NOLI ME TANGERE

PUBLISHED IN
BERLIN (1887)
Noli Me Tangere Published In Berlin
Idea of writing a Novel on The
Philippines:
• Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s
Cabin
• Paterno residence- January 2, 1884
• Paterno (Pedro, Maximino, and Antonio),
Graciano Lopez Jaena, Evaristo Aguirre,
Eduardo de Lete, Julio Llorente, Melecio
Figueroa, and Valentin Ventura
• Rizal’s project did not materialize
• Fernando Canon
The Writing of the Noli:
• end of 1884, Rizal began writing the
novel in Madrid and finished about one-
half of it.
• Paris (1885)- finishing one-half of the
second half.
• finished the last fourth of the novel in
Germany
• April-June, 1886
• Berlin, 1886- final revisions
Viola, Savior of the NOLI
RIZAL in the midst of poverty, before Christmas Day of 1887,
was visited by his friend Dr. MAXIMOS VIOLA, a rich friend
in Bulacan. Viola was shocked to find RIZAL in a dirty place,
just not to waste money for the printing of NOLI ME
TANGERE.

Upon seeing his talented friend’s state, Viola agreed to finance

the publication of NOLI, he also lend money for RIZAL’S
personal expenses.

February 21, 1887 – Noli was finally ready for printing. With
Viola, they search for the most cheap publisher – and then found
out BERLINER BUCHRUCKEI-ACTIONS-GESSELSCHAFT
– which charges 300 pesos for 2,000 copies.
Rizal Suspected as French Spy
During the printing of NOLI, the chief of police BERLIN visit RIZAL’s
boarding house and requested to see his passport, unfortunately, that time
to travel with or without passports is possible. The police chief then told
him to produce a passport after 4 days.

Immediately VIOLA accoompanied RIZAL in the Spanish Ambassador,

the COURT of BENOMAR, who promised to attend to the matter. But
the ambassador failed to keep his promise, but it turns out that he had no
power to issue the required passport. The 4 day ultimatum expired.
RIZAL himself apologize to the police chief police, while asking why has
he to be deported, the police chief answered that he was always seen
visiting many villages, thereby pronouncing him as a French SPY.

RIZAL in fluent GERMAN explained to the police, that he was a Filipino

ethnologist, who visits rural areas to observe customs and lifestyles of
their simple inhabitants . The chief impressed and fascinated on RIZAL’s
explanation, allowed him to stay freely in GERMANY.
PRINTING OF THE NOLI FINISHED
March 21, 1887, The Noli Me Tangere
came off the press.
Rizal immediately sent the first copies of
the printed novel to his intimate friends
including Blumentritt, Dr. Antonio Ma.
Regedor, G. Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce
and Felix R. Hidalgo.
In his letter to Blumentritt, dated March 21, 1887, he
said:
“ I am sending you a book. It is my first book, though
I have already written much before it received some
prizes in literary competitions. It is the first impartial
and old books on the life of the Tagalogs. The
Filipinos will find the history of the last ten years. I
hope you will notice how different are my
descriptions from those of other writers. The
government and the friars will probably attack the
work, refuting my argument; but I trust in the God of
Truth and in the persons who have actually seen the
suffering at close range. I hope I can answer all the
concepts which have been fabricated to malign us.”
March 21, 1887, Rizal gave Viola the
galley proofs of the Noli carefully rolled
around the pen that he used in writing it
and a complimentary copy with the
following inscription. “To my dear friend,
Maximo Viola, the first to read and
appreciate my work- Jose Rizal.”
THE TITLE OF THE NOVEL
The title NOLI ME TANGERE is a Latin
phrase which means “Touch Me Not”
March 5, 1887, Rizal wrote to Felix R.
Hidalgo in Franch. He said:
“Noli Me Tangere, words taken from the
Gospel of Saint Luke, signify “Do not touch
me.” In citing the Biblical source, Rizal
made a mistake. It should be the Gospel of
St. John (Chapter 20, Verses 13-17)
 According to St. John, on the First Easter Sunday, St.
Mary Magdalene Sepulcher, and to her Our Lord Jesus,
just arisen the dead; said: “Touch me I am not yet
ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren, and say
unto the, I ascend unto my Father, and you Father; and
to my God your God.”
 Synopsis of “NOLI”
 The young and idealistic Juan Crisostomo Ibarra returns home after
seven years in Europe. The wealthy meztizo, like his father Don
Rafael endeavors for reform primarily in the area of education in
order to eliminate poverty and improve the lives of his countrymen.
Upon learning about his father’s demise and the denial of a Catholic
burial for his father Ibarra was provoked to hit Padre Damaso which
eventually lead to his excommunication. The excommunication was
later rescinded upon the intervention of the Governor General.
 Padre Salvi, Ibarra’s mortal enemy accused Ibarra of insurrection.
Ibarra’s letter to his beloved Maria Clara was used against him. Later
in the story, Maria Clara will tell Ibarra that she did not conspire to
indict him. She was compelled to give Ibarra’s letter in exchange for
the letters of her mother before she was born. Maria Clara found out
that the letters of her mother were addressed to Padre Damaso about
their unborn child which means that she is the biological daughter of
the priest and not of her father, Capitan Tiago.
Meanwhile,
 Ibarra was able to escape the prison with Elias, who
also experienced injustice with the authorities. Ibarra was able to
speak with Maria Clara about the letters and thereafter forgave her.
Ibarra and Elias flee to the lake and were chased by the Guardia
Civil. One was shot and the other survives. Upon hearing the news,
Maria Clara believed that Ibarra was dead; she entered the nunnery
instead of marrying Alfonso Linares.
The fatally wounded Elias found the child Basilio and his dead

mother Sisa. The latter was driven to insanity when she learned that
her children were implicated for theft by the sacristan mayor. Elias
instructed Basilio to dig for his and Sisa’s graves and there is a
buried treasure which he can use for his education.
Noli Me Tangere brilliantly described Philippine society with its

memorable characters. The melancholic fate of Maria Clara and the
insanity of Sisa characterized the country’s pitiful state, which was
once beautiful, turned miserable. Reading Noli Me Tangere will
open one’s mind about oppression and tyranny.
The Noli Based on Truth
Based on the true Philippine condition
during the decades of Spanish rule.

" The facts that I narrate there, are all true

and have happened - JOSE RIZAL

The places, situation and characters really

existed.
 Characters
Maria Clara- Leonor Rivera

Leonor Rivera
Maria Clara
Elias/Ibarra - Jose Rizal

Crisostomo Ibarra Elias Jose Rizal

Pilosopo Tasyo- Paciano

Pilosopo Tasyo Paciano

Padre Salvi- Padre Antonio Piernavieja

Padre Antonio Piernavieja

Padre Salvi
MISSING CHAPTER OF NOLI
Originally
intended to follow Chapter
XXIV " In the Woods"

The Chapter entitled " Elias and Salome"

was deleted for economic reason
SUMMARY OF THE MISSING
CHAPTER
Salome waits desperately for Elias, thinking
that he would pass by the water anytime soon.
Elias, however, is nowhere to be seen becuase
he in fact was hiding from the authorities
who are currently patrolling in the lake..
When the two finally meet, Salome tells the
youth of her plan to move in Mindoro and live
with her relatives,, and requests that he go
with her.
Elias, however, refuses her offer because
he does not want her to be entangled with
the tragedies and troubles of his past. He
tells the lady that she must marry an
honorable and respectable man, whom she
truly deserves and will make her happy
 Rizal’s Friends Praise the Noli
The friends of Rizal hailed the novel, praising it in
glowing colors.
In London, Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, a Filipino
patriot and lawyer who had been exiled due to his
complicity in the Cavite Mutiny of 1872, read the
Noli and was very much impressed by its author.

 He congratulated Rizal and said: “you have dealt a mortal

blow to that old tree full of blemishes and decay. Every
Filipino patriot will read your book and will be inspired and
will regard your book as the masterpiece of a Filipino and
the proof that those who thought us incapable of producing
great intellects are mistaken or lying.”
In Ferdinand Blumentritt’s congratulatory letter
to Rizal: “I knew already, that you were a man
of extraordinary talent, but in spite of this, your
work has exceeded my hopes and I consider
myself happy to have been honored with your
friendship.”
As to be expected, Rizal’s enemies condemned
it.
Rizal anticipated the vitriolic attacks of his
enemies, who were sore to be told the truth of
their evil ways.
Rizal told Blumentritt that: “The government
and the friars will probably attack the work,
refuting my statements, but I trust in the God of
Truth and in the persons who have actually seen
our sufferings.”