DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND HUMANITIES

Life and Works of Rizal

Second Semester, School Year 2020-2021
Final Examination

NAME: GANDEZA, PRINCE EMMANUEL D. CLASS SCHEDULE: MWF – 3:00 – 4:30 pm

COURSE, YEAR, SECTION: BS Criminology, 1, A SCORE: _____________________________

Read Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios/My Last Farewell. What stanzas/lines caught your attention the most and
why? Explain the importance of this piece in the pursuit of democracy and love for one’s country. Lastly,
with all the lessons we had in class, what are your greatest realizations? Answer this in an essay form.
Please submit your exam until June 26, 2021 (Saturday).

FINAL EXAM

The Mi Ultimo Adios of Rizal is a very touching piece. I didn't quite think that the poem about
love for the country was more thrilling than an erotic love. I was really fed with the beauty of love novels
and movies but I never felt this sad not until I read Rizal’s farewell speech. I see no regrets in him for
having died for his home country. Below are some stanzas from the piece that really caught my attention.

On the fields of battle, in the fury of fight,

Others give you their lives without pain or hesitancy,
The place does not matter: cypress laurel, lily white,
Scaffold, open field, conflict or martyrdom's site,
It is the same if asked by home and Country.

As could be gleaned from the stanza above, Rizal asserts that it is not where someone
dies that matters, but why one dies and for what reason. He said that regardless whether it's a
"scaffold," an "open field," a "conflict," or a "martyrdom site," all deaths are equally valuable
and honorable as long as they are offered for home and country. I was really amazed with that
ideology and belief of Rizal. Even at his last moments, he proved that he has already served his
purpose; he has made his existence something worth remembering; something that is inspiring to
many and that his love for his motherland is unconditional and incomparable. It doesn’t matter if
he will die early as long as his cause is for the betterment of his dearly love – the Philippines. If
Philippines is a lady, I am sure that she must’ve been full of butterflies in her stomach because of
Rizal’s love and loyalty. The reason for dying make sense. I mean when we are all asked a
question about when do we want to die, most of us will probably say that the best time for dying
is when we already fulfilled our purpose right? Connecting it to the piece, Rizal accepted his
death without any second thoughts because that time he is already sure that he has done his part
in serving his motherland and he has nothing to regret about in his grave.

And when my grave by all is no more remembered,

With neither cross nor stone to mark its place,
Let it be plowed by man, with spade let it be scattered
And my ashes ere to nothingness are restored,
Let them turn to dust to cover your earthly space.

In the next verse, Rizal expresses his desire to be "plowed by man" after his grave has
been forgotten, and he even wished to have his remains be scattered as part of the dust that
 DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND HUMANITIES
Life and Works of Rizal
Second Semester, School Year 2020-2021
Final Examination

covers the land he fought and died for. I like how Rizal wants everyone to remember him not for
his heroism but for his great love for the Philippines. He wants everyone to remember his
sacrifices so that they will all have the same amount of love and loyalty just as him for this
country. Loving a country does not end just by saying it. One must prove that “love” by doing
good deeds regardless whether they are small or big as long as it is for the country’s benefit. I
like this part of the piece because Rizal portrayed a love that is never-ending that even up to his
grave, he will still be in love with the Philippines and will forever be grateful to be a Filipino.

When it comes to the significance of Mi Ultimo Adios in the pursuit of democracy and
love for one’s country, we all know that the farewell of Rizal did not mark the end of the
Philippine revolution but instead started it. The death of Rizal ignited the battle for freedom and
democracy that every Filipino needs. The Philippines is not for the invaders to enjoy but a
ground for the Filipinos to thrive. The Mi Ultimo Adios was Rizal’s way of convincing everyone
to fight in the name of patriotism and that they must not fear death because all deaths are
honorable as long as it reflects heroes that showed love and loyalty for the country. Not only that
the farewell of Rizal opened the vision of the many about patriotism, it also depicted
unconditional love for the country. Mi Ultimo Adios depicted Rizal’s undeniably love for his
country. If people out there end their lives for some failed erotic relationships, Rizal back then,
also sacrificed his life but not for mere personal reasons but because he wanted the Philippines to
achieve the freedom the Filipinos never had and are wishing to have. Mi Ultimo Adios is now an
eye-opener to the youth to never accept defeat from the conquerors. Mi Ultimo Adios let the
Filipinos realized that the plight to freedom and democracy lies within their will to fight and
voices to speak up for their rights and for what is right.

In learning the Life and Works of Rizal, I really learned a lot. Not only literal historical
events and its chronological structure but also its significance to today’s generation. With how
great the sacrifices of Rizal for this country - Philippines, I felt useless. Aside from the idea that I
have idols from other countries, I also support their products, arts, and the likes instead of
supporting local brands and being proud of our local artists. I feel a lot of guilt because Rizal
died to show genuine love for the Philippines and here I am just seeing this country as one of the
poorest countries in the world and even planning about migrating and settling abroad. Instead of
doing a step in contributing for the betterment of this country, I decided to pack my things and
leave but because of the inclusion of the Life and Works of Rizal in our curriculum in college,
some of my views in life has changed. I am now maximizing my existence by helping the kids
with their lessons. Alleviating ignorance, I am sure, can little by little produce assets that this
country needs. Let me highlight something that really remained in my mind. It is about
Rizal’s capacity to love women. Someone asked, why is there a need to study the love stories of
Rizal when it does only reflect the bad side of him? Hearing that question, I was left silent,
thinking of an answer however, before I was able to formulate one, I was blown by the answer of
a professor. He said that, if Rizal don’t have the capacity to love women, then his love for his
country will all be lies. How can he love such great and huge motherland, if in a single lady he
fails to? With that, I realized that big things really do come from little things.
 DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND HUMANITIES
Life and Works of Rizal
Second Semester, School Year 2020-2021
Final Examination

THANK YOU MA’AM <3

__________________________________________________________________________________

“If you want something in this world, all the universe will conspire to help you get it.”
The Alchemist, P. Coelho

JENNIELOU G. PIGAO
Instructor