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Medical Studies at the UST

 Rizal only finished a year in Philosophy and then he transferred to medical course. He won more literary
laurels, had other romances with pretty girls, and fought against Spanish students who insulted the brown
Filipino students.
 Her mother is not favor in his decision in studying medicine because she is worried in his son because of
the incident of Gom-Bur-Za, if Rizal gets to know more information, he might get executed.
 Rizal entered the university when he is nearly 16 years old taking the course Philosophy and Letters. He
entered for two reasons, 1) His father liked it and 2) he was “still uncertain to what career to pursue.
 Even he is studying in UST, he is also studying in Ateneo. He studied the course leading to the title perito
agrimensor (expert surveyor). He excelled in all subjects in the course and won gold medals in agriculture
and topography. At 17, he passed the final examination but he didn’t obtain the title of the expert
surveyor because he is underaged.
 He had different relationships in that time. Because of the loss of Segunda Katigbak, he courts a woman
in Calamba, he called her “Miss L”. He courted Miss L but he suddenly stopped and then it ends. Another
one when he is in his sophomore years, he met Leonor Valenzuela who was tall girl with a regal bearing.
But as with Segunda, he stopped short of proposing to Orang. He also had a relationship with his cousin,
Leonor Rivera. Their relationship goes well and they became engaged nut they have the challenge of
hiding it from their friends and relatives. In Leonor’s letters, Leonor signed her name as “Taimis” to hide
their relationship.
 In his Summer vacation in 1878, he became a victim of Spanish brutality. It was somewhat dark; he was
passing by at the street and then he saw a man passing by. He didn’t salute or greet because he didn’t
know who that man is. He was whipped by a sword at his back. He reported the incident to Gen. Primo de
Rivera but nothing came out of his complaint because he was an indio and the abusive lieutenant is a
Spaniard. The wound was bad resulting it to lasts for two weeks.
 He participated a literary contest held by Liceo Artistico-Literario on 1879. He submitted his poem
entitled, “La Juventud Filipina” (To the Filipino Youth) and he won the first prize because the judges
were impressed of its composition. On the following year, the Liceo Artistico-Literario held another
contest. Rizal joined the contest gain and ended up submitting an allegorical drama entitled “El Consejo
de los Dioses” (The Council of The Gods). Despite of all the objections, the prize was awarded to Rizal, a
gold ring which is engraved the bust of Cervantes.
 He had still many works done in those times. He produced other poems and a zarzuela, this zarzuela was
“Junto al Pasig” (Beside the Pasig), which was staged by the Ateneans on December 8, 1880. In the same
year, he wrote a sonnet entitled “Abd-el-Azis y Mahoma” which was declaimed by an Atenea, Manuel
Fernandez. In 1881, he composed a poem entitled “Al M.R.P Pablo Ramon”
 In 1880, he founded a secret society of Filipino Students in UST called “Compañerismo” (Comradeship),
whose members were called “Companions of Jehu”. He was the Chief of this secret student society, with
his cousin from Batangas, Galicano Apaacible, as secretary. He led the filipino students into combat
against the Spanish students in various streetfights.
 There were unhappy days in UST. Rizal was unhappy at this institution because the Dominican
Professors were hostile to him, the filipino students were racially discriminated by the Spaniards, and the
method of instruction was obsolete and repressive. Because of these issues, Rizal failed to win high
scholastic honors.
 After finishing his medical course, Rizal decided to study in Spain. For the first time, Rizql did not seek
his parents’ permission and blessings to go abroad because he knew that they will disapprove, especially
his mother.
In Sunny Spain

 Because of the bad experiences and discriminations of the Dominican Professors in the Philippines, he
finds a way to study in Spain. In Spain, he studies there together with his secret mission. He went to Spain
 to observe the life, culture, languages and customs, industries and commerce, and governments and laws
of the European nations to prepare himself in the task of liberating his oppressed people from Spanish
tyranny.
 His departure was kept secret. It is to avoid detection by Spanish authorities and the friars. His parents
didn’t even know because Rizal knew that his mother is not favor in this decision. Before his departure,
he wrote a farewell letter to his parents and his sweetheart, Leonor Rivera. Leaving his country is quite a
difficult for him. He departed on May 3, 1882 in a Spanish streamer Salvadora Bound for Singapore.
 In his voyage to Singapore, he carefully observed the people and things inside. To remove his boredom,
Rizal played chess with his fellow passengers who were older that him, and because he was good at
chess, he defeated them all. His journey continues. When he arrived at Singapore, he transferred to
another ship Djemna, a French Streamer. The vessel was full of French passengers so Rizal started to
converse with them in French but he is quite embarrassed because he found out that his boo that he
learned at Ateneo could not be understood.
 By his daily conversation with French people, he was able to improve his knowledge of different
languages. He delightfully scribbled on his diary: Colombo is more beautiful, smart and elegant than
Singapore, Point Galle and Manila.”
 His first impression of Barcelona was unfavorable. He thought that it was ugly, with dirty little inns and
inhospitable residents. Later, he changed his bad impression and he found it to be really a great city, with
an atmosphere of freedom and liberalism. And its people were open-hearted, hospitable and courageous.
 In progressive Barcelona, Rizal wrote a nationalistic essay entitled "Amor Patrio" (Love of country), his
first article written on Spain's soul. “Amor Patrio" was under his pen-name Laong Laan, appeared in print
Diariong Tagalog on August 20, 1882. While sojourning in Barcelona, Rizal received sad news about the
cholera that was ravaging Manila and the provinces. Many people had died and more were dying daily.
 Another sad news from the Philippines was the chatty letter from Chengoy recounting the unhappiness of
Leonor Rivera, who was getting thinner because of the absence of a loved one.
 November 3, 1882- Rizal enrolled in the Universidad Sentral de Madrid (Central University of Madrid) in
two courses---Medicine and Philosophy and Letters
 He budgeted his money and time. He lived frugally, spending his money on food, clothing, lodging and
books---never wasting a peseta for gambling, wine, and women. He spent his leisure time reading and
writing at his boarding house, attending the reunions of Filipino students at the House of the Paterno
Brother's and practicing fencing and shooting at the gymnasium.
 Rizal was not a handsome man but he possesses an aura of charisma due to his many-splendored talents
and novel characters which made him attractive to romantic young women. Before his romance with
Consuelo could blossom to a serious affair, he suddenly backed-out for two reasons: (1) he was still
engage to Leonora Rivera; and (2) his friend and co-worker in the Propaganda Movement, Eduardo De
Lete was madely inlove with Consuelo and he nourished to break their friendship because of a pretty girl.
In 1882 after his arrival in Madrid he joined the Circulo Hispano-Filipino (Hispano-Philippine Circle), a
society of Spaniards and Filipinos.
 He wrote a poem entitled "Me Piden Versos" (They Ask Me For Verses)
 He economizes on his living expenses and with the money he saved he purchase books from a
secondhand bookstore owned by a certain Senyor Roses. He was able to build a fair-sized private library.
 Rizal was mistaken by the Parisians as a Japanese.
 The prices of food, drinks, theater, tickets, laundry, hotel accommodations and transportation were too
high for his slender purse so that he commented in a letter to his family: "Paris is the costliest capital in
Europe.”
 He transferred to Lodge Solidaridad (Madrid), where he became a master mason on November 15, 1890
 As a mason, he played a lukewarm role in Free Masonry, unlike M.H del Pilar, G. Lopez-Jaena, and
Mariano Ponce who were very active in Masonic affairs.
 After his departure for Spain, things turn from bad to worse in Calamba. The harvest of rice and
sugarcane failed on account of drought and locusts and the manager of the Dominican-owned hacienda
increased the rentals of the lands cultivated by the Rizal Family. Due to hard times in Calamba, the
 monthly allowances of Rizal in Madrid were late in arrival and there were times when they never arrive,
causing much suffering to him.
 A touching in his life in Madrid occurred on June 24, 1884 because he was broke and unable to take
breakfast that day. With an empty stomach he attended his class at the university, participated in the
contest in Greek language and won the gold medal. In the evening of the same day, he was able to eat
dinner, for he was a guest speaker.
 November 20-22, 1884 - the serene city of Madrid exploded in bloody riots by the students of the central
university that were caused by the address of Dr. Morayta.
 He completed his medical course in Spain. He was conferred the Degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the
Universidad Sentral de Madrid on June 21, 1884. • The next academic year (1884-1885) he studied and
passed all the subjects leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine. • At long last, he completed his
studies in Spain. By obtaining the Degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters, he is qualified to be a
professor of humanities in any Spanish University.
Paris to Berlin
• Barcelona
- stopped in Barcelona to visit, Maximo Viola
- Befriended Eusebio Corominas - editor of La publicidad. Don Miguel Morayta (owner)
- Article on the "Caroline's Question"
• In Gay Paris November 1885
- Worked as an assistant to Dr. Louis de Weckert, leading French Opthalmologist
-Visited his friends: Tavera's, Juan Luna. Felix R. Hidalgo, Paz Pardo de Tavera
- The Monkey and the Turtle" Paz album JPR drew a series of sketches
- spent happy hours in Luna's studio, improved his own painting technique and posing as model in several
paintings:
1. The Death of Cleopatria
2. The Blood Compact
Rizal as musician:
"I learned the solfeggio, the piano, the voice culture in one and a half, if you could hear me sing, you would wish you
were in Spain because my voice is like the braying of the asses"
- Flute - the only instrument Rizal could play
- Compositions:
1. Alin Mang Lahi 2. La Deportacion
Visited Strasbourg (capital of Alsace Lorraine) - February 1,1886
Historic Heidelberg (Historic city of Germany)
- Lived in a boarding house with German law students and made Rizal a member of the Chess Player's Club
- Transferred near the University where he worked as an assistant to Dr. Otto Becker, German opthalmologists
- Attended lectures of Dr. Becker and Prof. Wilhelm Kuehne
- Visited scenic spots around Heidelberg
Observed that the German Catholics and Protestants practiced ecumenism or they lived together in harmony and
cordiality.
-"To the Flowers of Heidelberg" - a fine poem Rizal wrote on April 22, 1886
• With Pastor Ullmer at Wilhemlmsfeld
- Spent a three-month summer vacation in mountainous village near Heidelberg
- Stayed in the vicarage of a kind Protestant pastor Dr. Karl Ullmer with Etta and Fritz
• First Letter to Blumentritt
- Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt, director of the Ateneo of Leitmeritz Austria,
- with the letter he sent a book Arithmetica published in two languages - Spanish and Tagalog -by UST Press in
1868 by Rufino Baltazar Hernandez
- The prof in return sends Rizal a gift of two books which marked the friendship that lasted all their lives.
• In Liepzig and Dresden (two months & half)
-Attended lectures at the University on history and psychology
-befriended Prof. Friedrich Ratzel (German Historian) and Dr. Hans Meyer (German Anthropologist)
- Translated Schiller's William Tell (German-Tagalog)
 - Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales
- Corrected some chapters of his novel
- Worked as proof-reader in a publisher's firm
- met Dr. Adolph B. Meyer (Dir. of the Anthroplogical and Ethnological Museum)
-heard the mass and which impresses him
• Rizal Welcomed in Berlin's Scientific Circles
- Dr. Feodor Jagor (German Scientist-traveler and writer of Travels in the Phillippines)
- Dr. Rudolf Virchow (German anthropologist)
- Dr. Hans Virchow (Prof. Descriptive Anatomy)
-Dr. W. Joest (German Geographer)
-Dr. Karl Ernest Schweigger (Famous Opthalmologist became a member of Anthropological Ethnological and
Geographical society (1 Asian to be accorded such honors)
- Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art) a scholarly paper written and lectured by Rizal before the
Ethnographic society of Berlin and later was published by the society

• Reasons for staying in Berlin:

1. To gain further knowledge in Ophthalmology
2. Further his studies of sciences and languages
3. Observe the economic and political conditions of the German nation
4. To associate with famous German scientists
5. To publish his novel Noli Me Tangere
- Led a methodical and frugal life
-Worked as an assistant to Dr. Schweigger and attended lectures at night in the University of Berlin
-Practiced speaking in German, French and Italian
- Took private lessons in French under Madam Lucie Cerdole
-Perform daily exercises in Berlin gymnasium, tour the countryside observing keenly the customs, dresses, homes
and occupations of the peasants
- Enjoyed promenading along Unter den Linden
•German Customs
- Christmas custom - Self-introduction to stranger
• Rizal's Darkest Winter
-The diamond ring was in the pawnshop
- Could not pay his landlord and ended up eating only one meal a day

Noli Me Tangere Published in Berlin

-Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin-inspired Dr. Rizal to prepare a novel that would depict the miseries
of his people under the lash of Spanish tyrants
-Maximo Viola- Rizal's friend from Bulacan, arrived in Berlin at the height of Rizal despondency and Inaned him
the needed funds to publish the novel: savior of Noli
-February 21, 1887-the Noli was finally finished and ready for printing
-Berliner Buchdruckrei-Action-Gesselschaft - a printing shop which charged the lowest rate, that is. 300 pesos for
2.00 copies of the novel
-March 21, 1887- the Noli Me Tangere came.off the press
-March 29, 1887 - Rizal, in token of his appreciation and gratitude, gave Viola the galley proofs around the pen
that he used in writing it and a complimentary copy, with the following inscription: "To my dear friend, of the
Noli carefully rolled Maximo Viola, the first to read and appreciate my work" -The title Noli Me Tangere is a
Latin phrase which means "Touch Me Not", it is not originally conceived by Rizal, for he admitted taking it from
the Bible Rizal, wnting to Felix Hidalgo in French on March 5, 1887 said: "Noli Me Tangere, words taken from
the Gospel of St. Luke, signify "do not touch me" but Rizal made a mistake, it should be the Gospel of St. John
(Chapter 20 Verses 13 to 17)
-Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor - Filipino patriot and lawyer who had been exiled due to his complicity in the Cavite
Mutiny of 1872, read avidly the Noli and was very much impressed by its author.
 CHARACTERS OF NOLI
Ibarra and Elias- represented Rizal himself
Tasio-the philosopher was Rizal's elder brother Paciano
Padre Salvi-was identified by Rizalists as Padre Antonio Plemavies, the hated Augustinian friar in Cavite who
was killed by the patriots during the Revolution Capitan Tiago-was Cantain Hilario Sunico of San Nicolas
Doña Victorina-was Doña Agustina Medel
Basilio and Crispin-were the Crisostomo brothers of Hagonoy
Padre Damaso- typical of a domineering friar during the days of Rizal, who was arrogant, immoral and anti-
Filipino
RIZAL'S GRAND TOUR OF EUROPE WITH VIOLA
-May 11, 1887-Rizal and Viola left Berlin by train
-Dresden-one of the best cities in Germany Prometheus Bound-painting wherein Rizal was deeply impressed
-Teschen (now Decin, Czechoslovakia)-next stopover after leaving Dresedn