LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
Rizal’s Life: Family,
Childhood & Early
Education
GED0049
PRE-LESSON ACTIVITY
What are the things that you still
remember when you were a child?
In 5 minutes, write your
answer in a ¼ sheet of paper
The Birth of
a Hero
1. Discuss Rizal’s family, his childhood, and the early
education he acquired in the Philippines
2. Appraise the people and events that helped shape his
perspective in life
MEANING OF RIZAL’S FULL NAME
Jose
Was chosen by his mother who a was a devotee of the Christian
Saint San Jose (St. Joseph)
Protacio
From Gervacio O. which came from a Christian Calendar (only
one of the various names that can be given to infants born on the 19th
day of the month)
MEANING OF RIZAL’S FULL NAME
Mercado
Adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lam-co (paternal great
grandfather of Jose Rizal) which the Spanish term means
“market” in English
Rizal
From the word “Ricial” in Spanish which means a field where
wheat, cut while still green, sprout again
MEANING OF RIZAL’S FULL NAME
Alonzo
Old surname of his mother
Realonda
It was used by Doña Teodora from the surname of her
godmother based on the culture by that time
The RIZAL Family
Father: Francisco Alejandro Mercado
▪ Descendant of a Chinese immigrant Domingo Lam-co
▪ His ancestors adopted the surname Mercado (market)
which is a common surname of Chinese merchants
▪ Attended Colegio de San Jose in Manila
▪ He attained a degree of wealth, established a fine
library and cultivated friends among Spanish
government officials.
The RIZAL Family
Mother: Teodora Alonso Y Quintos
▪ Belonged to one of the wealthiest families in Sta.
Cruz, Manila.
▪ Her father was a member of the Spanish Courts.
▪ Attended Colegio de Sta. Rosa
▪ She was known for being a disciplinarian as well as a
dedicated, courteous and hard-working mother. As
the young Rizal's first teacher, she had a profound
influence on his development and was his inspiration
in taking up medicine.
The RIZAL Family
SATURNINA PACIANO NARCISA OLYMPIA
(1850-1913) (1851-1930) (1852-1939) (1855-1887)
The RIZAL Family
LUCIA MARIA JOSE JOSEFA
(1857-1919) (1859-1945) (1861-1896) (1865-1945)
The RIZAL Family
CONCEPCION TRINIDAD SOLEDAD
(1862-1865) (1868-1951) (1870-1929)
The RIZAL Family
❑ The Rizals were inquilinos who rented Dominican
friars' estate in Calamba.
❑ Following a royal decree, they adopted the surname
Rizal which was derived from "ricial" which means
"green fields"
Characteristics of Young Jose Rizal
Has a frail body
Always likes to speculate
Skillful in drawing,
Not physically fit sketches and molding of
clay or wax
FACT or BLUFF
When he was young, Jose Rizal was called
“Pepe” by his family.
BLUFF
He was “Moy” to his family
Tidbits on a Boy
NAMED PEPE
By: Ferdinan S. Gregorio
Writer Felice Prudente Santa Maria’s book, In Excelsis
once explained why Rizal was called “Pepe”. According
to her, “Saint Joseph was the putative (commonly accepted) father
of Jesus Christ. In Latin, San Jose’s name is always followed by
the letters “P.P” for pater putativus. In Spanish, the letter “P” is
pronounced “peh” giving rise to the nickname Pepe for Jose.”
Rizal in Calamba, Laguna
The Rizal-Mercado Residence in Calamba, Laguna
Early Childhood in Calamba, Laguna
1864
Barely three years old, Rizal learned the alphabet from his
mother.
1865
When he was four years old, his sister Conception, the eight child in
the Rizal family, died at the age of three. It was on this occasion
that Rizal remembered having shed real tears for the first time.
Early Childhood in Calamba, Laguna
1865-1867
During this time his mother taught him how to read and
write. His father hired a classmate by the name of Leon
Monroy who, for five months until his (Monroy) death,
taught Rizal the rudiments of Latin.
Early Childhood in Calamba, Laguna
1865-1867
At about this time, two of his mother’s cousin frequented Calamba.
Uncle Manuel Alberto, seeing Rizal frail in body, concerned himself
with the physical development of his young nephew and taught the
latter love for the open air and developed in him a great admiration
for the beauty of nature, while Uncle Gregorio, a scholar, instilled into
the mind of the boy love for education. He advised Rizal: "Work
hard and perform every task very carefully; learn to be swift as well as
thorough; be independent in thinking and make visual pictures of
everything."
Early Childhood in Calamba, Laguna
6 June 1868
With his father, Rizal made a pilgrimage to Antipolo to fulfill the vow
made by his mother to take the child to the Shrine of the Virgin of
Antipolo should she and her child survive the ordeal of delivery which
nearly caused his mother’s life.
From there, they proceeded to Manila and visited his sister Saturnina
who was at the time studying in the La Concordia College in Sta. Ana.
Early Childhood in Calamba, Laguna
1869
When only eight years of age, the records agree, he wrote his
first poem in Tagalog entitled “Sa Aking Mga Kabata”. It is
the only Tagalog poem we now possess that was
unquestionably his.
Early Childhood in Biñan, Laguna
1870
His brother Paciano brought Rizal to Biñan, Laguna.
He was placed under the tutelage of Justiniano
Aquino Cruz, studying Latin and Spanish. In this
town he also learned the art of painting under the
tutorship of an old painter by the name of Juancho
Carrera.
Early Childhood in Biñan, Laguna
17 December 1870
Having finished his studies in Biñan, Rizal
returned to Calamba on board the motorboat
Talim. His parents planned to transfer him to
Manila where he could continue his studies.
The Young Jose Rizal
His eagerness to learn was
furthered by the ‘huge’ collection
of books by his father in their
library.
Picture of the books in the library of the Rizal family
The Young Jose Rizal
One of the books the he read
was "Children's Friend" by Abbé
Sabatier.
The story of the moth or the
“Foolish Butterfly” had left an
impact to him.
The Young Jose Rizal
Jose liked drawing
and was always
creating statues made
from wax and clay.
The Young Jose and his Uncles
His Uncle Gregorio taught him to work hard and
observe life keenly. Instilled love for education.
His Uncle Jose taught him to sketch, paint and make
sculptures.
His Uncle Manuel taught him swimming, fencing,
wrestling and other sports.
The Authorship of “Sa Aking mga Kabata”
Rizal never published or asserted his authorship of the poem
His poems are written in Spanish.
The poem was published a decade after his execution as an
appendix to the work of the poet Herminigildo Cruz who
claims that it was given to him by the poet Gabriel Beato
Francisco, who got it from a certain Saturnino Raselis of
Lukban – who allegedly received it from Rizal. However, Rizal
had not mentioned him in any of his writings.
The Authorship of “Sa Aking mga Kabata”
The word “kalayaan”
It was spelled with ‘k’ rather than ‘c’ which was used
during Rizal’s time –The word ‘Kalayaan’ was not widely
used in the 19th century – Jose Rizal admitted in his
letter to Paciano dated Oct. 12, 1886 (he was 25 years
old already) about his first encounter with the word
‘kalayaan’
Jose Rizal’s Letter to Paciano about his
translation of Schiller’s Wilhelm Tell
dated Oct. 12, 1886
I’m sending you at last the translation of Wilhelm Tell by
Schiller which was delayed one week, being unable to
finish it sooner on account of my numerous tasks. I’m
aware of its many mistakes that I entrust to you and my
brothers-in-law to correct. It is almost a literal translation.
I’m forgetting Tagalog a little, as I don’t speak it with
anyone.
Jose Rizal’s Letter to Paciano about his
translation of Schiller’s Wilhelm Tell
dated Oct. 12, 1886
…I lacked many words, for example, for the word Freiheit
or liberty, one cannot use the Tagalog word kaligtasan of
course because this means that he was formerly in some
prison, slavery, etc. I encountered in the translation of
Amor Patrio the noun malayá, kalayahan that Marcelo del
Pilar used. In the only Tagalog book I have, Florante [at
Laura], I don’t find an equivalent noun.
CONCLUSION
Sources:
Ocampo, Ambeth. ( August 22, 2011). Did young Rizal really write poem
for children?. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from:
[Link]
Chua, Michael Charleston. (June 19, 2015 ). KASAYSAYAN: Hindi si
Rizal ang sumulat ng 'Sa aking mga Kabata‘. GMA News Online. Retrieved
from: [Link] an-
hindi-si-rizal-ang-sumulat-ng-sa-aking-mga-kabata/story/
• June 10, 1872, accompanied by
Paciano went to Manila
• His father, change his mind and
decided to send him to Ateneo
instead.
• He again return to Manila, again
accompanied by Paciano,
matriculated at the Ateneo
Municipal.
• Father Magin Ferrando, who was
the college registrar, refused to admit
him.
• Rizal was then eleven years old
• Manuel Xerez Burgos intercession
• Jose was the first of his family to
adopt the surname “Rizal”
• He first boarded in a house outside
Intramuros
• The Jesuit system of education is
more advanced than that of other
colleges in that period.
• The student heard Mass in the
morning before beginning of the
daily class.
• Students were divided into two
groups: The “Roman Empire” and
The “Carthaginian Empire”
• The two groups has an emperor
which is the best student
• The Ateneo students in Rizal’s
time wore a uniform which
consisted of “hemp-fabric
trousers” and “striped cotton
coat”
• June, 1872, Rizal first heard Mass
• Fr. Jose Bech, Rizal’s first
professor in the Ateneo
• Rizal was placed at the bottom of
the class.
• He progressed rapidly and at the
end of the month he became
“emperor”.
• He took private lessons in Santa
Isabel College
• Rizal immediately go to
Santa Cruz in order to visit
his mother
• The Prophecy of Rizal to his
mother
• Doña Teodora compare
Rizal’s ability to interpret
dreams to Joseph.
• Summer Vacation in 1874 in
Calamba
• The Count of Monte Cristo by
Alexander Dumas
• Cesar Cantu’s historical work
entitled Universal History
• Travels in the Philippines by
Dr. Feodor Jagor
• June 1874
• Rizal returned to the Ateneo
• His mother is release from prison
• He won only one gold medal in
Latin
• He failed to win the medal in
Spanish
• End of school year(March 1875)
• June 16, 1875, he became
an interno in Ateneo
• Fr. Francisco de Paula
Sanchez
• He won five medals at the
end of the school term.
• He returned to Calamba for
his summer vacation
(March 1876)
• Rizal returned to Manila in
June 1876
• He was “the pride of the
Jesuits”
• He obtained the highest grades
in all subject
• March 23, 1877 –
Commencement Day
• Prayed at the college chapel:
“to the Virgin so that when I
should step into that world,
which inspired me with so
much terror, she would
protect me,”
• Marian Congregation – secretary :
devotion to Our Lady of Immaculate
Conception
• Spanish Literature
• Academy of Natural Sciences
• Father Sanchez - literature
• Father Jose Villaclara – practical
studies
• Agustin Saez – painting
• Romualdo de Jesus – sculpting
• Tio Manuel – gymnastics and fencing
• Image of the Virgin Mary –
batikuling (Philippine
hardwood using a pocket
knife)
• Father Lleonart – requested
him to carve the image of
Sacred Heart of Jesus
• Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration) –
dedicated to his mother
• 1875:
• Felicitacion (Felicitation)
• El Embarque: Himno a la Flota de Magallanes (The
Departure: Hymn to Magellan’s Fleet)
• Y Es Espanol: Elcano, el Primero en dar la Vuelta al
Mundo (And He is Spanish: Elcano, the First to
Circumnavigate the world.
El Combate: Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo (The Battle:
Urbiztondo, Terror of Jolo)
1876: religion, education, childhood memories, and war
Education: “Through Education Our Motherland
Receives Light”
“The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good
Education”
Religion: “Al Nino Jesus” (To the Child Jesus)
1877: last year in Ateneo
R
i
z
a
l
’
s
L
i
f
e
a
n
d
Rizal at the University of Santo Tomas
W
o
r
k
s
R
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z
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l
’
s
L
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f
e
a
n
d
W
o
r
k
s
R
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z
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l
’
s ▪ Her Reason: If Rizal gets to learn more, the Spaniards
L
i will cut off his head.
f
e
a
▪ In contrary, Paciano and Don Francisco wanted Rizal to
n
d
pursue College Education.
W
o
r
k Take note:
s
The Bachelor of Arts degree during Spanish times was
equivalent to a high school diploma today.
R
i
z
a
l
’
s
L
i
f ▪ 1877-1878: He enrolled at the University of Santo
e
a
n
Tomas and took up Philosophy and Letters
d
W
o
r ▪ In the same year, he earned his Land surveyor’s
k
s and assessor’s degree from Ateneo.
R
i
z
a
l
’
s
L
i
f
▪ Why Philosophy & Letters?
e
a
n
d
W 1.) Don Francisco liked it.
o
r
k
2.) Uncertainty on what course to take up.
s 3.) Failure to solicit the advice of Father Ramon
Pablo, Ateneo’s Rector, who was then at Mindanao.
Average
Academic
Performance
A picture of Jose Rizal’s report card in UST
Lifted from:[Link]
R
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z
a
l
’
s
L
Conversion
i
f
e Sobresaliente = 1.00 Excellent
a Notable, Aprovechade = 1.50 Very Good
n Bueno = 2.00 Good
d Mediano = 2.50 Fair
W Aprovado = 3.00 Passed
o Suspenso = 4.00 Conditioned
r Reprobado = 5.00 Failed
k
s
R
i
z
a
l
’
s
L
i ▪ UST was under the Dominicans, rival of the
f
e
a
Jesuits in education.
n
d
W
o
r
▪ He remained loyal to Ateneo, participated in
k
s extracurricular activities and completed a course
in surveying in that same school.
R
i
z
a
l
’
s
L Extra-curricular activities in Ateneo
i
f while studying at UST:
e
a
n
d ▪ President of the Academy of Spanish Literature
W
o
r
▪ Secretary of the Academy of Natural Sciences
k
s ▪ Secretary of the Marian Congregation
R
i
z
a
l
’
Literary contests:
s
L
i
f
e
a • In 1879, his poem “A La Juventud Filipina” (To the
n
d Filipino Youth) won first prize.
W
o • In 1880, his prose “Consejo de los dioses” (The Council
r
k • of the Gods) won against Spanish peninsulares who
s
wrote in their own language
R
i
z
a
l
’
s
L
i ▪ Wrote one-act play:
f
e
a
Junto al Pasig
n
d
W
o
r
▪ Poems:
k
s Abd el-Aziz y Mohama
Al M.R.P. Pablo Ramon
R
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z
a
l
’
s
L
i ▪ Shifting from Philosophy & Letters to Medicine.
f
e
a
▪ Why did Rizal Shift to Medical course?
n
d 1.) Don Pablo Ramon, Ateneo Rector, advised him
W
o
r
to choose medicine.
k
s 2.) Rizal wanted to cure his mother’s growing blindness.
R
i
z
a
l
’
s
L
Conversion
i
f
e Sobresaliente = 1.00 Excellent
a Notable, Aprovechade = 1.50 Very Good
n Bueno = 2.00 Good
d Mediano = 2.50 Fair
W Aprovado = 3.00 Passed
o Suspenso = 4.00 Conditioned
r Reprobado = 5.00 Failed
k
s
Conversion
Sobresaliente = 1.00 Excellent
Notable, Aprovechade = 1.50 Very Good
Bueno = 2.00 Good
Mediano = 2.50 Fair
Aprovado = 3.00 Passed
Suspenso = 4.00 Conditioned
Reprobado = 5.00 Failed
Conversion
Sobresaliente = 1.00 Excellent
Notable, Aprovechade = 1.50 Very Good
Bueno = 2.00 Good
Mediano = 2.50 Fair
Aprovado = 3.00 Passed
Suspenso = 4.00 Conditioned
Reprobado = 5.00 Failed
Conversion
Sobresaliente = 1.00 Excellent
Notable, Aprovechade = 1.50 Very Good
Bueno = 2.00 Good
Mediano = 2.50 Fair
Aprovado = 3.00 Passed
Suspenso = 4.00 Conditioned
Reprobado = 5.00 Failed
R
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z
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l
’
s
L
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f
e
a
n 1. Hostility of Dominican Professors to him.
d
W
o
2. Racial discrimination against Filipino students.
r
k 3. Dissatisfaction with the method of instruction.
s
R
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z
a
l
’
s
L
i
f
e
a
n 1. Medicine is not his vocation.
d
W
o
2. Discontentment with the system of education.
r
k 3. Distractions of youth.
s
R
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z
a
l
’
s
L
i
f
▪ Rizal displayed his leadership in student
e
a
n
activism.
d
W ▪ Indio/chongo vs kastila/bangus
o
r
k
▪ Bitter hostility exist
s
▪ Racial animosity
R
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l
’
Finishing
s
L
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e
Medicine at UST
a
n
d
W
o
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k
s
R
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s
L
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f
e
a
▪ Notable in all of his subjects.
n
d ▪ He was the 2nd best student in a class of seven
W
o
r who passed the medicine course.
k
s
Segunda Katigbak: Rizal’s First Love
According to Rizal,
"She was rather short, with eyes that were eloquent and
ardent at times and languid at others, rosy-cheeked, with
an enchanting and provocative smile that revealed very
beautiful teeth, and the air of a sylph; her entire self
diffused a mysterious charm.“
"From time to time, she looked at me, and I blushed."
Leonor Valenzuela: Private Letters
Several months later, he boarded in the house of
Doña Concha Leyva in Intramuros. The next-door
neighbors of Doña Concha were capitan Juan
and Capitana Sanday Valenzuela from Pagsanjan,
Laguna, who had a charming daughter named
Leonor. She was a tall girl with a regal bearing.
Orang
➢Pet name of Leonor Valenzuela
R
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z
a
l
’
s Leonor Valenzuela: Private Letters
L
i
f Rizal courted Leonor by sending her love
e
a notes, which he wrote in invisible ink made
n
d from a mixture of water and table salt. He
W taught Leonor how to read his letters by
o
r heating them over a lamp or a candle to
k
s allow the words to surface.
R
i
z
a
l
’
s Leonor Rivera: The First Engagement
L
i
f Leonor was "tender as a budding flower with
e
a kindly, wistful eyes”. She and Rizal eventually
n
d became engaged.
W
o
r In her letters, she signed her name as
k
s "Taimis" in order to hide their intimate
relationship from the girl's parents.
R
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z
a
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’
s
L
i
f ▪ To complete his medical course in Barcelona, Spain.
e
a ▪ To make a name for himself in the field of Journalism.
n
d
W
▪ To observe and study European Society.
o
r
▪ To prepare himself for the task of liberating the Filipinos
k
s from Spanish Tyranny.
CONCLUSION
1. Analyze the education Rizal received abroad
2. Discuss the events that lead to Rizal’s political opinion
and subsequent cause for supporting the plight of the
Filipino people
• To observe keenly the life and culture, languages and
customs, industries and commerce, and governments and
laws of the European nations.
• In order to prepare himself in the mighty task of liberating his
oppressed people from Spanish tyranny.
• Rizal’s departure in Spain
was kept secret to avoid
detection by the Spain
Authorities and the friars.
• Even his own parents were
unaware of his secret
mission in Spain, as he
knew they would not allow
him to go.
• On November 3, 1882
• Rizal was enrolled in
UNIVERSIDAD DE
MADRID under the
course of Medicine and
Philosophy and Letters
• During his stay in Madrid, Rizal
joined the Circulo Hispano
Filipino. It is a group of
Filipinos and Spaniards who
want the government to reform.
He wrote Mi Piden Versos, a
poem about the sadness of an
artist’s son who lives in a place
far from his origin.
After Rizal completing his studies
at the Central University of
Madrid at the age of 24 and
already a physician, he also
traveled to Paris to further his
knowledge in ophthalmology.
NOVEMBER 1885
Rizal was living in Paris, where he
sojourned for about four months.
1852-1906
He worked as Dr. Louis de
Weckert’s assistant
NOVEMBER 1885 to
FEBRUARY 1886
Rizal was now well-known
French ophthalmologist.
JANUARY 1, 1886
• He wrote a letter to his parents.
• The letter revealed that Rizal
was rapidly improved his
knowledge of ophthalmology.
FEBRUARY 1, 1886
• After acquiring enough
experiences as an
ophthalmologist in Dr.
Weckert’s Clinic, Rizal
reluctantly left Gay Paris.
CONCLUSION