Noli Me

Tañgere
 Noli me Tangere which translates to "touch me
not" is the first novel written by Filipino patriot
and national hero Dr. José P. Rizal in 1887 and
published in Germany. The story line goes detailed
with the society of the Philippines during the
Spanish colonial period and features aristocracy
behind poverty and abuse of colonialists.
 The novel tells the story of Don Crisóstomo Ibarra,
a young Filipino man and Spanish descent who returns
to the Philippines after a seven-year trip to Europe.
Upon his return, and because he is now old enough to
better understand the world, Ibarra sees the
oppression wrought on the Indigenous population by
Spanish colonialism. As Ibarra attempts to do
something about this, he finds himself confronting
forces that view him as a direct threat to their power—
and who will do whatever it takes to retain it.
 The Novel’s origins
• Jose Rizal, conceived the idea of writing a novel that would expose the ills of
Philippine society after reading Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom Cabin”.
It tells the story of Uncle Tom, an enslaved person, depicted as saintly and
dignified, noble and steadfast in his beliefs. While being transported by boat
to auction in New Orleans, Tom saves the life of Little Eva, an angelic and
forgiving young girl, whose grateful father then purchases Tom.
• He preffered that the prospective novel express the way Filipino culture was
backward, anti-progress, anti-intellectual, and not conducive to the ideals of
Age of Enlightenment.
• In a reunion of Filipinos at the house of his friend Pedro A. Paterno in
Madrid on January 1884, Rizal proposed the writing of a novel about the
Philippines written by a group of Filipinos. His proposal was unanimously
approved by the Filipinos present at the party, among of whom were Pedro
Maximino, Antiono Paterno, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Evaristo Aguirre,
Eduardo de Lete, Julio Llorente and Valentin Ventura.
• However, this project did not materialize. The people who agreed to help
Rizal who agreed to help Rizal did not help. Initially, the novel was planned 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. Because of this, he pulled out of
the plan of co-writing with other and decided to draft the novel alone.
• The title of the book is a Latin phrase taken by Pepe from the
Bible himself meaning “Touch me not”. It is particularly found
in John 20:13-17, as the newly-risen Christ says to Mary
Magdalene. “Touch me not; I am not yet ascended to my
Father, but go to my bretheren, and say unto them I ascended
unto my Father, and to my God and your God”.
• Although a much technical transition of the title is particulary
painful type of cancer. Jose intended to show through his novel
the Filipino society cancers that the oppressed felt too much
pain.
Earlier translations of english titles of the novel noli me TANGERE

• An eagle flight (1990) The Social cancer (1912)

THE WRITING OF NOVEL
AND ITS PUBLICATION
Christian Madamba
Charity Sophia Agbayani
• Jose Rizal wrote the first half of the
novel from 1884-1885 while he was in
Madrid, Spain studying Medicine.
From time--to-time, while in Paris,
Pepe is completing the book.
• Rizal finally completed his first novel in December of 1886
in Berlin, Germany. However, he feared that he might not
be able to print the book since he is having financial
difficulties, according to the National Hero's biographers.
VICENTE BLASCO IBANEZ
(29 JANUARY 1867 - 28
JANUARY 1928
was a journalist, politician and best-selling Spanish
novelist in various genres whose most widespread
and lasting fame in the English-speaking world is
Hollywood films adapted from his works.
The Noli Noli Me
Tañgere
and its
Goal
The book was made to awaken the feelings of the
people from oppression.
It also depicts a series of Filipino scenes such as
the superstitious and hypocritical fanaticism of
many who consider themselves religious people.
The ignorance, corruption, and brutality of the
Filipino civil guards, the passion for gambling
unchecked by the thought of duty and
responsibility, the servility of the wealthy
Filipinos towards friars and government
officials, the ridiculous efforts of Filipinos to
dissociate themselves from their fellowmen or to
lord it over them -- all these are ridiculed in the
novel.
Nevertheless, Rizal clearly implies that many
of these failings are traceable to association
with the Spaniard, or to the misguided
policy of the government and the
questionable practices of the friars.
 The real reason or purpose of Pepe in writing
the- Novel is to disprove wrong accusations of
Spaniards to Filipinos and the Philippines.

 He also expresses the sad conditions of the

society, beliefs, hopes, dreams and the cry of the
Filipino people.

 Rizal wants to expose everything about the wrong

use of religion or the exploitation of the word of
God which friars used for them to benefit and
corrupt people.
 He added to portray the cruelties, graft
and corruption of the false government.

 Furthermore , Jose Rizal wrote the Noli ME

Tangere as a wake-up call to the Filipino to
regain our self-confidence, recognize our
value, to return to the heritage of our
ancestors, and to give importance and to
show love to our nation.
The Novel’s Social Impact
and Controversies
 “The tyranny of some is possible
only through the cowardice of
others.”

— Jose Rizal (Letter to the Young Women of Malolos, 1889)

01 Introduction 02 The Anti-Noli
03 The Pro-Noli
 INTRODUCTIO
N
The Noli Me Tangere was considered to be one of the instruments that
initiated Filipino nationalism that led to the 1896 Philippine
Revolution.
Noli was originally written in Spanish so the likelihood that the
Spanish authorities will read it first is high which our National Hero
really intended to happen.
Copies of books were redirected to churches, many have been
destroyed, many anti-Noli writers came into the picture and the
Catholic leaders in the Philippines during that time regarded the
book as heretical, while Spanish colonial authorities declared the
Book as Subversive and against the Government.
The Novel's importation, reproduction
and circulation were prohibited and
publicized through the newspapers.
Though this only made people more
likely to read the novel even more
despite of the strictness and security of
the Guardia civil. Many Filipinos were
still able to secure a copy of the Noli
and read it in secret. The price of the
book even raised from a peso to thirty
pesos per copy.
THE ANTI-NOLI
 Many Spanish Officials, friars
and church persons were against
the Noli me Tangere
Governor-general Emilio Terrero
- Rizal received a letter from Governor
General Emilio Terrero requesting him to
come to the Malacañang Palace. His
enemies had whispered to the ears of the
Governor General that his novel had
subversive ideas. He went to the Governor
General and denied the allegations. The
Governor General did not believe him and
asked for a copy of the book.
 Father Salvador Font
- Father Salvador Font was an Augustinian.
He submitted a progress on December 29,
1892, that prohibited the Noli me Tangere’s
reproduction & circulation.
Father Jose Rodriguez
- Father Jose Rodriguez, Superior of
Guadalupe, published a writing entitled
“Cuestiones de Sumo Interes” (Katanungan
ng Dakilang lnteres) to confront Rizal’s Noli.
His copies of the book were sold and
distributed in the church after the mass.
Many Filipinos were forced to buy though
they do not believe what the author said in
his writings.
THE PRO-NOLI
 Many Filipinos were convinced and
accepted the Noli, even great historians,
doctors, poets, and church persons or
clergies.
 Reverent Vicente Garcia
- a Filipino priest who defended Jose
Rizal and a Catholic scholar at the
Manila Cathedral, wrote a book, using
the penname Justo Desiderio Magalang,
in response to the statement of Father
Rodriguez about the Noli me Tangere that
contains something like these:
1. “Hindi masasabing 'ignoranteng tao' si Rizal, gaya ng sabi ni
Padre Rodriguez, dahil siya ay nagtapos sa mga unibersidad
sa Espanya at nakatanggap pa ng mga karangalang
iskolastiko;”
2.“Hindi tinutuligsa ni Rizal ang Simbahan at Espanya, gaya ng
sinasabi ni Padre Rodriguez, dahil pinupuna ni Rizal sa Noli ay
yaong masasamang opisyal at tiwaling prayle, hindi ang
Simbahan;”
3.“Sinabi ni Padre Rodriguez na yaong bumabasa ng Noli ay
gumagawa ng kasalanang mortal dahil nabasa nya ang
Nobela.”
Marcelo H. Del Pilar (Dolores Manapat)
- praised Rizal's Noli through writing
another book entitled, "Caiigat Cayo"
(Maging Madulas katulad ng Igat). He
used the same technique as how Padre
Rodriguez did in confronting the Noli,
but this time, del Pilar made the act in a
church in his hometown in Bulacan.
CHARACTERS
OF THE NOVEL
NOLI ME TANGERE
 Crisóstomo Ibarra
Juan Crisostomo Ibarra y Magsalin, also
known as Ibarra, is a Filipino-Spanish
descendent of Don Rafael Ibarra, a
wealthy Spaniard. He was born and
raised in the Philippines, but spent seven
years studying in Europe during his
adolescence. He was unaware of what
was going on in his country throughout
those years. When he returned to the
Philippines, he discovered that his father
had died, and that his body had been
transported to a Chinese cemetery
(allegedly) (but the body ended up in a
river). He had heard stories about how
helpful and nice his father was, and he
was determined to respect his father's
memory by following in his footsteps.
 María Clara
María Clara de Los Santos y Alba is the
setting's most powerful yet weakest
female character. When it comes to Noli,
the name María Clara conjures up images
of the ideal Filipino woman. The novel's
central female character is María Clara.
She is Capitán Tiago's and Doa Pa Alba's
daughter. Doa Pa died while giving birth
to María Clara. Tya Isabél, Capitán Tiago's
cousin, guided and supervised the
underprivileged child's development.
Since childhood, Mara Clara has been
Ibarra's beloved. Capitán Tiago sent María
Clara to the Beaterio de Santa Clara while
Ibarra was traveling in Europe, where she
grew into a charming woman under the
strict supervision of the Catholic sisters
 Padre Dámaso
Dámaso Verdolagas (also known as
Padre Dámaso, Padre Damaso, or
Father Damaso) was a Franciscan priest
who served as the curate of San Diego's
parish church. He served as curate for
nearly two decades before being
succeeded by Padre Salvi, who was
significantly younger. Padre Damaso
was well-known among the Ibarras, so
Crisóstomo was taken aback by what
the former curate had done to Don
Rafaél.
 Pilósopo Tasyo
One of the most prominent characters
in Noli is Don Anastacio, also known
as Filósofo Tacio (Philosopher
Tasyo). On the one hand, he is
described to as a philosopher/sage
(thus the name Pilosopo Tasyo)
because his thoughts were in tune
with the townspeople's brains. On the
other hand, if his thoughts ran counter
to popular opinion, he was labelled
the Imbecile Tacio (or Tasyong Sintu-
sinto) or Lunatic Tacio (Tasyong
Baliw).
 Eliás
Eliás belonged to a family that had been
subjugated for generations by the Ibarra
dynasty. He was up in a well-to-do family
until he came across something that
forever changed his life. Despite the fact
that Ibarra's family oppressed him, he
owes him nothing. In addition, when they
attempted to kill a crocodile, Ibarra saved
Elas' life. Before Ibarra was jailed for
setting fire to his residence, Elias stepped
in to help him once more. Ibarra and Elias
continued to help one other until Elias
made a final sacrifice to save him. He was
shot by the soldiers (who mistook him for
Ibarra attempting to flee by diving into
the river) and died slowly.
 Doña Victorina

Doa Victorina de los Reyes de

Espadaa is the woman who pretended
to be a meztisa (a Spanish woman
born in the Philippines) and dreamed
of marrying a Spaniard, which she did
when she married Don Tiburcio.
Because of her strange looks, vicious
personality, and passionate rivalry
with Donya Consolacion, she was
feared by everyone in the village. Don
Tiburcio turned out to be a disliked
character for her. Despite the fact that
she was in love with Kapitan Tiago,
she forced herself to marry him.
 Sisa
Narcisa is the mother of two children,
Basilio and Crispn, and is married to
Pedro. She portrays a mother's
unconditional love for her child in the
Philippines. Crispin was arrested and
sent to the jail after being held captive
for days by Mang Tasyo, the sacristy's
owner. She was pardoned and
released one day later by the town of
Alferez. Basilio was also gone when
she arrived home. She went insane
when she saw Crispin's blood-soaked
garments, and she's still looking for
her children. Basilio laments his
mother's death under the tree at the
novel's conclusion.
Doña Consolacíon
Doña Consolacíon, the Civil
Guards Museum's muse and
Alférez's wife, was a laundry
worker for the town of Alferez
at one time. After marrying a
Spaniard, she became extremely
wealthy. Despite being rivals
with Donya Victorina, they are
very well-known.
Father Salví
A younger, more cunning Spanish priest who assumes control over
Father Damaso’s post as friar curate of San Diego. He is in many
regards more dangerous that his precursor as he is a more gifted
strategist who uses his religious role for political influence as well as
personal vendettas. He frequently fights with the town's ensign for
power. His most significant role in the novel comes through his plot to
ruin Ibarra, who is engaged to María Clara, who he is in love with.
Father Sibyla
• A priest serving in the Binondo district in the city of Manila, Father
Sibyla serves as a foil to the otherwise largely corrupt Father Dámaso
and the perverse Father Salví as he is rational and calm. Father Sibyla
is an adept and shrewd orator who takes obvious delight in
antagonizing the pompous Father Dámaso at Ibarra’s return party.
La Doctora Victorina de los Reyes de
Espadaña
A brazen and determined Filipina social climber, Doña Victorina is the
spouse of the counterfeit doctor, Tiburcio de Espadaña. She is well past
her prime and relies on garish make-up to carry on a façade of youth.
She eagerly tries to marry off her nephew to María Clara, likely as a
means to further advance her social status.
Captain Tiago (Don Santiago de los
Santos)
• Capitan Tiago is a rarity in that he is a wealthy Filipino who is native-
born. He keeps close ties with high-ranking members of the Catholic
Church, despite actually having no respect for religion, and
shamelessly joins in others' racist insults against his own people. His
primary concern is to marry off his daughter, María Clara, to an
affluent man from an influential family. This is one of the main
reasons that he is quick to toss aside his loyalties to Ibarra when he is
labeled a subversive. His predilection for advantageous social pairings
makes him quick to assent to Linares as a potential new match for his
daughter.
The Ensign
The nameless head of the Civil Guard of the township of San Diego. A
man of Spanish descent, he is in a constant bitter feud with Father Salví
to gain power in the town. He imposes curfews that make it all but
impossible for the citizens of San Diego to attend mass at the proper
schedule. He drinks excessively and is married to Doña Consolación,
who he frequently fights with.
Don Rafael Ibarra
Crisóstomo Ibarra’s father is posthumously mentioned in the novel. A
critic of the corrupt practices of the Spanish friars, he earns the ire of
the vitriolic Father Dámaso, who accuses him of sedition and heresy.
He dies in prison before his name can be cleared. His remains are
buried in the Catholic cemetery in the town of San Diego, but Father
Dámaso hires a gravedigger to disinter his body to have him buried at
the Chinese cemetery because of his status as a heretic.
Doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña
A fraud and a hustler, the Spaniard who calls himself Doctor Tiburcio
de Espadaña was actually a customs officer who was dismissed from
his post shortly after arriving in the Philippines. Despite having no
medical experience, he travels the countryside posing as a doctor,
charging extortionate fees for his so-called services after his wife
encourages him to pretend to be a doctor. His patients eventually catch
wind of his schemes and he is forced to relocate to another area where
he is all but unknown. He finds his way to San Diego, where he
resumes his fake medical practice.
Lt. Guevara
A morally upright man of Spanish descent who holds both Crisóstomo
Ibarra and the late Don Rafael in high esteem, he is also the lieutenant
of the Civil Guard. He is one of the few who openly support the Ibarras
and is vocal about his dislike of Father Dámaso’s control. He informs
Crisóstomo Ibarra of the fate of his father and how Father Damaso was
involved in his death.
Linares
Dr. de Espadaña’s nephew, a respectable young Spanish man. Like his
uncle, he has forged credentials and hopes to climb through the social
ranks.
The Schoolmaster

A teacher that Don Rafael housed, thus allowing him to suitably attend
to the task of instructing students; he informs Crisóstomo Ibarra of the
sorry state of education of San Diego since the passing of his father.
The friars closely watch the material being taught in the school,
forbidding him from teaching Spanish. The schoolmaster is grateful to
the Ibarra family, but he is not hopeful that he’ll make headway in
getting any lasting educational reforms to happen.
Don Filipo (Filipo Lino)
Don Filipo Lino is a representative of the younger, less religiously
shackled generation of movers and shakers in San Diego, and he also
serves as the vice mayor of the town. He despises the idea of spending
lavish amounts of money on the numerous feast days that mark the
religious calendar, seeing it as both wasteful and burdensome to the
citizens. His words, however, fall on deaf ears as he is only deputy
mayor, and the mayor himself is a dedicated follower of the Catholic
church and the de facto mouthpiece of the friars.
The Yellow Man
An assassin tasked to kill the younger Ibarra, his plot to murder the
young man is thwarted by the cunning Elias. He is given this moniker
for his permanently sallow, jaundiced complexion.
Aunt Isabel
A cousin of Capitan Tiago who raised Maria Clara as her own child after
her mother’s untimely death.