7.
The native fort at the mouth of the Pasig river,
GNED 09 – LIFE AND WORKS OF
RIZAL
LESSON 8: writings
Antonio Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Felipinas
- Antonio Morga – soldier, lawyer, high ranking
colonial official, and a historian
- Published in 1609, Mexico
- First-hand account of Spanish colonial venture
in Asia during the 16th century
- Rizal’s greatest achievement while in London
Rizal’s Annotations
- 1890
- Printed by Garner Feres
- Ferdinand Blumentritt – wrote the prologue
2 Major errors of the book according to
Blumentritt:
a. Appraisal of events of the past in the light
of present standards;
b. Rizal’s inferences on the Church which
were unfair since the faults and the
cruelty of the friars did not mean the
cruelty of the Church.
Some Notable Annotations
British Museum
Emanated from Austin Craig, an early biographer
of Rizal
1. It is not the fact that Filipinos were
unprotected before the coming of the
Spaniards; they were disarmed but left
unprotected by the government, which was
the reason for many insurrections.
2. The civilizations of the Pre-Spanish Filipinos in
regard to the duties of life for that age was
well advanced.
3. The islands came under Spanish sovereignty
and control through compacts, treaties of
friendship and alliance of reciprocity.
4. Ancient Filipinos had army and navy with
artillery and other implements of warfare.
5. Cebu was first called “the village of San
Miguel” before naming it “The City of the Most
Holy Name of Jesus.”
6. The image of the Holy Child of Cebu was
given by Pigafetta to the Cebuan Queen and
is not given by the angels as claimed by
religious writers.
equipped with brass lantkas and artillery of
larger caliber, also had ramparts reinforced
with thick hardwood posts same as the
“harigues” or “haligui”
8. The Bisayas were called “Pintados” because
the natives had their bodies decorated with
tracings made with fire, somewhat like
tattooing.
9. Morga: Lands were “entrusted” to those who
had ‘pacified’ them, he means “divided up
among.”
10. Juan de Salcedo – Legaspi’s grandson and
dubbed as the hero of the “conquest”; saved
Manila from Li Ma-hong; was admired by the
natives because of his honesty and fine
qualities; left a great part of his possessions to
the natives of his encomienda (Vigan).
11. Early Spanish governors were held to account
12. The artillery cast for the new stone fort in
Manila was by the hand of an ancient Filipino.
13. Governor Gomez Perez Dasmarinas – fortified
Manila by constructing massive stone wall
around it as well as Fort Santiago.
14. After the death of Panday Pira, there were no
Spaniards nor his sons, who was able to take
his place and expertise in cannon works and
the like.
15. The Spaniards used the word “discover” very
carelessly.
16. The Spanish historians of the Philippines
never overlook any opportunity, be it suspicion
or accident that may be twisted into something
unfavorable to the Filipinos.
17. Spaniards say that Filipinos have contributed
nothing to Mother Spain, and that is the
islands which owe everything.
18. In Morga’s time, the Philippines exported silk
to Japan whence come comes the best quality
of that merchandise.
19. The “easy virtue” of the native women is not
solely to the simplicity with which they obeyed
their natural instincts but more due to religious
belief.
20. Morga’s remark that Filipinos like fish better
when it is commencing to turn bad is a
prejudice.
3 Main Propositions of Rizal’s Annotation
1
- The people of the Philippines had a culture of
their own before the Spaniards arrived;
- The Filipinos were decimated, demoralized,
exploited, and ruined by the Spanish
colonization;
- The Present state of the Philippines was not
necessarily superior to its past.
TO THE YOUNG WOMEN OF MALOLOS
The story behind the letter:
- On Dec. 12, 1888, a group of 20 young
women from Malolos petitioned Governor-
General Weyler for permission to open a
“night school” so that they could study
Spanish under Teodoro Sandiko.
- Spanish parish priest Felipe Garcia openly
expressed his opposition to the idea, the
governor-general turned down the petition.
- The young women, however, bravely
continued their agitation for the school, a
matter unheard of in the Philippines in those
times.
Focused on 5 major points
- Filipino mothers should teach their children
love of God, country, and fellowmen.
- Filipino mothers should be glad and honored,
like the Spartan mothers, to offer their sons in
defense of their country.
- Filipino women should know how to protect
their dignity and honor.
- Filipino women should retain their good racial
- values, but should also educate themselves.
- Faith does not consist merely in reciting
prayers and wearing religious pictures but also
in living as true Christian should, with good
morals and manners.
THE INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINOS
- Longest of Rizal’s essays.
- First published in 5 installments in La
Solidaridad (July 5-15, 1890)
- It is an insight into stimulating analysis of the
“Filipino people’s indolence” a symptom of the
country’s indifference to its ills.
Causes of the indolence of the Filipinos during the
Spanish colonial period:
- The foreign wars and sporadic insurrections
provoked by Spanish imperialism and
oppression, which paralyzed the work in the
farms and the wheels of industry.
- The wars waged by the Spaniards against the
Moros when the former invaded Mindanao
and Sulu, which led to the burning of Christian
towns, the depletion of the Moro population,
and the destruction of fields and industries.
- The uncertainty of enjoying the fruits of one’s
toil due to Spanish rapacity; man works for an
object, remove that object and man is reduced
to inaction.
- The Spanish master’s regard for labor as
undignified and degrading
LESSON 9: NOLI ME TANGERE
- “Touch me not” - according to Rizal, the title
was taken from the Gospel of Luke (but it is
actually taken from the gospel of John 20:17)
- “Touch me not; I am yet ascended to my
Father, but go to my brethren, and say unto
them, I ascend unto my father, and your
Father; and to my God and your God.” – John
20:17
Idea of Writing a Novel on the Philippines
- Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
 portrays the brutalities of American
slaveowners and the pathetic conditions
of the unfortunate Negro slaves.
- Began writing in Madrid and finished about ½
(1884) finished another ¼ in Paris (1885) and
wrote the last chapters in Wilhelmsfeld (April-
June 1886)
- Completed in Berlin (Feb. 21, 1887)
- March 21, 1887 – the Noli came off the press
- Berliner Buchdruckrei-Actien-Gesellschaft -
where it was printed
Bakit muntik nang hindi mai-publish ang Noli
- Lung ailment – because of malnutrition as he
was eating only one meal a day due to lack of
money.
- Rizal almost burn the novel’s manuscript in
desperation.
Maximo Viola
- Savior of the Noli
2
- Lend Rizal 300 pesos for printing of 2,000
copies of the novel.
- Sold per copy for 1 peso but later on rose to
50 Php per copy.
- To whom Rizal gave the galley proofs of the
Noli carefully rolled around the pen that he
used in writing and complimentary copy.
Some Characters Of Noli
CRISOSTOMO IBARRA
- depiction of Jose Rizal (although he hates
this character)
- courageous, civicminded, libertyloving, and
patriotic son of a wealthy landlord and a
liberal European-educated Filipino.
MARIA CLARA
- depiction of Leonor Rivera
- the lovely woman and love interest of Ibarra,
baptized “Maria Clara” in honor of the Virgin
of Salambaw and Sta. Clara.
- daughter of Kapitan Tiago and Pia Alba
ELIAS
- depiction of Jose Rizal (he prefer this
character more than Ibarra)
- a victim of injustice whose incidental story is
interwoven with the main plot.
PILOSOPO TASIO/TASYO
- Depiction of Paciano - brother of Rizal
- he was considered a fool or crazy by the
uneducated and a philosopher by the
educated
- Lost his money because of buying books
PADRE DAMASO
- typical of a domineering Franciscan friar,
arrogant, immoral and anti-Filipino; Maria
Clara’s biological father from Pia Alba whom
he raped.
PADRE SALVI
- was secretly inlove with Maria Clara and
plots to eliminate Ibarra
SISA
- a loving wife and mother, whose tragic story
is interwoven with the novel’s main plot
- her husband was her god, and her children,
her angels.
BASILIO AND CRISPIN
- children of Sisa;
- Crispin was falsely accused of stealing
32Php worth of gold from the church and
was tortured
CAPITAN TIAGO
- a rich landowner whose wealth makes him
an oligarch;
- represents the Filipinos during the Spanish
times in the Philippines who submitted
themselves to the whims of the authorities to
secure their personal interests.
DOÑA VICTORINA DE ESPADAÑA
- a paragon of colonial mentality
Missing Chapter of Noli
- “Elias and Salome”
- Deleted this chapter due to financial
difficulties to save printing expenses
- Will not affect the novel if omitted
- Today, copies of Noli has opt in this chapter
Gov. Gen. Emilio Terrero - Liberal-minded
Spaniard who knew that Rizal’s life was in
jeopardy because the friars were powerful -
Did not see anything subversive in Rizal’s
novel for everything in it was the truth
Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade
- Sent by the Gov. Gen. to become Rizal’s
bodyguard and became his friend.
Against the Noli
 Fr. Salvador Font – head of the committee
that recommended that Rizal’s novel,
importation, reproduction and circulation be
absolutely prohibited
 Fr. Jose Rodriguez – published a series of
eight pamphlets under the general heading
“Cuestiones de Sumo Interes” (Questions of
Supreme Interest)
Supported the Noli
 Rev. Vicente Garcia – Filipino Catholic
priestscholar, theologian of the Manila
Cathedral
 Used the pen name Justo Desiderio
Magalang when he published some
pamphlets in Singapore defending Rizal’s
work.
3
Fr. Garcia blasted the arguments of Fr. Rodriguez
as follows:
- Rizal cannot be an “ignorant man.”
- Rizal did not attack the church and Spain.
- Fr. Rodriguez said that those who read the
Noli commit mortal sin; since he (Rodriguez)
had read the novel, therefore he commits a
mortal sin.
Noli Me Tangere’s Cover Meaning
1. SILHOUETTE OF A FILIPINA – It was popular
belief that the silhouette of the woman in the
cover of Noli Me Tangere is the unfortunate
Maria Clara, Crisostomo Ibarra’s lover.
2. A MAN IN A CASSOCK WITH HAIRY FEET -
This symbolism at the lower part of the cover
is to be a representation for priests using
religion in a dirty way, specifically Padre
Damaso.
3. HELMET OF THE GUARDIA
CIVIL/CONSTABULARY HELMET - An
obvious take on the arrogance of those in
authority
4. WHIP/CORD - The cruelties present in the
novel best explains the symbol Rizal used in
the cover.
5. FLOGS - another symbolism for cruelties. It is
a representation of Jesus Christ’s scourging
before his imminent crucifixion.
6. A LENGTH OF CHAIN - representation of
slavery and imprisonment.
7. BAMBOO STALKS – One thing comes to
mind when bamboo stalks are talked about
resilience
8. CROSS - The one that killed the Christ Jesus.
It was a representation of suffering and death.
It also represents a grave. Magnifies the
discrimination towards Filipinos, Chinese
Mestizos and Spaniards during this time
towards a proper burial.
9. BURNING TORCH - A reference to the
Olympic torch, it tells everyone the beginning
of the defense of honors and the start of
proving themselves worthy of victory. Rage
and passion are most abundant in this phase.
Represents a phrase that could possibly mean
everything to every single suffering Filipinos:
“The rise of the revolution is now at hand.”
10. POMELO BLOSSOMS AND LAUREL
LEAVES - They roughly represent faith, honor
and fidelity. Pomelo blossoms - is commonly
used in prayers and cleansing. The laurel
leaves, also known as bay leaves, are used as
crowns during the Ancient Greek Olympics
wherein the best of the best are treated as
heroes.
11. SUNFLOWERS - A symbol of loyalty and
constancy.
12. LETTER - Dedicated to Rizal’s parents
.
SUMMARY OF NOLI ME TANGERE
Crisostomo Ibarra is a young Filipino who
studied for seven years in Europe and later on
returned to his native land to look for his father,
landowner and known for his wealth. Ibarra’s father
died in prison allegedly as a result of a quarrel with
the parish curate of Padre Damaso, a Franciscan
friar. Ibarra is engaged to a beautiful and promising
lady, Maria Clara, the supposed daughter, and
only child of Don Santiago de Los Santos,
commonly known as “Capitan Tiago.” Ibarra
resolves to cede all quarters and to work for the
goodness of his countrymen. To exhibit his good
intentions, he seeks to build, public schools in his
native town, all expenses paid by him. He meets
with apparent support from all, especially Padre
Damaso’s descendant, a young and gloomy
Fransciscan named Padri Salvi, for whom Maria
Clara confesses as an instinctive dread. At the
laying of the cornerstone for the new schoolhouse,
a suspicious accident, apparently aimed at Ibarra’s
life, occurs, but the festivities proceed until the
dinner, where Ibarra is wantonly and grossly
maligned over the memory of his father by Fray
Damaso. The young man almost loses control of
himself and is about to kill the friar, but was saved
by Maria Clara. Ibarra is excommunicated, and
Capitan Tiago, through his fear of the friars, is
forced to break the engagement and agree to the
marriage of Maria Clara with a young and
innocuous Spaniard provided by Padre Damaso.
Obedient to her reputed father’s command and
influenced by her mysterious dread of Padre Salvi,
Maria Clara consents to this arrangement but
becomes seriously ill, only to save by medicines
sent secretly by Ibarra and clandestinely
administered by a girlfriend Ibarra succeeds in
4
having the excommunication removed, but before
he can explain matters, an uprising against the
Civil Guard is secretly brought about agents of
Padre Salvi, and the leadership is attributed to
Ibarra to ruin him. He is warned by a mysterious
friend, an outlaw called Elias, whose life he had
accidentally saved; but desiring first to see Maria
Clara, refuses to make his escape, and when the
outbreak occurs, he is arrested as the prime mover
of it and thrown into prion in Manila. On the
evening when Capitan Tiago gives a ball in his
Manila house to celebrate his supposed daughter’s
engagement, Ibarra makes his escape from prison
and succeeds in seeing Maria Clara alone. He
begins to reproach her because it is a letter written
to her before he went to Europe which forms the
basis of the charge against him, but she clears
herself of treachery to him. The letter had been
secured from her by false representations and in
exchange for two others written by her mother just
before her birth, which prove that Padre Damaso is
her birth father. These letters had been
coincidentally located in the convent by Padre
Salvi, who made use of them to intimidate the girl
and get possession of Ibarra’s letter, from which he
forged others to incriminate the young man. She
tells him that she will marry the young Spaniard,
sacrificing herself thus to save her mother’s name
and Capitan Tiago’s honor and to prevent a public
scandal, but that she will always remain faithful to
Crisostomo Ibarra. Ibarra’s escaped, had been
effected by Elias, who transported him in a bangka
up the Pasig to the Lake, where the Civil Guard so
closely besetted them that Elias leaped into the
water and drew the pursuers away from the boat,
in which Ibarra laid concealed. On Christmas Eve,
at the mausoleum of the Ibarra in a gloomy wood,
Elias appeared, wounded and dying, and found
there a boy named Basilio beside the corpse of his
mother, a poor woman who had been driven to
insanity be her husband’s neglect and abuses. On
the part of the Civil Guard, her younger son having
disappeared sometime before in the convent,
where he was a sacristan. Basilio, who was
ignorant of Elias’s identity, helped him to build a
funeral pyre, on which his corpse and the
madwomen were to be burned. Upon knowing of
the reported death of Ibarra in the chase on the
Lake, Maria Clara became disconsolate and
begged her supposed godfather, Fray Damaso, to
put her in a nunnery. Unconscious of her
knowledge of their real relationship, the friar
breaks down and confesses that all the trouble he
has stirred up with the Ibarras has been to prevent
her from marrying a native, which would condemn
her and her entreaties, and she entered the
nunnery of St. Clara, to which Padre Salvi was
assigned in a ministerial capacity.
LESSON 10: EL FILIBUSTERISMo
 Valiantly and truthfully depicted all the
abuses of the friars, especially against his
family and the people of Calamba.
 Was originally planned to be longer than the
Noli but due to lack of funds, came to consist
of only 38 chapters.
 Dedicated to the memory of the
GOMBURZA
 Began writing in October 1887 while
practicing Medicine in Calamba; wrote more
chapters in Paris and Madrid, and finished
writing it in Biarritz on March 29, 1891.
 More revolutionary and tragic than the Noli.
 F. Meyer Van Loo Press – the publishing
house in Ghent that agreed to publish the
novel even if the payment was in installment
basis.
Valentin Ventura
- Savior of the El Fili
- Loaned Rizal 200 Francs for the publication.
- To whom Rizal gave the original printed
copy
Removed Parts
- Foreword and Warning – were not put into
print to save printing cost.
Some Characters of El Filibusterismo
SIMOUN
- Crisostomo Ibarra reborn, who returns to the
Philippines after 13 years of absence to
destroy the Philippine society
BASILIO
- a medical student whose family undergoes
suffering;
ISAGANI
5
 - a young student who has high ideals and big
dreams for his country, full of enthusiasm
and inspired by the spirit of reform.
MAKARAIG
- The rich student who offered his own house
as the dormitory of the students studying in
Ateneo Municipal de Manila.
JULI
- the girlfriend of Basilio, and the youngest
daughter of Kabesang Tales. To claim her
father from the bandits, she had to work as a
maid under the supervision of Hermana
Penchang. Eventually, she was freed but
committed suicide after Father Camorra
attempted to rape her.
PAULITA GOMEZ
- the niece of Donya Victorina, who desdains
the morality and talent of Isagani and
instead chose Juanito Pelaez.
DON CUSTODIO DE SALAZAR Y SANCHEZ DE
MONTEREDONDO
- a Spanish official occupying many positions
in the government but who has neither the
time nor the qualifications for some of such
positions.
KABESANG TALES
- a victim of land grabbing by the friars who
becomes desperate and joins the outlaws
determined to annihilate the society.
COMPARISON
EL
NOLI ME TANGERE
FILIBUSTERISMO
Romantic Novel Political Novel
Work of the heart Work of the head
Book of Feeling Book of thought.
It has freshness, Contains bitterness,
color, humor, hatred, pain, violence
lightness, and wit and sorrow
63 chapters 38 chapters
SUMMARY
Crisostomo Ibarra returns as Simoun after thirteen
years of leaving the Philippines. A wealthy jeweler
sporting a beard and blue-tinted glasses, and a
confidant of the Captain-General. Abandoning his
idealism, he becomes a cynical saboteur, seeking
revenge against the Spanish Philippine system
responsible for his mistortunes in plotting a
revolution. Simoun insinuates himself into Manila
high society and influences every decision of the
Captain-General to mismanage the country’s
affairs so that a revolution will break out. He
cynically sides with the upper classes, encouraging
them to commit abuses against the masses to
encourage the latter to revolt against the
oppressive Spanish colonial regime. This time, he
does not attempt to fight the authorities through
legal means, but through violent revolution using
the masses. Simoun has reasons for instigating a
revolution. First is to rescue Maria Clara from the
convent and second, to get rid of ills and evils in
the Philippine society. His true identity is
discovered by a now grown-up Basilio while
visiting the grave of his mother, Sisa, as Simoun
was digging near the grave site for his buried
treasures. Simoun spares Basilio’ life and asks him
to join in his planned revolution against the
government, egging him on by bringing up the
tragic misfortunes of the latter's family. Basilio
declines the offer as he still hopes that the
country’s condition will improve. Basilio, at this
point, is a graduating student of medicine at the
Ateneo Municipal de Manila. After the death of his
mother, Sisa, and the disappearance of his
younger brother, Crispin, Basilio heeded the
advice of the dying boatman, Elias, and traveled to
Manila to study. Captain Tiago adopted Basilio
after Maria Clara entered the convent. With
Captain Tiago’s help, Basilio was able to go to
Colegio de San Juan de Letran where, at first, he
is frowned upon by his peers and teachers not only
because of the color of his skin but also because
of his shabby appearance. Captain Tiago’s
confessor, Father Irene, is making Captain Tiago’s
health worse by giving him opium even as Basilio
tries hard to prevent Captain Tiago from smoking
it. He and other students want to establish a
Spanish language academy so that they can learn
to speak and write Spanish despite the opposition
from the Dominican friars of the Universidad de
Santo Tomas. With the help ‘of a reluctant Father
Irene as their mediator and Don Custodio'’s
decision, the academy is established; however,
they will only serve as caretakers of the school, not
as the teachers. Dejected and defeated, they hold
a mock celebration at a panciteria while a spy for
the friars witnesses the proceedings. Simoun, for
6
his part, keeps in close contact with the bandit
group of Kabesang Tales, a former cabeza de
barangay who suffered misfortunes at the hands of
the friars. Once a farmer owning a prosperous
sugarcane plantation and a Cabeza de barangay
(barangay head), he was forced to give everything
to the greedy and unscrupulous Spanish friars.
Bandits captured his son, Tano, who became a
civil guard; his daughter Huli had to work as a maid
to get enough ransom money for his freedom; and
his father, Tandang Selo, suffered a stroke and
became mute. Before joining the bandits, Tales
took Simon's revolver while Simoun was staying at
his house for the night. As payment, Tales leaves
a locket that once belonged to Maria Clara. To
further strengthen the revolution, Simoun has
Quiroga, a Chinese man hoping to be appointed
consul to the Philippines, smuggle weapons into
the country using Quiroga’ bazaar as a front.
Simoun wishes to attack during a stage play with
all of his enemies in attendance. He, however,
abruptly aborts the attack when he learns from
Basilio that Maria Clara had died earlier that day in
the convent. A few days after the mock celebration
by the students, the people are agitated when
disturbing posters are found displayed around the
city. The authorities accuse the students present at
the panciteria of agitation and disturbing peace
and have them arrested. Basilio, although not
present at the mock’ celebration, is also arrested.
Captain Tiago dies after learning of the incident,
and as stated in his will-forged by Irene, all his
possessions are given to the Church, leaving
nothing for Basilio. Basilio is left in prison as the
other students are released. A high official tries to
intervene for the release of Basilio but the Captain-
General, bearing grudges against the high official,
coerces him to tender his resignation. Juli, Basilio’
girlfriend _ and the daughter of Kabesang Tales,
tries to ask Father Camorra’s help upon the advice
of a senior woman. Instead of helping Juli,
however, the priest tried to rape her as he has long
hidden desires for Juli. Juli, rather than submit to
the will of the friar, jumps over the balcony to her
death. Basilio got released with the help of
Simoun. Basilio, now a changed man, and after
hearing about Juli’s suicide, finally joined Simoun’s
revolution. Simoun then tells Basilio his plan at the
wedding of Paulita Gomez and Juanito, Basilios
hunchbacked classmate. He planned to conceal an
explosive inside a pomegranate-styled Kerosene
lamp that Simoun will give to the newlyweds as a
gift during the wedding reception. ‘The reception
will take place at the former home of the late
Captain Tiago, which is now filled with explosives
planted by Simoun. Accordi: 2 to Simoun, the lamp
will stay lighted for only 20 minutes before it {1
kers; if someone attempts to turn the wick, it will
explode and kill everyone-essential members of
civil society and the Church hierarchy -inside the
house. Basilio has a change of heart and attempts
to warn Isagam1, his friend and former boyfriend of
Paulita. Simout leaves the reception early as
planned and leaves a note behind: “ Mene Thecel
Phares. “ -Juan Crisostomo Ibarra Initially thinking
that it was merely a bad joke, Father Salvi
recognizes the handwriting and confirms that it
was indeed Ibarras as people begin to panic, the
lamp flickers. Father Irene tries to turn the wick up
when Isagani, due to his undying love for Paulita,
bursts in the room and throws the lamp into the
river, sabotaging Simoun’s plans. He escapes by
diving into the river as the guards chase him. He
later regrets his impulsive action because he had
contradicted his own belief that he loved his nation
more than Paulita and that the explosion and
revolution could have fulfilled his ideas for Filipino
society. Simoun, now unmasked as the perpetrator
of the attempted arson and failed revolution,
becomes a fugitive. Wounded and exhausted after
the pursuing Guardia Civil shot him, he seeks
shelter at the home of Father Florentino, Isaganis
uncle, and comes under the care of doctor Tiburcio
de Espadafia, Dofia Victorinas husband, who was
also hiding at the house. Simoun takes poison in
order for him not to be captured alive. Before he
dies, he reveals his real identity to Florentino while
they exchange thoughts about the failure of his
revolution and why God forsook him. Florentino
opines that God did not forsake him and that his
plans were not for the greater good but personal
gain. Simoun, finally accepting Florentino’s
explanation, squeezes his hand and dies.
Florentino then takes Simoun’s remaining jewels
and throws them into the Pacific Ocean with the
corals hoping that they would not be used by the
greedy, and that when the time came that it would
be used for the greater good, when the nation
7
would be finally deserving liberty for themselves,
the sea would reveal the treasure.