Kristy Mar N.

Dela Cruz November 20, 2022

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Life and Works of Rizal

Literary Works of Rizal

Here are 5 Literary works of Rizal and when and why Rizal wrote them.

1. Noli Me Tángere

Noli Me Tángere, which translates from the Latin as "Touch me not," was written by Filipino
author and activist José Rizal and first published in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial
era in 1887. The acute emphasis is inserted to the final word in line with Spanish spelling. Rizal's
primary motivation for writing Noli Me Tangere was to publicly denounce Spanish colonial
mistreatment. It examines alleged disparities in law and practice in relation to the treatment of the
local peoples by the reigning government and the Spanish Catholic friars a century ago.

2. El Filibusterismo

The Reign of Greed, another name for El Filibusterismo, is the second book José Rizal, a
national hero of the Philippines, wrote. It is the follow-up to Noli Me Tángere and was also written
in Spanish like the previous novel. In Ghent, it was first printed in 1891. El Filibusterismo was
started by Rizal in Calamba, Laguna, in October 1887. He updated a few chapters when he was
in London and finished the work on March 29, 1891. In El Filibusterismo, which Rizal dedicated
to the three killed priests Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, he expressed his
belief that the way in which the Spanish government treated them and caused their deaths was
unfair. In El Filibusterismo, Rizal pushed the community to open its eyes to reality and fight
against the Spanish government for its oppression and abuse. The plots are diametrically
opposed to those of Noli Me Tangere, where people were encouraged to ask and aspire for
reform and emancipation. There is desire, beauty, passion, and mercy in Noli Me Tangere.
Readers of El Filibusterismo will experience resentment, anger, and hostility. There is no longer
any romanticism or goals. Even the personalities of the characters appear to have changed
drastically.

3. Mi último adios

Before being executed by firing squad on December 30, 1896, Filipino propagandist and
author Dr. José Rizal wrote the poem "Mi ltimo adiós." One of the final things he composed before
passing away was the composition. Rizal composed his farewell poem on a single sheet of paper
the night before he was executed, demonstrating his fervent nationalism and unshakable love for
his country. The poem was composed in Spanish and has 14 five-line stanzas. Later, it was
delivered to his family while concealed inside a little alcohol burner. In the beginning, Rizal did
not give it a title, and if it stayed nameless, logically and according to literary tradition, it would be
titled by the words taken directly from the poem's opening line. However, his friend and fellow
reformer Mariano Ponce later renamed it "Mi Ultimo Adios."
 4. Kundiman

On September 12, 1891, Jose Rizal authored "Kundiman" in Tagalog. A young guy will
serenade the woman he loves with a kundiman, a traditional love song from the Philippines. His
passionate affection for his Motherland is the central topic of Rizal's "Kundiman." His statements
conveyed his confidence that injustice and slavery will one day be abolished in the Philippines.
Rizal employed and penned it to communicate his love for the homeland while also expressing
his abhorrence towards the violence and injustice that was evident at the time in Spain. The poetry
or song amply illustrated the dangers concealed in such statements as well as the potential
intentions for the future. Perhaps that is why it was used as one of the arguments against Rizal
in court. The song also demonstrated how upbeat and positive Rizal was, believing that our nation
will one day be free.

5. To the Young Women of Malolos

José Rizal, wrote a letter titled Mga kababayang dalaga ng Malolos (English: To my
countrymen, the young ladies of Malolos) on February 22, 1889. It is also known by its alternate
English title, To the young women of Malolos. The letter is written in Tagalog and is sent to a
group of Malolos, Bulacan women who were successful in persuading the Spanish colonial
authorities to grant them permission to build a school so they could learn Spanish. In his letter to
the Malolos ladies, Rizal placed a strong emphasis on reason and advocated for women's
education in order to educate them. Rizal argued that religion needed reason, and that without
reason, there was merely religiosity.

REFERENCES:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noli_Me_T%C3%A1ngere_(novel)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_filibusterismo

https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1276/today-in-philippine-history-september-18-
1891-dr-jose-rizals-el-filibusterismo-was-published-in-ghent-belgium

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mi_%C3%BAltimo_adi%C3%B3s
http://writingsofrizal.weebly.com/mi-ultimo-adios.html
https://prezi.com/wbi0-akdd03n/kundiman-ni-jose-rizal/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mga_Kababayang_Dalaga_ng_Malolos