NOLI ME TANGERE
Crisostomo Ibarra- Known as Juan Crisostomo Ibarra
y Magsalin, a Filipino who studied in Europe for 7
years, the love interest of Maria Clara. He is the son of
the deceased Don Rafael Ibarra; Crisostomo changed
his surname from Eibarramendiato Ibarra, from his
ancestor's surname.
Elias- Ibarra's mysterious friend, a master boater, also
a fugitive. He was referred to at one point as “the
pilot.” He wants to revolutionize his country. In the
past, Ibarra’s grandfather condemned his grandfather
of burning a warehouse, making Elias the fugitive he
is.
Maria Clara - Maria Clara de los Santos, Ibarra's
sweetheart; the illegitimate daughter of Father
Damaso and Pia Alba. In her, Ibarra has fallen in love,
she also mirrored the Filipina woman of religious
upbringing and orientation, and through her love to
Ibarra.
Father Damaso- also known as Damaso Verdoglagas,
Franciscan friar and Maria Clara's biological father. An
antagonist in character and represents the un-
Christian works of the Catholic friars who are in the
church.
Sisa- the mother of Basilio and Crispin, who became
insane after losing her sons. She represented in the
novel a sad plight of the Filipino mothers losing her
two sons, Basilio and Crispin. In the novel, Sisa looses
her sanity.
Kaptain Tiago- also known in his full name as Don
Santiago de los Santos the Known father of Maria
Clara but not the real one; lives in Binondo. An illegal
opium trader who subsequently was a landlord.
Pilosopong Tasyo- known as Don Anastasio,
portrayed in the novel as pessimistic, cynic, and mad
by his neighbors. He portrays the role of a Philosopher
who was completely misunderstood in many aspects,
he argues with the belief of the Catholic Church and
social changes and concerns in the novel.
Doña Victorina- Victorina de los Reyes de Espadañ a,
a woman who passes herself off as a Peninsulares.
Wife of Don Tiburciode Espadañ a, known in the novel
as a trying hard rich woman who abhors anything that
is Filipino and clings to Spanish way of life.
Pedro- abusive husband of Sisa who loved
cockfighting.
Don Rafael Ibarra- Known in the plot as a concerned
citizen and propertyowner who was the father of
Crisostomo Ibarra. Padre Damasowho played
anantagonist role called him a heretic and rebel due to
his view on relating toliberalism in society.
Tandang Pablo- the leader of the rebels, whose
family was destroyed because of the Spaniards
The School Master- a teacher at San Diego who's
view in the novel represented the weak and useless
education in the Philippines. He attributes the
problem from facilities and methods of learning that
the friars implemented in the country.
Basilio -the elder son of Sisa.
Crispin- the younger son of Sisa died from the
punishment of the soldiers from the false accusation
of stealing an amount of money.
Padre Sibyla- the younger son of Sisa died from the
punishment of the soldiers from the false accusation
of stealing an amount of money.
Padre Salvi- Bernardo Salvi, a secret admirer of Maria
Clara.
The Alferez- chief of the Guardia Civil; mortal enemy
of the priests for power in San Diego.
Don Tiburcio- Spanish husband of Donya Victorina
who was limp and submissive to his wife; he also
pretended to be a doctor.
Dona Consolacion- wife of the alferez, another
woman who passed herself as a Peninsular; best
remembered for her abusive treatment to Sisa.
Captain-General- the most powerful official in the
Philippines, a hater of secular priests and corrupt
officials, and a friend of Ibarra.
Rizal’s First Homecoming
Rizal’s plans of coming back home
• As early as 1884, Rizal wanted to go back to
the Philippines for the following reasons:
 Financial difficulties in Calamba
 Dissatisfaction with his studies in
Madrid
 Desire to prove that there is no
reason to fear going home.
 His belief that the Spanish regime
will not punish to innocent.
1. Decision to return home
• After 5 years of his memorable sojourn in
Europe, Rizal returned to the Philippines.
• However, Rizal was warned by the following
not to return to the Philippines because his
Noli Me Tangere angered the friars:
 Paciano Mercado - Rizal’s adviser and
only brother.
 Silvestre Ubaldo – Rizal’s brother in
law; husband of Olimpia.
 Jose Ma. Cecilio (Chenngoy) – one of
Rizal’s closest friends.
1. Decision to return home
• Rizal was determined to come back to the
Philippines for the following reasons:
 To operate his mother’s eyes
 To serve his people who had long
been oppressed by Spanish tyrants.
 To find out for himself how the Noli
Me Tangere and his other writings
were affecting Filipinos and
Spaniards.
 To inquire why Leonor Rivera
remained silent.
1. Decision to return home
• On June 29, 1887, Rizal wrote his father about
his homecoming.
• He expected to be in Philippines by the 15th to
30th of August 1887.
1. Rizal arrives in Manila
• Rizal left Rome by train to Marseilles, a
French port and boarded Djemnah on July 3,
1887, the same steamer that brought him to
Europe 5 years ago.
• There were 50 passengers: 4 Englishmen, 2
Germans, 3 Chinese, 2 Japanese, 40
Frenchmen and 1 Filipino (Rizal).
1. Rizal arrives in Manila
• When the ship reached Aden, the weather
became rough and some of Rizal’s book got
wet.
• In Saigon, (Ho Chi Minh), Vietnam – he
transferred to another steamer, Haiphong,
that brought him to Manila on August 2, 1887,
he reached Manila on August 6.
1. Happy Homecoming
• When Rizal arrived in Calamba, rumors
spread that he was a:
 German spy
 An agent of Otto Von Bismarck – the
liberator of Germany.
 A Protestant
 A Mason
 A soul half way to damnation
• Paciano – did not leave him during the first
day after arrival to protect him from any
enemy assault.
• Don Francisco – did not permit him to go out
alone.
1. In Calamba
• Rizal established a medical clinic.
• Doñ a Teodora – was Rizal’s first patient
• Rizal treated her eyes but could not perform
any surgical operation because her cataracts
were not yet ripe.
• He painted several beautiful landscapes in
Calamba
• He translated German poems of Von
Wildernath in Tagalog.
1. In Calamba
• Doctor Uliman – Rizal was called this name
because he came from Germany
 He earned P900 in a few months and
P5,000 before he left the Philippines.
• Gymnasium – was opened by Rizal for the
young folks
• He introduced European sports fencing and
shooting to discourage them from
cockfighting and gambling.
1. Sad moments while Rizal was in Calamba
• Leonor Rivera – Rizal tried to visit her in
Tarlac but his parents for bade him to go
because Leonor’s mother did not like him for
a son-in-law.
• Olimpia Mercado-Ubaldo – died because of
child birth.
1. Storm over the Noli Me Tangere
• As Rizal was peacefully living in Calamba, his
enemies plotted his doom
• Governor General Emilio Terrero – wrote to
Rizal requesting to come to Malacañ ang
Palace.
 Somebody had whispered to his ear
that the Noli contains subversive
ideas.
1. Storm over the Noli Me Tangere
 Rizal explained to him that he merely
exposed the truth, but did not
advocate subversive ideas
 He was pleased by Rizal’s
explanation and curious about the
book, he asked for a copy of the
novel.
 Rizal had no copy that time but
promised to send one for him
Rizal visited the Jesuits
● Rizal visited the Jesuit fathers to ask for their
feedback on the novel.
● He was gladly welcomed by the following
friars:
 Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez
 Fr. Jose Bech
 Fr. Federico Faura – told Rizal that
everything in the novel was the truth
and warned him that he may lose his
head because of it.
Rizal visited the Jesuits
● Governor-General Emilio Terrero – a liberal
minded Spaniard who knew that Rizal’s life
was in jeopardy because the friars were
powerful.
 Because of this he gave Rizal a
bodyguard to protect him.
Jose Taviel de Andrade
• A young Spanish lieutenant who came from a
noble family
• He was cultured and knew painting
• He could speak French, English and Spanish
• They became good friends.
Attackers of the Noli
 Archbishop Pedro Payo – a Dominican
 Archbishop of Manila
 Sent a copy of the Noli to Fr. Gregorio
Echevarria, Rector of the University of Santo
Tomas to examine the novel.
The Attacks of Noli Me Tangere
 The committee that examined the Noli Me
Tangere were composed of Dominican
professors.
 The report of the faculty members form UST
about the Noli states that the novel was:
 Heretical, impious and scandalous in
the religious orders, and anti-
patriotic, subversive of public order,
injurious to the government of Spain
and its function in the Philippines
Islands in the political order.
1. The Attacks of Noli Me Tangere
 Governor-General Terrero – was not satisfied
with the report so he sent the novel to the
Permanent Commission of Censorship which
was composed of priests and lawyers
 Fr. Salvador Font – Augustinian friar curate of
Tondo was the head of the commission.
 The group found that the novel
contain subversive ideas against the
Church and Spain and recommended
that the importation, reproduction
and circulation of the pernicious
book in the islands be absolutely
prohibited.
1. The Attacks of Noli Me Tangere
 The newspaper published Font’s written
report
 The banning of the Noli Me Tangere served to
make it popular
 The masses supported the book.
1. The Attacks of Noli Me Tangere
• Fr. Jose Rodrigues – Augustinian Prior of
Guadalupe
 Published a series of 8 pamphlets
under the heading Questions of
 Supreme Interest to blast the Noli
and other anti- Spanish writing.
 Copies of anti-Rizal pamphlets were
sold after mass
 Many Filipinos were forced to buy
them in order not to displease the
friars.
1. Noli Me Tangere in Spain
• The novel was fiercely attacked in the session
hall of the Senate of the Spanish Cortes.
• Senators:
 General Jose de Salamanca
 General Luis Pando
 Sr. Fernando Vida
• Vicente Barantes - Spanish academician of
Madrid who formerly occupied high
government position on the Philippines
bitterly criticized the novel in an article
published in the Madrid newspaper, Las
Españ a Moderna.
1. Defenders of Noli Me Tangere
• Propagandists such as Mercelo H. del Pilar,
Granciano Lopez-Jeana, Antonio Ma. Regidor,
Mariano Ponce rushed to uphold the truths of
the Noli.
• Father Francisco de Paula Sanchez –Rizal’s
favorite teacher in Ateneo defended and
praised the novel in public.
1. Defenders of Noli Me Tangere
• Don Segismundo Moret –former Minister of
the Crown.
• Prof. Miguel Morayta –historian and state
man
• Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt –Rizal’s best
friend
1. Defenders of Noli Me Tangere
• Rev. Fr. Vicente Garcia –a Filipino Catholic
priest-scholar, a theologian of the Manila
Cathedral and a Tagalog translator of the
famous Imitation of Christ by Thomas
Kempis.
 Under the pen name Justo Desiderio
Magalang he wrote a defense of the
novel published in Singapore dated
July 8, 1888.
1. Defenders of Noli Me Tangere
2. Rizal cannot be an “ignorant man” as Fr.
Rodriguez alleged, because he was a
graduated of Spanish universities and was a
recipient of scholastic honors.
3. Rizal does not attack the Church and Spain
because what Rizal attacked in the Noli Me
Tangere were the bad Spanish officials and
not Spain, and the bad corrupt friars and not
the Church.
4. Father Rodriguez said the those who read the
Noli Me Tangere committed a mortal sin.
Since he (Fr. Rodriguez) had read the novel
therefore he also committed mortal sin.
5. Defenders of Noli Me Tangere
• Rizal cried because of his gratitude to his
defenders especially to Fr. Garcia who
defended him unexpectedly.
• Rizal was untouched in Calamba because he
was with a body guard.
• Upon hearing about the investigation, the
people of Calamba asked helped from Rizal to
gather facts and list the grievances so that the
government to impose certain reforms.
1. Defenders of Noli Me Tangere
• After a thorough study of the conditions of
the Calamba hacienda which the Dominician
Order owned since 1883.
• He wrote down his findings the tenants and
the 3 officials of the hacienda signed on
January 8, 1888 and was submitted to the
governor general for action.
Findings submitted by Rizal
• The hacienda of the Dominican Order
Comprised not only the lands around
Calamba, but the whole town of Calamba.
• The profits of the Dominician order
continuously increased because of the
arbitrary increase of the rentals being paid by
the tenants.
• The hacienda owner never contributed a
single centavo for the celebration of the town
fiesta; for the education of the children and
for the improvement of agriculture.
Findings submitted by Rizal
• Tenants who had spent much labor clearing
the lands were ejected from their lands for
flimsy reasons.
• High rates of interest were charged from the
tenants for delayed payment of rentals and;
• When the rental could not be paid, their
carabaos, tools, and homes were confiscated.
1. Friars Reaction
• Rizal’s exposure to deplorable condition
angered the friars.
• The friars exerted pressure to Malacañ ang to
eliminate Rizal.
1. Friars Reaction
• They asked Gov. Gen Terrero to deport Rizal
but the latter refused for there is lack of
charges against Rizal court.
• Anonymous threats in Rizal’s life alarmed his
parents, siblings, Andrade his bodyguard,
friends, and even Terrero, thus they all
advised him to leave the country.
1. Rizal’s reasons for leaving the Philippines
• His presence in Calamba is endangering the
safe and happiness of his family and friends.
• He could fight better his enemies and serve
his country efficiently by writing in foreign
countries.
Himno Al Trabajo
• A poem for Lipa –shortly before Rizal left in
1888, he was asked by a friend to write a
poem in commemoration of the town’s
cityhood.
• Himno Al Trabajo (Hymn To Labor) –title of
the poem dedicated o the industrious people
of Lipa.
1. Farewell Philippines
• On February 3, 1888 Rizal left his country
with a heavy heart.
• But this is for his own good and the safety of
his family and friends.