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Search for Rizals Third Novel

Rizal wanted to write his next novel in Tagalog, addressing Tagalog readers rather than Europeans.
It can be said that majority of his literary works were written in Spanish.

Rizal wanted to write a literary masterpiece that has a modern sense of the word and should be
very artistic.

Rizal wanted to write a novel that would deal exclusively with usages, virtues, and defects of the
Tagalogs.

Jose Rizal was in Hong Kong (with some members of his family under exile by the Spanish
government in the Philippines because of the Calamba Agrarian Trouble) when he started to write
the third novel.

In Jose Rizals letter to Ferdinand Blumentritt on April 19, 1891, Rizal gave up the idea of writing
the third novel in Tagalog. He then decided to write it in Spanish. Some Rizalian authors believe
that thoroughly Western-educated, Rizal was the type who thought more easily in the Spanish
language than in his native Tagalog. Judging his skills, not wishing to write in Tagalog as the friars
did, Rizal shifted to Spanish language.

Until today, the third novel is nowhere to be found because of the existence of half-a-dozen
unfinished novels. Scholars studying the life and works of Jose Rizal have been discussing this
third novel for some time now but they could not give a title for this. Based on the clues given by
Jose Rizal through his correspondence with Blumentritt, there are a number of his unfinished novels
that are qualified to be his third novel. Refer to the following information:

Makamisa

o This novel contains two chapters in Tagalog which deals with a scene after a mass. Its main
characters involve superstitious parishioners with a certain Father Agaton as the parish priest.

o According to one of the contemporaries of Jose Rizal, Mariano Ponce (Filipino physician, writer,
and active member of the Propaganda Movement) dismissed the assumption that Makamisa
was the title of Rizals third novel. He said that it was simply the title of a single chapter in an
unfinished Tagalog novel.

o Its manuscript contains 20 pages. With the shift of writing medium from Tagalog to Spanish, it
is very premature to conclude the Makamisa was Rizals third novel because until today, no
one has seen the Spanish continuation of the work (or perhaps Rizal decided to discontinue
writing the novel).

Untitled Tagalog Novel Written on October 18, 1891

o Jose Rizal started to write this novel while he was aboard SS Melbourne in Marseilles bound
for Hong Kong.

o It consists of 44 pages in Rizals original handwriting. Its manuscript was kept in the National
Library.

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o The story of this unfinished novel begins with the solemn burial of Prince Tagulima, son of
Sultan Zaide of Ternate, on Malapad-na-Bato, a big rock on the bank of the Pasig River. Sultan
Zaide, with his royal family and retainers, was taken prisoner by the Spanish during the wars
in the Moluccas and brought to Manila. The old sultan, his children, and followers were
promised good treatment, but the Spaniards forgot their promise and let them die one by one
in misery. (Zaide, p. 201).

Dapitan

o This was written when Rizal was in exile in Dapitan. It presents the towns unique life and
customs.

o Its manuscript consists of 8 pages.

Untitled Novel about Pili, Laguna

o Its manuscript consists of 147 pages. The story in this novel revolves around the life in Pili, a
town in Laguna Province.

o Among the characters of this unfinished and untitled novel are the following: Padre Agaton
(who was mentioned in Jose Rizals Makamisa), Capitan Panchong and Capitana Barang,
Cecilia (daughter of Panchong and Barang), Isagani (lover of Cecilia), Capitan Crispin (political
rival of Panchong), and Dr. Lopez (a free thinker).

Untitled Novel about Cristobal

o This novel was about Cristobal, a Filipino student from Europe.

o This novel involved Cristobal, Amelia (Cristobals love interest), Capitan Ramon (Cristobals
father), a Dominican friar, a Franciscan friar, and a Spanish lieutenant of the Guardia Civil.

References:

Ocampo, A. (2000). Rizal without the overcoat. Manila: Anvil Publishing.

Zaide, G. (1994). Jose Rizal: life, works and writings of a genius, writer, scientist and national hero. Quezon
City: All-Nations Publishing Co. Inc.
Mojares, R. (2011, May). The enigma of Jose Rizals third novel. Philstar.com. Retrieved from
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=79&articleId=691038

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