TOPIC 5 Rizal's Novels

CAS, PEREZ, MOTAS,
EXEQUIEL RHYANNE KLEIN CHRISTEL JOY
LIFE & WORKS OF RIZAL

TOPIC 5
NOLI ME TANGERE &

EL FILIBUSTERISMO
Rizal’s
Novels ESTD
2024
TOPIC 5 | LIFE & WORKS OF RIZAL
Objectives
01/04
Describe the context in Noli Me
Tangere
Appraise important characters in the

novel and what they represent
Examine the present Philippine

situation through the examples
mentioned in the Noli
Rizal’s Novels
Evaluate how Noli me tangere

contributed to the formation of
Filipino national consciousnes
Noli Me Tangere
Topic 5
Noli me
Introduction
Tangere
Rizal’s Novels
Noli Me Tangere is Latin for "touch

me not," an allusion to the Gospel of
St. John where Jesus says to Mary
Magdelene: "Touch me not, for I am
not yet ascended to my Father.
“Do not hold on to me, for I

have not yet ascended to the
Father. Go instead to my
brothers and tell them, ‘I am
ascending to my Father and
your Father, to my God and
Introduction
your God.’”
Rizal entitled this novel as such drawing

inspiration from John 20:13-17 of the
Bible, the technical name of a particularly
painful type of cancer (back in his time, it
Rizal’s Novels
was unknown what the modern name of

said disease was).
He proposed to probe all the cancers of

Filipino society that everyone else felt
too painful to touch.
Introduction
Noli me
Noli Me Tangere
Tangere
Rizal’s Novels
is an 1887 novel by José Rizal during the

colonization of the Philippines by Spain to
describe perceived inequities of the
Spanish Catholic friars and the ruling
government. Originally written in
Spanish, the book is more commonly
published and read in the Philippines in
either Tagalog or English.
Early English translations of the novel

used titles like An Eagle Flight (1900)
and The Social Cancer (1912),
disregarding the symbolism of the title,
Introduction
but the more recent translations
werepublished using the original Latin
title. It has also been noted bythe
Austro-Hungarian writer Ferdinand
Blumentritt that "Noli Me Tángere" was
a name used by local Filipinos for cancer
of the eyelids; that as an
ophthalmologist himself Rizal was
Rizal’s Novels
influenced by this fact is suggested in

the novel's dedication, "To My
fatherland"
Background
José Rizal, a Filipino nationalist and medical doctor, conceived the idea of
Rizal’s Novels
writing a novel that would expose the ills of Philippine society after reading
Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. He preferred that the
prospective novel express the way Filipino culture was perceived to be
backward, anti-progress, anti-intellectual, and not conducive to the ideals of
the Age of Enlightenment. He was then a student of medicine in the
Universidad Central de Madrid.
Image: Uncle Tom’s Cabin 01

Briefer
Background
Uncle
Tom’s
Cabin
Rizal’s Novels
By Harriet Beecher-Stowe,
portrays the brutalities of
American slave-owners and
the pathetic conditions of
the enslaved
In a reunion of Filipinos at the house of

his friend Pedro A. Paterno in Madrid on
2 January 1884, Rizal proposed the
Background
writing of a novel about the Philippines
written by a group of Filipinos.
His proposal was unanimously approved

by the Filipinos present at the time,
among whom were Pedro, Maximino
Viola and Antonio Paterno, Graciano
López Jaena, Evaristo Aguirre, Eduardo
Rizal’s Novels
de Lete, Julio Llorente and Valentin

Ventura.
Image: Pedro Paterno

However, this project did not

materialize. The people who agreed to
help Rizal with the novel did not write
anything. Initially, the novel was planned
Background
to cover and describe all phases of
Filipino life, but almost everybody
wanted to write about women. Rizal
even saw his companions spend more
time gambling
and flirting with Spanish women.
Rizal’s Novels
Because of this, he pulled out of the plan

of co-writing with others and decided to
draft the novel alone.
Publication
By December 1886, Rizal was deprived, broken-hearted, hungry, and worried
Rizal’s Novels
about the novels. By the end of 1884 Rizal began writing the novel in Madrid
and he finished one half of it. In 1885, he continued writing the novel,
finishing the one half of the second half. In Germany 1886, while his spirit
was at its lowest ebb, he almost threw the manuscript into the fire The novel
was almost finished.
Publication History 01
Publication
Rizal’s Novels
Rizal finished the novel in February 21, 1887. At first, according to one of
Rizal's biographers, Rizal feared the novel might not be printed, and that it
would remain unread. He was struggling with financial constraints at the
time and thought it would be hard to pursue printing the novel. He wrote it
in three countries- Spain, France, and Germany.
Financial aid came from a friend

named Máximo Viola; this helped him
Publication History
print the book at Berliner
Buchdruckerei-Aktiengesellschaft in
Berlin. Rizal was initially hesitant, but
Viola insisted and ended up lending
Rizal ₱300 for 2,000 copies.
The printing was finished earlier than

the estimated five months. Viola arrived
in Berlin in December 1886, and by
March 21, 1887, Rizal had sent a copy of
Rizal’s Novels
the novel to his friend, Blumentritt. The

first edition of the novel would have
been released.
Image: Maximo Viola

Publication History
The book was banned by Spanish
authorities in the Philippines, although
copies were smuggled into the country.
The first Philippine edition (and the

second published edition) was finally
printed in 1899 in Manila by Chofre y
Compania in Escolta.
Rizal’s Novels
1. CROSS- sufferings 1
2. POMELO BLOSSOMS AND LAUREL

LEAVES- honor and fidelity
3
2
3. SILHOUETTE OF A FILIPINA- Maria Clara
4. BURNING TORCH- rage and passion
Cover Meaning
5. SUNFLOWERS- enlightenment
4
6. BAMBOO STALKS – resilience

6
7. A MAN IN A CASSOCK WITH HAIRY FEET- 5
priests using religion in a dirty way
8
Rizal’s Novels
8. CHAINS- slavery
9. WHIPS and FLOGS- cruelties, allusion to

9
Doña Consolacion and the Alferez
7
10.HELMET OF THE GUARDIA CIVIL-
arrogance of those in authority 10
Influence
Rizal’s Novels
Rizal depicted nationality by emphasizing the positive qualities of

Filipinos: the devotion of a Filipina and her influence on a man's life, the
deep sense of gratitude, and the solid commonsense of the Filipinos under
the Spanish regime
Influence on Filipino nationalism 01

Influence on Filipino nationalism:
The work was instrumental in
creating a
unified Filipino
national identity
Rizal’s Novels
and consciousness, as many natives previously
identified with their respective regions. It
lampooned, caricatured and exposed various
elements in colonial society.
The book indirectly influenced the
Background
Philippine Revolution of independence
from the Spanish Empire, even though
Rizal actually advocated direct
representation to the Spanish
government and an overall larger role for
the Philippines within Spain's political
affairs.
Rizal’s Novels
In 1956, Congress passed Republic Act

1425, more popularly known as the Rizal
Law, which requires all levels in
Philippine schools to teach the novel as
part of their curriculum. Noli me
tangere is being taught to third year
secondary school (now Grade 9, due to
Background
the new K-12curriculum) students, while
its sequel El filibusterismo is being
taught for fourth year secondary
school (now Grade 10) students. The
novels are incorporated to their study
and survey of Philippine literature.
Rizal’s Novels
Both of Rizal's novels were initially

banned from Catholic educational
institutions given its negative
portrayal of the Church, but this taboo
has been largely superseded as religious
schools conformed to the Rizal Law
01
“For myself I think that one wrong does
not right the other, and forgiveness
cannot be won with useless tears or
alms to the Church. I honor the father
in his son, not the son in his father.”
Noli Me Tangere
Characters
Rizal’s Novels
Juan
Crisostomo
Ibarra
Characters
Rizal’s Novels
commonly referred to in the novel as

Ibarra or Crisostomo, is the novel's
protagonist. The mestizo (mixed-race)
son of Filipino businessman Don Rafael
Ibarra, he studied in Europe for seven
years. Ibarra is also María Clara's fiancé
Maria
Clara de
los Santos
Characters
commonly referred to as María Clara, is
Ibarra's fiancée and the most beautiful and
widely celebrated girl in San Diego. She
Rizal’s Novels
was raised by Kapitán Tiago delos Santos,

and his cousin, Isabel.
In the later parts of the novel, she was

revealed to be an illegitimate daughter of
Father Dámaso, the former curate of the
town, and Doña Pía Alba, Kapitán Tiago's
wife, who had died giving birth to María
Clara.
Maria
Clara de
los Santos
Characters
At the novel's end, a heartbroken yet
resolved María Clara entered the Beaterio
de Santa Clara (a nunnery) after learning
the truth of her parentage and mistakenly
Rizal’s Novels
believing that her lover, Crisóstomo, had

been killed. In the epilogue, Rizal stated
that it is unknown whether María Clara is
still living within the walls of the convent
or is already dead
A character of Leonor Rivera who was

Rizal’s longtime love interest.
Kapitán
Tiago
Don Santiago de los Santos, known by
Characters
his nickname Tiago and political title
Kapitán Tiago, is said to be the richest
man in the region of Binondo and
possessed real properties in Pampanga
and Laguna de Baý.
Rizal’s Novels
He is said to be a good Catholic, a friend

of the Spanish government and thus was
considered a Spaniard by the colonial
elite. Kapitán Tiago never attended
school, so he became the domestic
helper of a Dominican friar who gave
him an informal education. He later
married Pía Alba from Santa Cruz
Padre
Dámaso
Characters
Dámaso Verdolagas, better known as
Rizal’s Novels
Padre Dámaso, is a Franciscan friar and

the former parishcurate of San Diego. He
is notorious for speaking with harsh
words, highhandedness, andhiscruelty
during his ministry in the town. An
enemy of Crisóstomo's father, Don
Rafael Ibarra, Dámaso is revealed to be
María Clara's biological father.
Padre
Dámaso
Characters
Later, he and María Clara had bitter
Rizal’s Novels
arguments on whether she would marry

Alfonso Linares de Espadaña (which he
preferred) or enter the nunnery (her
desperate alternative).
At the end of the novel, he is again

reassigned to a distant town and later
found dead in his bed.
Padre
Salvi
Characters
Padre Salvi was the town curate of San
Diego and the successor of Padre
Damaso. Possessing a rivalry with the
town's alferez, he later orchestrated the
downfall of Crisostomo Ibarra,
manipulating the townspeople in the
Rizal’s Novels
process.
At some point, he began lusting after

Maria Clara. Around this time, he also
discovered Padre Damaso's letters to
Maria Clara's mother, Doña Pia, learning
that Padre Damaso was in fact Maria
Clara's real father.
Elias
Characters
Elías is Ibarra's mysterious friend and
ally. Elías made his first appearance as a
pilot during a picnic of Ibarra and María
Clara and her friends.
Rizal’s Novels
Elias worked as a boat pilot during

Ibarra's fishing trip. Seeing a crocodile
entangled in the nets, Elias jumped in to
kill it, although struggling. With his life
soon after saved by Ibarra, Elias fled
the picnic, knowing he was being
pursued by the Guardia Civil.
Elias
Characters
At some point, Elias learned that Ibarra's
life was being targeted. Feeling indebted
to the man, he warned him during Padre
Rizal’s Novels
Damaso's sermon during the town fiesta

that his life was in danger.
Later on during the cornerstone-laying

ceremony for Ibarra's school, Elias saved
Ibarra from being killed by the derrick
operator, killing the derrick operator
instead.
Elias
Elias was born to a rich family in Manila

alongside his twin sister, with his father
Characters
being the son of a prostitute and his
mother being the daughter of a rich
man. Told that their father was dead, the
twins also witnessed their mother die in
their youth. Raised by their maternal
grandfather, the two lived happy lives.
Rizal’s Novels
One day, Elias antagonized a distant

relative and they taunted him with his
supposed illegitimacy. As Elias was
insulted, the relative later made Elias'
heritage known to the public using
Elias' family servant, which was
actually his father in disguise.
Elias
Renouncing his wealth, Elias ran away

with his father and sister. After his father
died, his sister went missing; half a year
Characters
later, Elias learned of a girl matching his
sister's description having been
discovered drowned in Calamba,
Laguna. Since then, Elias became a
fugitive, wandering around the
country.
Rizal’s Novels
At some point, he came into contact

with the group of bandits led by Capitan
Pablo in Tanauan, Batangas. He also at
one point discovered that the root of his
family's misfortune was the rich man his
grandfather worked for, Don Pedro
Eibarramendia.
Pilósopong
Tasyo
Characters
Filósofo Tasio (Tagalog: Pilósopong
Tasyo) was enrolled in a philosophy
course and was a talented student, but
his mother was a rich but superstitious
matron.
Rizal’s Novels
Like many Filipino Catholics under the

sway of the friars, she believed that too
much learning condemned souls to hell.
She then made Tasyo choose between
leaving college or becoming a priest.
Since he was in love, he left college
and married.
Pilósopong
Tasyo
Tasyo lost his wife and mother within a
Characters
year. Seeking consolation and in order to
free himself from the cockpit and the
dangers of idleness, he took up his
studies once more. But he became so
addicted to his studies and the purchase
of books that he entirely neglected his
Rizal’s Novels
fortune and gradually ruined himself.
Persons of culture called him Don

Anastacio, or Pilósopong Tasyo, while
the great crowd of the ignorant knew
him as Tasio el Loco on account of his
peculiar ideasand his eccentric manner
of dealing with others
Pilósopong
Tasyo
Characters
Rizal’s Novels
Seeking for reforms from the

government, he expresses his ideals in
paper written in a cryptographic
alphabet similar from hieroglyphs and
Coptic figures hoping "that the future
generations may be able to decipher it”
Doña
Victorina
Characters
Doña Victorina de los Reyes de de Espadaña,
commonly known as Doña Victorina, is an
ambitious Filipina who classifies herself as
a Spaniard and mimics Spanish ladies by
Rizal’s Novels
putting on heavy make-up.
The novel narrates Doña Victorina's younger

days: she had lots of admirers, but she
spurned them all because none of them were
Spaniards. Later on, she met and married
Don Tiburcio de Espadaña, an official of the
customs bureau ten years her junior.
However, their marriage is childless
Doña
Victorina
Characters
Her husband assumes the title of medical
"doctor" even though he never attended
medical school; using fake documents and
certificates, Tiburcio illegally practices
medicine.
Tiburcio's usage of the title Dr. consequently

Rizal’s Novels
makes Victorina assume the title Dra.

(doctora, female doctor).
Apparently, she uses the whole name Doña

Victorina de los Reyes de de Espadaña, with
double de to emphasize her marriage
surname. She seems to feel that this
awkward titling makes her more
"sophisticated"
Sisa,
Basilio,
Crispin
Characters
Rizal’s Novels
Sisa, Crispín, and Basilio represent a

Filipino family persecuted by the
Spanish authorities.
Due to their tragic but endearing story,

these characters are often parodied in
modern Filipino popular culture
Sisa
Narcisa, or Sisa, is the deranged mother of

Basilio and Crispín. Described as beautiful
andyoung, although she loves her children
very much, she cannot protect them from
the beatings of her husband, Pedro.
Characters
Crispin
is Sisa's seven-year-old son. An altar boy, he
Rizal’s Novels
was unjustly accused of stealing money from

the church. After failing to force Crispín to
return the money he allegedly stole, Father
Salví and the head sacristan killed him. It is
not directly stated that he was killed, but a
dream of Basilio's suggests that Crispín died
during his encounter with Padre Salví and
his minion.
Basilio
Characters
Basilio is Sisa's 10-year-old son. An acolyte
tasked to ring the church's bells for the
Angelus, he faced the dread of losing his
Rizal’s Novels
younger brother and the descent of his

mother into insanity.
At the end of the novel, a dying Elías

requested Basilio to cremate him and Sisa in
the woods in exchange for a chest of gold
located nearby.
He later played a major role inEl

filibusterismo.
Salome
Characters
Elías' sweetheart. She lived in a little house
by the lake, and though Elías would like to
marry her, he tells her that it would do her or
their children no good to be related to a
fugitive like himself. In the original
publication of Noli Me Tángere, the chapter
that explores the identity of Elías and
Rizal’s Novels
Salomé was omitted, classifying her as a

totally non-existent character.
This chapter, entitled Elías y Salomé, was

probably the 25th chapter of the novel.
However, recent editions and translations of
Noli include this chapter either on the
appendix or as Chapter X (Ex)
NOLI ME TANGERE

TOPIC 5
THE PLOT
Noli Me
Tangere ESTD
2023
Summary
Juan Crisostomo Ibarra returns to the
Philippines after seven years of education in
Europe. In honor of his return, a grand feast is
hosted by Captain Tiago, with many notable
personalities in attendance.
At this banquet, Father Damaso criticizes

Ibarra. Rather than retaliate, Ibarra gracefully
excuses himself, stating he has urgent
matters to handle.
Maria Clara, Ibarra’s enchanting girlfriend

and Captain Tiago’s daughter, is visited by
Rizal’s Novels
him the next day. Together, they reminisce

about their relationship by revisiting old
letters exchanged before Ibarra left for
Europe.
Summary
As Ibarra departs from his visit with Maria,
Lieutenant Guevarra discloses the tragic fate
of Ibarra’s father, Don Rafael, who passed
away the previous year. Father Damaso had
accused Don Rafael of heresy and
subversion, mainly due to his reported
absence from church and confession.
These allegations were triggered when Don

Rafael defended a child against a tax
collector, who accidentally killed the child.
In the aftermath, an investigation was

Rizal’s Novels
conducted, during which several of Don

Rafael’s secret adversaries levelled
accusations against him. These events deeply
affected Don Rafael, leading to his illness in
jail and eventually his death.
Summary
Despite the heavy rain during the
exhumation of Don Rafael’s remains ordered
by an unsatisfied Father Damaso, the body
was unceremoniously tossed into a lake
instead of being relocated to the Chinese
cemetery.
Choosing not to seek revenge, Ibarra carries

on his father’s work by constructing a school
with the help of Nol Juan.
Just as the school is about to be inaugurated,

Rizal’s Novels
Elias saves Ibarra from an assassination

attempt, resulting in the death of the
assassin, who was hired by a secret enemy.
Summary
When Father Damaso once again insults
Ibarra, it is the belittling of his father that
pushes Ibarra to attempt to stab the priest,
but he is stopped by Maria Clara.
As a consequence, the Archbishop

excommunicates Ibarra from the Catholic
Church. Seizing the opportunity, Father
Damaso manipulates Captain Tiago to call
off Maria Clara’s engagement to Ibarra,
Rizal’s Novels
with rumors suggesting she is to marry

Linares, a young Spaniard instead.
Following the lifting of his excommunication
Summary
due to the intervention of the Captain
General, Ibarra is unexpectedly arrested
again, accused of instigating an attack on the
barracks. During a party held at Captain
Tiago’s house celebrating the impending
union of Linares and Maria Clara, Ibarra
manages to escape with Elias’ help.
Before his escape, Ibarra confronts Maria

about a letter used as evidence against him
in court. She vehemently denies any
involvement and reveals that the
incriminating letter was stolen from him in
Rizal’s Novels
return for another that indicates Father

Damaso as her biological father. Resigned,
she affirms her love for Ibarra but maintains
her decision to marry Linares for her mother’s
honor.
Summary
Escaping with Elias, Ibarra boards a boat and
navigates the Pasig River to Bay Lake. In an
attempt to lose the pursuers, Elias jumps
into the water, leading them to believe that
the escapee they’ve shot is Ibarra.
On hearing of Ibarra’s supposed death, a

despairing Maria Clara pleads with Father
Damaso to let her enter a monastery,
threatening suicide otherwise.
Meanwhile, a mortally wounded Elias

stumbles upon the mythical Ibarra forest,
Rizal’s Novels
where he encounters Basilio and his dead

mother, Sisa. In his dying moments, Elias
implores the fortunate to remember those
who have perished in the darkness.
Let’s
Analyze!
In Noli Me Tangere, it portrays about the ills of the
society which can be observed not only during the
Spanish times. It shows how oppressive are the people
Rizal’s Novels
in power and gullible and powerless the masses are. It

shows the corruption in the Church and the State and
the power of hope.
POST-NOVEL ANALYSIS
Let’s
Analyze!
Noli is a critique against both
Rizal’s Novels
Spaniards and Filipinos.
POST-NOVEL ANALYSIS
He exposes corruption and brutality of the civil guards which drive
good men to crime and banditry.
Spanish
He criticizes the Church and its abuse of power, as shown in the
friars’ influence and power over the townsfolk of San Diego.
The brutality and ruthlessness of the heads of the government, as

shown by the Alferez and his cronies.
The superstitious and hypocritical fanaticism

Rizal’s Novels
Ignorance, corruption, and brutality of the Filipino civil guards
Filipino Passion for gambling of Filipinos
Servility of the wealthy Filipino towards Spanish authorities
Ridiculous efforts of Filipinos to dissociate themselves from their

fellowmen
Theme:
Longing &
Unfulfillment
Rizal’s Novels
There is no more tragic love and of course It manifests both in Ibarra and Maria
no greater love than of two beings unable Clara’s love for one another and Elias’
to reach each other, since such a love love for reform and freedom. (“to never
eternally remains unblemished. bear witness to the sunrise”)
Noli
El Fili
Objectives
01/05
Understand the context of El
Filibusterismo
Identify the learning strategy of Rizal

on this novel.
Compare and contrast the characters,

plots, and themes of the Noli and Fili
Appraise how El Filibusterismo

contributed to the national
Rizal’s Novels
consciousness and the revolution
Identify the analytical perspective on

El filibusterismo
El Filibusterismo
Topic 5
El
Introduction
Filibusterismo
Rizal’s Novels
(transl. The filibusterism; The

Subversive or The Subversion, as in
the Locsín English translation, are
also possible translations)
El filibusterismo , also known by its
Introduction
alternative English title The Reign of
Greed, is the second novel written by
Philippine national hero José Rizal. It is
the sequel to Noli Me Tángere and, like
the first book, was written in Spanish.
It was first published in 1891 in Ghent,

Rizal’s Novels
Belgium.
Publication
October 1887 - Rizal begun writing it while practicing medicine.
Rizal’s Novels
1888 - He made changes in the plot and revised the chapters. He wrote
more chapters in Paris, Madrid, and Biarritz.
March 29 1891- He finished the manuscript in Biarritz after three years.
From Brussels, Rizal moved to Ghent where printing was cheaper.
September 1891 - El FIlibusterismo came off the press.
Introduction
El
Noli Me Tangere
Filibusterismo
Rizal’s Novels
The novel centers on the Noli-El fili

duology's main character Crisóstomo
Ibarra, now returning for vengeance as
"Simoun".
The novel's dark theme departs

dramatically from the previous novel's
Introduction
hopeful and romantic atmosphere,
signifying Ibarra's resort to solving his
country's issues through violent
means, after his previous attempt in
reforming the country's system made no
effect and seemed impossible with the
corrupt attitude of the Spaniards toward
the Filipinos.
Rizal’s Novels
The novel was banned in some parts of

the Philippines as a result of their
portrayals of the Spanish government's
Introduction
abuses and corruption. These novels,
along with Rizal's involvement in
organizations that aimed to address and
reform the Spanish systemanditsissues,
led to Rizal's exile to Dapitan and
eventual execution
Both the novel and its predecessor,

Rizal’s Novels
along with Rizal's last poem, are now

considered Rizal's literary
masterpieces.
Both of Rizal's novels had a profound

effect on Philippine society in terms of
views about national identity, the
Introduction
Catholic faith and its influence on the
Filipino's choice, and the government's
issues in corruption, abuse of power, and
discrimination, and on a larger scale, the
issues related to the effect of
colonization on people's lives and the
cause for independence.
Rizal’s Novels
These novels later on indirectly

became the inspiration to start the
Philippine Revolution.
We can say that El Filibusterismo is
A social document
of late 19th Century
Philippines
Rizal’s Novels
The theme and plot of El Filibusterismo was changed to
convey the message that the present system of government
in the Philippines through corrupt officials, dominated by the
friars can lead to the downfall of Spain.
02
“We are only as strong as
we are united, as weak as
we are divided”
El Filibusterismo
Characters
Rizal’s Novels
Simoun
Crisóstomo Ibarra in disguise, presumed

dead at the end of Noli Me Tángere.
Ibarra has returned as the wealthy
jeweler Simoun.
Characters
His appearance is described as being
tanned, having a sparse beard, long
white hair, and large blue-tinted glasses.
He is crude and confrontational.
Rizal’s Novels
He was derisively described by Custodio

and Ben-Zayb as an American mulatto
or a British Indian. While presenting as
the arrogant elitist on the outside, he
secretly plans a violent revolution in
order to avenge himself for his
misfortunes as Crisóstomo Ibarra, as well
as hasten Elias' reformist goals
Basilio
Characters
The son of Sisa and another character
from Noli Me Tángere. In the events of El
fili, he is an aspiring and so far successful
Rizal’s Novels
physician on his last year at university

and was waiting for his license to be
released upon his graduation.
After his mother's death in the Noli, he

applied as a servant in Kapitán Tiago's
household in exchange for food, lodging,
and being allowed to study.
Basilio
Eventually he took up medicine, and
Characters
with Tiago having retired from society,
he also became the manager of Tiago's
vast estate.
He is a quiet, contemplative man who is

more aware of his immediate duties as a
Rizal’s Novels
servant, doctor, and member of the

student association than he is of politics
or patriotic endeavors.
His sweetheart is Juli, the daughter of

Kabesang Tales whose family took him
in when he was a young boy fleeing the
Guardia Civil and his deranged mother.
Isagani
Basilio's friend. He is described as a poet,

taller and more robust than Basilio
Characters
although younger.
He is the nephew of Padre Florentino,

but is also rumored to be Florentino's
son with his old sweetheart before he
was ordained as a priest. During the
Rizal’s Novels
events of the novel, Isagani is finishing

his studies at the Ateneo Municipal and
is planning to take medicine.
A member of the student association,

Isagani is proud and naive, and tends to
put himself on the spot when his ideals
are affronted.
Isagani
Characters
His unrestrained idealism and poeticism
clash with the more practical and
mundane concerns of his girlfriend,
Paulita Gomez.
Rizal’s Novels
When Isagani allows himself to be

arrested after their association is
outlawed, Paulita leaves him for Juanito
Peláez. In his final mention in the novel,
he was bidding goodbye to his landlords,
the Orenda family, to stay with
Florentino permanently.
Padre
Florentino
Characters
Isagani's uncle and a retired priest.
Florentino was the son of a wealthy and
influential Manila family. He entered the
Rizal’s Novels
priesthood at the insistence of his

mother. As a result he had to break an
affair with a woman he loved, and in
despair devoted himself instead to his
parish. When the 1872 Cavite mutiny
broke out, he promptly resigned from
the priesthood, fearful of drawing
unwanted attention.
Padre
Florentino
Characters
He was an indio and a secular, or a priest
that was unaffiliated with the orders,
Rizal’s Novels
and yet his parish drew in a huge

income. He retired to his family's large
estate along the shores of the Pacific. He
is described as white-haired, with a
quiet, serene personality and a strong
build. He did not smoke or drink. He was
well respected by his peers, even by
Spanish friars and officials.
Padre
Fernandez
Characters
a Dominican who was a friend of Isagani.
Following the incident with the posters,
he invited Isagani to a dialogue, not so
much as a teacher with his student but
as a friar with a Filipino. Although they
Rizal’s Novels
failed to resolve their differences, they

each promised to approach their
colleagues with the opposing views from
the other party – although both feared
that given the animosity that existed
between their sides, their own
compatriots may not believe in the other
party's existence.
Kapitan
Tiago
Characters
Don Santiago de los Santos. María Clara's
stepfather. Having several landholdings
in Pampanga, Binondo, and Laguna, as
Rizal’s Novels
well as taking ownership of the Ibarras'

vast estate, Tiago still fell into depression
following María's entry into the convent.
He alleviated this by smoking opium,
which quickly became an uncontrolled
vice, exacerbated by his association with
Padre Írene who regularly supplied him
with the substance.
Kapitan
Tiago
Characters
Tiagohired Basilio as a capista, a servant
Rizal’s Novels
who given the opportunity to study as

part of his wages; Basilio eventually
pursued medicine and became his
caregiver and the manager of his estate.
Tiago died of shock upon hearing of

Basilio's arrest and Padre Írene's
embellished stories of violent revolt.
Kapitan-
Heneral
Characters
The highest-ranking official in the
Philippines during the Spanish colonial
period. The Captain-General in El fili is
Simoun's friend and confidant, and is
Rizal’s Novels
described as having an insatiable lust for

gold.
Simoun met him when he was still a

major during the Ten Years' War in Cuba.
He secured the major's friendship and
promotion to Captain-General through
bribes.
Kapitan-
Heneral
Characters
When he was posted in the Philippines,
Simoun used him as a pawn in his own
Rizal’s Novels
power plays to drive the country into

revolution. The Captain-General was
shamed into not extending his tenure
after being rebuked by a high official in
the aftermath of Basilio's imprisonment.
This decision to retire would later on
prove to be a crucial element to
Simoun's schemes.
Padre
Salvi
Characters
The former parish priest of San Diego in
Noli Me Tángere, and now the director
Rizal’s Novels
and chaplain of the Santa Clara convent.

The epilogue of the Noli implies that
Salví regularly rapes María Clara when he
is present at the convent. In El fili, he is
described as her confessor. In spite of
reports of Ibarra's death, Salví believes
that he is still alive and lives in constant
fear of his revenge.
Padre
Millon
Characters
Rizal’s Novels
A Dominican who serves as a physics

professor in the University of Santo
Tomas
Quiroga
Characters
Rizal’s Novels
A Chinese businessman who aspired to

be a consul for China in the Philippines.
Simoun coerced Quiroga into hiding
weapons inside the latter's warehouses
in preparationfor the revolution.
Don
Custodio
Characters
Custodio de Salazar y Sánchez de
Rizal’s Novels
Monteredondo, a famous
"contractor"who was tasked by the
Captain-General to develop the students
association's proposal for anacademy for
the teaching of Spanish, but was then
also under pressure fromthe priests not
tocompromise their prerogatives as
monopolizers of instruction.
Don
Custodio
Characters
Rizal’s Novels
Some of the novel's most scathing

criticism is reserved for Custodio, who is
portrayed as an opportunist
whomarriedhis way into high society,
who regularly criticized favored ideas
that did not come fromhim, but was
ultimately, laughably incompetent in
spite of his scruples.
Ben-Zayb
A columnist for the Manila Spanish

newspaper El Grito de la Integridad.
Characters
Ben-Zayb is his pen name and is an
anagram of Ybanez, an alternate spelling
of his last name Ibañez. His first name is
not mentioned. Ben-Zayb is said to have
the looks of afriar, who believes that in
Manila they think because he thinks. He
Rizal’s Novels
is deeply patriotic, sometimesto the

point of jingoism. As a journalist he has
no qualms embellishing a story,
conflatingand butchering details,
turning phrases over and over, making a
mundane story soundbetterthan it
actually is. Father Camorra derisively
calls him an ink-slinger
Padre
Camorra
Characters
The parish priest of Tiani. Ben-Zayb's
regular foil, he is said to looklikean
artilleryman in counterpoint to Ben-
Zayb's friar looks. He stops at nothing to
mock and humiliate Ben-Zayb's liberal
pretensions.
Rizal’s Novels
In his own parish, Camorra has a

reputation for unrestrained lustfulness.
He drives Juli into suicide after
attempting to rape her inside the
convent. For his misbehavior, he was
"detained" in a luxurious riverside villa
just outside Manila.
Padre
Irene
Characters
Kapitán Tiago's spiritual adviser. Along with
Custodio, Írene is severely criticized as a
representative of priests who allied
themselves with temporal authority for the
sake of power and monetary gain.
Known to many as the final authority who

Don Custodio consults, the student
Rizal’s Novels
association sought his support and gifted

him with two chestnut-colored horses, yet he
betrayed the students by counseling
Custodio into making them fee collectors in
their own school, which was then to be
administered by the Dominicans instead of
being a secular and privately managed
institution as the students envisioned.
Padre
Irene
Characters
Írene secretly but regularly supplies
Kapitán Tiago with opium while
exhorting Basilio to do his duty.
Rizal’s Novels
Írene embellished stories of panic

following the outlawing of the student
association Basilio was part of, hastening
Kapitán Tiago's death. With Basilio in
prison, he then struck Basilio out of
Tiago's last will and testament, ensuring
he inherited nothing.
Placido
Penitente
A student of the University of Santo Tomas
Characters
who would have left school if it were not for
his mother's pleas for him to stay. He clashes
with his physics professor, who then accuses
him of being a member of the student
association, whom the friars despise.
Following the confrontation, he meets

Rizal’s Novels
Simoun at the Quiapo Fair. Seeing potential

in Placido, Simoun takes him along to survey
his preparations for the upcoming revolution.
The following morning Placido has become

one of Simoun's committed followers. He is
later seen with the former schoolmaster of
San Diego, who was now Simoun's bomb-
maker.
Paulita
Gomez
Characters
The girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of
Doña Victorina, the old Indio who passes
Rizal’s Novels
herself off as a Peninsular, who is the

wife of the quack doctor Tiburcio de
Espadaña.
In the end, she and Isagani part ways,

Paulita believing she will have no future
if she marries him. She eventually
marries Juanito Peláez.
Rizal’s Novels TOPIC 5 | LIFE & WORKS OF RIZAL
Sagpang
Characters
from Barrio
Characters
Kabesang
Tales
Characters
Rizal’s Novels
Telesforo Juan de Dios, a former kabesa

of Barrio Sagpang in Tiani. He was a
sugarcane planter who cleared lands he
thought belonged to no one, losing his
wife and eldest daughter in the
endeavor.
Kabesang
Tales
Characters
When the Dominicans took over his
farm, he fought tohis last money to have
Rizal’s Novels
it retained in his possession. While his

suit against the Dominicans was
ongoing, he was kidnapped by bandits
while he was out patrolling his fields.
Having no money to pay his captors, his
daughter Juli was forced to become a
maid in exchange for her mistress
paying his ransom.
Kabesang
Tales
Characters
When his son Tano was conscripted into
the Guardia Civil, again Tales had no
money to pay for Tano's exclusion from
Rizal’s Novels
the draft. When in spite of all Tales lost

the case, he not only lost his farm but
was also dealt with a heavy fine.
He later joined the bandits and became

one of their fiercest commanders.
Tandang Selo, his father, would later on
join his band after the death of Juli.
Tata Selo
Father of Kabesang Tales and

grandfather of Tano and Juli. A deer
hunter and later on a broom-maker, he
Characters
and Tales took in the young, sick Basilio
who was then fleeing from the Guardia
Civil. On Christmas Day, when Juli left to
be with her mistress, Selo suffered some
form of stroke that impaired his ability to
speak. After Juli's suicide, Selo left town
Rizal’s Novels
permanently, taking with him his

hunting spear.
He was later seen with the bandits and

was killed in an encounter with the
Guardia Civil – ironically by the gun of
the troops' sharpshooter Tano, his
grandson.
Juli
Juliana de Dios, the girlfriend of Basilio,
Characters
and the youngest daughter of Kabesang
Tales. When Tales was captured by
bandits, Juli petitioned Hermana
Penchang to pay for his ransom. In
exchange, she had to work as
Penchang's maid.
Rizal’s Novels
Basilio ransomed her and bought a

house for her family. When Basilio was
sent to prison, Juli approached Tiani's
curate, Padre Camorra, for help. When
Camorra tried to rape her instead, Juli
jumped to her death from the church's
tower.
Tano
Characters
Kabesang Tales's son, second to Lucia
who died in childhood. He was
nicknamed"Carolino" after returning
from Guardia Civil training in the
Carolines.
Rizal’s Novels
His squad was escorting prisoners

through a road that skirted a mountain
when they were ambushed by bandits.
In the ensuing battle, Tano, the squad's
sharpshooter, killed a surrendering
bandit from a distance, not knowing it
was his own grandfather Selo
Hermana
Penchang
One of the "rich folks" of Tiani who lent Juli
Characters
money to ransom Kabesang Tales from the
bandits. In return, Juli will serve as her maid
until the money was paid off. Penchang is
described as a pious woman who speaks
Spanish; however, her piety was clouded over
by the virtues taught by the friars.
Rizal’s Novels
While Juli was in her service, she made her

work constantly, refusing to give her time off
so she can take care of her grandfather Selo.
Nevertheless, when the rich folks of Tiani

shunned Juli because to support her family
in any way might earn some form of
retribution from the friars, Penchang was the
only one who took pity upon her.
Hermana
Bali
Characters
Juli's mother-figure and counselor. She
accompanied Juli in her efforts to secure
Kabesang Tales' ransom and later on Basilio's
release.
Rizal’s Novels
Báli was a panguinguera –a gambler – who

once performed religious services in a Manila
convent. When Tales was captured by
bandits, it was Báli who suggested to Juli the
idea to borrow money from Tiani's wealthy
citizens, payable when Tales' legal dispute
over his farm was won.
EL FILIBUSTERISMO

TOPIC 5
THE PLOT
El
Filibusterismo ESTD
2023
Thirteen years after the deaths of Sisa and

Elias, the story began.
Summary
A steamboat called Bapor Tabo traveled
between Manila and Laguna. Among its
passengers were the jeweler Simoun, Basilio,
and Isagani.
Upon arriving in San Diego, Basilio visited his

mother’s grave in the Ibarra family cemetery.
There, he unexpectedly encountered Simoun,
who he recognized as Crisostomo Ibarra in
disguise.
To protect Ibarra’s secret, Simoun attempted

Rizal’s Novels
to kill Basilio but was unsuccessful. Instead,

Simoun tried to persuade Basilio to join his
quest for revenge against the Spanish
Government. Basilio refused, as he wanted to
finish his studies.
Meanwhile, while the Governor-General was
Summary
vacationing in Los Baños, Filipino students
submitted a petition to establish a Spanish
Language Academy.
The proposal was rejected because the clergy

would be in charge, preventing the students
from having any control over the institution’s
operations.
Simoun and Basilio met again, and Simoun

once more tried to convince Basilio to join his
planned rebellion and create chaos in a
forced opening of the Sta. Clara convent to
Rizal’s Novels
abduct Maria Clara.
However, this didn’t happen because Maria

Clara passed away that same evening.
Summary
On the other hand, the students held a
gathering at the Panciteria Macanista de
Buen Gusto, expressing their disappointment
over the failed establishment of the Spanish
Language Academy.
Speeches were given inside the Panciteria,

where the students openly criticized the
clergy. The friars eventually learned about
this.
The next day, posters containing criticism

and calls for rebellion were found on the
Rizal’s Novels
university’s doors, and the students’

organization members were blamed. The
students were arrested, and Basilio was
among those apprehended. This deeply
affected his lover, Juli.
Summary
To exonerate the students, their relatives
intervened for their release. Basilio, however,
remained in jail as he had no intermediary.
Padre Camorra assaulted Juli. Traumatized

by the incident, she jumped from the
convent window, leading to her death.
Simoun continued plotting his revenge

against the government. To advance his
plans, he partnered with Don Timoteo Pelaez,
Juanito’s father, and arranged Juanito’s
Rizal’s Novels
marriage to Paulita Gomez. The Governor-

General was invited to be the wedding
godfather, and other high-ranking officials
were also invited to the banquet.
Summary
Two months after his imprisonment, Basilio
was released with Simoun’s help. Due to the
tragic events in his life, including Juli’s death,
Basilio finally agreed to join Simoun’s
rebellion.
Simoun seized the opportunity to show

Basilio the bomb he had made. It was a
grenade-shaped lamp, the size of a human
head. He planned to present this extravagant
lamp to the newlyweds, Juanito and Paulita.
The lamp would emit a bright light for twenty

Rizal’s Novels
minutes before dimming. When the wick was

raised to brighten it again, the grenade
would explode, causing the destruction of
the pavilion and ensuring no guest would
survive.
The explosion would serve as a signal for
Summary
Simoun to initiate the rebellion.
On Juanito and Paulita’s wedding day, at

around seven in the evening, Basilio paced
outside the banquet venue. Simoun also left
the house, anticipating the imminent
explosion.
As Basilio was about to leave, he spotted

Isagani, Paulita’s former lover. Temporarily
forgetting his life’s disappointments, Basilio
revealed the planned explosion to Isagani
and warned him to leave the area.
Rizal’s Novels
As the lamp began to dim, the Governor-

General ordered Padre Irene to raise the wick.
However, Isagani snatched the lamp, ran to
the terrace, and threw it into the river.
Summary
Simoun’s planned rebellion was thwarted. He
fled to the house of Padre Florentino, a
Filipino priest.
As those pursuing Simoun were closing in, he

drank poison to avoid being captured alive. It
was then that he confessed his true identity
to the priest.
He shared his return to the Philippines from

Europe thirteen years prior, his love affair
with Maria Clara, and his disguise as a jeweler
to seek revenge against the government
Rizal’s Novels
through a rebellion.
After confessing, Simoun passed away. The

remaining jewels belonging to Simoun were
thrown into the sea by Padre Florentino.
Let’s
Analyze!
In El Filibusterismo, we can observe that in the end,
revolution brought only by ambition and vengeance
not by unity will not succeed. Truly, Ibarra has suffered
Rizal’s Novels
in the hands of the Spaniards. However this does not

mean that his means are justifiable. At the end of the
story, we see that he and his plans failed.
POST-NOVEL ANALYSIS
Themes:
revolution,
responsibility,
colonial suffering
Rizal’s Novels
El Filibusterismo addresses topics of great importance to the movement,
namely clerical abuses, racism against the Philippine people, and the need for
political reform. The novels resulted in Rizal's exile to Hong Kong, and later, his
execution by firing squad in 1896 at the age of 35.
Romantic Novel
Work of the heart
Noli A book of feeling
Has, freshness, color, humor, lightness, wit
64 chapters
Political Novel
Rizal’s Novels
Work of the Head
El Fili A book of thought
Has bitterness, hatred, pain, violence, sorrow
38 chapters
Noli
The debate of which is the superior novel-Noli or Fili- is
purely subjective.
Both are good novels from the point of view of history
Both depict with the actual conditions of the

Philippines and the Filipinos during the days of
and*
Spanish rule
Both are instrumental in awakening the spirit of

Filipino nationalism
Rizal’s Novels
Both are responsible in paving the ground for
El Fili
Philippine Revolution that brought about the downfall
of Spain
El Fili is a true twin of Noli

CAS, PEREZ, MOTAS,
EXEQUIEL RHYANNE KLEIN CHRISTEL JOY

TOPIC 5
NOLI ME TANGERE &

EL FILIBUSTERISMO
Rizal’s
Novels ESTD
2024
Review*
Question 1

The mestizo (mixed-race) son of
Filipino businessman
A
Don Tiago
B
Crisostomo Ibarra
Rizal’s Novels
C Fidel
D Elias
Crisostomo Ibarra

Question 2

She is the most beautiful and widely celebrated girl
in San Diego
A Juli
B
Klay
Rizal’s Novels
C
Maria Clara
D
Paulita Gomez
Maria Clara

Question 3

is a Franciscan friar and the former parishcurate of San
Diego. He is notorious for speaking with harsh words,
highhandedness, and his cruelty during his ministry in the
town.
A Padre Damaso
Padre Salvi
Rizal’s Novels
B
C
Padre Fernandez
D
Padre Florentino
PADRE DAMASO

Question 4

the deranged mother of Basilio and Crispín. Described as
beautiful andyoung, although she loves her children very much,
she cannot protect them from the beatings of her husband, Pedro
A Salome
B
Sisa
Rizal’s Novels
C
Isabel
D
Hermana Pechang
SISA

Question 5

An acolyte tasked to ring the church's bells for the
Angelus, he faced the dread of losing his younger brother
and the descent of his mother into insanity.
A Crispin
B
Basilio
Rizal’s Novels
C
Khalil
D
Isagani
BASILIO

Question 6

Basilio's friend. He is described as a poet, taller and
more robust than Basilio although younger.
A Isagani
B
Macaraig
Rizal’s Novels
C
Juanito Pelaez
D
Sandoval
ISAGANI

Question 7

Isagani's uncle and a retired priest. The son of a wealthy and influential
Manila family. He entered the priesthood at the insistence of his mother.
As a result he had to break an affair with a woman he loved, and in despair
devoted himself instead to his parish.
A Padre Damaso
B
Padre Salvi
Rizal’s Novels
C
Padre Fernandez
D
Padre Florentino
PADRE FLORENTINO

Question 8

a Dominican who was a friend of Isagani. Following the incident
with the posters, he invited Isagani to a dialogue, not so much as
a teacher with his student but as a friar with a Filipino
A Padre Damaso
B
Padre Salvi
Rizal’s Novels
C
Padre Fernandez
D
Padre Florentino
PADRE FERNANDEZ

Question 9

The former parish priest of San Diego in Noli Me Tángere, and now the
director and chaplain of the Santa Clara convent. The epilogue of the Noli
implies that he regularly rapes María Clara when he is present at the convent
A Padre Damaso
B
Padre Salvi
Rizal’s Novels
C
Padre Fernandez
D
Padre Florentino
PADRE SALVI

Question 10

He is a former kabesa of Barrio Sagpang in Tiani. He was a
sugarcane planter who cleared lands he thought belonged to no
one, losing his wife and eldest daughter in the endeavor.
A Tandang Selo
B
Kabesang Tales
Rizal’s Novels
C
Kabesang Tasyo
D
Quiroga
KABESANG TALES

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you!

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CAS, PEREZ, MOTAS,

EXEQUIEL RHYANNE KLEIN CHRISTEL JOY

LIFE & WORKS OF RIZAL

NOLI ME TANGERE &

Appraise important characters in the

Examine the present Philippine

Evaluate how Noli me tangere

Noli Me Tangere is Latin for "touch

“Do not hold on to me, for I

Rizal entitled this novel as such drawing

was unknown what the modern name of

He proposed to probe all the cancers of

is an 1887 novel by José Rizal during the

Early English translations of the novel

influenced by this fact is suggested in

Image: Uncle Tom’s Cabin 01

In a reunion of Filipinos at the house of

His proposal was unanimously approved

de Lete, Julio Llorente and Valentin

Image: Pedro Paterno

However, this project did not

Because of this, he pulled out of the plan

Financial aid came from a friend

The printing was finished earlier than

the novel to his friend, Blumentritt. The

Image: Maximo Viola

The first Philippine edition (and the

2. POMELO BLOSSOMS AND LAUREL

4. BURNING TORCH- rage and passion

6. BAMBOO STALKS – resilience

9. WHIPS and FLOGS- cruelties, allusion to

Rizal depicted nationality by emphasizing the positive qualities of

Influence on Filipino nationalism 01

The book indirectly influenced the

In 1956, Congress passed Republic Act

Both of Rizal's novels were initially

commonly referred to in the novel as

was raised by Kapitán Tiago delos Santos,

In the later parts of the novel, she was

believing that her lover, Crisóstomo, had

A character of Leonor Rivera who was

He is said to be a good Catholic, a friend

Padre Dámaso, is a Franciscan friar and

arguments on whether she would marry

At the end of the novel, he is again

At some point, he began lusting after

Elias worked as a boat pilot during

Damaso's sermon during the town fiesta

Later on during the cornerstone-laying

Elias was born to a rich family in Manila

One day, Elias antagonized a distant

Renouncing his wealth, Elias ran away

At some point, he came into contact

Like many Filipino Catholics under the

fortune and gradually ruined himself.

Persons of culture called him Don

Seeking for reforms from the

putting on heavy make-up.

The novel narrates Doña Victorina's younger

Tiburcio's usage of the title Dr. consequently

makes Victorina assume the title Dra.

Apparently, she uses the whole name Doña

Sisa, Crispín, and Basilio represent a

Due to their tragic but endearing story,

TOPIC 5 Rizal's Novels

TOPIC 5 Rizal's Novels