The Last Farewell

by Dr. Jose P. Rizal

De la Cruz|Gamarcha|Gasit|Isonza
1 Social Milieu
Background of the text…

2
 Let’s have a game!
Instructions: Say “Cierto” if you think the statement is true and
say “Falso” if you think the statement is false.
3
 Answer: CIERTO

Question: Rizal was imprisoned in Fort

Santiago, Intramuros for 3 charges and is
sentenced to death by a firing squad.

4
 Answer: CIERTO

Question: Rizal wrote his final poem, written in

Spanish, on the eve of his execution.

5
 Answer: FALSO

Question: The original manuscript has writing

on both sides of the paper which measure 8.5
x14 cms.

6
 Answer: CIERTO

Question: Rizal was visited by his mother, five

sisters and two nephews on the afternoon of
December 29, 1896.

8
 Answer: FALSO

Question: Rizal told Trinidad in Spanish that

there was something in the small alcohol stove.
He was pertaining to the poem.

9
 Answer: CIERTO

Question: The alcohol stove was given by

Padre de Taveras as a gift.

10
 Answer: CIERTO

Question: The poem was unsigned, untitled

and undated.

12
 Answer: FALSO

Question: The poem is 12 four-line stanzas.

13
 Answer: FALSO

Question: In 1897, Mariano Ponce (Rizal’s

friend and fellow reformist) had the poem
printed with the title “Mi Ultimo Adios”

14
 Answer: CIERTO

Question: Fr. Mariano Dacanay published it in

the first issue of La Independencia on
September 25, 1898 with the title “Ultimo
Adios”

15
1 Social Milieu
More on the background of the text…

16
◉ Rizal confessed to Father Faura on the night
of his execution.

◉ Rizal signed a document retracting his anti-

Catholic writings and criticisms.

17
1 Reception

19
 Reception

◉ 46 Philippine language interpretations including Filipino

Sign Language

◉ Translated to at least 30 languages

◉ Recited in Bahasa Indonesia to soldiers before going to

battle

20
2 Intention for Writing

21
 Intention for Writing

◉ He was dying by the next morning, so he

wanted to bid his last sentiments.

◉ To express his patriotic goodbyes to the

Philippines

22
 Intention for Writing

◉ To express farewell to his family and friends

◉ The poem served to be a rally cry to his

fellow patriots who opposed the subjugation.

23
3 Persona / Addressee

24
 Persona

◉ The persona in the poem is someone who

displays a deep love for his country.

Farewell, dear Fatherland, And were it brighter,

clime of the sun caress'd fresher, or more blest
Pearl of the Orient seas, our Still would I give it thee, nor
Eden lost! count the cost.

25
 Persona

◉ The persona in the poem is someone who

displays a deep love for his country.
On the field of battle, 'mid the frenzy of fight,
Others have given their lives, without doubt or heed;
The place matters not-cypress or laurel or lily white,
Scaffold or open plain, combat or martyrdom's plight,
It is ever the same, to serve our home and country's
need.

26
 Persona

◉ The persona in the poem is someone who

displays a deep love for his country.
My dreams, when life first opened to me, Pray for all those that hapless have died,
My dreams, when the hopes of youth beat For all who have suffered the unmeasur'd
high, pain;
Were to see thy lov'd face, O gem of the Orient For our mothers that bitterly their woes have
sea cried,
From gloom and grief, from care and sorrow For widows and orphans, for captives by
free; torture tried
No blush on thy brow, no tear in thine eye. And then for thyself that redemption thou
mayst gain. 27
 Persona

◉ The persona is aware that his end is near yet

showed the opposite feeling.
Farewell, dear Fatherland, clime of the sun
caress'd Dream of my life, my living and burning desire,
All hail ! cries the soul that is now to take flight;
I die just when I see the dawn break,
All hail ! And sweet it is for thee to expire ;
Through the gloom of night, to herald the day;
And if color is lacking my blood thou shalt take, To die for thy sake, that thou mayst aspire;
Pour'd out at need for thy dear sake And sleep in thy bosom eternity's long night.
To dye with its crimson the waking ray.

28
 Persona

◉ The persona is aware that his end is near yet

showed the opposite feeling.
If over my grave some day thou seest
Let the moon beam over me soft and serene,
grow,
Let the dawn shed over me its radiant
In the grassy sod, a humble flower,
flashes,
Draw it to thy lips and kiss my soul so,
Let the wind with sad lament over me keen ;
While I may feel on my brow in the cold
And if on my cross a bird should be seen,
tomb below
Let it trill there its hymn of peace to my
The touch of thy tenderness, thy breath's
ashes.
warm power.

29
 Persona

◉ The persona is aware that his end is near yet

showed the opposite feeling.

Farewell to you all, from my soul torn away,

Friends of my childhood in the home dispossessed !
Give thanks that I rest from the wearisome day !
Farewell to thee, too, sweet friend that lightened my
way;
Beloved creatures all, farewell! In death there is rest!
30
 Addressee
◉ Countrymen
On the field of battle, 'mid the frenzy of fight,
Others have given their lives, without doubt or heed;
The place matters not-cypress or laurel or lily white,
Scaffold or open plain, combat or martyrdom's plight,
T is ever the same, to serve our home and country's need.
My dreams, when life first opened to me,
My dreams, when the hopes of youth beat high,
Were to see thy lov'd face, O gem of the Orient sea
From gloom and grief, from care and sorrow free;
No blush on thy brow, no tear in thine eye.
31
 Addressee

◉ Countrymen

Pray for all those that hapless have died, My Fatherland ador'd, that sadness to my sorrow
For all who have suffered the unmeasur'd pain; lends
Beloved Filipinas, hear now my last good-by!
For our mothers that bitterly their woes have cried, I give thee all: parents and kindred and friends
For widows and orphans, for captives by torture tried For I go where no slave before the oppressor
bends,
And then for thyself that redemption thou mayst gain. Where faith can never kill, and God reigns e'er on
high!

32
4 Tone

33
 Tone

◉ Solemn Acceptance

34
5 Analysis of the Poem
Analysis per stanza

35
 Stanza 1

Farewell, dear Fatherland, clime of the sun

caress'd
Pearl of the Orient seas, our Eden lost!
Gladly now I go to give thee this faded life's
best,
And were it brighter, fresher, or more blest
Still would I give it thee, nor count the cost.
Tone: Bittersweet
36
 Symbolism

◉ Rizal’s beautiful description of his Fatherland.

◉ Usage of the biblical Eden and the Pearl of

the Orient

37
 Stanza 2

On the field of battle, 'mid the frenzy of fight,

Others have given their lives, without doubt or heed;
The place matters not-cypress or laurel or lily white,
Scaffold or open plain, combat or martyrdom's plight,
T is ever the same, to serve our home and country's
need.
Tone: Earnest
38
 Symbolism

◉ In the fourth line,

“Scaffold or open plain, combat or
martyrdom's plight”

39
 Stanza 3

I die just when I see the dawn break,

Through the gloom of night, to herald the day;
And if color is lacking my blood thou shalt take,
Pour'd out at need for thy dear sake
To dye with its crimson the waking ray.

Tone: Remorseful
40
 Symbolism

◉ In the first two lines,

“I die just when I see the dawn break,
Through the gloom of night, to herald the day;”

41
 Stanza 4

My dreams, when life first opened to me,

My dreams, when the hopes of youth beat high,
Were to see thy lov'd face, O gem of the Orient
sea
From gloom and grief, from care and sorrow
free;
No blush on thy brow, no tear in thine eye.
Tone: Remorseful
42
 Symbolism

◉ In the first two lines,

“My dreams, when life first opened to me,
My dreams, when the hopes of youth beat high.”

43
 Stanza 5

Dream of my life, my living and burning desire,

All hail ! cries the soul that is now to take flight;
All hail ! And sweet it is for thee to expire ;
To die for thy sake, that thou mayst aspire;
And sleep in thy bosom eternity's long night.

Tone: Accepting
44
 Symbolism

◉ Usage of “All Hail!”

◉ In the last two lines,

“To die for thy sake, that thou mayst
aspire;
And sleep in thy bosom eternity's long night.”

45
 Stanza 6

If over my grave some day thou seest grow,

In the grassy sod, a humble flower,
Draw it to thy lips and kiss my soul so,
While I may feel on my brow in the cold tomb
below
The touch of thy tenderness, thy breath's warm
power.
Tone: Solemn
46
 Symbolism

◉ Rizal’s comparison between his soul and “a

simple humble flower amidst thick grasses.”

47
 Stanza 7

Let the moon beam over me soft and serene,

Let the dawn shed over me its radiant flashes,
Let the wind with sad lament over me keen ;
And if on my cross a bird should be seen,
Let it trill there its hymn of peace to my ashes.

Tone: Solemn
48
 Symbolism

◉ The usage of “moon beam”, “dawn”, “wind”, and

“bird”.

49
 Stanza 8

Let the sun draw the vapors up to the sky,

And heavenward in purity bear my tardy protest
Let some kind soul o 'er my untimely fate sigh,
And in the still evening a prayer be lifted on high
From thee, 0 my country, that in God I may rest.

Tone: Solemn
50
 Symbolism

◉ Metaphor of the first line,

“Let the sun draw the vapors up to the
sky”

51
 Stanza 9
Pray for all those that hapless have died,
For all who have suffered the unmeasur'd pain;
For our mothers that bitterly their woes have cried,
For widows and orphans, for captives by torture
tried
And then for thyself that redemption thou mayst
gain.
Tone: Evocative
52
 Symbolism

◉ The stanza mirrors the encounter of Jesus with

the women mourning during the road to
crucifixion.

53
 Stanza 10

And when the dark night wraps the graveyard

around
With only the dead in their vigil to see
Break not my repose or the mystery profound
And perchance thou mayst hear a sad hymn
resound
'T is I, O my country, raising a song unto thee.
Tone: Benevolent
54
 Stanza 11

And even my grave is remembered no more

Unmark'd by never a cross nor a stone
Let the plow sweep through it, the spade turn it
o'er
That my ashes may carpet earthly floor,
Before into nothingness at last they are blown.
Tone: Benevolent
55
 Stanza 12

Then will oblivion bring to me no care

As over thy vales and plains I sweep;
Throbbing and cleansed in thy space and air
With color and light, with song and lament I fare,
Ever repeating the faith that I keep.

Tone: Benevolent
56
 Stanza 13
My Fatherland ador'd, that sadness to my sorrow
lends
Beloved Filipinas, hear now my last good-by!
I give thee all: parents and kindred and friends
For I go where no slave before the oppressor
bends,
Where faith can never kill, and God reigns e'er on
high!
Tone: Candid/Solemn
57
 Stanza 14
Farewell to you all, from my soul torn away,
Friends of my childhood in the home
dispossessed !
Give thanks that I rest from the wearisome day !
Farewell to thee, too, sweet friend that lightened
my way;
Beloved creatures all, farewell! In death there is
rest!
Tone: Candid/Solemn
58
 Symbolism

◉ Rizal mirrors a lot of his character in the novel

in his last two stanzas
-Simoun’s death
-Death of Elias
◉ Usage of “sweet foreigner”
◉ “In death there is rest!”

59
6 Conclusion

60
 Conclusion

◉ Mi Ultimo Adios is Rizal’s final message to his

fellow countrymen.

◉ The work is full of his lamentations on his

unfulfilled dreams but encourages the living
Filipinos to continue to pursue it .

61
7 Reviews

62
 Review of Debbie Zapata

◉ “This is one of the most moving poems I have

ever read. In the original Spanish, it brought
tears to my eyes even when I did not
understand one hundred percent of the words. I
found an English translation which filled in the
gaps, although for me the poem is much more
beautiful in Spanish.”

63
 Review of Melissa

◉ Reading it again now strikes a chord of

nationalism, and evokes high admiration for the
person who wrote it. With his imminent death
looming heavily, it is a wonder he could still
compose this piece.”

64
Positive Reviews
◉ Mi Ultimo Adios shows a Rizal who’s already
accepted his death and is merely voicing out his
final lamentations.

◉ Rizal is hopeful that his legacy; not necessarily

his own memory will live on.

65
 Review of twentyfive on
Hubpages

◉ “This [Mi Ultimo Adios] was one of the last notes

written by Jose Rizal before the day of his execution.
Read again… “one of his last notes.” This poem
was unsigned, untitled and undated. Perhaps
unfinished? Perhaps, it really was unfinished. I mean, it
was a farewell letter, one who would be executed
wouldn’t have enough time writing everything he needs
to say especially someone like Rizal.”

66
Negative Reviews
◉ Despite not necessarily being meant to be read
by any Spanish; Rizal still wrote the poem in
Spanish.

◉ There’s an air of nihilism in the work.

67
8 Modern Day Application

68
 What do you think?

◉ In the current day, can you really be proud to

say that you would die for the Philippines? With
the corruption, disillusioned masses and
misplaced patriotism, is the Filipino even still
worth dying for?

◉ Nowadays, people still die under oppression but

for what cause?
69
8 References

70
 References
https://www.fabulousphilippines.com/mi-ultimo-adios-jose- and-the-journey-of-his-remains%
rizal.html Ambeth Ocampo, Rizal Without the Overcoat, revised
edition (Pasig City: Anvil Publishing, Inc., 1996), 90
https://www.tagaloglang.com/mi-ultimo-adios-by-jose-
rizal/ https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wiki
pedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMi_%25C3%25BAltimo_a
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8250044-mi-
ultimo-adios https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fphdess
ay.com%2Fdr-jose-rizals-my-last-farewell-last-notes-
https://acasestudy.com/the-analysis-of-mi-ultimo-adios-
before-his-execution
using-historical-and-sociological-approach/
http://thelifeandworksofrizal.blogspot.com/2018/03/interpr https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fjesterwri
tes.blogspot.com%2F2015%2F10%2Fpoem-review-of-
etation-mi-ultimo-adios-my-last.html
mi-ultimo-adios-by-jose.html%
https://www.slideshare.net/ryansteveg/rizals-my-last-
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fkwenton
farewell-and-to-the-filipino-youth
gebabuhayrizal.blogspot.com%2F2013%2F05%2Frizals-
http://kwentongebabuhayrizal.blogspot.com/2013/05/rizal poem-my-last-farewell.html%3Fm%3D1%26fbclid% -
s-poem-my-last-farewell.html
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fourha
https://paperap.com/paper-on-essay-dr-jose-rizals-my- ppyschool.com%2Fhistory%2Ftrinidad-rizal-custodian-
last-farewell-last-notes-before-his-execution/ herosgreatestpoem%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3d9YC1lNFAMC4
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fxiaoch xxmHI6vYtKPt-
ua.net%2F2012%2F12%2F25%2Fthe-last-days-of-jose- 71
rizal-a-timeline-of-his-last-arrest-incarceration-execution-