Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Arts and Letters
Department of Philosophy and Humanities
BUHAY AT MGA SINULAT NI RIZAL
WRITTEN REPORT:
CHAPTER 8 : A GRAND NARRATIVE OF REDEMPTION AND TRAGEDY
AB Philosophy 2 -1N
Ocampo, Vincent S.
Ravida, Aaron James
BAPR 2-0
Azagra, Relyza Jazthin
Grutas, John Luis
Submitted to: Professor Jayson Payumo
September, 2019
Accordin NARRATIVE is a sequence of events that have been ordered into a story (Bal
1985, 5). An EVENT is the transition from one state to another; it therefore involves the
elements of time and place – crucial elements in the narratives of Philippines nationalism. We
can better discern the process of national formation in the latter part of the nineteenth century by
explicating how the major ideological currents, the Enlightenment narrative(s) of the ilustrados
and the Pasyon narrative of the popular masses, became articulated into a grand narrative of
emancipation.
This grand narrative was built from the teaching and organizational efforts of Rizal and
Bonifacio, who were brothers in the Masonry, and who were both steeped in the Enlightenment
and the Pasyon traditions. From this grand narrative and the historic bloc that began forming
form 1892 to 1898 emerged the new nation.
THE PASYON OF FILIPINO NATIONALISM
According to Salazar (1983, 108), “the implicit historical sentiment behind every
myth, legend or ritual in the ancient [Filipino] world view was ‘cyclical,’ ” and this sense of
eternal recurrence is born out of life’s rhythms – “day and night, the seasons, seed and plant, the
cycle of life and death, the passing and coming of generations, youth and age, planting and
harvesting, war and peace with neighboring baranggays (tribal villages).”
This sense of time would be disrupted by Spanish colonial conquest that imposed a
bipartite narrative based on two time dimensions: “before” and “after” the coming of the
Spaniards, that is, from “darkness” to “light,”“savagery” to “civilization,” “sin” to
“salvation.” Implicit in this civilizing, colonial narrative is the theme that the Spaniards came to
save the natives from themselves. What Salazar fails to mention, is that, over and above this
bipartite narrative, Spanish colonialism unwittingly laid down a tripartite narrative template, a
master narrative structure – the epic of Christendom, the cosmic saga from Paradise to the Fall
to Redemption.
Let us consider the structure of the Pasyon epic. The basic theme of this story is the
Lost Eden and as we have mentioned, the basic tripartite plot is: Paradise – ParadiseLost
(theFall) – Paradiseregained (Redemption). The narrative structure of the Pasyon is, certainly,
the basic eschatological structure of the Judeo-Christian tradition and is also reflected in some of
the Irish nationalists as well as in the work of John Milton. My point is not to argue that the
Pasyon frame is unique or original to the Philippine nationalist movement but, rather, that the
native appropriation of this Judeo-Christian theme provided the popular masses with a coherent
framework for interpreting and changing their world. Ileto (1979).
The Judeo-Christian theme of Redemption provided the link between the nationalist
ilustrados and the revolutionary masses. In this narrative, Redemption was the overriding theme
because the nation was viewed as embodying a sacred covenant between moral individuals.
Therefore the means with which to fight for the nation, a sacred end, have to be moral and sacred
as well –a sentiment shared by the millennial folk. Rizal puts it, “On the day when all Filipinos
should think like delPilar and like us, on that day we shall have fulfilled our arduous
mission which is the formation of the Filipino nation.”It was equally necessary that ilustrado
leaders like Rizal and delPilar think like the masses, that is, share in the Pasyon perspective.
Rizal’s national view of history comes closest to the framework of the Pasyon.
NARRATIVES OF EMANCIPATION
Compare the Pasyon with the contending nationalist narratives of the ilustrado-led so-
called Propaganda Movement. The basic structure of the plot derived from the European
Enlightenment narrative of emancipation is not cyclical but linear: precolonial-colonial-
postcolonial. This is the narrative of progress, viewed as an inexorable journey from a primitive
past to the challenge of colonialism and on to the nationalist response of enlightenment, freedom,
and rationality, In the Propaganda Movement there were three contending narrative variants, one
of which, Rizal’s, would be incorporated in Pasyon epic.
The three recognized leaders of the Propaganda – Graciano Lopez Jaena, Marcelo H. Del
Pilar, and Jose Rizal – all shared the same ideological platform. According to Salazar (1983,122)
One sees that Rizal’s conception of the tripartite historical ideology of the Propaganda
[Rizal’s narrative] was the most extreme. In contrast to Jaena and del Pilar, Rizal saw the
problem more holistically.
Rizal’s national view of history appealed to Bonifacio because it articulated well with
Bonifacio’s revolutionary sentiments, which Ileto (1979) has argued are rooted in the Pasyon.
Bonifacio incorporate Rizal’s perspective into the program of the Katipunan. The national view
of history that Rizal constructed, and that Bonifacio disseminated, resonated, with the popular
imaginations.
Rizal’s familiarity with popular traditions, with peasant culture and village life, is
abundantly reflected in his novels – indeed one can say that Rizal’s symphaties are not with the
local. It is not too farfetched to assume either that the Pasyon narrative informs Rizal’s tripartite
view of Philippine history.
RIZAL IN THE IDIOM OF THE PASYON
We may also assume that Bonifacio read Rizal’s novel from the perspective of the
Pasyon, and thus disseminated it in form that would resonate with the popular reading of Pasyon.
This was done in two ways: first, through the one and only issue of the Katipunan’s organ,
Kalayaan, which contained Bonifacio’s tract summarizing Rizal’s national view of the
Philippine history entitled, ‘’Ang Dapat Mabatid ng Mga Tagalog’’ and second, through the
Katipunan initiation rites.
The Kalayaan was circulated in Central and Southern Luzon, and though only one
thousand copies were printed, each copy was avidly read and passed from hand to hand.
According to Pio Valenzuela, the circulation of the Kalayaan is a crucial factor in the
phenomenal growth of the Katipunan, from a membership of 300 in January 1896 to 30,000 by
August of the same year. The most important item in the Kalayaan issue is Bonifacio’s tract,
‘’Ang Dapat Mabtid ng Mga Tagalog,’’ which recasts Rizal’s historical perspective in the idiom
of Pasyon
Ileto (103) notes the image of paradise that this passage evokes, in particular the terms
kasaganaan [root:sagana] and kaginhawaan [roo:ginhawa] that connote, respectively, a state of
abundance and a state of bliss (and the absence of any pain or difficulty) an image that appealed
to the popular imagination. This, of course, is a romanticized version of Rizal’s work on the
Morga. Rizal certainly did not conjure up a picture of paradise. Precolonial Philippine society
was flourishing but it was not perfect. What Rizal was keen on pointing out was that – had
Spanish conquest and colonization not occurred – a thriving indigenous society would have
continued, developing by its own dynamics
ARRIVAL OF THE SPANIARDS AND THE BLOOD COMPACT
The Spaniards came and appeared to offer to guide us toward increased betterment of our
minds; our leaders became seduced by the sweetness of such enticing words. The Spaniards,
however, were required to comply with the existing customs of the Tagalogs, and to bind their
agreements by means of an oath, which consisted of taking blood from each other’s vein, mixing
and drinking it as a sign of genuine and wholehearted sincerity in pledging not to be traitorous to
their agreement. This was called the Pacto de Sangre ‘’Blood Compact’’ of King Sikatuna and
Legazppi, the representative of Spain.
There are significant differences of interpretation, however. For del Pilar, Bonifacio, and
Agoncillo, the Pacto de Sangre signified that the Filipino had consented initially to be subject to
Spanish rule in exchange for Spain’s obligation to provide welfare and protect their rights.
Del Pilar invoked the Pacto de Sangre to argue that the institution of frailocracy (friar
rule) was not part of the contract, and that the resulting oppression that the institution brought
about constitutes a violation of the contract.
For Mabini, the Pacto de Sangre was a treaty of friendship between two sovereign
nations, and therefore, the imposition of colonial rule constituted a breach.
The Philippine Revolution was an inevitable response to colonial rule, and an affirmation
of the Filipino sovereignty that Spain had in fact recognized in sixteen century.
The Forest as Trope: The story of Elias
The Forest played a toil in the story of Elias. It was used as a representation through the tragedies
that Elias had encountered. The narrative started in the conversation of Elias and Ibarra. Elias
told that Don Pedro (Grandfather of Ibarra) declared a false accusation to the grandfather of Elias
that He was the arsonist that caused a fire to the warehouse of Don Pedro. Sadly, by that
moment; the grandfather of Elias can’t afford a good lawyer to defend him against the alleged
accusation, thus Don Pedro got the victory of his false accusations and the grandfather of Elias
was tied to a horse, they paraded him at the town and flogged however, eventually he was freed.
His grandfather went to a mountain (not so far from the town they lived) with his wife and
children to hide to the people. On that mountain, his grandfather felt a torture of negative
thoughts that caused him to do suicide. His death was blamed to his wife and was tortured to the
public. Before his wife get tortured, she gave birth named Balat (Father of Elias), due to these
circumstances they decided to go to another forest to start a new life. Also, Elias mentioned to
Ibarra that his father Balat got a job as a Labourer at the province in Tayabas. Due to his
dedication in working; luckily, he prospered and got married to a young heiress. On the other
hand, the father of the heiress got informed about the past life of the family of Elias and because
of this, Balat got prosecuted and imprisoned. The grief stricken young woman died after giving
birth to the twins (Elias and his sister). Their maternal grandfather brought them up and made
them believe that their father was dead. And soon after these 2 siblings knew the backround of
their sordid family, though Elias abode in forest, it did not stop him to intervene himself on the
civil society until he envisions a radical transformation focusing on the “reforms in the armed
forces, in the priesthood and in the administration of injustice”. He then clearly states that the
“colonial state, the police, the priest, government officials, and rich Peninsulars used the law,
not to ensure justice for all, but to oppress and exploit the weak”. His very reason that drives
him to have a radical transformation with his moral critique which is transform the civil society
to have vengeance by destroying the state because he too is a victim. But sadly, Elias and Ibarra
did not become successful of their plans because according to the text; “ anyone who initiates
improvement would certainly be silenced and destroyed”
The Mountain as Sanctuary
This narrative is focusing on the story of Kabesang tales family that can be found in the
last chapter of Noli Me Tangere to the end of the El Fili Busterismo. The story happened in a
Christmas eve, starting from a happy family living in a mountain. A gloomy face of Basilio catch
the attention of the grandfather that made him ask; “what do you want in this Christmas eve?”
and Basilio replied; I want to go back to our town to see my family. Despite that his grandfather
doesn’t want to allow him to go back, Basilio still insist it that made his grandfather approved his
request. When Basilio finally got back in San Diego, he saw a dishevelled madwoman fleeing
from a soldier which to be his mother. Upon chasing Basilio to get close, unfortunately a
bystander strike his head that causes it to bleed and Sisa regained his sanity after he recognize his
son but, she eventually died before Basilio’s consciousness get back. Moments later Elias
appears, mortally wounded as he helped Ibarra to escape from being condemned. Then he made
a request to Basilio to cremate the body of Basilio and Sisa near in the Balete tree and the life of
Elias didn’t prolonged and he died.
TRAGIC SAGA OF A FAMILY
During the card game Simoun are playing with the governor-general and some friars.
Relating on how he was help up by bandits or the tulisanes, who took his two fine revolvers and
two boxes of cartridges and Simoun said…
“For me the tulisanes are the most respectable men in the country, they
are the only one who earn their living honestly. Suppose I had fallen into the
handsꟷ Well, of you yourself, for example, would you have let me escape without
taking half of my jewels at least?”
Simoun added that the evil are not in that there are tulisanes in the mountains, but the evil lies in
the tulisanes in the town and cities. And he strengthen his argument by stating about the story of
“Cabesang Tales: Tragic Saga of Family”. The story begins when kabesang Tales move his
family to border of the town where the whole family labored to transform the wooden area into a
productive farmland, and also they knew that wooden part of the town belongs to no one. His
troubles begin when his wife and daughter died in malaria for helping him, and the religious
corporation demand Talesa rent. He knew that if he fight it is like “Palayok” versus “Iron pot”,
the religious corporation keep on harassing tales, tales start to refuse and the religious
corporation destroy his family and finances. Simoun end his story when tales return to the
mountain and become tulisanes.
INSCRIBING AND SUBVERTING THE PASYON
I. Rizal political perspective IV. Critiques
informed by the two distinct
tradition: A. Rizal’s Contemporaries
Expected a more positive
A. The Enlightenment ending for Noli’s sequels.
B. The Pasyon The Fili though ends even
more tragically.
II. The study of Noli-Fili shows.. B. Some Rizal’s friends got
A. Linear nationalis disappointed because he
narrative of the ilustrados ended both novel without
a. Precolonial showing the solution to the
b. Colonial country’s predicament.
c. Postcolonial C. Graciano Lopez Jaena, on the
other hand understand that
B. Nonlinear folk narrative Rizal wished toleave to the
of the pasyon Filipino people the solution
a. Eden of their social and political
b. Fall of Eden problem.
c. Redemption
Lopez Jaena added, Rizal
III. Noli-Fili Plot succeed in putting his
A. Rizal could not totally message to the ilustrados, for
accept the 3rd part.. whom the novel originally
a. Redemtion in the meant, for they were going to
Pasyon be the leaders in the task of
b. Independence in redemption.
the Ilustrados D. Contrary to Constantino’s
misreading, Rizal was not
Ex.:
only prescribing that only
Ibarraa and Elias, Despite of their Ilustrados lead the country.
best effort bot protagonists fail miserably. E. Chinua Achebe strengthen
Constantino, he said, it is not
Elias dies without seeing the dawn brighten
the business of a novelist to
over is native land, he is not bitter and is
prescribe; his task is to recall,
consoled by the thought that it will surely
to describe, and to critique
come. However, Ibarra dies with consumed
by bitterness and despair in the house of a
Filipino priest, padre Florentino.
V. Lopez Jaena’s concerns VIII. Rizal’s crucial point
A. Fili’s beginning is bright and
“Fili is not merely warning, it is also
hopeful, while the ending is
dark and confusing. It strikes an appeal to the next generation, a
at the heart of the delima of call for youth to take over and carry
the Philippine Nationalist. to fruition what elders have failed to
accomplish”
VI. Rizal Novel’s Dilemma and
Tensions
A. Dilemma
“Dilemma that would continue to
plague the postcolonial Philippine
nation-state”
B. Tensions
“Fili; The beginning is a call
to arms, and the ending is a
warning about on how the
response to that call cam go
wrong”
Tension signifies the nationalist
Dilemma:
“How does one oppose colonialism/imperialism
without at the same time embracing its
Manichean opposite? How can the nationalist,
in g=fight against colonialism, avoid reverting
into the same insidious essentialism so
characteristic of colonnialism?”
VII. Problem
“The process of opposing colonialism and
installing a new order, one would have to
use power, and the use of power and
violence could lead to another injustice and
oppression”