Christian C.

Magbanua BSMA II-A March 1, 2022

Carlos Hilado Memorial State College

EXPLORE
Read the article written by Leon Ma. Guerrero on his opinion on Rizal’s novels. Answer the questions
after the article.

Rizal's Novels

Articles published in a fortnightly were obviously not enough to attract the attention of the
Spanish government. Seeing that Marcelo del Pilar was editing the paper with rare ability,
assisted by a sufficient number of competent contributors, Rizal left its staff to give his work a
more fit and forceful vehicle. It was necessary to, picture the miseries of the Filipinos more
movingly, so that the abuses, and the afflictions they caused might be publicly revealed in the
most vivid colours of reality. Only a novel could combine all these attractions, and Rizal set
himself to writing novels. The preface of the "Noli me tangere" states the purpose of its author,
which was no other than to expose the sufferings of the Filipino people to the public gaze, as
the ancients did with their sick so that the merciful and generous might suggest and apply a
suitable care. The principal character of the novel was the only scion of a wealthy family of
mixed Spanish and Filipino blood. Ibarra, for that was the name he bore, had been enrolled at a
very early age in the Ateneo de Manila Municipal School run by the Jesuits; afterward his father
had sent him to Europe to complete his studies. Having had little to do there with his
countrymen, it was not to be wondered at that upon his return to the islands. Ibarra should
know so little about his own country that when Elias approached him in the name of the
persecuted and oppressed, appealing to him to work for the reforms that could mitigate their
fate he should answer that he was convinced it was not yet time to change the existing regime
in the islands because it was the most suitable for the present state of development of the
Filipinos. It could not be doubted that Ibarra really loved his country, and yet, in all faith, he
believed what he said because he was happy, because he loved with all his heart a childhood
friend, the daughter of the friar who was the parish priest of his hometown, and his love as
tenderly returned. In one of those poetic outbursts proper to those in love, he promised his
sweetheart, the personification of his native land, that he would undertake at his own cost the
construction of public works much needed in the town, such as a good building for a public
school.

For his part the parish priest could not allow, and felt it his obligation to prevent, the union of
his daughter with Ibarra because the Filipinos and their families were subjected to a thousand
persecutions and it were better for her to marry a Spaniard that she might live peacefully in the
company of her children. Besides, Ibarra was a subversive who did not even kiss his hand and
whose attitude, although polite, was far from the servile submission required from natives. His
anger knew no bounds when the town mayor informed him of Ibarra's plan to build a school-
house, and he exploded into such terrible fulminations of reprisal against any who might
collaborate in the project that the young man had to have recourse to the provincial governor,
the director general of civil administration, and the governor general himself. These authorities
lent him their support, but, at the laying of the cornerstone of the school, only Elias saved him
by a miracle from certain death.
The young man's situation became more crucial when another friar fell hopelessly in love with
his sweetheart. No Filipino in those times could doubt that the enemy of one friar was the
enemy of his Order, and that the enemy of two friars was that of all the religious Orders put
together. So it came to pass that, when least expected, a riot broke out to murder the parish
priest who, oddly enough, was not to be found in the parish-house, while the constabulary, on
the other hand, was able to surprise and capture a number of the rioters. Whoever among the
latter refused to point to Ibarra as the leader and instigator of the insurrection was tortured to
death; the stronger ones preferred to die rather than to lie, but many gave in to the severity of
their sufferings and in the face of death. Ibarra, warned in time by Elias, was able to escape
from the torture and fled to Manila, turning himself in to the higher authorities, who had him
shut up in Fort Santiago. Elias saved him anew and, once outside the fortress, told Ibarra that
he had buried the latter's money and treasure in a place he described, adding that with these
resources Ibarra could live abroad and work from there for the deliverance of his countrymen.
Ibarra, because of his wealth and greater learning, would be more useful than Elias, and for this
reason Elias, in an effort to save Ibarra from a constabulary pursuit party that was almost upon
him, drew them off the track and was killed.

The book contains various other scenes from Philippine life as it actually was, which are
arranged artistically in the novel to give unity of time and place and heighten the interest of the
reader. The work's second volume, entitled "El Filibusterismo", continues the story: Ibarra had
escaped abroad where he had grown wealthy from trade; moving on to Cuba, as a jeweller, he
had won the friendship of the governor general of the island with expensive gifts, and lent them
the money needed to secure from the Ministry a transfer to the Philippines, where the
governorship was more lucrative. Thus, under another name and with the security afforded by
his position as the new governor general's intimate friend and confidante, his eyes always
covered by enormous dark glasses to avoid his being recognized, Ibarra was able to return
tothe Philippines and dedicate himself, heart and soul, to his campaign of subversion.

This consisted in deepening the blindness and inciting the base passions of the authorities so
that by carrying to an extreme the abuses and oppressions inflicted on the natives, they should
drive the latter from exasperation to rage and thus to revolution. The lamentations of the
oppressed reached up to heaven, and, if they did not move the oppressors to compassion, it
was because their hearts were harder than stone. But in spite of all, the people did not rise,
their patience was greater than Ibarra's, whose heart burnt with the desire to avenge his ruined
future and lost happiness. Unable to wait any longer, he prepared a great banquet to be
attended by the higher authorities and principal families of Manila, and planted a dynamite
mine under the house which would explode before the end of the feast. Then, taking advantage
of the confusion such a disaster would cause, lbarra at the head of a gang of outlaws who were
at his orders, would force his way into Intramuros, take his sweetheart away from the Santa
Clara nunnery, and escape with her. A Filipino, to whom Ibarra confided his plans, was so
horrified by the proposed crime that he frustrated it, and this led to the discovery of the plot,
Ibarra, pursued and mortally wounded, took refuge in the house of Father Florentino, who
made him see the error of his ways. Shortly thereafter, overcome by sorrow and remorse
because he had not spent his time on useful benefactions, Ibarra died. Father Florentino, to
whom lbarra had left a chest filled with jewels, threw into the sea all the wealth which had
been the cause. And origin of untold sufferings, so that it might cease to work evil, calling
instead on the virtuous youths ready to offer the sacrifice of their pure and stainless blood to
obtain from heaven the salvation of the native land.

The foregoing extract from his works shows that Rizal made it his purpose to give, in particular,
two pieces of advice which might serve as warnings not only to the Spaniards but also to the
Filipinos. By the first, he served notice on the Spaniards that, if the Spanish government in order
to please the friar remained deaf to the demands of the Filipino people, the latter would have
recourse in, desperation to violent means and seek in independence relief for its sorrows; and
by the second, he warned the Filipinos that, if they should take up their country's cause
motivated by personal hatred and ambition, they would, far from helping it, only make it suffer
all the more. He wanted to say that only those actions would benefit the Filipinos which were
dictated by true patriotism, which not only demands the sacrifice to the common good of
personal revenges and ambitions, but also requires, when necessary, the disinterestedness and
abnegation of Elias. Did the Spaniards know how to profit by this advice to them? Or the
Filipinos by that given to them? If the reader has the patience to follow me in this brief study,
which I shall try to make impartial so it may be the more enlightening, I hope that at its
conclusion he may answer these questions for himself. For the time being let him be content
with the observation that very few Spaniards read Rizal's novels because they had been written
by a subversive, and that not many Filipinos read them either because their publication and
reading in the islands were prohibited. Sin, says the proverb, is its own expiation.

Reflections

1. What was Rizal’s purpose in writing Noli me Tangere?

According to Leon Guerrero, Jose Rizal's objective in writing Noli Me Tangere was to expose the
Filipino people's afflictions to the public sight, much like the ancients did with their sick, so that
the merciful and generous may advise and apply appropriate care.

2. Describe Ibarra as the principal character in Noli me Tangere.

The novel's main character was the sole scion of a wealthy family of mixed Spanish and Filipino
ancestry. Ibarra, as he was known, had been enrolled in the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila
Municipal School since he was a child, and his father had sent him to Europe to finish his
studies. It was not surprising that upon his return to the islands, he had minimal contact with
his people. Ibarra should know so little about his own country that when Elias approached him
on behalf of the oppressed and persecuted, pleading with him to work for reforms that would
alleviate their plight, he should respond that he was convinced it was not yet time to change
the existing regime in the islands because it was the most appropriate for the Filipinos' current
state of development. Ibarra's passion for his nation could not be questioned, but he believed
what he said because he was happy, because he loved a childhood friend, the daughter of the
friar who was the parish priest of his community, with all his heart, and his love was gently
reciprocated. He promised his fiancée, the personification of his native nation, that he would
construct public works badly needed in the town at his own expense, such as a good structure
for a public school, in one of those poetic outbursts typical of those in love.

3. Why was Padre Damaso opposed to Ibarra’s love affair with Ma. Clara?

The parish priest, for his part, could not and felt obligated to prevent his daughter's marriage to
Ibarra since Filipinos and their families were exposed to a thousand persecutions, and it would
be better for her to marry a Spaniard so that she might live quietly with her children.
Furthermore, Ibarra was a dissident who did not even kiss his hand and whose demeanor, while
cordial, was far from the Indians' expected servile devotion. When the town mayor learned of
Ibarra's plan to build a schoolhouse, his rage knew no bounds, and he erupted in such terrible
rants of retaliation against anyone who might help with the project that the young man had to
seek help from the provincial governor, the director general of civil administration, and the
governor general himself.

4. What was Ibarra’s objective when he returned as Simoun in El Filibusterismo?

Ibarra had fled to the Philippines, where he had become wealthy through trade; as a jeweller,
he had gained the acquaintance of the island's governor general with lavish presents, and given
them the money they needed to secure a transfer to the Philippines, where the governorship
was more lucrative. Thus, Ibarra was able to return to the Philippines under a different name
and with the security afforded by his position as the new governor general's close friend and
confidante, his eyes always covered by enormous dark glasses to avoid being recognized, and
devote himself, heart and soul, to his subversion campaign.

5. Was Rizal in favor of violent means to achieve independence? Explain why.

No, because in 1896, he published a manifesto expressing his opposition to the military
revolution in Spain. He expunged his name, which he claimed was being used by radicals to
promote certain ideologies. He stated that violent revolution is impossible, absurd, and
disastrous, and that he has always opposed, fought, and made it plain that it is impossible,
ludicrous, and destructive. Changes must "also come from above," he stressed, because
reforms "from below" are "violent and transient upheavals."