The Making of

Noli Me Tangere
(Published in Berlin (1887))
The bleak winter of 1886 in Berlin was Rizal’s
darkest winter because no money arrived from
Calamba and he was flat broke.
Objectives:
1. Appraise important characters in the novel, what they represent and
review the political ideologies in his novel Noli Me Tangere
2. Examine the present Philippine situation through the examples
mentioned in the Noli Me Tangere
• It brought him great
joy, after enduring
so much sufferings,
because his first
novel, Noli Me
Tangere, came off
the press in March
1887.

• Dr. Maximo Viola

loaned him the
needed funds to
publish the novel

Photo by WikiCalambenyo / CC BY-SA 3.0

• Idea of writing a novel on
the Philippines
• Harriet Beecher Stowe’s
Uncle Tom’s Cabin –
inspiration of Rizal in
creating a novel that would
depict the miseries of his
people under the lash of
Spanish tyrants.
• January 2, 1884 – presented
the novel to group of
Filipinos and unanimously
approved by those present:

• Paternos (pedro, Maximino

and Antonio)
• Graciano Lopez jaena
• Evaristo Aguirre
• Eduardo de lete
• Julio Llorente
• Melecio Figueroa
• Valentin Ventura
• The writing of the Noli.
Started in Madrid and
finished half of it
• Paris, 1885 finished half
of the second half
• Finished the last fourth
in Germany
• Wrote the last few
chapters in
Wilhelmsfeld April-June
1886
• In Berlin, winter days,
February 1886 – made
final revisions
• He told Fernando
Canon about his
discouragement in
publishing Noli
• Viola, Savior of the Noli.
• Deleted a whole chapter
“Elias and Salome”
(supposedly Chapter 25) to
reduce printing expenses
• Berliner Buchdruckrei-
Action-Gesselschaft;
printing shop charged the
lowest rate. 300 pesos for
2000 copies

• Rizal suspected as French

Spy. chief police of berlin
paid a sudden visit to Rizal’s
boarding house, asking for
passport but Rizal did not
have one. Gave 4-day
ultimatum but rizal failed to
present one.
• Reason for suspicion:
frequent visits to villages and
little towns in rural areas
• Printing of Noli finished.
March 27, 1887 – Noli
Me Tangere came off
the press.
• sent first copies to his
intimate friends:
• Blumentritt
• Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor
• Graciano Lopez Jaena
• Mariano Ponce
• Felix R. Hidalgo

• March 29, 1887- token

of appreciation: he
gave Viola the galley
proofs of the Noli
carefully rolled around
the pen that he used in
writing it and a
complimentary copy.
• The Title of the Novel.
Noli Me Tangere Latin
Phrase which means
“Touch Me Not” not
originally conceived by
Rizal, he admitted
taking it from the Bible
• Letter to Felix Hidalgo
(French. March 5, 1887):
said it is taken from the
Gospel of St. Luke signify
‘do not touch me”. Rizal
made a mistake; it
should be from the
Gospel of St. John 20:13-
17
• Author’s dedication. to
the Philippines – “to my
Fatherland”
• human sufferings is a
cancer. Social cancer
 The novel Noli Me
Tangere contains 63
Chapters and an
Epilogue
 Cover of the Noli
• A woman’s head atop a Maria Clara bodice -nation and the women, victims of the social
cancer.
• Friar’s feet- One of the causes of the cancer, in outsized in relation to the woman’s head.
• guard’s helmet and the iron chains, the teacher’s whip and the alferez’s scourge -The other
aggravating causes of oppression and discrimination.
• A slight cluster of bamboo stands the backdrop- people, forever in the background of their
own country’s history.
• There are a cross, a maze, flowers and thorny plants, a flame; these are indicative of the
religious policy, the misdirected ardor, the people strangled as a result of these all
 Cover of the Noli
Silhouette of a Filipina
- believed to be Maria Clara or as the "Inang Bayan" to
whom Rizal dictates the novel
Cross/Crucifix
- represents the Catholic faith as it rises above Inang
Bayan and Filipinos (shows dominance)
- it also symbolizes sufferings and death
Pomelo Blossoms & Laurel Leaves
- they represent faith, honor and fidelity, which are the
values Rizal aspires to be embodied by Filipinos
- pomelos are used to scent their air commonly during
prayers and cleansing rituals
- laurel leaves are used as crowns during Greek Olympics
for honoring the best
Burning Torch
- refers to the Olympic torch
- pertains to the awakening of Filipino consciousness
- it also sheds light to the text of the manuscript
Sunflower
- it symbolizes a new beginning
- it is compared to the happiness of which appears to be always
bowing down
Feet
- it symbolizes the power of the friars
- it is placed on the base of the triangle (foundation) because
without friars, the Filipinos cannot stand on their own
 Cover of the Noli
Shoes Flogs (Suplina)
- it represents wealth - it is used for self-flagellation
- it is also the footprints left by friars in teaching - just like the whip, this also symbolizes the cruelties of the
Catholicism Guardia Civil

Hairy Legs Chain

- it symbolizes the Legend of the Wolf
- the wolf shape shifts just like how friars hide their true
nature and character
Helmet of a Guardia Civil
- it represents the arrogance of those in authority
Whip
- it represents the abuses and cruelties done by the
Spaniards and friars as depicted in the novel
- it symbolizes slavery and imprisonment
Rizal's Signature
- it shows that Rizal experienced and witnessed the ills and
abuses that happened during his time
Bamboo Stalks
- it represents Filipino resiliency
-
- despite the sufferings, Filipinos can still stand tall and
firm
 • The Noli Me Tangere was a true story of the Philippine
conditions during the last decades of Spanish rule
• Maria Clara- Leonor Rivera
• Ibarra and Elias- Dr. Jose Rizal
• Tasio- Paciano

Characters of • Padre Silva- Padre Antonio Piernavieja

• Captain Tiago- Captain Hilario Sunico of San Nicolas
Noli • Doña Victorina- Doña Augustina Medel
• Basilio and Crispin - Crisostimo brothers of Hagonoy
• Padre Damaso- a typical domineering friar during the
days of Rizal, who was arrogant, immoral and anti-
Filipino
 The Making of
El Filibusterismo
(Published in Ghent (1891))
Objectives:
1. Compare and contrast the characters, plots, and themes of the Noli and
Fili and his political ideas/ideologies in El Filibusterismo
2. Value the role of the youth in the development and future of society
 To be happy
does not mean
to indulge in
foolishness!
José Rizal