Tambio, Yumira Iris M.

Professor Eduardo Doyaoen

BSHRM 2B. Life and Works of Rizal

Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo: Which is one is better and superior novel?
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are two novels written by Jose Rizal. Beginning
with Noli Me Tangere, a written novel released in 1887 in Berlin, Germany, and translating to
Touch Me Not, it was taken from the Bible in the Latin translation of the phrase spoken,
according to John 20:17. The book's cover depicts an ugly yet captivating image of the so-
called social cancer that deteriorates society. The author's goal in writing is to reveal the
Filipino people's sufferings as a result of Spanish colonization. Noli Me Tangere highlighted
corrupt friars who used Catholicism as a tool to perpetuate and profit themselves in power by
exploiting and striving for servitude among the ignorant "indio" Filipinos in fanaticism and
superstition. Instead of teaching true Catholicism, they control the government and persecute
members of Ilustrado who dare to challenge them, effectively silencing them from rising in
rebellion.
In addition, the book additionally discloses the hypocritical fanaticism of many
religious people, the ignorance, corruption, and brutality of the civil guards, the people's
gambling addiction, colonial mentality, the wealthy Filipinos' excessive willingness to please
the government and friars, and the ridiculous dissociation of Filipinos from their fellowmen.
Our hero clearly implied the friars' questionable practices and the government's
misguided policies, which resulted in numerous flaws that may be traced. Nonetheless, the
Noli is the charter of Filipino nationalism, calling on citizens to reclaim their self-esteem and
seek independence. It offers Filipinos hope that they can recognize their own worth, realize
their potential as Filipino citizens, and establish themselves as equals to Spaniards. It
encourages Filipinos to appreciate education and to be dedicated to their country. Rizal's Noli
reminds us to return to our heritage while also absorbing bits of foreign culture that will
improve our national customs. This book also aided Filipinos in developing a sense of national
identity.
El Filibusterismo, on the other hand, is a sequel novel to the novel that was published
in Ghent, Belgium in 1891. The story takes place thirteen years after Crisostomo Ibarra, the
main character in 'Noli Me Tangere,' has left the Philippines and reappears as a mysterious
jeweler named Simoun. The all-powerful Simoun was plotting revenge in response to Spanish
crimes in the Philippines. The tale revolved around Simoun who is driven by vengeance and
his desire to spark a revolution against Spain and free his beloved Maria Clara from the
convent. While Noli Me Tangere is a story about love and martyrdom, El Filibusterismo is
significantly darker and more brutal, with several incidents including murder, rape or sexual
assault, and suicide. El Filibusterismo is a storyline and character’s turning point. We may also
see the author Jose Rizal's maturation as a writer. Nonetheless, both stories are inspired by
our hero's patriotic ideas exposing the Spaniards' persecution, abuse, and tyranny over the
Filipinos.
 Given that both novels have had a significant impact on Philippine society in terms of
national identity and issues with Spanish rule, the question is which of the two novels is far
superior and better?
In terms of contemporary concerns, value application, and moral lesson, I believe El
Filibusterismo novel is better and superior than Noli Me Tangere. El Filibusterismo is a political
story that goes deeper and further than Noli. It is full of bitterness, brutality, anger, color,
humor, anguish, violence, grief, revenge, and intelligence, and it brilliantly depicts the impact
of colonialism on the residents and country. It also exposed the reality of rebellion, since it is
difficult to carry it out successfully, and the shocking harshness of violence can drastically
change a person's life. Crisostomo Ibarra was once an open-minded and idealistic person, but
due to the horrible occurrences he encountered, he became resentful, vengeful, and cunning.
For me, his transformation represented the nature of human beings because it demonstrated
how wrath and revenge can take over someone's being and change them.

Rizal’s El Fili mirrored our faces so that we might see ourselves, our vices, our flaws,
our ignorance, and our meanness. The situations he outlines in El Fili are still present today,
such as prejudice, inept leadership, mistreatment of women, corruption, abuse of authority,
and Catholic dominance over the nation's political and social affairs. The characters he
portrayed are people with whom we continue to engage on a daily basis. The mirror is
supposed to reflect the picture of the people and society of Rizal's day. El Filibusterismo
depicted societal pain that is still relevant today. It represents the awakening of the Filipino
since it symbolizes the waking of Filipino minds and the formation of revolutionary forces.
El Filibusterismo's message is to show us that administering the Philippines through
selfish authorities commanded by foreign ministers and being accommodating to their
interests can lead to colonial defeat because it drives residents to become liberal, dedicated,
bold, and steadfast in their resistance to the colonizers. The plot of El Filibusterismo
wonderfully highlighted the character of insurrection. El Filibusterismo is a powerful theme
with strong emotions that confronts the injustices encountered by the people in the novel,
which was written hundreds of years ago, yet the social ailment shown in the literature are
still present today.
When simoun remarked, "What is a man to do when justice is denied?" Take the law into his
hands or wait for Spain to give him rights? This is my favorite line in the literature because
when a Spanish government denies a citizen access to his territories, pulls away their rights,
and is constantly looking out for their personal interests rather than those of the nation, it
provokes a rebellion because violence breeds violence and rebellion does not occur without
a cause. I conclude that Jose Rizal's El fili is more superior and more realistic to me. He
also emphasized that oppression motivates people to challenge the system and form
movements in order to fight for their rights. Overall, if Noli Me Tangere is the best for
introducing Philippine modern society and Filipino cultures, El Fili is comparable to Noli
because it shows us the Philippines' corrupt and distracting regime in a more critical light, as
well as the relevant revolutionary visions that make El Filibusterismo have a greater impact on
me.
 Noli Me Tangere showed several various types of Filipino people during the Spanish
colonial era during his time. Every character has a role that represents their many
contributions in liberating Philippine society. I also admired how Jose Rizal used his persona
as Crisostomo Ibarra, a rich yet rebellious character who fought for freedom, in contrast to
Elias, who was poor and oppressed by the Spaniards but sacrificed his life so that Crisostomo
could escape and paved the way for Crisostomo Ibarra's revenge against the Spaniards in the
novel's sequel "El Filibusterismo." He also considerably added the number of characters that
reflect Filipinos, such as Dona Victorina, who was a social climber, and characters such as Sisa,
who has a symbolic novel meaning and represents the Inang Bayan, or Motherland, who
became an outcast as a result of the Spaniards' horrible treatment. Characters such as Maria
Clara symbolize repressed and abused Filipino women. Everyone plays an important part in
accurately representing Philippine society during the Spanish period. It also highlighted real-
life incidents such as how Catholics, such as the Friars, had more authority and influence than
the Governor-General's decisions, which had previously rendered the Philippines a backward
country.
It also impressed me how he included real-life Filipino traditions and cultures in his
work Noli me Tangere, such as the hospitality of Filipinos in parties, festivals, picnics, and other
cultures to balance the story making the story elements complete and the writing impressive.
I've grasped the importance of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo in modern Philippine
society. Rizal's writing made me realize how historically significant our society is. This subject
made me grasp how authentic and raw our history is, and how we must never forget where
we came from or those who were killed to obtain our freedom. Rizal wrote novels that let
Filipinos recognize the truth for what it was and our reality.
The conflicts portrayed in the novel continue to exist and have an impact on society,
thus every Filipino should understand and read both books written by our hero. Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal teach us to reflect on our actions and values for
our country. The novel encourages us to support nationalism and to embrace personal
development. We must support and patronize our country by respecting the law, promoting
Philippine culture, and realizing our worth and the true goal of the country by helping one
another in the improvement of the country. The book teaches us the values of wisdom, the
urge to fight for what is right, and patriotism. Reading novels will help us recognize that we
should not repeat history by learning to love our country and to empower the youth as
catalyst of change. Being a true Filipino will remind us of who we are, allowing us to set clear
goals and help the country to thrive.
In conclusion, his works serve as a message to Filipinos to fight for their independence,
as well as a reminder of our history. All the characters and events in the story are
resembled Filipino life, culture, and beliefs. This literary masterpiece will mark on our hearts,
telling us to be excellent role models, and reading it will be one of a kind experience that will
make us comprehend the true meaning of nationalism and serve as a catalyst for change.