SYNOPSIS OF EL FILIBUSTERISMO

The book narrates the return of the protagonist of Noli Me Tangere, Crisostomo Ibarra,
who fled to Cuba where he became rich under the disguise of the wealthy jeweler
named Simoun. He is a friend of Spain. However, deep in his heart, he is secretly
cherishing a terrible revenge.
His two magnificent obsessions are:
1. To rescue Maria Clara from the nunnery of Santa Clara
2. To foment a revolution against the hated Spanish masters.

The story of the novel begins on board the steamer Tabo. This steamer is sailing
upstream the Pasig from Manila to Laguna de bay.
SOME OF THE PASSENGERS:
Simoun- the rich jeweler
Dona Victorina- pro-spanish native woman who is going to Laguna in search for her
henpecked husband.
Paulita Gomez- her beautiful niece.
Ben-Zayb- a Spanish journalists who writes silly articles about the Filipinos
Padre Florentino- a retired scholarly and patriotic Filipino priest.
Isagani- a poet- nephew of Padre Florentino and a lover of Paulita.
Basilio- Son of Sisa and a promising medical student.

Simoun, because of his great influence in Malacaӣang, he was called the “Brown
Cardinal” or the “Black Eminence”.
Upon learning that Maria Clara died in the nunnery, his first attempt to begin the armed
uprising did not materialize. After a long time of bereavement, Simoun perfects his plan
to overthrow the government.
Noli Me Tangere’s Basilio, now a young man and skilled medical student, is recruited by
Ibarra to aid him in detonating a bomb in the wedding of Paulita Gomez and Juanito
Pelaez signaling the beginning of the revolution.
However, he warns his friend Isagani. Realizing that the woman he loves is in the
building. Isagani throws the bomb into the river, averting the explosion and the
revolution. Simoun commits suicide by taking poison and find resting place in the home
of a priest, Father Florentino who hears his last confession and assures him that not all
hope is lost.
Father Florentino, upon Simoun’s death, commends the jewel into the sea, remarking
that the jewels once used to bribe and corrupt people, would one day be hopefully
found to be used for a meaningful purpose.

CHARACTERS IN EL FILIBUSTERISMO IN REAL LIFE.

Padre Florentino- Father Leoncio Lopez, Rizal’s friend and priest of Calamba.
Isagani- the poet was Vicente Ilustre, Batangueӣo friend of Rizal in Madrid.
Paulita Gomez- Leonor Rivera.

“NOLI” AND “FILI” COMPARED.

NOLI FILI

Romantic Novel Political Novel

Work of the heart Work of the head
Book of the thought Book of the feeling
It has freshness, color, humor, lightness, It contains bitterness, hatred, pain,
and wit. violence, and sorrow.
64 Chapters 38 Chapters

Superiority:
Rizal himself considered the Noli as superior to the Fili as a novel. Thereby agreeing
with M.H. del Pilar, Retana, and Rizal’s first Spanish biographer.
However, others—including Blumentritt, Graciano Lopez Jaena, and Dr. Rafael Palma—
are of the opinion that Fili is superior to the Noli.

RIZAL’S UNFINISHED THIRD NOVEL

On October 18, 1891, Rizal boarded the steamer Melbourne in Marseilles bound for
Hongkong. He began writing the novel during the voyage but he did not finish it. It
consists of 44 pages in Rizal’s handwriting, still in manuscript form, and is preserved in
the National Library, Manila.

It is said that Rizal was fortunate to have not finished he novel because it would have
caused greater scandal and more Spanish vengeance on him.

RIZAL’S OTHER UNFINISHED NOVELS

1. Makamisa- a novel in Tagalog, only two chapters are finished which consists 20
pages.
2. Dapitan- Written during his exile in Dapitan to depict the town life and customs.
The manuscript contains 8 pages.
3. About the life in Pili, a town in Laguna, which has no title and contains 147
pages.
4. About Cristobal, also without title.
5. Another novel in two notebooks—first notebook contains 31 written pages and
the second in 12 pages.