 – Rizal received a letter
from Leonor Rivera informing him of her
impending marriage to an Englishman
named Charles Henry Kipping.
➢ Leonor Rivera – was arranged by her
mother to marry him on June 17, 1891.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE LA
SOLIDARIDAD
❖ Cobordo Venganza (Cowardly
Revenge)
➢ August 31, 1890 – Rizal expressed his
bitterness over how the Spansh
governmentin the Philippines treated his
two brother-in-laws and his elder brother
Paciano.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE LA
SOLIDARIDAD

❖ Como Se Gobiernan las Filipinas (How

the Philippines is Governed)
➢ Rizal explained that the Spanish
government ruling the country is itself the
real cause of the problem.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE LA
SOLIDARIDAD
❖ F. PI. Y Margall: el Luchar Tiempo
Nuestro (F. PI. Y Margall: The Struggle
of Our Time)
➢ November 15, 1890 – book review of
Rizal
➢ January 1889 – Rizal was made
Honorary President of the La Solidaridad
Association
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL’S MASONIC SPEECH IN
MADRID
➢ Masoneria (Masonry) – A lecture
prepared and read by Jose Rizal for
members of the La Solidaridad (Lodge
No. 53 in 1889, in Madrid)

➢ Rizal discussed the fundamental

foundations of Masory (Science, Virtue
and Labor)
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL’S LOVE LIFE
➢ February 1891 – before proceeding to
Ghent, Rizal took a one-month vacation
at Biarritz, France where he was
received well by the Boustead family.
➢ Mr. Boustead – admired Rizal for his
excellent literary talents
➢ Nelly Boustead – the younger daughter
of the Boustead couple was romantically
linked to Rizal.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL’S EL FILIBUSTERISMO
➢ July 1891 – Jose Rizal, together with
Jose Alejandrino and Edilberto
Evangelista left Brussels and moved to
Ghent, Belgium where printing was
cheaper.
➢ Alejandrino and Evangelista – also
enrolled and studied in the famous
University of Ghent, taking up courses in
the field of Engineering.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL’S EL FILIBUSTERISMO
➢ Rizal was already desperate in resuming
the printing of El Filibusterismo when a
compatriot from Paris, France learned
about his financial problems. Valentine
Ventura saved El Filibusterismo.
➢ September 1891 – Rizal finally
published the novel El filibusterismo
which he began writing in June 1887.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL’S EL FILIBUSTERISMO

➢ The novel was a sequel to Rizal’s Noli

Me Tangere.
➢ El Filibusterismo – combines romance
and revolution which made Rizal
somehow a radical, separatist and
revolutionary.
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL’S EL FILIBUSTERISMO
➢ CHARACTERS
1. Simoun
2. Maria Clara
3. Basilio
4. Isagani
5. Paulita Gomez
6. Cabesang Tales
7. School Master
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL’S EL FILIBUSTERISMO
➢ October 2, 1891 – Graciano Lopez
Jaena “El Filibusterismo is a superior
novel to your Noli Me Tangere…”

➢ October 11, 1891 – Mariano Ponce

stated in his letter “It is truly excellent; I
cannot find any other praise...”
RIZAL IN BRUSSELS AND MADRID
❑ RIZAL’S DEPARTURE

➢ Rizal proceeded to Hong Kong where he

was reunited with his family.
➢ October 18, 1891 – Rizal left Europe
bidding Spain, France, Italy, Germany,
Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, England,
goodbye.