To Barrantes on the Tagalog Theater

by Jos Rizal

Vicente Barrantes, a Spanish academician in Madrid and a member
of the Royal Spanish Academy and the Royal Academy of History
was considered by many as knowledgeable in matters of the
Philippines. His criticism of the Tagalog theater caused Rizal to
reply in a sarcastic rebuttal in a two part open letter in La
Solidaridad (15 June 1889 and 30 June 1889). In it Rizal pointed
out that Barrantes really did not know the subject of which he
spoke. NOTE: The picture to the left is of the Mariones Festival in
Marinduke which carries on the tradition of the Passion Play, one of
the chief presentations of the Tagalog Theater.

Barrantes, Vicente. An authority on the Philippines and
detractor of Philippine culture, who opposed Rizal from
Spain. Barrantes was a member of both the Royal Spanish
Academy and the Royal Academy of History. He once served as
civil governor and director of administration in the Philippines. In
Rizals Noli Mi Tangere there is an important public official who
falsely imprisons a rich resident of Tondo with the intent of
extortion. The same character refuses to rescue Maria Clara in
the Epilogue. Rizal, himself, said that Barrantes was the
prototype for this character. Barrantes defense of the Catholic
clergy led Rizal to write La Visin de Fr. Rodriguez. In a letter to
Ferdinand Blumentritt* Rizal wrote: Barrantes is so stupid and
so ignorant that I believe one does not need to break his head to
refute his arguments; recently he published The Tagalog
Theater and committed phenomenal errors. I believe I am
wasting my time and my work in correcting his enormous errors,
and he is one of the Academicians! One of the historians! God
help me! Truly I had a better idea of the Spanish
Academicians. He is not only a fool but a malicious one. Rizal
had only heated and angry words for his opponent during his
lifetime.