NOVELS

Nínay is a novel in the Spanish language written by Pedro Alejandro Paterno, and is the first novel
authored by a native Filipino. Paterno authored this novel when he was twenty-three years old and
while living in Spain in 1885, the novel was later translated into English in 1907 ] and into Tagalog in
1908. According to Dominador D. Buhain in his book A History of Publishing in the Philippines, being
the first Filipino novel, Ninay marked the beginning of the awakening of national
consciousness among the Filipino intelligentsia. Being a "largely cultural" novel, the narrative
provides a "folkloristic tour" of the distinctive culture of the Philippines.[4] Composed of 262 pages, the
1908 Tagalog version of the novel was published by the Limbagan Nang La Republika Kiotan Bilang
30 during the American period in Philippine history.

RIZAL’S NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO

What is the importance of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo? Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo have similarities in terms of aim and purpose. Both aim to enlighten the Filipinos
on what is happening in the country. They want the people to fight for their country and have the
total freedom.

Noli Me Tangere is set during the 19th century in the Philippines. Sectors of the society were represented
as the novel progresses. The abusive clergy was represented by Padre Damaso and Padre Salvi, the
wealthy meztizo by the protagonist Crisostomo Ibarra; meanwhile the wealthy Indio was represented by
Capitan Tiago. As such, the novel offers a straightforward analysis of Philippine society under Spanish
rule.
Also known as El Fili in Filipino, the novel was published in 1891 in Ghent, Belgium. It was shipped to
the Philippines via Hong Kong and many of the copies were confiscated before reaching the Philippine
shore. ‘El Filibusterismo’ was thereafter serialized in El Nuevo Regimen in Madrid and translated into
Filipino, other Philippine dialects, English, German, Japanese and French.