CHAPTER 8

Noli me Tangere
Publish in Berlin (1887)

By
Janry B. Colonia
The bleak winter of 1886 was memorable in the
life of Rizal for two reasons:
it was a painful episode for he was hungry, sick and despondent in a
strange city

His first novel Noli Me Tangere came

off the press in March 1887 because
Dr. Maximo Viola help him.

Maximo Viola

Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin,

which portrays the brutalities of American
slave-owners and the pathetic conditions of
the unfortunate Negro slaves, inspired
Dr. Jose Rizal to prepare a novel that would
depict the miseries of his people under the
Harriet Beecher Stowe
lash of the Spanish tyrants.
 The writing of Noli
Toward the end of 1884, Rizal began
writing the novel in Madrid and
finished about one-half of it.
Madrid
When he went to Paris, in 1885, he continued writing, he finished one-half of the
second half.
He finished the last parts of the novel in
Germany

Germany
 Viola, Savior of the Noli

Dr. Maximo Viola financed the

printing cost of the Noli.

To save printing expenses, he deleted

certain passages, including the
whole chapter of Elias and Salome.
Maximo Viola

The printing shop-Berliner Burch Druchrei-Action-Gesselschaft-which

charged the lowest rate,that is 300 peso for 2000 copies of the novel
print the Noli.
Printing of Noli
During the printing of the Noli, the chief of police paid a sudden visit
to Rizal’s boarding house

He was told to secure a passport in four

days, otherwise he could be deported.

Rizal with Viola went to the Spanish

embassy to seek help from the Spanish
ambassador who promised to attend to
the matter.
The ambassador failed to help him
 At the fourth-day, Rizal presented himself at the office of the German
police chief.

Explained to the police chief that he

was not a French spy but a Filipino
physician and scientist, particularly
ethnologist.

He was impressed with Rizal’s explanation

v
and fascinated by his mastery of the
German language and personal charisma.

The police chief was satisfied and

allowed him to stay freely in
Germany.
 Printing of the Noli Finished
On March 21, 1887, the Noli Me Tangere came off the press

Rizal immediately sent the first copies to

his intimates, including Blumentritt, Dr. Antonio
M. Regidor. G. Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce, and
Felix R.

Blumenttritt Lopez Jaena Mariano Ponce

 Printing of the Noli Finished
On March 29, 1887, Rizal, in token of his appreciation and
gratitude, gave Viola the gallery proofs of the Noli carefully roled
around the pen that he used in writing it.

In the complimentary copy,

there was the inscription
“To my Dear Friend Maximo
Viola, The first to read and
appreciate my work- Jose Rizal.

Maximo Viola
 The title of the Novel
Noli Me Tangere is a Latin phrase
which means “Touch Me Not” .
It is not originally conceived by
Rizal for he admitted taking it from
the Bible, Noli Me Tangere, signifies
“Do Not Touch Me”.

The Author’s Dedication

Rizal dedicated his Noli Me Tangere to
the Philippines-”To My Fatherland”
 Synopsis of the Noli.
The novel Noli Me Tangere contains 63 chapters and Epilogue.
Characters of Noli Me Tangere
Crisostomo Ibarra- a young and rich
Filipino who had just returned after
seven years of study in Europe.
Don Rafael Ibarra- father of Crisostomo
and friend of Capitan Tiago
Capitan Tiago- father of Maria Clara
Maria Clara- supposed daughter of
Capitan Tiago and Fiance of
Crisostomo

Padre Damaso- a fat Franciscan friat

who had been parish priest for 20
years of San Diego (Calamba)
Padre Sybila- a young Dominican Parish Priest of Binondo
Senor Guevarra - an elderly and kind lieutenant of Guardia Civil
Don Tiburcio De Espadana - a bogus
Spanish physician, lame and henpecked
husband of Dona Victoria
Padre Salvi – a Franciscan Parish priest
of San Diego
Tasio the Philosopher - whose ideas were
too advanced for his times so that the
people who could not understand him,
called him “Tasio the Lunatic,” the
progressive school teacher
Don Melchor - the Capitan of the
Cuadrillero (Town Police)
Sisa – the mother of Basilio and Crispin
who became crazy
Basilio and Crispin – the two son of
Sisa
Aunt Isabel - Capitan Tiago cousin who took care of Maria Clara, after her
mother death
Elias – the person who help Crisostomo escaped
Dona Victoria - a vain and vulgar native woman and wife of Tiborcio
Pia Alba – mother of Maria Clara
 The “Noli” based on truth
The Noli Me Tangere, was a true story of the
Philippine condition during the last decades
of Spanish rule. The places, the characters,
and the situations really existed.

Characters in Real Life:

Ibarra & Elias Rizal

Maria Clara  Leonor Rivera
Tasio  Paciano
Capitan Tiago  Capitan Hilario Sunico
of San Nicolas
Dona Victoria  Dona Agustina Medel

Padre Damaso  typical of a domineering friar during the days of

Rizal, who was arrogant, immoral, and anti-Filipino
Padre Salvi Padre Antonio Piernavieja

Basilio and Crispin Crisostomo Brothers of Hagonoy

 Missing Chapter of the Noli

In the original manuscript of Noli Me Tangere, there was a

chapter entitled “Elias and Salome” which follows chapter
XXIV – “In the woods”.

Rizal deleted this particular Chapter on Elias and Salome

so that it was not included in the printing novel to save
cost.
 Rizal’s friends Praise the Noli.

The friends of Rizal have hailed the novel, praising in glowing

colors.l
As to be expected, Rizal’s enemies condemned it.
Among his friends were Blumentritt and Regidor.

Ferdinand Blumentritt Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor

 Thank You

Have a Nice day ahead!!