THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JOSE RIZAL

CHAPTER 1

Jose P. Rizal

-Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda

-June 19, 1861

-Calamba, Laguna

-His mother almost died during the delivery because of his unusual head size.

- Baptized in the Catholic church on June 22, at 3 days old

Fr. Rufino Collantes – “Parish Priest” a Batangueño

Fr. Pedro Casanas – Joses’ “Godfather” a family friend

- “Jose” his name was chosen by his mother who was a devotee of San Jose / St. Joseph
- Father Collantes noticing Joses’ unusual head size prophesized : “Take good care of this child, for
someday he will become a great man.”

RIZAL FAMILY

FRANCISCO MERCADO RIZAL

 Francisco, the father, was a serious looking man of sturdy build.

 He was born in Biñan, Laguna on May 11, 1818.
 He studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila.
 A tenant-farmer of the Dominican-owned hacienda.
 Died in Manila on Jan. 5, 1898 at the age of 80.

TEODORA ALONSO RIZAL

 A vigorous and persevering woman with a benevolent heart and a likable personality.
 Born in Manila on Nov. 8, 1826.
 Educated at College of Santa Rosa, well known college for girls.
 Died in Manila on Aug. 16, 1911 at the age of 85.

 The Rizal family belonged to the Principalia

 One of the distinguished families in Calamba From the Dominican owned farms that they rent,
they harvest rice, corn and sugarcane.
 They owned a carriage, which was a status symbol of the “Illustrados” in Hispanic Philippines .
 They owned private library - the largest in Calamba which consisted of more than 1,000 books.
*town aristocrats in Hispanic Philippines.
 The Rizal family had a very simple yet contented and happy life.
 Both parents never spoil their children.
 They were strict parents and they trained their children to love God, behave well, to be
obedient, and to respect people especially old folks.
 The believed in the maxim: “Spare the rod and spoil the child”
 .They heard Mass in the town church particularly Sundays.
 They prayed together daily at home then after the prayer all the children kiss the hands of their
parents.
 Sibling relationship among the Rizal children was affectionately cordial.
 As a little boy, Rizal played games with his sisters.
 When he grew to manhood, he called them Doña or Señora (if married) and Señorita (if single).
 Paciano was a second father to him (10 years senior)
 Two storey building, rectangular in shape
 Built with adobe stones and hard wood and roofed with red tiles
 Describe by Rafael Palma (biographer)
 Behind the house was a poultry yard full of turkeys and chickens and a big garden of tropical
fruits. It was a happy home.
 Rizal was a product of mixture of races both east and west.
*Negrito, Indonesian, Malay, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish
His great-great grandfather (father side) was a Chinese Immigrant named Domingo Lamco
*He was from Fukien city who arrived in Manila about 1690
 Doña Teodora’s family descended from LakanDula (King of Tondo)
 His great-great maternal grandfather was of Japanese ancestry
 The real surname of Rizal family was Mercado which was adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lamco
(paternal great-great grandfather of Jose Rizal) who was a full blooded Chinese.
 The second surname – RIZAL – was given by a Spanish Alcalde Mayor of Laguna, who was a
family friend.

Calamba, the Hero’s Town

  Calamba was an hacienda town which belong to the Dominican Order
 South looms Mount Makiling
 Beyond this mountain is the province of Batangas
 East of the town is the Laguna de Bay
 North is the distant Antipolo
 Rizal loved Calamba with all his heart and soul.
 15 years old – student in Ateneo de Manila
 Wrote a poem: “Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo” (In Memory of My Town)

Earliest Childhood Memory

 His first memory in his infancy was his happy days in the family garden when he was 3 years old.
 An aya (nurse maid) was employed to look after his comfort because he was a frail, sickly and
undersized child
 Aya related to the Rizal children many stories about fairies, legends and folklore like asuang, the
nuno, the tigbalang
 Another childhood memory was the daily Angelus prayers.
 Another memory of his infancy was the walk in the town especially when there was a moon.

The Hero’s First Sorrow

 Of his sisters, Jose loved most the little Concha

 Unfortunately, Concha died of sickness in 1865 when she was only three years old
 The death of little Concha brought him his first sorrow in life

Devoted Son of the Church

 At the age of 3, he began to take part of in the family prayers.

 When he was 5 years old, he was able to read the Spanish Family Bible
 He was so seriously devoted that he was called Manong Jose.
 One men he respected in Calamba was Father Leoncio Lopez, the town priest.

Pilgrimage to Antipolo

 On June 6, 1868, Rizal and his father left Calamba to go on a pilgrimage to Antipolo in order to
fulfill his mother’s vow.
 His mother gave birth to Trinidad
 It was his first trip across Laguna de Bay and his first Pilgrimge to Antipolo
 After praying, he and his father went to Manila to visit Saturnina at La Concordia College.

The Story of the Moth

 The tragic fate of the young moth which “died a martyr to its illusions” left a deep impress on
Rizal’s mind.
 “to sacrifice one’s life for it” meaning for an ideal, is worthwhile.”
 Like the young moth, Rizal was fated to die as a martyr for a noble ideal.

Artistic Talents
  At the age of 5, he began to make sketches with his pencil and to mould in clay and wax objects.
 He had the soul of a genuine artist
 He love to ride on a spirited pony in lakeshore with his black dog named Usman.

First Poem by Rizal

 At the age of 8, wrote his first poem “ Sa Aking mga Kababata” (To My Fellow Children)
 This poem reveals Rizal’s earlist nationalist sentiments.
 The poem revolves about the Love of one’s language.

First Drama by Rizal

 At the age of *, wrote his first dramatic work which was Tagalog comedy.
 It was staged in the Calamba festivals
 He is also a boy magician which he learned various tricks such as making a coin appear.

Influences on the Hero’s Boyhood

1. Hereditary Influence

From his Malayan ancestors

From his Chinese ancestors

From his Spanish ancestors

From his father

From his mother

2. Environmental Influences

Places, Associates, Events

Beauties of Calamba

His 3 uncles

Tio Jose Alberto – artistic ability

Tio Manuel – develop his body – wrestling

Tio Gregorio – Book lover

Father Leoncio Lopez – fostered Rizal’s love for scholarship and intellectual honesty.

The sorrow in his family, the death of Concha in 1865 and the imprisonment of his mother in 1871-74

3. Aid of Divine Providence

A person may have everything in life – brains, wealth, and power – but without the aid of divine
providence, he cannot attain greatness in the annals of the nation.