Canseco, Sheryl M.

Bacruya, Michelle A.
Rizal

1.) Why did Rizal settle in London on 1888?

- Rizal lived in London from May, 1888 to March, 1889 for the three reason, (1) to improve his
knowledge of the English language, (2) to study and annote Morga'sSucesos de las Islas Filipinas,
a rare copyof which he heard ro be available in the British Museum, (3) London was a safe place
for him to carry on his fight against Spanish tyranny.

2.) What is RDLM? Why did Rizal conceive in it?

- RDLM Society. A secret society patterned after freemasonry. Believed to be the initials of the
society's secret name, Redencion de los Malayos (Redemption of the Malays). Aim is the
propagation of all useful knowledge in Philippines. Inspired by the famous book entitled Max
Havelaar written by Multatuli.

3.) The summary of El Filibusterismo.

The protagonist of El Filibusterismo is a jeweler named Simoun. He is the new identity of

Crisostomo Ibarra who, in the prequel Noli, escaped from pursuing soldiers. It is revealed that
Crisostomo dug up his buried treasure and fled to Cuba, becoming richer and befriending
Spanish Officials.

As many years, the newly fashioned Simoun returns to the Philippines, where he is able to freely
move around. He is a powerful figure not only because of his wealth but also because he is a
good friend and adviser of the governor general.

Outwardly, Simoun is a friend of Spain; however, in secret, he is plotting a terrible revenge

against the Spanish authority. His two obsession are to rescue his paramour Maria Clara from the
nunnery of Santa Clara and to foment a Philippine revolution against the Spain.

The story of El Filibusterismo begins on board a steamer ship sailing up the Pasig River from
Manila to Laguna de Bay. Among the passenger are Simoun; Dona (donya ang pagbasa)
Victorina, a pro-Spanish native woman who is going to Laguna in search of her henpecked
husband, Tiburcio de Espadana (espadanya pag basa), who has deserted her; Paulita Gomez, her
beautiful niece, Ben-Zayb(anagram of Ibanez( Ibanyez pag basa), a spanish journalist who write
silly articles about the Filipinos; Padre Sibyla, vice rector of the University of Santo Tomas;
Padre Camorra, the parish priest of the town of Tiani; Don Custodio, a pro-Spanish Filipino
holding a position in a government; Padre Salvi, thin Franciscan friar and former cura of San
Diego; Padre Irene, a kind friar who was a friend of the Filipino students; Padre Florentino, a
retired scholarly and patriotic Filipino priest; Isagani, a poet-nephew of Padre Florentino and a
lover of Paulita; and Basilio, son of Sisa and promising medical student, whose medical
education is financed by his patron, Capitan Tiago.

A man of wealth and mystery, Simoun is a very close friend and confidante of the Spanish
governor general. Because of his great influence in Malacañang, he was called the " Brown
Cardinal" or the " Black Eminence". By using his wealth and political influence, he encourage
corruption in the government, promotes the oppression of the masses, and hasten the moral
degradation of the country so that the people may become desperate and fight. He smuggles arms
in the country with the help of a rich Chinese merchant, Quiroga, who aspires to be chinese
consul of Manila. His first attempt to begin the armed uprising did not materialized because of
the last hour he hears the sad news that Maria Clara died in the nunnery. In his agonizing
moment of beravement, he did not give the signal for the outbreak of hostilities.

After a long time of illness brought about by the bitter loss of Maria Clara, Simoun perfects his
plan to overthrow the government. On the occasion of the wedding of Paulita Gomez and Juanito
Pelaez, he gives a wedding gift to them a beautiful lamp. Only he and his confidential associates,
Basilio (son of Sisa who joined his revolutionary cause), know that when the wick of his lamp
burns lower the nitroglycerine, hidden in its secret compartment, will explode, destroying the
house where the wedding feast is going to be held killing the guest, including the governor
general, the friars and the government officials. Simultaneously all the government buildings in
Manila will be blown by Simoun's follower.

As a wedding feast begin, the poet Isagani, who has been rejected by Paulita because of his
liberal ideas, is standing outside the house, sorrowfully watching the merriment inside. Basilio,
his friend, warns him to go away because the lightened lamp will soon explode.

Upon hearing the horrible secret of the lamp, Isagani realize that his beloved Paulita is in grave
danger. To save her life, he rushes into the house, seize the lightened lamp,, and hurls it into the
river, where it explode.

The revolutionary plot is thus discovered. Simoun is c cornered by the soldiers, but he escapes.
Mortally wounded and carrying his treasure chest, he seeks refuge in the home of Padre
Florentino by the sea.

The Spanish authorities, however learns of his presence in the house of Padre Florentino.
Lieutenant Perez of the Guardia Civil inform the priest by letter that he will come at eight o'clock
that night to arrest Simoun.

Simoun eludes arrest by taking poison. As he is dying, he confess to Padre Florentino, revealing
his true identity, his dasdardly plan to use his wealth to avenge himself, and his sinister aim to
destroy his friends and enemies.
The confession of dying Simoun is long and painful. It is already night when Padre Florentino
wiping the sweat from his wrinkled brows, rises and begin to meditate. He consoles the dying
man saying " God will forgive you Senior Simoun . He knows that we are fallible. He has seen
that you have suffered, and in ordaining that the chastisement for your fault should come as
death from the very ones you has investigated to crime, we can see his infinite mercy. He has
frustrated your plans one by one, the best concerned, first by the death of Maria Clara, then by a
lack of preparation, then in some mysterious way. Let us bow to his will and render him thanks".

Watching Simoun die peacefully with a clear conscience and at peace with God, Padre
Florentino falls upon his knees and prays for the dead jeweler. They

priest then takes the treasure chest and throws it into the sea.