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MODULE 6- WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL

“I do not write for this generation. I am writing for other ages. If this could read me, they would burn my books, the
work of my whole life. On the other hand, the generation which interprets these writings will be an educated
generation; they will understand me and say: Not all were asleep in the nighttime of our grandparents.”
– Jose Rizal

Objectives: What will you learn from this module?

At the end of the module, you should be able to:
1. Analyze the themes of each Rizal’s poems;
2. Internalize the essays of Rizal through Reflection Writing;
3. Demonstrate the important characters of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo; and
4. Evaluate the importance those characters in the 21st century

Introduction

Writing has been one of the most effective means to escape from reality. There are famous writers in
the world whose literary pieces became a turning point for the realization of fundamental rights of human in
the society. For Dr. José Rizal, writing can be a means to fight for a cause. “The pen is mightier than the sword”
as he gave a metaphor about how writings can be a powerful tool for emancipation. Through his literary
masterpieces, he voiced strong opposition to the abuse of Spaniards and conveyed messages that he hoped
would inspire his fellow countrymen. In this module, we will round up his best works and uncover the underlying
meaning behind them.

Activity: WRITING A POEM

Write a poem regarding on the topic listed below, choose one topic only.

1. Pen is mightier than the sword

2. The Indolence of Filipinos in the current Era
3. The Filipino Women in the 20th Century
4. The Love of Country

RUBRIC FOR POEM WRITING

Clarity of ideas 10

Coherence To the Chosen Topic 10

Uniqueness 5

Total 25

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Analysis:

The Haiku is a Japanese poetic form that contains of three lines, with five syllables in the first line, seven
in the second, and five in the third. Below are examples of Haiku. Analyze the passage of each poem and provide
a title and a brief analysis in not more than 5 sentences.

_
_
_
_

_
_
_
_

_
_
_
_

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LESSON VI. THE WRITINGS OF RIZAL

Abstraction

A. Rizal’s Poems

One way to gauge a person’s life is to look at his works and writings. Poetry, novels and other literary
pieces reveal an individual’s hopes, dreams, aspirations and goodbyes. Dr. Jose Rizal was prolific writer from a
young age. He made several poems in his lifetime since his early childhood. When he was 7 years old, he wrote
a play that was staged during the town fiesta. At 8 Rizal wrote his renowned poem entitled "Sa Aking Mga
Kabata". During his time in Ateneo and UST he wrote numerous poems, plays, and other literary pieces; he
joined contests and emerged as the winner several times.

“Sa Aking Mga Kababata” was a nationalistic artwork promoting the use of Tagalog (Filipino) language
by the Filipino people. It was traditionally believed to be the national hero’s first written Tagalog poem at the
age of eight and was said to have been published posthumously many years after Rizal’s death. However, recent
investigations cast serious doubts concerning the assumed authorship of the poem. Many scholars today
believe that the very young Rizal could have not written the nationalistic poem. For one thing, it is doubted that
an eight-year-old child, who normally just begins to read, could write a five-stanza poem with profound terms.
Below are few of the famous lines from the poem that signifies nationalistic ideals and principles:

“Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita

Mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda,
Kaya ang marapat pagyamaning kusa
Na tulad sa inang tunay na nagpala.”
-Sa Aking Mga Kababata (1906)

Most of these poems are about life struggles, individual quests of happiness, love and martyrdom. Rizal
took inspiration in his writings from the people close to his heart. The first poem he had written during his stint
at Ateneo was the Mi Primera Inspiracion (1874) or also translated as My First Inspiration. This poem was
written in honor of his mother’s birthday as suggested by the terms “perfume of the flowers”, “the songs of the
birds”, “feast your day of bloom” and “festive day”. Jose Rizal’s poetic verses show his eternal love and
appreciation for his mother. This was somewhat his way of paying tribute to all the efforts for him of her dear
mother.

Rizal, despite his young age, had expressed high regards for education. Because of this, he had written
a poem entitled Education Gives Luster To The Motherland (Por La Educacion Recibe Lustre La Patria, 1876). He
believed in the significant role education plays in the progress and welfare of a nation as evident in his poem
“Education Gives Luster to the Motherland”.

“Wise education, vital breath

Inspires an enchanting virtue;
She puts the Country in the lofty seat
Of endless glory, of dazzling glow,
And just as the gentle aura's puff
Do brighten the perfumed flower's hue:
So education with a wise, guiding hand,
A benefactress, exalts the human band.”
- Education Gives Luster To The Motherland (Por La Educacion Recibe Lustre La Patria, 1876).

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Rizal believed that education gives knowledge, knowledge gives wisdom, and that great wisdom
benefits everyone. Considering that education is a vehicle for a country’s prosperity and success, he encouraged
the Filipinos through the poem to acquire education for them to be able to fulfill their dreams and to improve
their motherland. His high regards for education were manifested in his determination to seek the best
education possible even across the shores of his country.

Though Rizal was not really a handsome man in today’s perspective, he attracted ladies easily. Perhaps
his exceptional talents and charisma made him attractive to women. Furthermore, his gift of poetry made him
even more likable and admired by many women in his lifetime. One of the women whom Rizal expressed his
profound love was Josephine Bracken. He had written a poem To Josephine in 1895 which he dedicated to the
Irish woman.
Josephine Bracken, whom he called (in another poem) his “dulce extranjera” (sweet foreigner). When
Josephine temporarily left Dapitan to accompany Taufer to Manila, Rizal gave her this short poem which
manifested that he was really “smitten” with Josephine.

My Last Farewell (Mi Ultimo Adios, December 1896) was considered as the most celebrated poem by
the national hero. Rizal’s friend, Mariano Ponce,was the one who titled the poem “Mi Ultimo Pensamiento”(My
Last Thought). Later, the poem was referred to as “My Last Farewell” (Mi Ultimo Adios).

“Mi Ultimo Adios”, a brilliant creation, was assumed to be written the night before Jose Rizal’s execution
on December 30, 1896. As the dear visitors were leaving, Jose handed over to his sister Trinidad an alcohol
cooking stove, a gift from the Pardo de Taveras, whispering to her in a language which the guards could not
comprehend, “There is something in it.” That ‘something’ was Rizal’s unsigned, undated, and untitled poem
consisting of 14 five-line stanzas. The Rizal family reproduced and distributed copies of it and sent copies to the
hero’s friends in the country and abroad. Below are the few lines from the poem translated into English:

“I die just when I see the dawn break,

Through the gloom of night, to herald the day;
And if color is lacking my blood, thou shalt take,
Pour’d out at need for thy dear sake
To dye with its crimson the waking ray.

My dreams, when life first opened to me,

My dreams, when the hopes of youth beat high,
Were to see thy lov’d face, O gem of the Orient sea
From gloom and grief, from care and sorrow free;
No blush on thy brow, no tear in thine eye.”
- My Last Farewell (Mi Ultimo Adios, December 1896)

Widely regarded as the most patriotic poem in the world, it has been translated into at least 38
languages. The poem reflects the hero’s adoration to and patriotism for his country. The poem requests Filipinos
to pray for others who also have died and suffered for the country. It begged the Filipino people to never lose
hope and faith in the Lord God. Forceful words were used to inspire them not to be the discouraged by the
oppressions of the Spaniards.

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B. Rizal’s Essays

To The Young Women of Malolos

To the young woman of Malolos is an essay written by Jose Rizal while he was in London upon the
request of Marcelo H. Del Pilar. The yellow roses symbolist a love, purity and peace to the woman of Malolos.
They also show education is important to each person. And all Filipinos have a hidden talent and ability to raise
the living.
Summary:
Rizal pays homage to 20 women of Malolos who desire to educate themselves. In this way, Rizal sees
in these women ray of hope in restoring the Filipino woman’s dignity and worth. He emphasizes in this essay
the importance of Filipino mothers. Rizal refers to different women in society; mothers, daughters, wives and
even the unmarried ones. Mothers’ responsibility according to Rizal: Whatever the mother shows to her
children is what the children will also become.
Analysis:
1. Filipino mothers should teach their children to love God, country and fellowman
2. Filipino mothers should honor to offer their sons in defense to their country
3. Filipino woman should protect their dignity and honor
4. Filipino woman should educate themselves
5. Filipino women should live the real Christian way with good moral and manners.

The Indolence of Filipino (Sobre La Indolencia de los Filipinos)

The Indolence of Filipino was an essay written by Dr. Jose Rizal when he’s in Paris. Published in La
Solidaridad in 5 instalments, July 15 to September 15, 1890. This is to explain the alleged idleness of his people
during the Spanish colonization.

Summary:
The Indolence of the Filipinos, “the Filipino’s inclination to live off the labor of others”. According to the
essay of Dr. Jose Rizal before the colonization of Spaniards in the Philippines, Filipinos were industrious and
hardworking but later on turned out to be indolent due to the influences during the Spanish regime that brought
about a decline in economic activities attributed to a number of reasons:
“An hour’s work under that burning sun, in the midst of pernicious influences springing from nature in
activity, is equal to a day’s labor in a temperate climate” from this line, Filipinos did not work because of the
hot climate. They have difficulties in doing their work under the burning sun that made them easily tired and
lazy.
The Philippines before has many connections in trading products to other countries of Asia and Middle
East. During the Spanish time, they cut off all of connections of the establishment of the Galleon Trade and the
business only the Spain and Mexico was associated. The small business and handicrafts industries that
flourished were disappeared.
Filipinos were obliged to undertake forced labor. They were compelled to work shipyards, roads and
other public work without a just value to their hardwork. They forget and abandoned the agriculture, trading,
industry and even in textile clothing from the past 320 years.

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During the Spanish period, the Filipinos witnessed how Spanish had a comfortable life by not engaging
in heavy work, so they imitate it which and they wanted to live like them; living a conventional life. Later on,
Filipinos were forced to become nomads, they lost interest in cultivating their lands or in rebuilding the
industries that were shut down, and simply became submissive to the mercy of God because Spain did not
protect the people against foreign invaders and pirates.
The education was a corrupt system, if it was considered an education. They taught them repetitive
prayers and others knowledge not applicable to learn to lead the country in progress. They have no courses of
agriculture, trading, industry, etc. unlike now, which were needed of the Philippines that time.
The Spanish rulers were a bad example to despise manual labor. Officials reported to work at noon and
left early and women were seen constantly followed by servants who dressed them and fanned them – personal
things which they ought to have done for themselves.
Gambling was established and widely spread which made Filipinos lazier. The government officials and
friars were the first in leading bets and gambles.
Spaniard friars have taught Filipinos the wrong system of religion. They say to the naïve Filipinos that
poor people can easily enter heaven and attain salvation while rich people have a place in hell so they prefer to
be poor until they die. Their taxes were high that most portions of their money earned went to the government.
When the object of their labor was removed and they were exploited, they were reduced to inaction.
Analysis
Based on the essay of Dr. Jose Rizal, Filipinos were not indolent before Spaniards came to colonize our
country. They were industrious and workable. Their trading business were associated with many countries in
China, Middle east, etc. During the Spanish period, there were big influence and changes that happen; their
indolence was attributed reasons stated above because Spanish wanted to achieve a good life without
hardships and work. And Filipinos wants to become one of them.
After all, Filipinos wanted to study and learn but there were insufficient school facilities, lacked of
schools and present useful knowledge. They wanted to establish business industry, but they have no capital and
protection from the government. They also wanted to establish industries and agriculture to cultivate land but
the taxes were so high to pay and the ruler exploited them. Another thing that might cause indolence was the
lack of unity of the Filipinos. The people have no strength to fight the Spaniards to hinder the plans of the
Spanish government to sow progress and to cultivate. So, the country remained lifeless and invisible.
As Rizal stated in his essay, “a man in the Philippines is an individual; he is not merely a citizen of a
country.” This means were not made to be slaves/ puppet/ a citizen of other country to work for them but only
a citizen of its own motherland, Philippines.

The Philippines a Century Hence (Filipinas detro de cien anos)

A socio-political essay wrote by Jose Rizal was one of the most significant political works of the Filipino
Reform movement in Spain. This essay was published by the La Solidaridad, of Madrid, running through the
issues from September, 1889, to January, 1890, started by analyzing the various causes of the miseries suffered
by the Filipino people.

Summary and Analysis

Rizal’s projections in his essay came true. In 1898, the Americans wrestled with Spain to win the
Philippines, and eventually took over the country. There was a reign of democracy and liberty. Five decades
after Rizal’s death, the Philippines gained her long-awaited independence. This was in fulfillment of what he
had written in his essay: “History does not record in its annals any lasting domination by one people over
another, of different races, of diverse usages and customs, of opposite and divergent ideas. One of the two had
to yield and succumb.”
Before the Spanish pre colonization in the Philippines to spread Christianize, Filipino people are pure
natives and Muslims. They have their own government that consist of Barangays and led by Datu’s, Raja, etc.
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They trade to near countries like China and they also have their own culture, songs, poems, language, traditions,
writings, laws and beliefs.
When Spanish came, Filipinos abandoned and forgot their own beliefs and culture. They were greatly
influenced by the foreign cultures and traditions that they did not even understand. In the adaptation of other’s
tradition, Spaniards insulted the Filipinos. Because of the insult and pain inflicted by the Spaniards, they had
awakened the love for the country and for themselves. They wanted changes and reform, if not total
independence; revolution was necessary to make it happen. The youth before did not have the resources and
ability, they studied in abroad, became equipped with knowledge and set of skills, and eventually influenced
many compatriots to ignite the revolution. In the conclusion, Rizal asked “Spain, must we someday tell Filipinas
that thou hast no ear for her woes and that of she wishes to be saved, she must redeem herself?”

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LESSON VII. THE NOLI ME TANGERE & EL FILIBUSTERISMO

Noli Me Tangere at a Glance

Jose Rizal’s fame started in 1897 when his book Noli Me Tangere was published. The novel outlined
a new form of Philippine nationalism and influenced a new generation of revolutionaries.

The title of Rizal’s book Noli Me Tangere means ‘Touch Me Not’ is a Latin
version of words spoken by Jesus to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection
from John 20:13-17. It was first written in Spain and was published in 1887 in
Berlin, Germany. The English translation was originally titled The Social Cancer.

Below is a letter of the author found in the introductory part of the Noli..

To My Fatherland:
Recorded in the history of human sufferings is a cancer of so malignant a character
that the least touch irritates it and awakens in it the sharpest pains. Thus, how many times,
when in the midst of modern civilizations, I have wished to call thee before me, now to
accompany me in memories, now to compare thee with other countries, hath thy dear image
presented itself showing a social cancer like to that other! Desiring thy welfare, which is our
own, and seeking the best treatment, I will do with thee what the ancients did with their sick,
exposing them on the steps of the temple so that everyone who came to invoke the Divinity
might offer them a remedy. And to this end, I will strive to reproduce thy condition faithfully,
without discriminations; I will raise a part of the veil that covers the evil, sacrificing to truth
everything, even vanity itself, since, as thy son, I am conscious that I also suffer from thy defects
and weaknesses.
- The Author

The Main Characters

• Crisóstomo Ibarra – known in his full name as Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra y Magsalin, a native who studied in
Europe for 7 years. Son of the deceased Don Rafael Ibarra, richest person in San Diego; Crisostomo
changed his surname from Eibarramendia to Ibarra, from his ancestor's surname.
• María Clara – María Clara de los Santos, Ibarra's childhood sweetheart; the daughter of Pía Alba and
Kapitan Tiago- but biologically she was the daughter of Father Damaso
• Kapitan Tiago – also known in his full name as Don Santiago de los Santos, he lives in Binondo; very skilled
in business
• Father Dámaso – a Franciscan friar and is quite abusive, he is also the former parish priest of the town of
San Diego
• Elías – Ibarra's mysterious friend, a master boater, also a fugitive. He was referred to at one point as "the
pilot." He believes that justice can be obtained through a revolution.
• Linares – A distant nephew of Don Tiburcio de Espadaña, the would-be fiance of Maria Clara
• Captain-General (no specific name) – The most powerful official in the Philippines, a hater of secular
priests and corrupt officials, and a friend of Ibarra.
• Sisa – the mother of Basilio and Crispín, who went insane after losing her sons.
• Basilio – the elder son of Sisa.
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• Crispín – the younger son of Sisa who died from the punishment of the soldiers from the false accusation
of stealing an amount of money
• Padre Sibyla – Hernando de la Sibyla, a Filipino friar. He is described as short and has fair skin.
• Padre Salví – also known in his full name as Bernardo Salví, a secret admirer of María Clara and the parish
priest of San Diego
• Pilosopo Tasyo – also known as Don Anastasio, portrayed in the novel as pessimistic, cynic, and mad by
his neighbors due to his ideas
• The Alférez – chief of the Guardia Civil ; mortal enemy of the priests for power in San Diego
• Don Tiburcio – Spanish husband of Donya Victorina who is limp and submissive to his wife; he also pretends
to be a doctor
• Pedro – abusive husband of Sisa who loves cockfighting
• Doña Victorina – Victorina de los Reyes de De Espadaña, a woman who passes herself off as a Peninsular
• Doña Consolación – wife of the alférez, another woman who passes herself as a Peninsular; best
remembered for her abusive treatment of Sisa

Synopsis of the novel:

• The novel starts at a dinner hosted by Kapitan Tiago where the characters were introduced along with
their ideas. We see the power struggle among the friars present. Among the characters we meet are a
Teniente Guevara, Padre Sibyla (Dominican) and Padre Damaso (Franciscan). Padre Damaso spent 20
years as parish priest in San Diego. The angry conversation between Padre Damaso and the soldier
reveals that a good man, whose son was in Europe, died. His body was exhumed by the San Diego parish
priest and was ordered buried elsewhere.

• Then comes Crisostomo Ibarra the heir of a wealthy clan from San Diego. He returns to the Philippines
after studying for seven years abroad. It will be revealed later on that the dinner was meant for him in
his return to the country. His father Don Rafael was a close friend of Kapitan Tiago.

• He heard news about the death of his father, Don Rafael Ibarra, who died a year ago. Where Don Rafael
was sent to prison in connection with the death of a tax collector who was abusing a child. Since Don
Rafael stopped receiving holy communion for a long time, he was refused a Catholic burial by Padre
Damaso, the parish priest of their town.

• Although Ibarra learned about the injustices suffered by his father, he decided to focus on how he can
help his fellowmen. Ibarra sees the lack of progress in his town and decides to build a school to teach
and prepare his townspeople. Tandang Tacio (the old philosopher) notes that there have been many
attempts to build a school in the past, but all these had failed.

• Padre Salvi opposes the plan because he is secretly worried that the school project will threaten the
power he wields over their town. Ibarra almost gets killed while he is laying the cornerstone of the
school, but Elias saved him. Elias is the mysterious fellow who also saved Ibarra previously. With so
many powerful enemies, Ibarra eventually gets implicated in a staged revolution, and is hunted down
by the guardia civil.

• Maria Clara, Ibarra's sweetheart, unwittingly adds to Ibarra's misery when she switches Ibarra's letter
with another letter for fear that will reveal the true identity of her father (Fr. Damaso). Afterwards,
Ibarra and Elías board a boat and flee the place. Elías instructs Ibarra to lie down and the former covers
the latter with grass to conceal the latter's presence. As luck would have it, they are spotted by their

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enemies. Elías thinks he could outsmart them and jumps into the water. The guards rain shots on the
person in the water, all the while not knowing that they are aiming at the wrong man.

• María Clara, thinking that Ibarra has been killed in the shooting incident, is greatly overcome with grief.
Robbed of hope and severely disillusioned, she asks Father Dámaso to confine her into a nunnery.
Father Dámaso reluctantly agrees when María Clara threatens to take her own life. demanding, "the
nunnery or death! "Unbeknownst to her, Ibarra is still alive and able to escape. It was Elías who has
taken the shots. It is Christmas Eve when Elías wakes up in the forest, gravely wounded and barely alive.
It is in this forest that Elías finds Basilio and his lifeless mother, Sisa.

Points to Ponder:
1. Crisostomo Ibarra and Elias can actually be compared in terms of their experiences. Although the former
is an immensely wealthy mestizo and the latter, an impoverished fellow, both have been victimized by
the colonial system; yet they have contrasting ideas in addressing the social evils that surround them.
In one pivotal scene the two debate passionately about their respective views, as though the author
were debating himself.
2. It was through Ibarra that Rizal the social reformer makes it clear that he believed greatly in the
transformative power of secular education. Rizal greatly advocates the idea that education will set the
Filipinos free!
3. Tasio, the town sage, is elated by Ibarra’s plan for a school but immediately cautions the young man,
“The first advice I will give you is to never come to me for advice again.”
4. The Noli is clearly anticlerical in its depiction of the friars and of the Catholic church. Padre Damaso and
Padre Salvi, personify clerical abuses—we see not only power struggle between them but also how they
try to stop new ideas for progress in order to make the people dependent on the church. Rizal’s
portraits, however, are not onedimensional; rather, they reveal the all-too-human faults of each pries
5. The novel describes the life in the town of San Diego and its social and political hierarchy.
6. The author also mocks the mindless religiosity exhibited by Kapitan Tiago and some other characters,
especially the equally wealthy spinster, Doña Patrocinio, whom Tiago considers his rival and vice versa.
Each strives to make as splashy material offerings as possible to the church, thinking thereby to ensure
their spiritual future. Indulgences were seen as a ticket to heaven amidst the evil deeds done by the
person.
7. Rizal depicts a gap that exists between the Spanish civil administration and clerical rule.
8. Sisa goes mad due to her harsh treatment by the Guardia Civil, the death of one son, and the
disappearance of another. Critics have said that she is symbolic of the oppressed mother country

El Filibusterismo at a Glance
Before Rizal left for Europe, he had to edit and publish El Filibusterismo, the last chapters of which
were finished in Biarritz. In his next novel, El Filibusterismo, published in 1891, Rizal continued to argue for
reform. Rizal argues that the young are aware of the need to take political action and pursue social justice.
Rizal said, the young people create a sense of reform.
El Filibusterismo is a book about revolution. The failure and death of Simoun, the main character,
of the novel points out the danger of takingan alternative based on hate and vengeance.

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Jose Rizal defined the word to his friend Blumentritt …

"The word filibustero is little known in the Philippines. The masses do not know it
yet. I heard it for the first time in 1872 when the tragic executions (of the
GOMBURZA) took place. I still remember the panic that this word created. Our
father forbade us to utter it, as well as the words Cavite, Jose Burgos (one of the
executed priests), etc. The Manila newspapers and the Spaniards apply this word
to one whom they want to make a revolutionary suspect. The Filipinos belonging
to the educated class fear the reach of the word. It does not have the meaning of
freebooters; it rather means a dangerous patriot who will soon be hanged or well,
a presumptuous man."

At the end of the 19th century the word filibustero in the Philippines means “subversive” Rizal
began writing the book in October 1887 while he was in Calamba and he completed it in Biarritz in 1891.
Finally, he published it in Ghent, Belgium partially funded by his friend Valentin Ventura.

Main Characters of the El Fili

• Simoun – he is Ibarra, disguised as a wealthy jeweler, concealing himself behind dark glasses and a
goatee; bent on starting a revolution
• Basilio – surviving son of Sisa, now an aspiring doctor who was helped by Cap. Tiago
• Kabesang Tales - Telesforo Juan de Dios, who suffered from the injustices of the friar; a former cabeza
de barangay (barangay head) who resurfaced as the feared Luzón bandit Matanglawin
• Isagani - poet and Basilio's best friend; portrayed as emotional and reactive; Paulita Gómez' boyfriend
before being dumped for fellow student Juanito Peláez
• Doña Victorina a despicable native who tries to present herself as a European, she is the wife of the
quack doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña
• Father Florentino - a native secular priest who is Isagani's godfather; he was engaged to be married, but
chose the priesthood instead, he decides to be assigned to a remote place, living in solitude near the
sea.
• Juli - Juliana de Dios, the youngest daughter of Kabesang Tales and the girlfriend of Basilio
• Father Camorra- known as the friar-gunner who rapes Juli and drives her to suicide
• Paulita Gómez - The girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of Doña Victorina. In the end, she and Juanito
Peláez are wed, and she dumps Isagani, believing that she will have no future if she marries him.
• Ben Zayb - Abraham Ibañez is his real name. He is a journalist who thinks he is the "only" one thinking
in the Philippines.
• Quiroga - a Chinese businessman who dreamt of being a consul of a "Consulate of China" in the
Philippines. He hid Simoun's weapons inside his house.
• Tandang Selo - father of Kabesang Tales. He raised the sick and young Basilio after his mother Sisa had
died.
• Father Fernandez - the priest-friend of Isagani. He promised to Isagani that he and the other priests will
give in to the students' demands.
• Padre Sibyla- Hernando de la Sibyla, a Filipino friar and now vice-rector of the University of Santo Tomas.
• Placido Penitente - a student of the University of Santo Tomas who is always miserable, and therefore
controls his temper.
• Captain-General (no specific name)- the powerful highest official in the Philippines

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Synopsis of the El Filibusterismo

• The FILI takes up where the NOLI left off. It is Ibarra who has survived. After amassing a great wealth
abroad, he returns to the Philippines as Simoun the jeweler, with the purpose of subversion to the
regime.
• He is said to be influential since he is a friend and adviser of the Governor-General. He uses his
power and wealth to encourage corruption in the government and provoke economic distress to
incite the people to a revolution. To his dismay, the biggest obstacle to his plan are the young native
intellectuals, who are dedicated to a program of reforms leading to the assimilation of the Filipinos
into the Spanish nation; particularly, the establishment of an academy of the Spanish language
under lay control.
• Simoun has another purpose, to take Maria Clara away from the nunnery, and to avenge the ruin
of his life. (both plans fail). In the first plan he wants to seize Manila with the help of disaffected
Filipino regiments and a band of outlaws. On the eve of the uprising, he was told that Maria Clara
died; in grief, he abandons his allies and is almost killed by them.
• In the second scheme, during the nuptial feast of Paulita Gomez where all the important people are
present, he plans to send as his wedding gift an elaborate lamp which is really a bomb that once lit
will explode.
• When Isagani learned this, he rushes to the house, seize the lamp and jumps with it in the river.
Simoun, now a grievously wounded fugitive from justice, takes refuge in the solitary mountain
retreat of Father Florentino, a virtuous Filipino priest. He dies before the authorities can arrest him.
Fr. Florentino takes the Simoun’s treasure chest and hurls it into the sea, “where it will not do evil,
thwart justice or incite greed.”

Some Important Points to Consider

1. The story of Cabesang Tales (What is a man to do when he is denied justice, his own hands or wait for
Spainto give him his rights?)
- Tales, a poor farmer, clears a piece of land under difficult conditions. This will cost his
wife and his oldest daughter their lives.
- After the first harvest, the religious order lays claim to the land. Tales does not want to
get himself into conflict with the powerful friars and agrees to pay a yearly rent.
- The friars double the rent after two good harvests. Again Tales gives in. He is diligent
and because of this, to a certain extent, he is able to lead a tolerably good life.
- He is well-liked and respected in the village. He became the head of the village and tax
collector, he was given the title Cabesa (from the Spanish word "cabeza", meaning
director or head of the family).
- Soon he realizes that many farmers are too poor to pay their taxes so that he has to
add his own money in order to make up for the total tax quota.
- The friars, however, increase the rent tenfold and answer the protest of the farmer,
Tales, with the threat that if he cannot pay, his land will be confiscated.
- Tales goes to court, spends all his savings paying for the lawyers and the legal expenses
and as expected, loses the lawsuit.
- The next day, the administrator of the order takes a new tenant farmer to Tales' land.
- But the following night the friar, the new tenant farmer and his wife are murdered.
Tales leaves a message written with his blood behind. He has gone to join the rebels up
in the mountains; there was no longer any other choice for him.
The story has a profound symbolism of Rizal. The question of "evolution or revolution" and the problem of
whether to wait for justice by the hands of the Spaniards or to take the law in one's own hands are
interspersed in the book.
2. Rizal did not just focus on the evils of the friars but also of the entire regime including its native
defenders and supporters.
3. The passive belief of Basilio (debate between Basilio and Simoun)
Module VI Writings of Jose Rizal
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Application: REGULAR SECTIONS

The characters that Rizal portrayed in his novels are very much alive in our present society. Choose
three (3) characters from his novels Noli Mi Tangere and El Filibusterismo and explain who do you think are the
counterparts of these characters in today’s society and why? (Please take note that they must be public figures
and have relevant contributions in our society) Limit your answers in not more than 5 sentences.
1. ,
_ _
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_ ___
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2. ,
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_ _ _
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3. ,
___ _
_ _
_ _
_ _ _

Module VI Writings of Jose Rizal

49 | P a g e

Application: DNLI SECTIONS

Essay. Answer the question below and provide a substantial answer based on your understanding of
Rizal’s novels. Write your answer on the box below.

What are the relevant lessons from Rizal’s novel that are applicable to resolve the social ills of the society
in the present context?

Module VI Writings of Jose Rizal