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MODULE 13: Rizal’s Trip to Madrid and Second Homecoming

Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, students are expected to:

1. Describe the misfortunes of Rizal in Madrid.

2. Appreciate the life experiences of Rizal abroad.
3. Analyze Rizal’s reasons for leaving Europe and the decision to return to Manila.

The Dominicans were unjust against the Calamba folks. Rizal’s relatives namely Silvestre,
Paciano, Antonio, Silvestre, Teong and Dandoy were deported to different provinces. Even more,
his parents had been forcibly ejected from their home. Rizal was sad and depressed upon
knowing this sad plight of his family.

Misfortunes in Madrid

Rizal almost had a duel with Antonio Luna after the former’s unsavoury
remarks about Nellie. Antonio Luna apologized with what happened. Nelly
Boustead reciprocated the affection of Rizal resulting to his conflict with
Antonio Luna. The situation frustrated Antonio Luna that led to the
exasperated duel. Rizal planned to marry Nelly but Nelly’s desire to convert
Rizal into protestant made him rethink about the marriage.

While on vacation in Biarritz, Rizal completed the last chapter of his second
novel. On March 30, 1891, Rizal proceeded to Paris by train. Rizal also retired
from the “Propaganda Movement” and from “La Solidaridad” during this time.

In Brussels, El Filibusterismo was completed which he dedicated to

GomBurZa. There were nights in Brussels where he had bad dreams about
his future death. Although feeling anxious of this, he succeeded in finishing his Nelly Boustead
second novel. When Valentine Ventura heard his financial predicament in
publishing El Fili, he sent the necessary amount needed to for its publication.

MADRID
> Misfortunes in Madrid:
1. Failure to get justice for family.
2. Rizal’s eulogy to Panganiban.
3. Aborted duel with Antonio Luna.
4. Rizal challenges Retana to
duel.
5. Infidelity of Leonor Rivera.
6. Rizal-Del Pilar rivalry.
BIARRITZ, BRUSSELS & GHENT
> To seek solace for his
disappointments in Madrid, Rizal
took a vacation in the resort city of
Biarritz on the fabulous French
Riviera.
> He was a guest of the rich
Boustead family at its winter
residence – Villa Eliada.
> He had a serious romance with
Nellie Bousted.
> Rizal finished the last chapter of
his second novel, El Filibusterismo.
> Because of the intrigues of his
jealous compatriots, Rizal retired
from the Propaganda movement
while in Brussels.
> Simultaneous with his retirement
from the Propaganda movement,
Rizal ceased writing articles for La
Solidaridad.
> He worked for the final revision of
the manuscript of El Fili.
> Reasons for moving to Ghent:
1. The cost of printing in Ghent was
cheaper that in Brussels, and
2. To escape from the enticing
attraction of Petite Suzanne.
> He published El Fili through the
help of Valentin Ventura.
HONGKONG
> Reasons for leaving Europe:
1. Life was unbearable in Europe
because of his political differences
with M. H. del Pilar and other
Filipinos in Spain.
2. To be near his idolized
Philippines and family.
> The Christmas of 1891 in Hong
Kong was one of the happiest
Yuletide celebrations in Rizal’s life
for he had a happy family reunion.
> A Portuguese physician, Dr.
Lorenzo P. Marques, who
became Rizal’s friend and
admirer, helped him to build up a
wide clientele while in Hong Kong.
> Rizal conceived the
establishment of a Filipino colony
in North Borneo (Sabah).
> He wrote the Constitution of
the La Liga Filipina which was
printed in Hong Kong in 1892.
>Rizal wrote a letter to governor
general Eulogio Despujol of his
coming to Manila and placed
himself under the protection of the
Spanish government.
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MANILA
> Decisions to return to Manila:
1. To confer with Governor
General Despujol regarding his
Borneo colonization project
2. To establish the La Liga Filipina
in Manila.
3. To prove that Eduardo de Lete
was wrong in attacking him in
Madrid that he had abandoned
the country’s cause.
> At noon of June 26, 1892, Rizal
and his widowed sister Lucia
arrived in Manila.
> He had a brief interview with
Despujol.
> He visited his friends in Central
Luzon the following day (June
27).
> Rizal founded the La Liga
Filipina on July 3, 1892 at Ylaya
Street, Tondo, Manila. Ambrosio
Salvador was elected president.
Motto: Unus Instar Omnium
(One Like All).
> He was placed under arrest and
was imprisoned in Fort Santiago
on July 6, 1892.
> Despujol signed the deportation
of Rizal to Dapitan on July 7,
1892.
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Ghent

Rizal left Brussels and stayed in a cheap boarding house in Ghent because he needed to print
the novel at a cheaper price. Upon arrival, Rizal found out that F. Meyer-Van-Loo Press printing
shop could give him the lowest quotation price to print his book on installment basis. To produce
the necessary funds, he pawned all his jewelries and included the 200 pesos payment of Basa
from the purchase of the copies of “Sucesos de Morga”.
In going to Hongkong, he boarded the steamer Melbourne in Marseilles. The passengers were
mostly Europeans including two Spaniards. Rizal was the only Asian. There were 80 passengers
in the steamer. They were amazed to know that he could speak a lot of languages.

Business Card shows Dr. Jose Rizal is Marker of Rizal’s residence on

an Ophthalmologist in Hong Kong Rednaxela Terrace in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Rizal lived at number 5 D’ Aguilar street. He arrived here

in Nov. 20, 1891. He opened a medical clinic in Hongkong and
was welcomed by Jose Basa. Before the Christmas of 1891,
he was gladdened by the arrival of his father, brother, and
Silvestre Ubaldo in Hong Kong. Not long afterwards, his
mother and sisters Lucia, Josefa and Trinidad also arrived.
This Christmas was one of the happiest moments in Rizal’s life
for he had a happy family reunion. Rizal also practiced his
ophthalmology in Hong Kong where he became a well-known
medical practitioner.

Granite Steps where Rizal used to He wrote his third

pass on his way to his clinic. and fourth novel. The
third novel was in
Tagalog titled Makamisa, Dapitan, unfortunately this
remained unfinished until the time of his death. There
was a call to return home after a few days in Hongkong
because he was discontented with the less heroic
mode of living in Hongkong. Rizal was torn between
the gravity of his concern for his family and his
determination to complete El Fili. Marker on Century Square where Rizal’s
Clinic used to stand.
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Second Homecoming

Rizal and his sister Lucia arrived in Manila by noon of June 26, 1892. He gave two sealed
letters to Dr. Marques with the inscription “to be opened after my death”. Rizal and Lucia stayed
at Hotel de Oriente that faced the church of Binondo.
Rizal visited his friends on June 27. He also went to Malacañang palace for a series of
interviews with the governor-general. He denied the printed leaflets (Pobres Frailes) allegedly
found in the pillowcases of Lucia. However, despite his explanations that they were thoroughly
searched upon their arrival from Hongkong, he was still arrested and escorted to Fort Santiago.
Rizal was brought to Dapitan aboard the steamer Cebu where he was under the supervision
of commandant Captain Ricardo Carnicero. He stayed in Dapitan from July 15, 1892 to July 31,
1896, for about four years.

REFERENCES

“Google map”, Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/maps

Mga Apo ni Teodora. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbMhGMAM-

Fk&list=PLuS4HGriyVMFSe1015moFfcVSt6cH2w2n&index=20&app=desktop

Teodora Alonzo, ang mga dakilang ina ng ating bayani si Dr. Jose Rizal. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UCsH2SugVY

Zaide G. F. and Zaide S. M. (2007), Jose Rizal: life, works and writings of a genius, writer, scientist
and national hero, All nations publishing co., inc.p.1-426.