RIZAL’S LIFE ABROAD other students from different countries (Cuba,
Mexico, Argentina).
IN SUNNY SPAIN (1832-1885)
● Being disgusted with the antiquated method of
instruction in UST and the racial prejudice of
Dominican professors against Filipino students,
Rizal decided to complete his studies in Spain.
Aside from this given reason, Rizal also has a
secret mission.
● Secret mission of Rizal: To observe keenly the life
and culture, languages and customs, industries
and commerce, and government and laws of
the European nations in order to prepare himself
in the mighty task of liberating his oppressed
people from Spanish tyranny.
● His departure for Spain was kept secret to avoid
detection by the Spanish authorities and the
friars. He also used his cousin’s name Jose
Mercado. The kind Jesuit priests gave him letters
of recommendation to the members of their
Society in Barcelona.
● Travel route: Singapore-Colombo-passed Suez
Canal-Naples-Marseilles-Barcelona
● In all his travels, Rizal observed and described
the places he saw. He also played chess and
mingled with the other passengers.
● Barcelona. At first, his first impression of Barcelona
was unfavorable but latter liked the city for its
atmosphere of freedom and liberalism, and
found its people to be open-hearted, hospitable
and courageous.
● He met with Filipinos in Barcelona, which gave
him a pasty in Plaza de Cataluña. In Barcelona,
he also wrote under the pen name Laong Laan
the nationalistic essay entitled "Amor Patrio"
(love of country), which was published in
Diariong Tagalog (first bilingual newspaper in
Manila). Originally in Spanish but translated in
Tagalog by M.H. Del Pilar. Like his "To the Filipino
youth", the article urged his compatriots to love
their fatherland.
● News from home. Cholera was ravaging Manila
and the provinces; Leonor Rivera was getting
thinner because of the absence of a loved one.
Thus, Paciano advised his brother to finish his
studies in Madrid.
● Life in Madrid. Rizal enrolled in the University
Central de Madrid in two courses - Medicine and
Philosophy and Letters. Aside from this, Rizal
studied painting and sculpture in the Academy
of Fine Arts of San Fernando: took lessons in
French, German and English under private tutors;
and practiced fencing and shooting in the Hall
of Arms of Sanz y Carbonell.
● He led a Spartan life and spent his leisure hours
reading and writing. His also spends his money
buying books and lottery tickets. During summer
twilights, he sipped coffee and fraternized with
● He was attracted to Consuelo Ortiga y Perez but
their romance didn't blossom into a serious affair
for he was still engaged to Lonor and his friend
Eduardo de Lete loved Consuelo.
● Shortly after arriving in Madrid, Rizal joined the
Circulo Hispano Filipino, a society of Spaniards
and Filipinos Upon the request of the members,
he wrote a sad poem entitled, "Me Piden Versos"
(They ask me for Verses).
● Rizal read a lot of books while in Madrid and was
deeply affected by Beecher Stowe's "Uncle
Tom's Cabin" and Eugene's "The Wandering Jew"
which both aroused his sympathy for the
oppressed and unfortunate people.
● Rizal visited Paris on his first summer vacation. He
was attracted by the sights in Paris and improved
his mind by observing museums, libraries, art
galleries and even hospitals.
● Rizal was impressed by the way the Spanish
Masons openly and freely criticized the
government policies and attacked the friars,
which could not be done in the Philippines. Thus,
he joined the Masonic Lodge called "Acacia" in
Madrid and later transferred to "Lodge
Solidaridad". His reason for joining the Masonry
was to secure Freemasonry's aid in the fight
against the friars in the Philippines by utilizing
Freemasonry as his shield to combat friars who
used religion as their shield. He also wrote a
lecture entitled "Science, Virtue and Labor" for
the Masonry.
● Rizal experienced problems in financial matters
during his stay in Madrid due to their farm's
harvest failure and rental increase.
● At the banquet on the evening of June 25, 1884,
which was sponsored by Filipinos, Rizal delivered
a speech to celebrate the victory of Antonio
Luna's Spolarium (first prize) and Felix Hidalgo's
Christian Virgins Export 10 the Populace (second
prize) in the National Exposition of Fine Arts in
Madrid. His speech relayed that "genius
transcends racial origins, geographical frontiers
and is universal." He also assailed the blindness
and prejudice of certain unworthy Spaniards
who could not comprehend the universality of
genius.
● Rizal involved in student demonstrations.
● Rizal then completed his medical course in
Spain; conferred the degree of Licentiate in
Medicine by the University Central de Madrid on
June 21, 1884. The next year, he studied and
passed all subjects leading to the degree of
Doctor of Medicine but he was not awarded his
diploma for reason/s that he did not present the
thesis required nor paid the corresponding fees.
More to this, Rizal also completed his Licentiate
in Philosophy and Letters on June 19, 1885 (24th
 birthday). He didn't finish both courses for he ● On October 29, he left Leipzig for Dresden, where
knew that with his brown skin and Asian racial he met, Dr. Adolph Meyer, Director of the
ancestry, no friar-owned university in the Anthropological and Ethnological Museum.
Philippines would accept him in its faculty staff. ● On November 1, Rizal went to Berlin and there he
came into contact with great scientists. He
PARIS TO BERLIN (1885-87) became a member of the following societies:
Anthological Society, Ethnological Society and
● Rizal went to Paris in order to acquire more
the Geographical Society of Berlin.
knowledge in ophthalmology and continue his
● Life in Berlin. The reasons for living in Berlin: 1) to
secret mission. On his way to Paris, he stopped at
gain knowledge in Ophthalmology, 2) to further
Barcelona to visit his friend, Maximo Viola, a
his studies of the science and languages, 3) to
medical student and a member of a rich family
observe the economic and political conditions of
in San Miguel. Bulacan.
the German nation, 4) to associate with famous
● In Berlin, Rizal worked as an assistant to Dr. Louis
German scientist and scholars and 5) to publish
de Werkert (1852-1906), a leading oculist, from
his novel, Noli Me Tangere.
November 1885 to February 1886. Outside his
● Rizal worked as an assistant in the clinic of Dr.
working hours, he visited friends such as Pardo de
Schweigger and attended lectures in the
Taveras, Juna Lana, Felix Resurrection Hidalgo.
University of Berlin. He also kept himself physically
Rizal by determination and practice was also
fit by daily activities and practices speaking
able to play the flute very well. It was also said
German, French and Italian.
that he even composed patriotic songs such as
● He regarded German women as diligent,
Alin Mang Lahi and La Deportacion.
educated and friendly. "Although she dress
● Rizal left Gay Paris and arrived in Heidelberg on
nicely, she is not particular about beautiful and
February 3, 1886. He worked of the University Eye
expensive jewelry", Rizal commented. (Emphasis
Hospital under the direction of Dr. Otto Becker,
on education to gain respect)
distinguished German ophthalmologist, and
● German customs which he observed: Yuletide
attended the lectures of Dr.Becker and Prof.
custom, Self-introduction
Wilheim Kuchne. During his weekend visits, Rizal
● Rizal's Darkest Winter (1886).He lived in poverty
witnessed that the German Catholics and
(eating only one meal a day, composed of
Protestants lived together in harmony and
bread and soup) because no money came from
cordiality.
Calamba. Rizal starved in Berlin; his health broke
● Rizal wrote "To the Flowers of Heidelberg", for
down due to lack of proper nourishment.
Heidelberg's flowers reminded him of the
blooming flowers at the garden of his home in
Calamba. NOLI ME TANGERE PUBLISHED IN BERLIN (1887)
● Rizal spent a three-month summer vacation in
● The lonely winter of 1886 was memorable in the
Wilhelm's field, a mountainous village near
life of Rizal for two reasons (1) it was painful for he
Heidelberg. He stayed at the vicarage of a kind
was hungry and sick and (2) it brought him great
Protestant Poster, Dr. Karl Ullmer.
joy, after enduring so much sufferings, because
● On July 31, 1886, Rizal wrote his first letter in
his first novel "Noli me Tangere" came off the
German to Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt, Director
press in March, 1887.
of the Ateneo of Leitmenritz, Austria. He had
● His reading of Harriet Beecher's Stowe's Uncle
heard of this Austrian ethnologist of his interest in
Tom's Cabin, which portrays the brutalities of
Philippine Languages. From then on, their
American slave-owners and pathetic conditions
friendship lasted all their lives.
of the Negro-slaves, inspired him to prepare a
● Leipzig and Dresden. He arrived in Leipzig on
novel that would depict the miseries of his
August 14, 1886, there he attended some
people.
lectures at the University of Leipzig on History and
● Before his writing of the Noli, Rizal proposed the
Psychology. He also translated Schiller's William
writing of a novel about the Philippines in the
Tell from German into Tagalog (a story of the
reunion of the Filipinos and was unanimously
champion of Swiss Independence) and later
agreed by the Filipino compatriots. However, this
Anderson's Fairy tales (for her nieces and
did not materialize for most wanted to write on
nephews). More to this, he stayed for two months
women and wasted their time gambling and
in a half in Leipzig due to its low cost of living while
flirting with Spanish señoritas.
correcting some chapters of his novel. He cared
● In writing the Noli. After finishing his studies in
money by working as a proofreader in a
Central University of Madrid, he continued
publishing firm.
writing the novel, finishing one-half of the second
half. And the last fourth of the novel in Germany.
 He wrote the last few chapters of the Noli in
Wilhelmsfeld in April-June, 1886.
● Final revisions of the manuscript of Noli were
done on the winter days of February 1886.
However, sick and penniless, he saw no hope in
having it published.
● Dr. Maximo Viola arriving in Berlin shortly before
Christmas Day of 1887, was shocked to find his
friend living in poverty. Upon seeing his friend's
condition, he loaned Rizal some cash money for
living expenses and agreed to finance the
printing of the Noli.
● On February 21, 1887, Noli was finally finished and
ready for printing. They found a printing shop,
Berliner Buchdruckrei-Actier-Cesselschait, which
charged the lowest rate that is 300 pesos for
2,000 copies of the Novel.
● Rizal was suspected a French spy.
● March 21, 1887, Noli came of the press. He sent
copies to his friends and gave the galley proofs
to Voila.
● The Title came from the Bible, Gospel of John
(Chapter 20, Verses 13-17). "Touch Me Not",
● He dedicated his Noli Me Tangere to the
Philippines - To my Fatherland.
● Noli Me Tangere was based on places,
characters and situations that truly existed during
Rizal's time.
● Chapters: "Elias and Salome" and "In the Woods"
were deleted to save printing cost.
● The Noli was praised by his friends and criticized
by his enemies.
RIZAL'S GRAND TOUR OF EUROPE WITH VIOLA
● Having received 1.000 pesos from Paciano, he
paid the sum of P300 to Viola
● Dresden. They visited Adolph B. Meyer. Dr. Jagor
and the Museum of Art.
● He also met Blumentritt at Leitmeritz, Bohemia
and stayed in their house. They also visited scenic
and historic: spots of Leitmeritz.
● Prague. He met with Dr. Willkomm, professor of
Natural History in the University of Prague.
● Vienna. They visited museums, churches, art
galleries, theaters and public parks.
● Travel route. Danubian Voyage to Lintz; from Lintz
to Rheinfall; Switzerland to Geneva Returning in
Madrid he greatly resented the exhibition of
Igorots in the 1887 Madrid Exposition.
FIRST HOMECOMING 1887-88
● Rizal went home for the following reasons: 1) to
operate on his mother's eye; 2) to serve his
people who had long been oppressed by
Spanish tyrants; 3) to find out for himself how the
Noli and his other writings were affecting Filipinos
and Spaniards in the Philippines; and 4) to inquire
why Leonor Rivera remained silent.
● While Rizal was peacefully living in Calamba, he
received a letter from Governor General Emilio
Terrero (18885-88) to come Malacañan Palace.
However, finding no fault in his novel and Rizal
himself. the Gov. Gen. released him but assigned
him a bodyguard, Don Jose Taviel de Andrade,
to protect him against assault.
● His enemies being powerful won the permanent
censorship of the Novel but were unsuccessful in
obstructing the circulation of the Noli
● Attackers of the Noli: Father Font, Father Jose
Rodriguez, General Luis M. de Pardo and Vicente
Barrantes.
● Defenders of the Noli: Filipino Reformists, Father
Sanchez, Don Segismundo Monet, Dr. Miguel
Morayta, Professor Blumentritt and Rev. Vicente
Garcia.
● Rizal and Taviel de Andrade became good
friends. However, Rizal's happy days were halted
by the 1) death of his older sister, Olimpia and 2)
accusations that he was "a spy, a Protestant, a
Mason, a witch, a soul beyond salvation"
● Being influenced by certain fact in the Noli, Gov.
Gen. ordered an investigation to the friar owned
estates. Upon hearing it, the Calamba folks
asked for Rizal's help in gathering the facts and
listing their grievances against the hacienda
management.
● His participation in the said agrarian trouble
further infuriated his enemies. Thus upon the
request of Gov. Gen. Terrero, Rizal was
compelled to leave Calamba for two reasons: 1)
his presence jeopardized the safety and
happiness of his family and friends 2) and he
could fight better his enemies and serve his
country's cause with great efficacy by writing in
foreign countries
IN HONG KONG AND MACAO (1888)
● On February 3, 1888, after a short six months stay
in Calamba, Rizal left Manila for Hongkong. There
he stayed at Victorio Hotel and was welcomed
by the Filipino residents, including Jose Maria
Basa, Balbino Mauricio and Manuel Yriente.
ROMANTIC ADVENTURE IN JAPAN (1888)
● On February 22, 1888, Rizal left Hong Kong and
arrived in Japan on February 28, 1888. He first
stayed in Tokyo Hotel but was latter invited by the
Secretary of Spanish legation, Juan Perez
Caballero, to live with him. He accepted his
invitation. for two reasons: 1) economic expenses
and 2) he had nothing to hide from Spanish
authorities.
● Rizal decided to learn the Spanish language to
avoid humiliation from the Japanese people for
he looks like them but could not speak their
 language. Thus, he was able to speak the
language within a few days. He also studied
Japanese drama, arts, music and judo. He visited
the museums, libraries, galleries and shrines.
● He was favorably impressed with Japan. He was
impressed by the following: beauty of the
country; cleanliness, politeness and industry of the
Japanese people; picturesque dress and simple
charm of Japanese women; few thieves and
beggars are only seen in cities.
● Romance with Seike Usui (O-Sei-San). O-Sei-San
was a lonely Samurai's daughter of 23 years old
and had never yet experienced the ecstasy of
true love. Rizal saw in her the qualities of his ideal
womanhood-beauty, char, modesty and
intelligence. O-Sei-San's beauty and affection
almost tempted Rizal to settle down in Japan and
with it; Rizal was also offered a good job at the
Spanish legation.
● However, due to his libertarian mission to Europe,
he left Japan on April 13, 1888.
● Rizal and Tetcho (Japanese Patriot)
RIZAL'S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES April-May 16
(1888)
● Rizal's good and bad impressions of America: 1)
the material progress of the country as shown in
the great cities, huge farms, flourishing industries
and busy factories; 2) the drive and energy of the
American people; 3) the natural beauty of the
land; 4) the high standard of living; 5) the
opportunities for better life offered to poor
immigrants and 6) there was a lack of racial
equality-racial prejudice existed and inconsistent
practice of principles of democracy and
freedom.
● Rizal as a historian published many works aside
from Morga's Sucesos.
● Articles written while in Paris: The Philippine Within
a Century (views on Spanish colonization) and
The Indolence of the Filipinos (a defense of the
alleged indolence of Flipinos) on Spanish
colonization)
● Rizal with the support of Blumentritt established
the "International Association of Filipinologists"
which aims "to study the Philippines from the
scientific and historical point of view"
● He also wanted to establish a modern Filipino
College in Hong Kong but did not materialize.
● He wrote Por Telefono - a satire which ridicules
Father Font, attacker of Noli.
● Before leaving Paris on January 28, 1890 and
going to Belgium, Rizal visited London to check his
announcement edition of Morga’s Sucesos with
the original copy and to see Gertrude Beckett for
the last time.
IN BELGIAN BRUSSELS (1890)
● He left Paris for two reasons: 1) the cost of living
and 2) the gay social life of the city hampered his
literary works, El Filibusterismo.
● In Brussels. Rizal was busy writing his second novel,
which was a continuation of the Noli, and aside
from these he wrote articles for La Solidaridad
and the letters to his family and friends. Being a
physician, he spent part of his time in the medical
clinic. For recreation, he practiced gymnastics,
target shooting and fencing.
● More to this, Rizal advocated the Filipinization of
the orthography of our language. In his article
published in La Solidaridad, entitled "The New
Orthography of Tagalog Language", he laid down
the rules of the new Tagalog orthography and
with modesty gave credit to Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo
de Tavera's "Sanskrit in the Tagalog Language".
● Our hero also received a letter from Luna and
Ventura regarding the conduct of Filipinos in
Madrid (gambling). In response, he wrote a letter
to M.H. Del Pilar reminding them that they did not
come to Europe to gamble but to work for their
Fatherland's freedom.
● Sad news from home arrived to Rizal, the
Dominican Order filed a suite in court to
dispossess the Rizal family of their lands in
Calamba. Also, tenants were persecuted
including Paciano and his brother-in-law.
● To be with his family, Rizal decided to come
home, although his friends warned him of the
danger, however, due to their family's appeal in
the Supreme Court of Madrid, Rizal went to
Madrid instead to supervise the handling of the
case.
● Romance with Petite Jacoby - a charming
Belgian girl.
MISFORTUNES IN MADRID (1890-91)
● Failure to get justice for family. Sought aid to
Señor Fabie, liberal statesmen (Becerra and
Maura) but nothing happened.
● Jose Ma. Panganiban, his talented co-owner in
the Propaganda Movement, died in Barcelona
on August 19, 1890 after a lingering sickness. Rizal
wrote a eulogy for him.
● Duel with Antonio Luna. (Unsavory remarks about
Nellie Boustead)
● Our hero challenged W.E. Retana to a duel
because of an article accusing his family of not
paying their rents, which resulted in their ejection
from their lands. However, Retana published a
retraction and an apology in newspapers.
● Furthermore, Rizal also received a letter from EL FILIBUSTERISMO PUBLISHED IN GHENT (1891)
Leonor Rivera, announcing her coming marriage
● Our hero began writing his second novel in
to an Englishman and asking for his forgiveness.
October 1887, while practicing medicine in
He was stunned, his eyes dimmed with tears and
Calamba. The following year (1888), in London,
his heart broke.
he made changes in the plot and corrected
● Del Pilar Rivalry in the La Solidaridad broke out.
chapters already written. He wrote more
● Rizal wrote a brief note thanking his compatriots
chapters in Paris and Madrid. He then finished the
for electing him as responsible. Sadly he packed
manuscript in Biarritz. Therefore, three years to
up his bags and took a vacation in the resort city
write the second novel.
of Biarritz.
● Rizal left Brussels for Ghent, a famous university
city in Belgium for the following reasons: 1) the
BIARRITZ VACATION AND ROMANCE WITH NELLY cost of printing in Ghent was cheaper than in
BOUSTEAD Brussels and 2) to escape from the enticing
attraction of Petite Suzanne.
● Our hero stayed with the Boustead family as a
● He sued almost all his funds for the printing of the
family guest. The one-month vacation in Biarritz
novel (FMEYER-VAN LOO PRESS). In order to
worked wonders for Rizal. His sorrowing heart
economize, he lived in a small room and ate in
began to lighten and his health also improved.
the cheapest restaurant.
● As an emotional rebounce, Rizal came to
● On August 6, the printing had to be suspended
entertain considerable affection for Nellie. He
because he could no longer give the necessary
found her a real Filipina, highly intelligent,
funds to the printing press. As with the Noli,
vivacious/spirited in temperament/ personality
Valentin Ventura in Paris learned of his friend's
and morally upright. His sorrowing heart began to
predicament and immediately sent him the
lighten and his health also improved. However,
necessary funds.
Rizal's marriage proposal failed for two reasons: 1)
● At last, on September 18, 1891, El Filibusterismo
he refused to give-up his Catholic faith and be a
came off the press. Sending copies to his friends
Protestant and 2) Nelly's mother did not like Rizal
and in Hong Kong.
as son-in-law.
● The Fili was dedicated to the Martyrdom of the
● Frustrated in romace, Rizal found consolation in
three priest-Gomez, Burgos and Zamora
writing. Evidently, while courting Nellie, he kept
● The Noli is a romantic novel (a work of the heart)
working on his second novel, which he began to
while the Fili is a political novel (a work of the
write in Calamba in 1887. On March 29, 1891, the
head). However, the issue of which is the superior
eve of his departure from Biarritz to Paris, he
novel is purely academic for both depicts the
finished the manuscript of El Filibusterismo.
conditions of the Philippines and the Filipinos
● Rizal went back to Paris and Brussels where
under Spanish rule; both are instrumental in
Jacoby, particularly Petite Suzanne Jacoby,
awakening the Spirit of Filipino nationalism. Both
received him.
are responsible for paving the ground for the
● Since abdicating his leadership in Madrid in
Philippine revolution.
January 1891, our hero retired from the
● Rizal's unfinished novel is about a hero,
Propaganda Movement or reform crusade. He
KAMANDAGAN, who plotted to regain the
desired to publish his second novel, to practice his
freedom of his fathers. It is written in Tagalog and
medical profession and later, when becomes
it is said that Rizal was fortunate to have not
financially independent, pursue a more vigorous
finished this novel for it would have caused
campaign to: his country's redemption.
greater scandal and more Spanish vengeance
● From Brussels, on May 1, 1891, he notified the
on him. Other Unfinished novels: Makamisa,
Propaganda authorities in Manila to cancel his
written in Tagalog: Dapitan, written in ironic
monthly allowance and asked the movement to
Spanish.
devote the money to some better cause, such as
the education of a young Filipino student in
OPHTHALMIC SURGEON IN HONG KONG (1891-92)
Europe.
● Simultaneously, he ceased writing articles for La
● After the publication of El Filibusterismo, he left
Solidaridad. Reasons for this were: 1) he needs
Ghent on October 3, 1891. His reasons for
time to work on his book; 2) he wanted other
Leaving Europe were: 1) life was unbearable
Filipinos to work also and 3) he believes that there
because of his political differences with M.H. Del
should be unity in the work.
Pilar and other Filipinos in Spain and 2) to be near
● In Brussels, Rizal worked day after day revising the
his idolized Philippines and family.
finished manuscript of El Filibusterismo and
● He arrived in Hong Kong on November 20, 1891
readied it for printing. The revision was almost
and was welcomed by the Filipino residents, Jose
completed on May 30, 1891.
 Ma. Basa. He latter established his residence and
opened his medical clinic.
● Before Christmas of 1891, he had a family reunion
in Hong Kong. His mother was 65 years old and
was almost blind. The year before (1890), she was
arrested on the flimsy charge that she was not
using her surname "Realonda"
● To earn a living for himself and his family, he
practiced medicine. A friend, Dr. Lorenzo P.
Marquez, helped him build a wide clientele. He
was an accomplished medical practitioner and
successfully operated his mother's left eye.
● Borneo Colonization Project is the establishment
of a Filipino colony in North Borneo.
● The most important writing made by Rizal during
his stay in Hongkong was the Constitution of the
Liga Filipina.
● Decision to return to Manila. The decision was
spurred by the following: 1) to confer with
Governor Despujol regarding his Borneo
colonization project, 2) to establish the La Liga
Filipina; 3) to prove Eduardo De Lete was wrong
in attacking him in Madrid that he, being
comfortable and safe in Hong Kong, had
abandoned the country's cause.
● Rizal wrote his last Hong Kong letters, which he
gave to Dr. Marquez for safekeeping. In each
envelope, he inscribed, "To be opened after my
death".
● Rizal falls into Spanish trap. Upon the knowledge
of his return in Manila, a secret case was filed in
Manila against him and his followers "for anti-
religious and anti-patriotic agitation"
RIZAL IN LONDON (1888-1889)
● Rizal lived in London from May, 1888 to March,
1889. He chose this English city to be his now
home for three reasons: 1) to improve his
knowledge of the English language; 2) to study
and annotate Morga's Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas; and 3) London was a safe place for him
to carry on his fight against Spanish tyranny
● Life in London. He first stayed as a guest at the
home of Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, an exile of
1872 and a practicing lawyer in London. By the
end of May, he boarded the house of the
Beckett faily, where he met Gertrude "Gettie"
Beckett. He spent much of his time poring over
the pages of Morga's Sucesos and other some
historical works in the Philippines.
● Bad news from home: 1) Persecution of the
Filipino patriots who signed the "Anti-Friar petition
of 1888; 2) Persecution of the Calamba tenants
for the petition of agrarian reforms; 3) Furious
attacks on Rizal; 4) Rizal's brother in law, Manuel
T. Hidalgo, husband of Saturnina, was exiled
without due process; and 5) a friend of Rizal,
Laureano Viado, a medical student at UST, was
arrested and jailed because of copies of Noli.
● However, one good news came from home.
Rev. Vicente Garcia did a brilliant defense on
Noli.
● The greatest achievement of Rizal in London was
the annotation of Morga's Sucesos (Historical
Events of the Philippine Islands) published in
Mexico.
● Short visit to Paris and Spain. He became an
honorary president of Asociación La Solidaridad
(Solidaridad Asociación), which is a patriotic
society that would cooperate in the crusade for
reforms.
● Graciano Lopez Jaena founded the patriotic
newspaper called La Solidaridad in Barcelona,
which served as an organ of the Propaganda
Movement. In aims: 1) to work peacefully for
political and social reforms; 2) to portray the
deplorable conditions of the Philippines; 3) to
oppose the evil forces of reaction and
medievalism; 4) to advocate liberal ideas and
progress; and 5) to champion the legitimate
aspirations of the Filipino people of life,
democracy and happiness.
● Rizal's first article, which appeared in La
Solidaridad, was entitled "The Filipino Farmers"
that depicted the deplorable conditions in the
Philippines, which further caused the
backwardness of the country.
● Writings in London: "The Vision of Fray Rodriguez"
(his defense). "Letter to the Young Women of
Malolos" (importance of education to women),
and "Specimens of Tagal Folklore" and "two
Eastern Fables".
● Romance with Gertrude Beckett. Their friendship
grew into romance but Rizal realized that he
could not marry Gettie for he had a mission to
fulfill in life. Before leaving London on March 19,
1889, he finished four sculptural works, which he
gave to his friend Blumentritt and the Beckett
family.
RIZAL'S SECOND SOJOURN IN PARIS AND THE
UNIVERSAL EXPOSITION OF 1889
● Paris in the spring of 1889 was bursting with
excitement because of the Universal Exposition.
● Rizal spent most of his time in the reading room of
the Bibliotheque Nationale (National Library)
checking up his historical annotations on Morga's
book. In his spare time, he visited friends,
exercised and practiced his fencing at the
gymnasium.
● Rizal and Paris Exposition of 1889 - He visited the
Eiffel Tower and joined the international art
competition.
● During the exposition, he organized his paisanos
(compatriots) into a society called Kidlat club.
 The society was purely a social society and was
founded simply to bring together the young
Filipinos in the French capital to sojourn the city
during the Universal Exposition.
● Moreover, Rizal. seeing the dignified and proud
bearing of American Indians, organized/formed
together with his friends a new society called
"INDIOS BRAVOS", which pledged its members to
excel in intellectual and physical prowess in order
to win the admiration of the foreigners.
● R.D.L.M." (Redemption of the Malays) was another
society founded by Rizal, which was patterned
after the Freemasonry. It aimed to propagate all
useful knowledge-scientific, artistic, literary, etc- in
the Philippines. The Borneo Colonization Project is
also related to the R.D.L.M.
● His outstanding achievement in Paris was the
publication in 1890 of his annotated edition of
Morga's Sucesos and dedicated this new edition
of Morga to the Filipino people so that they would
know of their glorious past. This, work proves that:
Filipinos were already civilized before the advent
of Spain thus blasted the historical heresies of
Spanish writers who claimed that the early
Filipinos were savages and o low mentality.
SECOND HOMECOMING AND THE LIGA FILIPINA
● With his sister Lucia, arrived in Manila on June 26,
1892. Afterwards, he visited his friends in Central
Luzon and had interviews with Governor General
Despujol.
● On the evening of July 3, 1892, our here attended
a of the patriots at the house of the Chinese
mestizo and this paved way to the establishment
of Liga Filipina. The aims of the civic society were
as follows: 1) to unite the whole archipelago into
one compact and homogeneous body; 2)
mutual protection in every want and necessity; 3)
defense against all violence and injustice; 4)
encouragement of education, agriculture and
commerce and 5) study and application of
reforms. The motto of the Liga Filipina: One like All.
● As planned by his enemies, Rizal was charged
during his interview with Despujol of carrying a
leaflet found in Lucia's pillows, “POBRES FRAILES”
which is a satire against Dominican friars.
● Despite his denial and defense, he was arrested
and escorted to Fort Santiago.
● After the investigation, he was deported to
Dapitan under the following reasons: 1) published
books and articles abroad which showed
disloyalty to Spain; 2) possession of anti-friar
documents; 3) El Filibusterismo's dedication to the
three traitor priests, and title page where he wrote
in view the vices and errors of the Spanish
administration and 4) he pursues in his efforts and
writing is to tear from the loyal Filipino the
treasures of holy Catholic Faith.
EXILE IN DAPITAN (1892-96)
• Dapitan (Mindanao) under missionary jurisdiction
of Jesuits
• Steamer Cebu
• Rizal carried a letter from Father Pablo Pastells to
Father Antonio Obach which states that he can
live at the parish convent under certain
conditions: 1) if he retract his errors concerning
religion; 2) if he perform church rites and make a
general confessions and 3) if he conduct himself
in an exemplary manner as a Spanish subject
and a man of religion. But Rizal did not agree.
• He lived in the house of the commandant,
Captain Carnicero
• He wrote a poem entitled “A Don Ricardo
Carnicero” on August 26, 1892 on the birthday of
the captain
• Mail boat Butuan brought news that Lottery
Ticket No. 9736 by Carnicero, Rizal, Francisco
Equilior won second prize of P20,000; Rizal’s share
was 6,200: 2,000 to his father, 200 to Basa, rest to
purchase agricultural lands.
• Rizal had debate with Pastells on religion, Pastells
gave Rizal a copy of Imitacion de Cristo
(Imitation of Christ)
• Duel with Frenchman, Mr. Juan Lardet, for
accusing Rizal that lumber he sold were bad; but
he apologized
• Rizal gave Father Sanchez a manuscript entitled
Estudios sobre la lengua tagala (Studies on the
Tagalog Language)
• Rizal’s encounter with the Friar’s spy, Florencio
Namanan (assumed name: Pablo Mercado)
• Physician
• Water system in Dapitan
• Got rid of malaria
• Established a school in 1893 with three pupils
• Poem entitled ‘Hymn to Talisay”
• Concology, 364 shells representing 203 species
• Draco rizali (flying dragon), Apogania rizali (small
beetle), Rhacophorus rizali (rare frog)
• Bisayan, Subanum, and Malay languages
• “The Mother’s Revenge”, mother-dog eating the
crocodile
• Bust of Father Guerrico, statue of “the Dapitan
Girl”, woodcarving of Josephine Bracken
• Partnership with Ramon Carreon, a Dapitan
merchant
• Most profitable business is the hemp industry
• Cigaretter lighter, sulpukan
• Poem as requested by Dona Teodora, “Mi Retiro”
(My Retreat)
• Death of Leonor Rivera on August 28, 1893
• Josephine Bracken (born on October 3, 1876)
daughter of James Bracken, adopted by
Geroge Taufer
• Poem entitled “Josephine, Josephine”
• Eight-month old baby boy named Francisco
• Katipunan meeting in a little river called Bitukang
Manok on May 2, 1896
• Dr. Pio Valenzuela left Manila on June 15 on
board steamer Venus with blind man Raymundo
Mata
• He objected to Bonifacio’s project because (1)
the people are not ready for a revolution, (2)
arms and funds must first be collected before
raising the cry of revolution
• Offered services a military doctor in Cuba, yellow
fever epidemic
• “The Song of the Traveler” (El Canto del Viajero)
• Four years, thirteen days, and a few hours
LAST TRIP ABROAD, (1896)
• From Dapitan to Manila (Dumaguete, Cebu,
Iloilo, Molo, Capiz) Rizal board the steamer
España (July 31, 1896 – August 6, 1896)
• He visited the Molo Church which he praised for
the interior is painted by a lad and are mostly
copy of biblical scenes from Gustave Dore
• España arrived at Manila Bay and Rizal misses the
mail ship Isla de Panay, he was later then
transferred to the Spanish cruiser Castilla
(Captain Enrique Santalo) by the order of Gov
Gen Ramon Blanco. (August 6, 1896)
• Katipunan’s plot to overthrow Spanish rule by
means of revolution was discovered by Fray
Mariano Gil, Agustinian cura of Tondo. (August
19, 1896)
• The discovery of Katipunan’s plot aggravated
the “Cry of Balintawak” which was raised by
Bonifacio and his valiant Katipuneros (August 26
1896)
• The revolutionists led by Bonifacio and Jacinto
attacked San Juan and Gov Gen Blanco
proclaimed a state of war in the first eight
provinces for rising in arms against Spain
(MaBulCavBatLaPaNeTar) (August 30, 1896)
• Rizal, on board the Castilla the day before his
departure for Spain, he also wrote to his mother
Rizal and was later transferred to the steamer Isla
de Panay which was sailing to Barcelona, Spain.
(September 2, 1896)
• The Isla de Panay arrived (also on board Don
Pedro Roxas and his son Periquin) at Singapore
and Rizal took shopping the day after.
(September 7 – 8, 1896)
• Blanco was Rizal’s implacable foe, who
regarded him as a “dangerous Filipino” who was
responsible for the raging Philippine Revolution,
and therefore plotted his doom.
• Isla de Panay, Rizal on board, left Singapore and
arrived at Barcelona, Rizal now as a prisoner.
(September 8 – October 3 1896)
• Rizal wrote to Blumentritt (September 28, 1896)
• Rizal was imprisoned in Monjuich and was taken
out and brought for an interview to Gen Eulogio
Despujol (Dapitan July 1892), he was later
transferred to Colon which later left Barcelona
(October 6)
LAST HOMECOMING AND TRIAL
• Left Barcelona on October 6, 1896
• Confiscation of Rizal’s diary (October 11)
returned on November 2
• Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor and Sixto Lopez sent
telegrams to lawyer Hugh Fort to rescue Rizal by
means of writ of habeas corpus, but failed since
it was carrying Spanish troops
• Deodato Arellao, Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Moises
Saalvador, Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco,
Temoteo Paez, and Pedro Serrano Laktaw were
tortured to implicate Rizal
• Paciano was arrested and tortured
• Appeared before Judge Advocate Colonel
Francisco Olive
• Documentary evidence (letters, poem entitled
“Kundiman”, poem entitled “A Talisay”)
• Oral testimonies by Martin Constantino, Aguedo
del Rosario, Jose Reyes, Moises Salvador, Jose
Dizon, Domingo Franco, Deodato Arellano,
Ambrosio Salvador, Pedro Serrano Laktaw, Dr Pio
Valenzuela, ANtono Salazar, Francisco Quison,
Timoteo Paez
• November 26, appointed Captain Rafael
Dominguez as Judge Advocate
• Judge Advocate General, Don Nicolas de la
Peña
• Peña’s recommendations: (1) accused
immediately brought to trial, (2) kept in prison, (3)
attachment to property, (4) defended in court by
an army officer
• Don Luis Taviel de Andrade, brother of Lt. Jose
Taviel de Andrade (bodyguard), as defender
• December 13, General Camilo G. de Polavieja
became Governor General of the Philippines
• On December 15, Rizal wrote a manifesto to the
people appealing to stop the revolution but was
not released
• Rizal wrote a letter to Taviel on December 25,
1896
• Trial on December 26 at military building called
Cuartel de España
RIZAL'S MARTYRDOM AT BAGUMBAYAN
• After being court-martialed, Rizal returned to his
cell in Fort Santiago to prepare his rendezvous
with destiny. During his last 24 hours on earth –
from 6:00 A.M. of December 29 to 6:00 A.M. of
December 30, 1896 – he was busy meeting
visitors which including Jesuit priests, Josephine
Bracken and members of his family.
• He was also able to write his last poem – his final
contribution for the emancipation of the Filipino
people. As a Christian and a hero-martyr, he was
 serenely resigned to die for his beloved country,
which he called “Pearl of the Orient Sea” in his
last poem and “Pearl of the Orient’ in the article
entitled “Unfortunate Philippines” published in
The Hongkong Telegraph on September 24, 1892.
LAST HOURS OF RIZAL
December 29, 1896
6:00 A.M. – Captain Rafael Rodriguez read
Rizal’s death sentence – he will be shot at the back
by firing squad at 7:00 A.M. in Bagumbayan.
7:00 A.M. – Rizal was moved to the prison
chapel where he spent his last moments. His first
visitors were Jesuit priests.
7:15 A.M. – Rizal reminded Fr. Luis Viza the
statuette of the Sacred Heart of Jesus whom he
carved with his pen knife as a student in Ateneo.
8:00 A.M. – Rizal had a breakfast with Fr.
Antonio Rosell. After breakfast, his attorney, Lt. Luis
Taviel de Andrade came.
9:00 A.M. – Fr. Frederico Faura arrived. Rizal
reminded the priest of his earlier ‘prophecy’ about
Rizal, that someday he will lose his head for writing
the Noli.
10:00 A.M. – More Jesuit priests had visited
him. After then, he was interviewed by Santiago
Mataix for the newspaper El Heraldo de Madrid.
12:00 – 3:30 P.M. – Rizal was left alone in his
cell. He took his lunch and continued writing his
farewell poem which he hid in an alcohol cooking
stove. He also wrote his last letter to Professor
Blumentritt.
3:30 P.M. – Father Vicente Balaguer returned
to Fort Santiago and discussed with Rizal about his
retraction of the anti- Catholic ideas in his writings
and membership in Masonry.
4:00 P.M. – Teodora Alonzo visited him. They
had a very emotional encounter. Rizal gave the
alcohol cooking stove to Trinidad which contains his
farewell poem.
Several priests have visited him afterwards.
6:00 P.M. – Don Silvino Lopez, dean of the
Manila Cathedral visited him.
8:00 P.M. – Rizal had his last supper. He told
Captain Dominguez that he forgave his enemies
including the military judge’s ho condemned him to
death.
9:30 P.M. – Rizal was visited by Don Gaspar
Cestano, fiscal of the Royal Audience de Manila.
10:00 P.M. – The draft of the retraction letter
sent by the anti-Filipino Archbishop Bernardino
Nozaleda (1890- 1903) was given by Fr. Balaguer to
Rizal for his signature. He had rejected it.
• Upon Rizal’s death, his supposedly ‘retraction
letter’ became of one of the most controversial
documents in our history.
• This ‘retraction letter’ allegedly contains his
renunciation of the Masonry and his ‘anti-
Catholic religious ideas.’
December 30, 1896
3:00 A.M. – Rizal heard Mass, confessed his
sins and took Holy Communion.
5:30 A.M. – He took his last breakfast. After
which he wrote his last letters for his family and his
brother, Paciano.
5:30 A.M. – Josephine Bracken arrived
together with Rizal’s sister, Josefa, with tears in her
eyes, bade him farewell. Rizal embraced her for the
last time, and before she left, Rizal gave her a last gift
– a religious book, Imitation of Christ by Father
Thomas Kempis.
6:00 A.M. – As the soldiers were getting ready
for the death march to Bagumbayan, Rizal wrote his
last letter to his beloved parents.
DEATH MARCH TO BAGUMBAYAN
• At about 6:30 A.M., a trumpet sounded at Fort
Santiago, a signal to begin the death march to
Bagumbayan. Rizal walked calmly with his
defense counsel and two Jesuit priests at his
sides. He was dressed elegantly in a black suit,
black derby hat, black shoes, white shirt and
black tie. His arms were tied behind from elbow
to elbow. There a lot of spectators lining the
street from Fort Santiago to Bagumbayan.
• As he was going through the narrow Postigo
Gate, Rizal looked at the sky and said to one of
the priests: “How beautiful it is today, Father.
What morning could be more serene! How clear
is Corregidor and the mountains of Cavite! On
mornings like this, I used to take a walk with my
sweetheart.” While he was passing in front of the
Ateneo, he saw the college towers above the
walls. He asked: “Is that the Ateneo, Father?”
“Yes”, replied the priest.
MARTYRDOM OF A HERO
• Rizal bade farewell to Fathers March and
Vilaclara and to his defender, Lt. Luis Taviel de
Andrade.
• He requested the commander of the firing squad
that he be shot facing them.
• A Spanish military physician, Dr. Felipe Ruiz
Castillo, asked his permission to feel his pulse.
• The death ruffles of the drums filled the air. Above
the drum beats, the sharp command “Fire” was
heard, and the guns of the firing squad barked.
Rizal, with supreme effort, turned his bullet-
 riddled body to the right, and fell on the ground
dead – with face upward facing the morning
sun. It was exactly 7:03 in the morning – aged 35
years, 5 months and 11 days.
Rizal died as he described in his farewell poem, third
stanza:
“I die just when I see the dawn break,
Through the gloom of night, 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”.
It is also interesting to note that fourteen years before
his execution, Rizal predicted that he would die on
December 30th. He was then a medical student in
Madrid, Spain.
Chapter 8
Noli Me Ta’ngere Published in Berlin (1887)
Learning Objectives:
• To awaken the feelings of his countrymen
• To depict a series of typical Filipino scenes
• To describe the classical types in the country
during that era
• To reveal his excellent gift of observations
• To Expose especially the Dominicans and
Franciscans
The History
- The lonely winter of 1886 was memorable in
the life of Rizal for two reasons (1) it was
painful for he was hungry and sick and (2) it
brought him great joy, after enduring so
much suffering, because his first novel "Noli
me Tangere" came off the press in March
1887.
The Inspiration
• The idea of Writing a Novel on the Philippines
- His reading of Harriet Beecher's Stowe's
Uncle Tom's Cabin, which portrays the
brutalities of American slave-owners and
pathetic conditions of the Negro-slaves,
inspired him to prepare a novel that would
depict the miseries of his people.
- In a reunion of Filipinos in Paterno residence
in Madrid on January 2, 1884, Rizal proposed
the writing of a novel about life in the
Philippines.
- Almost everybody wanted to write about
the character and activities of Filipino
women.
- He is seriously working on the novel. He
started to write his masterpiece "Noli me
Tangere"
The Publication
• The writing of the Noli Me tangere
- In writing the Noli. He began writing the Noli
in Madrid. After finishing his studies at the
Central University of Madrid, he continued
writing the novel, finishing one-half of the
second half in Paris. And the last fourth of the
novel in Germany. He wrote the last few
chapters of the Noli in Wilhelmsfeld in April-
June, 1886.
- Final revisions of the manuscript of Noli were
done on the winter days of February 1886.
However, sick and penniless, he saw no
hope in having it published.
• The Savior of the Novel Noli me tangere
- Dr. Maximo Viola arrived in Berlin shortly
before Christmas Day of 1887, he was
shocked to find his friend living in poverty.
Upon seeing his friend's condition, he loaned
Rizal some cash money for living expenses
and agreed to finance the printing of the
Noli.
- On February 21, 1887, Noli was finally finished
and ready for printing. They found a printing
shop, Berliner Buchdruckrei-Actier-
Cesselschait, which charged the lowest rate
that is 300 pesos for 2,000 copies of the
Novel.
- The chapter 'Elias and Salome' was originally
the chapter 25 of Noli Me Tangere but when
they found the original manuscript, it has a
large 'X' mark on it so that they called it
Chapter X. Rizal removed it during the
actual printing of the book due to financial
issue.
• Rizal was suspected as French spy
- Being fluent in German Language, he
explained to the police chief that he was
not a French Spy, but was a Filipino physician
and scientist.
- The chief was impressed by his explanation
and fascinated by his mastery of the
German Language and personal charisma,
so the police chief allowed him to stay freely
in Germany. Rizal was suspected as French
Spy.
• THE PRINTING OF NOLI WAS FINISHED
- March 21, 1887, Noli came to the press. He
sent copies to his friends including
Blumentritt, and Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, G.
Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce, and Felix R.
Hidalgo.
- March 29, 1887, Rizal, in token of his
 appreciation and gratitude, gave Viola the
galley proofs of the Noli.
• The Title of the novel
- The Title came from the Bible, Gospel of John
(Chapter 20, Verses 13-17). "Touch Me Not".
- The title of Noli me Ta'ngere is a Latin phrase
that means "Touch me Not" or in Tagalog
"Huwag mo akong salingin"
• The Author's Dedication
- He dedicated his Noli Me Tangere to the
Philippines - To his Fatherland.
• The Homecoming
- A few weeks after his stay in Calamba, he
received a letter from the Governor-General
Emilio Terrero requesting him to come to
Malacañang Palace and explain the
subversive (contrary) ideas in the Noli Me
Ta'ngere. Rizal went to see the Governor
General. He denied the charges and
explained that he merely exposed the truth
but he did not advocate subversion.
Pleased by his explanation and curious
about the controversial book, the Governor
General asked for a copy. Rizal promised to
give him one.
- The Governor General assigned a cultured,
Spanish lieutenant named Don Jose Taviel
de Andrade as his bodyguard. Governor
General read the Noli Me Tangere and
found nothing wrong with it. Nonetheless, he
had it banned when the reports were
submitted to him by the Commission of
Censorship calling for its outright censorship.
The banning of the Noli Me Tangere made it
more popular; causing everybody among
the masses to read the novel at night
secretly.
The Cover and symbols of the book
Important Characters
1. Crisostomo Ibarra also known in his full name
as Juan Crisostomo Ibarra y - Magsalin, a
Filipino who studied in Europe for 7 years, the
love interest of Maria Clara Son of the
deceased Don Rafael Ibarra. The main and
most important character in the novel
manifesting in him the Filipino who acquired
European ideas through his education in
Europe.
2. 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. The character that Rizal placed
to represent the Filipino masses who suffered
from Spanish brutalities and abuse due to
their powerlessness in the novel and in the
real Philippines social situation of that time.
3. Maria Clara - Maria Clara de los Santos,
Ibarra's sweetheart; the legitimate daughter
of Father Damaso and Pia Alba. In her, Ibarra
has fallen in-love, she also mirrored the
Filipino woman of religious upbringing and
orientation, and through her love to Ibarra,
and she represents true loyalty and religiosity
of the woman in real Filipino society.
4. Father Damaso - also known in his full name
as Damaso Verdolagas, a friar and Maria
Clara's biological father. An antagonist in
character and represents the in Christian
works for the Catholic friars who are in the
church.
5. Sisa - the mother of Basilio and Crispin who
became insane after losing his sons. She
represented in the novel unfortunate Filipina
mothers losing her two sons; Basilio and
Crispin. In the novel, Sisa loses her sanity.
6. Kapitan 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 leader who
subsequently was a landlord. He represented
a businessman who used his money to work
for him even in religious life and obligations.
7. Pilosopo Tasyo - also known as Don
Anastacio, portrayed in the novel as
pessimistic, 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.
8. Dona Victorina / Victorina de los Reyes de
Espadaña- a woman who poses herself - as a
Peninsulares. Wife of Don Tiburcio de
 Espadana, known in the novel as a trying
hard rich woman who abhors anything that
is Filipino and clings for Spanish way of life.
This kind of character was manifested on
some Filipinos of that time.
9. Pedro - abusive husband of Sisa who loved
cockfighting.
10. Don Rafael Ibarra - known in the plot as a
concerned citizen and property owner who
was a father of Crisostomo Ibarra.
11. 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.
Supporting character
1. Tandang Pablo - The leader of the rebels,
whose family was destroyed because of the
Spaniards.
2. Basilio - the elder son of Sisa.
3. Crispin - the younger son of Sisa who died
from the punishment of the soldiers from the
false accusation of stealing an amount of
money.
4. Padre Sibyla - Hernando de la Sibyla, a
Filipino friar. He is described as short and has
fair skin.
5. Padre Salvi - also known in his full name as
Bernardo Salvi, a secret admirer of Maria
Clara.
6. The Alferez - chief of the Guardia Civil, mortal
enemy of the priests for power in San Diego
7. Don Tiburcio - Spanish husband of Doña
Victorina who was limp and submissive to his
wife; he also pretended to be a doctor.
8. Doña Consolacion, wife of Alferez, another
woman who passed herself as a Peninsular;
best remembered for her abusive treatment
of Sisa. Being the only competitor of Captain
Tiago in godliness, she did everything to
pretend that she was really religious by
showing off to the public what she could
contribute to the Church.
9. Captain General (no specific name) - The
most powerful official in the Philippines; a
hater of secular priests and corrupt officials;
and a friend of Ibarra.
Synopsis of the "Noli"
• Having completed his studies in Europe, Juan
Crisostomo Ibarra came back to the Philippines
after a 7-year absence. In his honor, Captain
Tiago threw a get-together party, which was
attended by friars and other prominent figures. In
an unfortunate incident, former curate Father
Damaso belittled and slandered Ibarra. But
Ibarra brushed off the insult and took no offense.
• Ibarra went to see Maria Clara, his love interest,
a beautiful daughter of Captain. Their long-
standing love was clearly manifested in this
meeting, and Maria Clara cannot help but
reread the letters her sweetheart had written to
her before he went to Europe. Before. Ibarra left
for San Diego, Lieutenant Guevarra, a Guardia
Civil, revealed to him the incidents preceding
the death of his father, Don Rafael Ibarra, a rich
haciendero of the town.
• According to the Lieutenant, Don Rafael was
unjustly accused of being a heretic and filibuster.
Father Damaso's animosity against Ibarra's father
was aggravated by another incident when Don
Rafael helped out on a fight between a tax
collector and a student fighting, and the former's
death was blamed on him, although it was not
deliberate. Suddenly, all of those who thought ill
of him surfaced with additional complaints.
• He was imprisoned, and just when the matter
was almost settled, he got sick and died in jail.
Still not content with what he had done, Father
Damaso arranged for Don Rafael's corpse to be
dug up and transferred from the Catholic
cemetery to the Chinese cemetery, because he
thought it inappropriate to allow a heretic such
as Don Rafael to have a Catholic burial ground.
Unfortunately, it was raining and because of the
bothersome weight of the cadaver, the men in
charge of the burial decided to throw the corpse
into lake.
• Revenge was not in Ibarra's plans; instead he
carried thought his father's plan of putting up a
school, since he believed that education would
pave the way to his country's progress. During
the inauguration of the school, Ibarra would
have been killed in a sabotage had Elias - a
mysterious man who had warned Ibarra earlier of
a plot to assassinate him. Instead, the hired killer
met an unfortunate incident and died. The
sequence of events proved to be too traumatic
for Maria Clara who got seriously ill but was luckily
cured by the medicine Ibarra sent to her.
• After the inauguration, Ibarra hosted a luncheon
during which Father Damaso, uninvited and
gate-crashing the luncheon, again insulted him.
Ibarra ignored the priest's insolence, but when
the latter slandered the memory of his dead
father, he was no longer able to restrain himself
at Father Damaso, prepared to stab the latter for
his imprudence. As a consequence, Father
Damaso excommunicated Ibarra. Father
Damaso took this opportunity to persuade the
already-hesitant father of Maria Clara to forbid
his daughter from marrying Ibarra. The friar
wished to marry a Peninsular named Linares who
has arrived from Spain.
• With the help of Captain-General, Ibarra's
excommunication was nullified and the
Archbishop decided to accept him as a
 member of the Church once again. But, as fate
would have it, some incident of which Ibarra had
known nothing about was blamed on him, and
he was wrongly arrested and imprisoned. But the
accusation against him was overruled because
during the litigation that followed, nobody could
testify that he was indeed involved.
Unfortunately, his letter to Maria Clara somehow
got into the hands of the jury and was
manipulated such that it then became evidence
against him.
• Meanwhile, in Captain Tiago's residence, a party
was being held to announce the upcoming
wedding of Maria Clara and Linares. Ibarra, with
the help of Elias, took this opportunity and
escaped from prison. But before leaving, Ibarra
talked to Maria Clara and accused her for
betraying him, thinking that she gave the letter
to wrote her to the jury. Maria Clara explained to
Ibarra that she will never conspire against him
but that she was forced to surrender Ibarra's
letter to her in exchange for the letters written by
her mother even before she, Maria Clara, was
born. The child and that she, Maria Clara, was
therefore not the daughter of Captain Tiago, but
of Father Damaso.
• Afterwards, Ibarra and Elias bounded a boat
and left the palace. Elias instructed Ibarra to lie
down and the former covered the latter with
grass to conceal the latter's presence. As luck
would have it, they were spotted by their
enemies. Elias thought he could outsmart them
and jumped into the water. The guards rain shots
on the person in the water, not knowing that they
were aiming at the wrong man.
• Maria Clara, thinking that Ibarra has been killed
in the shooting incident, was greatly overcome
with grief. Robbed of hope and severe disillusion,
she asked Father Damaso to confine her into a
nunnery. Father Damaso reluctantly agreed
when Maria Clara threatened to take her own
life, demanding, "the nunnery or death!"
Unbeknown to her, Ibarra is still alive and able to
escape. It was Elias who had taken the shots. It
was Christmas Eve when Elias woke up in the
forest, gravely wounded and barely alive. It was
in the forest that Elias found Basilio and his lifeless
mother, Sisa.
Noli praised by his friends
- Friends of Rizal hailed the novel, praising it in
glowing colors.
- However, Rizal’s enemies condemned it.
• Ferdinand Blumentritt
- Rizal wrote to Blumentritt – “The government
and the friars will probably attack the work,
refuting my statements, but I trust in the God
of Truth and in the person who has actually
seen our sufferings.”
- Blumentritt read Rizal’s novel and praised it
saying “As we Germans say – written with the
blood of the heart and so the heart also
speaks.” Rizal being an extraordinary
person.
• Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor
- a Filipino patriot and lawyer exiled due to his
complicity in the Cavite mutiny of 1872. He
was an avid reader of Noli and was very
much impressed on it. Rizal’s Friends Praise
the Noli.
Relating Noli me ta’ngere to the present times
- Abuse
- Injustice
- Corruption
- Poverty
Moral Lesson
- Sacrifice
- Promote Nationalism
- Accept the changes in ourselves
- Being open-minded about everything
that happened around us.
- Fight for what is right.
- Eye opener
“I have to believe much in God because I have lost
my faith in man.” ― José Rizal, Noli Me Tángere
(Touch Me Not)
SUMMARY OF HIS ROMANCES (ABROAD-DEATH)
Consuelo Ortiga y Perez – Madrid (did not turn
serious because of Rizal’s engagement to Leonor,
and his friend’s affection towards Consuelo)
O-Sei-San – Japan (almost tempted to settle down
yet he had to carry on his “mission”)
Gertrude Beckett – London (also did not turn serious
as he had to fulfill his mission in life)
Suzanne Jacoby – Brussels, Belgium (seemingly an
unrequited love)
Nellie Boustead – Biarritz, France (failed
proposal/engagement)
Josephine Bracken – Dapitan (during his exile)