Republic of the Philippines

Surigao del Sur State University (SDSSU)

Tandag City, Surigao del Sur

Module 3: Nationalistic Works of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Introduction

Jose P. Rizal was a Filipino writer, an activist, a doctor and a political martyr. His
execution for the crime of rebellion was a turning point for the country he strove to
defend with political literature and reform propaganda. Rizal’s prosaic body of work
echoes the social inequities and patriotic passion that would come to define the
Philippines at the turn of the 19th century.
Although Jose Rizal died for his country at a young age, his list of literary works
surpasses many writers who lived a full lifetime. These works are notable for both
their place in Filipino independence and for their beautiful language.
This learning material has been written to provide useful reference of some
nationalistic works of Dr. Jose Rizal. It contains written synthesis of novels, essays
and poems of our national hero. This will provide our learners efficient instruction on
how to constructively comprehend and analyze the profound literary works of Rizal.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Identify the different literary works of Rizal; and
2. Appreciate the different literary works.

Unit I. Noli Mi Tangere

Procedure / Lesson Development

 Motivation

1. What do you remember in Rizal’s novel: Noli Me Tangere?

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 2. Why do you think Rizal wrote this novel?
3. Was Rizal mistaken in writing this novel? Why do you think so?
4. Whose character do you like or hate most? Why?
5. Do you think these characters still represent in our society nowadays? Name at
least three persons.

Discussion

The Noli Me Tangere was Rizal’s first novel which tackled the society and
government in the Philippines during the Spanish colonization. He used cancer as the
metaphor of the Philippine society since like cancer, the sickness of our society was
untouched, growing to be chronic malady and incurable. In his novel, he discussed
how the friars deceived the Filipinos and made them blindly believe in the practices of
religion.

He used San Diego as the epitome of the Philippines, the events in San Diego
were based on his observation in political situations and society in our country and
also there were influences of the books that he had read while he has in Europe like
the book of Harriet Beecher entitled “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” which described the abuse
experienced by the Africans under their American masters and the book written by
Eugene Sue entitled “The Wandering Jew”.

Important Characters in the Noli

1. Crisostomo Ibarra - A wealthy young mestizo who has just returned to the
Philippines after seven years of studying in Europe, Ibarra is sophisticated,
highly esteemed, and very idealistic. The priests of San Diego all view him
with great wariness on account of his highly liberal education and connections.
His father, the equally idealistic Don Rafael, was labeled a subversive and a
heretic by the corrupt priesthood and incarcerated, ultimately leading to his
death. Ibarra hopes to create a school in San Diego in order to carry out his
father's dreams and ideals, but he becomes entangled in conflicts with the
church and is forced to flee San Diego as a result of a conspiracy led by the

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 scheming Father Salví. In contrast to his more radical friend Elías, Ibarra
generally wants to work within systems to reform the Philippines, rather than
overthrow them, but he shifts towards Elías's beliefs as the novel progresses.

2. Maria Clara – A woman of high social standing, she is thought to be the

daughter of Capitan Tiago and goddaughter of Father Dámaso. She is actually
the biological daughter of Father Dámaso, the product of a scandalous
relationship between the old priest and Capitan Tiago’s wife. María Clara
grew up alongside Ibarra and planned to marry him, but Father Dámaso
disapproved of the union. After Ibarra is excommunicated from the church,
her guardians set her up to be wed to Linares, a wealthy young man of Spanish
descent, and she tries to go along with the plan to avoid hurting her father, the
weak-willed Capitan Tiago. When Ibarra is put on trial for sedition, she is
coerced into surrendering the letters Ibarra has sent her as evidence of his
guilt. Ultimately, when she hears of Ibarra's apparent death, she refuses to
marry Linares and joins a convent.

3. Padre Damaso – is an old, power-hungry, and shamelessly corrupt Spanish

priest who has lived among the native Filipinos for nearly two decades. In
spite of having spent all that time among them, the years have done nothing to
endear him or develop any sympathy in him for his “flock.” He is deeply
racist, as well as petty and vindictive, and he thinks nothing of using his
considerable influence to ruin the lives of those who have slighted him,
regardless of how small the offense is. He masterminded the death of Don
Rafael Ibarra, then brazenly taunted the younger Ibarra. After he publically
insults Ibarra's father, Ibarra attacks him and he excommunicates Ibarra from
the church. He is also the godfather (and, in fact, the biological father) of
María Clara, giving him influence over her relationship with Ibarra.

4. Kapitan Tiago – 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

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 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.

5. Pilosopo Tasyo – An old man who previously studied philosophy and is

believed to be crazy by most of the community. He respects Ibarra and gives
him valuable advice, and also helped Ibarra's father before him.

6. Elias – A mysterious character, Elías is a man on the run from the law who
resents both the Spanish colonial government and the Catholic Church, despite
his strong religious convictions. He crosses paths with the more temperate
Ibarra when Ibarra bravely saves him from a crocodile. Elías uncovers a plot
against Ibarra's life and works closely with him throughout the second half of
the novel. He and Ibarra have several long conversations regarding the ethics
of politics and governance, with Elias taking a more revolutionary stance.

7. Dona Victorina – 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.

8. Sisa – The long-suffering mother of sextons-in-training Crispin and Basilio,

she goes mad upon the loss of her sons. Impoverished and married to a violent
drunkard, she is allied only with her sons. She wanders the town, clothes
tattered and hair disheveled, calling out for her sons. When she actually does
meet Basilio, she cannot recognize him.

9. Dona Consolacion - The pugnacious wife of The Ensign, Doña Consolación

is an older Filipina woman who is ashamed of her heritage and pretends to be
unable to speak Tagalog, her own native language. She fights with her
husband frequently and makes many of her husband's decisions for him.
Despite being described as very ugly, she is proud and demands respect from
others.

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Summary of the Novel

Don Cristostomo Ibarra returned to San Diego after his stay in Europe for his
studies. He learned about the death of his father because of sickness inside the prison.
He attended a dinner in the house of Don Tiago to see his girlfriend Maria Clara but
in the same place he also saw Padre Damaso who had negative remarks about him
because he practiced the behaviour that he learned from Europe. During the dinner,
Padre Damaso got mad because Crisostomo got the meaty part of the chicken tinola
when he only got the neck part. Senor Guevarra, a friend of his father, told
Crisostomo about the misfortune that this father faced.

The knowledge about the misfortune of his father led him to seek justice and to
know the persons behind this injustice. The next day, he was able to walk to the
cemetery to seek justice for his father. From there, he knew that Padre Damaso was
the one behind the sufferings of his father.

On his travel to difficult part of San Diego, he met Pilosopo Tasio to whom he
had the conversation about the school that he wanted to build for the reform of the
society. He also learned about the story of Sisa who became insane because of the
search for his two sons who were abused by the Sakristan Mayor. In the midst of
insanity, she only uttered the name of Basilio and Crispin.

The friends of Crisostomo and Maria Clara had the picnic in the river. While
riding in a boat, a crocodile attacked the group. Elias dove into the water but the
crocodile overpowered him so Crisostomo also dove into the water and saved Elias.
And this was the start of the friendship of Elias and Crisostomo. So during the ground
breaking of the school that Crisostomo planned to build, Elias saved Crisostomo for
the plan of assassination against him.

The search for justice and his good intention of building school for the poor led
Padre Damaso to hate Crisostomo so he always referred negative comments and
criticism to Crisostomo during his homily. And because he knew that Padre Damaso
was the person behind the death of his father, in one dinner he attempted to kill Padre

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Damaso but Maria Clara pleaded to him because Padre Damaso was her true father.
Crisostomo escaped after the incident.

The people had an uprising against the government but it was not successful. And
Crisostomo was accused to be the leader of the said uprising. Elias helped him to
escape and before they left they went to the house of Maria Clara. Unfortunately, the
Guardia Civil knew that they were there so after bidding goodbye to Maria Clara, the
two jumped to the water to escape. The Guardia Civil shot Elias thinking that he was
Crisostomo and as the two jumped into the water, the truth was hidden from the
authorities. Crisostomo went to the cemetery to bury the body of Elias and in the same
place there was Basilio who also buried the body of her mother Sisa. It was only
Basilio who knew the truth about Crisostomo. At the end of the novel, the readers
observed that the evil things could overshadow the good principles of the other
people.

Result of Noli Me Tangere

The novel was printed due to the help of Dr. Maximo Viola who lent Jose Rizal
an amount of 200 pesos, an amount which was intended for the allowance for food but
Jose chose to use the amount in printing his novel. His friends commended the novel.
Ferdinand Blumentritt commended Jose Rizal because according to him, the novel
was written from the heart. And based on the technical aspects of the novel, Rizal,
according to Ferdinand Blumentritt, possessed a gift in writing and his novel could be
a source of enlightenment of the people of his country. Padre Francisco Sanchez
commended the literary skills of Jose Rizal which was evident in the novel, however
he also suggested to Rizal that he should include the good qualities of the priest in his
novel. But still Padre Sanchez defended the novel against the public. Antonio Ma.
Regidor considered Noli Me Tangere as superior and could be compared to the novel
Don Quijote. And Padre Vicente Garcia objected the criticism that the novel
discussed the issues and stories that did not happen in the Philippines. According to
him, the novel was a literary piece but based on the actual observations of the writer.
However, other personalities in the Philippines specially the friars criticized the novel
because the gobernadorcillo in the country had the petition to the Governor General to
remove the friars. So the friars brought the novel into censorship and they succeeded

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because the committee declared the novel as anti-Church and so ordered the ban of
the novel and the imprisonment of the people who had copies of the book.

Background of the Publication of the Noli

Toward the end of 1884, Rizal started to write Noli in Madrid and finished about
one-half of it. In Paris, 1885, while studying at the Universidad Central de Madrid, he
finished one-half of the second half. He finished the last fourth of Noli in Germany.
The last few chapters were written at Wilhelmfeld in April – June 1886.

Viola Financed Printing. Sick and penniless, Rizal had no cope of having it
published, he received a telegram from Dr. Maximo Viola that he was coming to
Berlin. Dr Viola was a scion of rich family of San Miguel, Bulacan. When Viola
arrived before Christmas Day in 1887, he was shocked to find Rizal in poverty and
was sick due to lack of proper nourishment.

Viola gladly agreed to finance the printing cost of the Noli. He also loaned some
cash money for the living expenses. To save printing expenses, Rizal deleted certain
passages in his manuscript, including the whole chapter, Elias and Salome.

Printing of the Noli. Rizal with the help of Viola, supervised the printing of the
Noli. Day by day, they were at the printing shop proof-reading the printed pages. Noli
came off the press on March 21, 1887. First copies of the printed novel were sent to
Rizal’s intimate friends like Blumentritt, Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, Graciano Lopez
Jaena, Mariano Ponce and Felix R. Hidalgo.

On March 29, 1887. Rizal gave Viola the gallery proofs of the Noli in token of
his appreciation and gratitude.

The title of the Noli. Noli Me Tangere, which means “Touch Me Not”, was taken
from the bible, particularly the Gospel of St. John (Chapter 20, Verses 13 to 17).
According to St. John. On the first Easter Sunday, St. Mary Magdalene visited the
Holy Sepulcher, and to her our Lord Jesus, just risen from the dead said:

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 “Touch Me Not”, I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren, and
say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and Your Father; and my God and your God”.

Attackers and Defenders of the Noli

Attackers:

1. Fr. Jose Rodriquez, an Augustine priest who published a series of eight (8)
pamphlets to discredit Noli.
2. Father Font—printed and distributed copies to discredit the controversial
novel.
3. General Jose de Salamanca
4. General Luis M. de Prado
5. Sr. Fernando Vida
6. Vicente Barrantes, the Spanish academician of Madrid who bitterly criticized
the Noli in an article published in La Espana Moderna (Madrid newspaper) in
January 1890.

Defenders:

1. Marcelo H. Del Pilar

2. Dr.. Antonio Ma. Regidor
3. Graciano Lopez Jaena
4. Mariano Ponce
5. Father Sanchez, Rizal’s favourite teacher in the Ateneo.
6. Don Segismundo Moret, former Minister of the Crown
7. Dr. Miguel Morayta, historian and stateman
8. Professor Blumentritt, scholar and educator
9. Other Filipino reformists in foreign lands
10. Rev. Vicente Garcia, a Filipino priest-scholar and a Tagalog translator
11. Desidorio Magalong

What are the characters of Noli represent:

Rizal’s portrayal of the characters in the novel Noli Me Tangere is relevant to the
political and social classes during his time.

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1. Crisostomo Ibarra. He has a liberal mind. Outspoken and idealistic, patient and
serious man. He becomes very violent and impulsive when he is provoked.
Ibarra is Rizal’s reflection of himself. He symbolizes the idealism of the
privileged youth.
2. Elias. He distrusts human judgement and prefers God’s justice instead. He
prefers a revolution over the reforms. He represents the common Filipino. He
is said to be the personification of Andres Bonifacio.
3. Kapitan Tiago. He is said to be a good Catholic, friend of the Spanish
government. He symbolizes the rich Filipinos who oppress their fellow
countrymen.
4. Maria Clara, a religious woman. She was portrayed as a faithful sweetheart, a
good friend and an obedient daughter. She had childish simplicity. She gets
easily nervous. Her character is related to Rizal’s childhood sweetheart,
Leonor Rivera. She symbolizes the purity and innocence of a sheltered native
woman.
5. Dona Victorina, an ambitious Filipina. She symbolizes those who have
distorted view of their identity. Wife of Don Tiburcio.
6. Don Tiburcio de Espadana Dona Victorina’s husband. He is timid and rarely
joins in conversation. Makes living as a quack doctor. Represented the
ignorant Spaniards whose foolishness the other Spaniards tolerated, often
resulting in disastrous consequences for the natives.
7. Pia Alba, a young healthy and beautiful woman, a very spiritual woman. By
nature, a very merry woman but she became melancholic when she became
pregnant. Pia Alba represents the women who had been abused by the clergy
and had been silenced by their shame.
8. Gobernador General. He occupies the second most powerful rank in the
colonial government, second only to the king Supported Ibarra against Padre
Damaso Represented the typical Governor General of the Philippines who
would often distain the power that the friars had.
9. A young and smart Spanish lawyer, Meek and shy Padre Damaso wanted
Maria Clara to marry him but she refused. Alfonso Linares represented the
young Spaniards who came to the Philippines hoping for a better life than in
their motherland.

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10. Alferez Dona Consolacion’s husband, shares rivalry with the priest,
particularly Padri Salvi and frequently has violent fights with his wife
Represented the officials of the state who frequently had power struggles with
Church officials.
11. Pilosopo Tasyo known as “Pilosopo Tasyo”. He spent most of his money on
books and now lives in poverty Rizal can related to his character as his oldest
brother, Paciano. He symbolizes the learned Filipinos. He is pessimist.
12. Padre Hernando Sibyla. He is often cool and intelligent, especially when
correcting the other friar, Padre Damaso, of the latter’s ostentatiousness. A
Dominican friar who is the curate of Binondo and had been a former professor
at San Juan de Letran College, symbolizes the liberal friar but would rather
stay in the background rather than incur the wrath of other priests in power.
He is aware of the injustices done to the natives but would not do anything to
change it, as all he cares about it is getting his congregation in power.
13. Padre Bernardo Salvi, manipulates people to get what he wants. He is
described to be very thin and sickly. The Franciscan curate of San Diego,
secretly harbouring lust for Maria Clara.
14. Padre Damaso, the talkative and cruel priest. He raped Dona Pia, Maria
Clara’s mother. He continually antagonizes Ibarra and prevent his marriage to
Maria Clara. He symbolizes the Spanish friars of Rizal’s time.
15. Sisa is the deranged mother of Basilio and Crispin. Described as beautiful and
young, although she loves her children very much, she cannot protect them
from the beatings of her husband, Pedro. Personified the suffering of the
motherland. Named after Rizal’s older sister, Narcisa.
16. Basilio, he is 10 years old. An acolyte tasked to ring the church bells for the
Angelus. They represented the innocent who were wrongly accused of crimes
they did not commit. Their story was based on the true tale of the Crisostomo
brother of Hagonoy.
17. Crispin, he is 7 years old. He often talks about silly things and is Sisa’s favorie
son. An altar boy, he was unjustly accused of stealing money from the church.
18. Don Consolacion, wife of the Alferez of San Diego, often has violent
arguments with her husband pretends not to know Tagalog and often uses
Spanish words even if she does not the meaning. Symbolizes the Filipinos in
our society who are ashamed of their own race and nationality.

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Conditions and Problems of Philippine Society in the 19 th Century as Portrayed
Through the Noli Me Tangere

The novel conveyed the plight of the vanquished and the pathetic suffering of the
Filipinos from the hands of the abusive colonizers.
The Noli was perceived by Rizal as reflective of the spirit of the social, moral,
and political life of his time because it clearly showed mankind under severe ordeal.
Mankind redeemed and reason and aspiration in an open struggle with fanaticism and
injustice. Rizal wrote a novel depicting the country to be redeemed from bondage and
repression.

Evaluation / Assessment.

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice. Read the following questions. Write the correct leter of
your answer on the space provided. 15pts

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_______ 1. Which was NOT TRUE about Noli Me Tangere?
a. It was originally project that would be made with other
propagandists.
b. It was only published through the financial help of Maximo Viola.
c. It was well received by everyone who read it.
d. It was written well in Spanish.
_______ 2. How do we translate the title Noli Me Tangere in English?
a. Touch Me Never
b. Touch Me Here
c. Touch ME Not
d. No Touch
_______ 3. Which was TRUE about the social cancer Rizal talks about?
a. It referred to vanity.
b. It referred to the Spaniards.
c. It referred to nothingness.
d. It referred to a chronic ailment that haunts the society.
_______ 4. What was the solution proposed by Jose Rizal in Noli Me
Tangere to cure this social cancer?
a. Revenge
b. Education
c. Religion
d. Revolution
_______ 5. Who was Rizal’s inspiration in Pilosopo Tasyo’s character?
a. Paciano Rizal
b. Francisco Mercado
c. Marcelo H. del Pilar
d. Himself
_______ 6. In honor of Leonor Rivera or Taimis, which character in Noli
Me Tangere was created?
a. Dona Victorina
b. Paulita Gomez
c. Sisa
d. Maria Clara
_______ 7. Which was TRUE about Dona Victorina?
a. She was a self-conceited woman who wanted to become a Spaniard.
b. She was a kind-hearted woman who helped the poor.
c. She was the woman who became insane.
d. She was the mistress of the Alferez.
_______ 8. Which was TRUE about Padre Damaso and the tinola?
a. He loved the tinola he received.
b. He disliked the tinola because he received the wing and breast part.
c. He disliked the tinola because he received the neck and wing part.
d. He ate all of it and asked for more.
_______ 9. What happened to the father of Crisostomo Ibarra?
a. He was imprisoned by committing treason.
b. He was imprisoned by committing battery.
c. He was imprisoned by committing thievery.
d. He was imprisoned by committing homicide.
_______10. Who was Sisa?

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 a. She was an apathetic mother.
b. She was a loving mother.
c. She was an indifferent person.
d. She was a selfish mother.
_______11. Which among these statements could describe the dynamic
between Crisostomo Ibarra and Elias?
a. They viewed life differently yet they agree with one goal.
b. They had similar views on life.
c. They did not see eye to eye that was why they had some kind of
conflict between them.
d. They had no significant dynamic at all.
_______12. How many times did Elias save Ibarra’s life?
a. One
b. Two
c. Three
d. Four
_______13. At the end of the novel, what happened to Padre Damaso?
a. He was executed publicly.
b. He was re-assigned to become the cura paroco of San Diego once
again.
c. He was killed by Crisostomo Ibarra.
d. He was transferred and died due to such.
_______14. At the end of the novel, what happened to Ma. Clara?
a. She was married to Crisostomo Ibarra.
b. She was married to Alfonso Linares.
c. She entered the convent.
d. She was raped by Padre Salvi.
_______15. Why was the Noli considered as an attempt to create an
Imagined community?
a. Because it was a work of fiction. Hence, Rizal just imagined its
setting, plot and characters.
b. Because San Diego and its characters could be considered as the
microcosm of the Philippines.
c. Because everything in the Noli was just figment of the imagination.
d. Because Rizal was a high in opium when he wrote the novel.

Exercise 2: Explanation. Discuss the following questions below.

1. How did the novel influence the Filipinos?

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________.
2. What are the pros and cons of this novel?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________.
3. If you could write a novel, what is it all about?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________.

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Exercise 3: Pamphlet making. Make a pamphlet as to support Rizal’s novel: Noli Me
Tangere. Use PPT creatively.

Summary

The legacies of “Noli Me Tangere” can be attributed to as nationalistic. It was

solely because the book was able to effectively instill the love for one’s country, the
undying devotion of a Filipina to the man of her dreams, a deep sense of gratitude
towards society and to  everyone and  the untainted and common sense of the Filipino
race  under the rule of Spain.
Essentially, reading “Noli Me Tangere” had made the Filipinos to rightly possess
a unifying element of national identity, as many of those ancient natives were able to
establish a unique identity through regionalism. Also, it had taken the course of an
overall, systematic and a totally irretraceable caricature of a colonial Philippine
society.

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Unit II. El Filibusterismo

Motivation

1. What was the context in which Rizal wrote El filibusterismo?

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________
2. What literary strategies did Rizal use in writing this novel?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________
3. What is distinctive about El filibusterismo compared with Noli me tangere?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________
4. How did this novel contribute to national consciousness and the revolution?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Discussion

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SUMMARY OF EL FILIBUSTERISMO

El Filibusterismo, also known by its English title The Reign of Greed, is the
second novel written by Jose Rizal and the sequel to Noli Me Tangere. Published in
1891, it continues the Noli’s criticisms of the abuses and corruption perpetrated by the
Spanish government.

On the upper deck of the steamship Tabo, presumably in 1894, the passengers
discuss its slow pace as it sails along Pasig River on the way to Laguna
Lake. Meanwhile on the lower deck, the students Basilio and Isagani discuss their
plans to establish an academy that teaches Spanish to Capitan Basilio, who expresses
his doubts that their plan will be approved by the governor-general. Back on the upper
deck, the passengers tell legends about the lake, including the tale of Crisostomo
Ibarra.

The narration then shifts to the tale of Cabesang Tales; a religious order laid
claim to his land and taxed him for it, which he tried to oppose but ended up losing
against. With Tales captured by bandits, his daughter Juli borrows money from
Hermana Penchang to ransom him and works as her servant in exchange.

Arriving at San Diego on Christmas Eve, Basilio learns of Tales' abduction,

and makes his way to his mother's grave. He recalls the events from thirteen years
prior; it is also explained that he studied with the help of his foster father Capitan
Tiago and plans to marry his sweetheart Juli. As Basilio is about to leave, he runs into
the jeweler Simoun, who turns out to be Crisostomo Ibarra in disguise. Simoun
attempts to recruit Basilio into his plans for revolution, but Basilio refuses.

On Christmas Day, Juli starts her work as Hermana Penchang's servant; her
grandfather Selo discovers he has become dumb. As people gossip about the
misfortune of Selo and his family, Tales returns and entertains Simoun at his house as
he sells jewelry to clients. He exchanges Juli's locket, which originally belonged to
Maria Clara, for Simoun's revolver and becomes a bandit, killing the friar
administrator stealing his land as well as the new tenant and his wife.
On the last day of December, the governor-general and his advisers, as well as some
friars, take a rest in Los Baños. The governor-general asks their opinion on the
students' plans for a Spanish academy; met with disparate opinions, no decision is
made.

In Manila, the student Placido Pentitente goes to school; his sycophant friend
Juanito Pelaez speaks with him on the way. In his class in physics, Placido gets in an
argument with his professor Padre Millon and walks out in anger. At the students'
dormitory, the wealthy Makaraig announces that the decision to establish the Spanish
academy has been passed to a commission headed by Don Custodio. The students
devise plans to convince him, as well as the lawyer Señor Pasta, to approve the plan.
Isagani then approaches Señor Pasta, only for him to refuse for fear of
angering the friars. At his house, the Chinese businessman Quiroga entertains guests
for dinner. Simoun asks him to store rifles in his warehouse in exchange for absolving
part of his debt to him. The guests then leave Quiroga's house to attend the Quiapo

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Fair; at the American Mr. Leeds' show, the supposed Sphinx tells a story similar to
that of Ibarra's and calls out Padre Salvi, causing him to faint.

Later on, Placido meets with Simoun and learns of his plans to instigate a
revolution and rescue Maria Clara from the nunnery. As Don Custodio puzzles over
his decision, people of Manila go to Teatro de Variadades to watch Les Cloches de
Corneville. During the performance, the students learn of Don Custodio's decision.

At Capitan Tiago's house, Basilio is visited by Simoun; the man attempts to

recruit him once again, only to become distraught when Basilio informs him that
Maria Clara has died. In Malecon, Isagani meets with his sweetheart Paulita Gomez
and tells her about his dreams for reform; Paulita dismisses them as being idealistic
and unattainable.

The students later organize a banquet to order Don Custodio's decision; Don
Custodio has decided that the academy be supervised by a Dominican order and that
the students merely collect contributions. Basilio later goes to the hospital and learns
that seditious posters have been seen, with the student organization being implicated.
As he goes to Makaraig's house to ask for a loan, he is ultimately arrested as well.
Meanwhile, Isagani and Padre Fernandez argue regarding the friars' education of the
students.

As gossip spreads regarding the students' imprisonment, Capitan Tiago dies

and his will is executed by Padre Irene, who has forged it and distributed his
properties, which were meant for Basilio, to the Sta. Clara convent and other religious
corporations. Back in San Diego, Juli learns of Basilio's imprisonment and is
reluctantly convinced to seek the help of Padre Camorra; she then kills herself when
the priest assaults her.

As a high official attempts to convince the governor-general to release Basilio,

whom he believes to be innocent, the governor-general refuses. Later on, the students
Pecson, Tadeo, and Juanito, are freed from prison but suspended from their classes; it
is revealed that Juanito is to marry Paulita.

Basilio is released from prison, having learned of Juli's death, and joins
Simoun in his revolution, learning that the man plans to place a dynamite-laden lamp
at an important gathering as a signal for the attack. As Basilio walks along the streets
later on, he sees the wedding reception of Juanito and Paulita, surmising it to be the
gathering Simoun was referring to. He then sees Isagani, whom he tells to leave
because of the bomb; as the guests panic over the lamp bearing a note from Ibarra,
Isagani rushes into the house and throws the lamp into the river before escaping.

Later on, news circulates about bandits attacking a friar country house. The
bandits confess to a mestizo matching Simoun's description being the mastermind of
the attack. The day after the wedding reception, Isagani discusses the events with
several individuals; the silversmith Chichoy reveals Simoun was the one who planned
the attack.

As members of the Guardia Civil escort prisoners, they are ambushed by

bandits; one of the soldiers, Carolino, kills their leader, Cabesang Tales, and another

17
one kills the old man Selo. It is then revealed that Carolino is actually Tano, Tales'
son and Juli's brother. Later on, Simoun escapes to the house of Isagani's uncle Padre
Florentino; pursued by the Guardia Civil, he kills himself by taking poison in order to
avoid arrest. Afterward, Padre Florentino throws his jewel chest into the sea.

SCHUMACHER’S REVIEW OF EL FILIBUSTERISMO

Schumacher, John. 1997. Rizal’s break with del Pilar. In The propaganda movement:
1880– 1895; The creators of a Filipino consciousness, the makers of the
revolution, 260–80. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.

The New Novel

Rizal began his work on the sequel when he started residing in London in
1889 and printed the sequel El Fili in sections Ghent in 1891 to defray the printing
cost, printing was even suspended. Rizal was reduced to near-starvation even pawned
all what he had, when funds fail to arrive from the Comite de Propaganda and from
home. Luckily his friend Valentin Ventura sent him the money needed to finish the
book. After completing the book by September, it was then shipped to be smuggled in
the Philippines via Hong Kong, and other copies were sent to Rizal’s Friend in Spain.

The dialogue between Simoun-Ibarra and and a kindly retired priest Father
florentino according to Schumacher revealed the message of the novel and is very
clear. First, Rizal not only delivers his judgement on the methods of simoun, but also
lay down his program for the nation. On Rizal’s question to the priest if it’s God’s
will that the Philippines should continue in their present conditions just before he dies.

Replies of Father Florentino:

“I do not know, I cannot read the mind of the inscrutable. But I

know that He has not forsaken those people that in times of
decision have placed themselves in His hands and made Him
the judge of their oppression; I know that His arm has never
been wanting when, with justice trampled underfoot and all
other resources exhausted, the oppressed have taken up the
sword and fought for their homes, wives and children, and…
inalienable rights…. God is justice and He cannot abandon His
own cause, the cause of freedom without which no Justice is
possible.

Did He abandoned simoun in his struggle for using methods of which God
cannot approve?

If our country is some day to be free, it will not be through vice

and crime, it will not be through the corruption of its sons…
Redemption presupposes virtue; virtue, sacrifice, and sacrifice,
love!

Will the Filipino people suffer because it tolerates vice, and acquiesces in the
deprivation of its freedom?

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 He is the God of Liberty… who makes us love it by making the
yoke heavy upon us; a God of mercy and justice, who betters us
as he chastises us, and only grants happiness to him who has
merited it by his efforts. The school of suffering tempers the
soul; the arena of combat gives it strength, I do not mean that
our freedom is to be won at the point of the sword; the sword
counts for the little of the destinies of modern times. But it is
true that we must win it by deserving it, exalting reasons and
the dignity of the individual, loving what is just, what is good,
what is great, even to the point of dying for it. When the people
rises to this height, God provides the weapon, and the idol fall,
the tyrants fall like a house of cards…. We owe our misfortunes
to ourselves; let us not blame anyone else. If Spain were to see
us less complacent with the tyranny and more disposed to
struggle and to suffer for our rights, Spain would be the first to
give us liberty.

For Schumacher, as long as the Filipino people does not have the courage and
vigor to protest, to proclaim its rights, even at the cost of suffering: as long as it keeps
silent in the face of tyranny so as to save its own skin there is no us giving it freedom.

With Spain or without spain, they would always be the same,

and perhaps, perhaps even worse! Why independence, if the
slave today will be the tyrants of tomorrow? And will be,
without a doubt, for he loves tyranny who submits to it.

And just before simoun dies, Father Florentino whispered:

Where are the youths who are to consecrate their budding

years, their idealism and enthusiasm to the good of their
country? Where are they to pour out their blood generously
to wash away so much shame, so many crimes, and
abominations? Pure and immaculate must the victim be so
that the holocaust maybe acceptable! Where are you, youth
who are to embody in ourselves the vigor of life which has
been drained from our veins, the purity of ideas which has
been stained in our minds, the fire of enthusiasm which has
been quenched in our hearts? We await you, oh youth;
come for we wait you.

The present system of governing the Philippines through corrupt and self-
seeking officials, dominated by the friars and subservient to their interest in one
fashion or another can only lead to disaster for Spain. The government was pictured
as arbitrary, cruel, completely lacking in a sense of justice or of responsibility, and
without interest or trust in the people it is to govern. Friars were depicted even harsher
than in the Noli according to Schumacher. Abusive of power, land grabbers,
monopolizes education, and enemy to knowledge and seeking interest for themselves
than their country and even Spain.

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 Although the second novel maybe darker than its predecessor, Schumacher
noted bright spot from the El Fili. High official opposes governor-general arbitrary
proceedings, sympathizes with and defends Filipino people; denouncing the policy he
then tendered his resignation so as not to be a party to it. He then tell the Filipino
people who opened the doors for him “ when you declare yourselves independent
someday, remember that there were not lacking in Spain hearts that beat for you and
fought for your rights.” Another, is the open minded Dominican priest, Father
Fernandez who favors and willing to discuss with students in their petition for a
Spanish Academy. This bright spot to Schumacher illustrates Rizal’s pessimism.

The Second novel reveals, other than his warning to Spain, is his prevailing
message to his countrymen, the course to be taken if Spain fails to heed his warning.
Rizal had been harsh and denounce Spanish corruption, greed, etc., but he was also
hard in condemning Filipino corruption, greed, complacency, hypocrisy, and
cowardice. Take the case of Dona Victorina, ashamed of her race. Senor Pasta, time-
serving and coward Filipino lawyer. Guardia Civil who have been brutal to their
countrymen and the corrupt Municipal officials. Rizal was also bit bitter to students
who lacks self-respect, displays no courage in fighting a stultifying system of
education. Paulita who chooses the cowardly but wealthy Pelaez over the brave and
patriot Isagani. He also includes the fanaticism and superstitions of the women from
San Diego.

Rizal never urges revolution, condemning independence won by immoral

means based on Schumacher’s study. For pepe, the end does justify the means,
Filipinos should prepare to make themselves worthy of freedom, and then God will
grant the means, be it in revolution or peaceful separation from Spain. Schumacher
stressed that, education, exemplary lives, willingness to sacrifice for one’s
convictions, even to suffer martyrdom, this is the road to freedom that Rizal would
have his countrymen travel.

Rizal sent the whole edition of his novel to Hong Kong to be smuggled in to
the Philippines so Filipinos may read his message, that his central aim.

Mid-1891 after his hopes for addressing himself both to Spaniards and to
Filipinos when he started writing vanished. His writings then fixated in preparing his
people, pointing out to them the path to be taken, then put his plans into action by
taking the lead down to the path that he pointed out. Rizal then went straight to Hong
Kong where he can chart the next step.

EVALUATION/ASSESMENT

EXERCISE 1. Make a comparison by writing at least five (5) distinct features of Noli
me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

Noli Me Tangere El Filibusterismo

1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.

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 5. 5.

EXERCISE 2. List at least ten characters of El Filibusterismo, their features, and their
representation.

Character Feature Representation

1. 1. 1.
2. 2. 2.
3. 3. 3.
4. 4. 4.
5. 5. 5.
6. 6. 6.
7. 7. 7.
8. 8. 8.
9. 9. 9.
10. 10. 10.
11.
12.
13.
14.

INDIVIDUAL THOUGHT PAPER: discuss the question and then write a paper on
the topic: “Considering the analytical perspectives on El filibusterismo, what are the
implications for the teaching of this novel?” The paper must have a clear argument or
thesis statement, and must be written in a coherent manner. The paper must not be
less than 1,000 words and not exceed 1,500 words.

Criteria for grading rubrics: Synthesis of the different analytical perspectives

on the novel (40%); Identification of pedagogical implications (30%);
Strength of the overall argument or thesis (20%); Quality of writing and
composition (10%)

For a general guide, see “Writing a Thought Paper: The Ten-Step Process” by John
Grant, online at [Link]/~rberkhof/studyaids/Writing%20a
%20Thought%[Link].

References:

Bayly (2019), The Evolution of Colonial Cultures: Nineteenth-Century Asia -

Oxford University Press

De Viana et al., (2018). Jose Rizal: Social Reformer and Patriot (A Study of His
Life and Times) Rex Printing Company, Quezon City

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Francisco, Virlyn Jaime, (2015). Jose P. Rizal (A College Textbook on Jose Rizal’s
Life and Writings). Mindshapers Co., Inc.

Zaide (2003). Jose Rizal: Life, Works and Writings. Revised Millennium Edition.
Mandaluyong City: National Book Store.

Gregorio et al., (2012), Jose Rizal: Life, Works, and Writing of a Genius, Writer,
Scientist, and National Hero. 2nd Edition: Published by All Nations Publishing Inc.

Russell & Rodriguez (2018). The Hero of the Filipinos. The story of Jose Rizal
Poet, Patriot and Martyr. Routledge Revivals

Slawson (2018), Imperialism, Revolution and Industrialization in 19th Century

Europe. [Link]

Schumacher, John. 1997. Rizal’s break with del Pilar. In The propaganda
movement: 1880– 1895; The creators of a Filipino consciousness, the makers of the
revolution, 260–80. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.

Teodoro (1990), History of the Filipino. 8th Edition Quezon City: Garotech
Publishing

The Making of a Philippine National Hero; The Manila Times, 2015

Online Reference:

[Link]

[Link]
among-filipinos/

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