Rizal in Peninsular

Spain
Rizal in Peninsular Spain

Rizal decided to leave the country not just to complete his

medical studies in Europe. There were hidden purpose for
his voyage:
 To make a name for himself in the realm of journalism
 To observe and study European society
 To prepare himself for the task of liberating the
Filipinos from Spanish tyranny.
Rizal’s Secret Departure

Rizal left Calamba on May 1, 1882 and was able to reach

Manila after 10 hours of journey via a carromata.

Only Paciano, Saturnina, his uncle Antonio Rivera, and a

few friends knew about Rizal’s trip. This is to avoid
detection by Spanish authorities, especially the friars.

Paciano secured a passport for Rizal under the name of

Jose Mercado.
Rizal’s Secret Departure

Rizal stayed in Manila for two days before his trip to Spain.
He was scheduled to depart from Manila on the 3rd day of
May. He then woke up early, attended the mass at Santo
Domingo Church in the Walled City and then proceeded to
Pasig River to board the steamer Salvadora, bound for
Singapore.
Itinerary to Spain

Rizal felt very sad leaving his country and family. He tried
to observe people and things around him and noted many
Spanish-speaking travellers spoke ill of the country.

After one week of sailing, the steamer docked at

Singapore. Rizal stayed at Singapore for two days. During
his stay, he visited botanical garden, art galleries, parks,
and some historical spots.
Itinerary to Spain

From Singapore, Rizal boarded the ship Djemnah, which

shall ferry him to France. The ship had its stopover at Point
Galle in Ceylon, Aden and Port Said at Suez Canal. The
steamer reached Naples,Italy on June 11, 1882.

From Naples, the steamer sailed to France. It docked at

the harbor of Marseilles on June 12, 1882. Rizal was
impressed by the courtesy of the customs police. He was
also enchanted and impressed by the French buildings and
the courtesy and refined manners of the Frenchmen.
Itinerary to Spain

From Marseilles, Rizal took the train to Barcelona. He

reached Barcelona on June 16, 1882. At first, Rizal had a
negative impression of the city and its people. Later, he
came to like it due to prevalence of freedom and liberalism
and the good qualities demonstrated by its residents –
open-heartedness, hospitality, and courage.

Rizal’s trip from the Philippines to Barcelona had important

consequences for him. First, there was a sudden change in
his religious outlook. Second, was the melting down of his
social complex.
 Rizal in Barcelona
Rizal was welcomed by the Filipinos in Barcelona, most of who were his
former schoolmates at Ateneo Municipal. The welcome party was held at a
favorite coffee house at Plaza de Cataluna.

Rizal took time writing to his family, relatives, and friends in the Philippines.
In fact, he did not forget one of his missions – that of making a name for
himself in the field of writing. Paciano belived that Rizal would be able to
express his nationalistic and patriotic sentiment that can arouse the hostility
and suspicion of the Spaniards. For Rizal’s brother, Rizal, a poet will be
transformed simultaneously into a patriot, a novelist, and a nationalist.
El Amor Patrio

Upon arriving at Barcelona, Rizal commenced his writing of

nationalistic articles. The first of these articles was the
essay entitled, El Amor Patrio or Love of Country. Rizal
wrote this essay when he was still 21 years old, under the
pseudonym Laong Laan. It came out on August 20, 1882, in
the Diariong Tagalog in Manila. For the first time, he used
the term Tierra Extranjera (Foreign Land) in referring to
Spain.
El Amor Patrio

In this essay, Rizal urged the Filipinos to love their

motherland. For Rizal, loving one’s country was the
greatest, most heroic, and sublime or disinterested
sentiment a person could have.

“You have lost a father, mother, brother, wife,

child, in short, love, upon which you have founded
your dreams, and you find yourselves a deep and
horrible void. There you have the Motherland: Love
her.”
- excerpt from El Amor Patrio, June
1882
 El Amor Patrio
Rizal directly challenged Filipinos to sacrifice for the welfare of the country.
Rizal made clear that for the love of one’s country, Filipinos have to sacrifice
their youth, pleasures, splendor of genius and even their life. Filipinos should
not fear losing their lives, because they are going to live their country two
immense fortunes, namely: Liberty, and Glory.

After the El Amor Patrio, Rizal stopped producing nationalistic articles. His
unproductiveness could be attributed to three factors; the opposition of his
mother, the difficulty of recognition in a foreign country, and his desire to
finish his studies.
 Rizal Moves to Madrid
Rizal decided to move to the capital city of Spain in September, 1882 to
resume his studies. He enrolled in Philosophy and Letters and Licentiate in
Medicine at the Universidad Central de Madrid.

He also took lessons in:

painting and sculpture at the Academia de San Fernando;
fencing at the School of Sanz and Carbonell; and
English, French and German in Madrid Ateneo.

He even contemplated taking the examination in Roman law for possible

enrollment in law.
Rizal Moves to Madrid

He took the medical examination from June 5 to 26.

Fortunately, he passed the examination. Rizal attained
the degree of Licentiate in Medicine. He also passed the
exam in Greek, Latin and World History. Rizal also
completed the degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and
Letters.

He continued his doctorate degree in Medicine but was not

conferred the Doctor’s diploma due to his failure to pay
the fee for the presentation and defense of his thesis.

Rizal completed one-half of the novel, Noli Me Tangere, in

Madrid.
Rizal and the Filipino
Expatriates in Madrid
Here, Rizal met Pedro Paterno, Graciano Lopez Jaena,
Gregorio Sanciano, Juan Luna, Felix Hidalgo, Marcelo
del Pilar, and a lot more. He became closely associated
with Jaena and del Pilar. The three of them later on,
came to be called the Triumvirate of the Propaganda
Movement.

Rizal learned that his fellow expatriates had formed the

Circulo Hispano-Filipino, whose moving spirit was Juan
Atayde. He was asked to contribute a few verses to the
review published by the club. Rizal submitted his poem
entitled Mi Piden Versos (They Ask Me For Verses)
Rizal Joins the Masonry

Rizal joined the Masonry for the following probable

reasons:
 The abuses committed by the friars against the Filipinos
 His association with many masons
 The possible assistance the masons can extend him in
his struggle against Spanish tyranny and oppression.

He became a Master Mason in Lodge Solidaridad on

November 15, 1890.
Rizal’s Affair with Consuelo

Rizal joined his fellow student expatriates to visit Don

Pablo’s residence. Don Pablo Ortega y Rey was the
former Manila City Mayor during the time of Gov. Carlos
de la Torre. Rizal played with his colleagues and laughed
with them together with Consuelo and Pilar, Don Pablo’s
daughters. Rizal was attracted to Consuelo due to her
refined manners and enchanting smile. He gave her
flowers occasional which she appreciated. Consuelo fell
in love with him. Rizal, however, suppressed his
emotions since he was still engaged with Leonor Rivera
way back home. Besides, he did not want to destroy his
friendship with Eduardo de Lete and Consuelo’s love
affair with de Lete. Before leaving Madrid in 1883, Rizal
composed a poem for Consuela which was entitled A La
Senorita C. O. y R.
Rizal’s Toast to Luna and
Hidalgo
Juan Luna and Felix R. Hidalgo emerged winners in the
1884 Madrid Exposition. Luna was awarded gold medal
for his painting, the Spolarium; while Hidalgo won a
silver medal for his entry, Christian Virgins Exposed to
the Populace. Rizal delivered a keynote speech at The
Café Ingles on June 25, 1884.
The speech of salute Rizal delivered during the occasion
came to be called Brindis.
Dona Teodora’s Reactions on
Rizal’s Speech
Rizal’s speech reached the Philippines due to the full
coverage given by the Madrid Press to the occassion.
Rizal’s mother became ill, as his son became the talk of
the town and the friars in Calamba. Thus, she advised
Rizal to refrain writing articles that might offend the
friars and the Regime; and that he should not fail in his
duties as a Christian. She also warned Rizal not to
continue his studies as it could cause him death later.
Dona Teodora’s Reactions on
Rizal’s Speech
Rizal responded to his mother by stressing the following points:
 He will still have enemies,even if he puts an end to writing
articles considered anti-Spanish and anti- friars;
 Life can’t be without sorrow;
 Misfortunes are welcomed when they can avert debasement
and degradation;
 Conscience has to decide wherter to submit or perish in the
society where a person is born;
 People have to put their trust in God in the sincerity of
their purpose;
 The best legacy parents can give their children are upright
judgement ; generosity in the exercise of rights; and
perseverance in adversity;
Dona Teodora’s Reactions on
Rizal’s Speech
 A son can pay honor to his parents thru honesty and
good name;
 Religion is the holiest of things but a person can only
believe by reasoning; and
 Conscience can accept only what is compatible with
reason.

From simply being a poet, Rizal became a rationalist and a

nationalist.