Life and works of Rizal

JOSE RIZAL, the national hero of the Philippines and pride of the Malayan race, was born
on June 19, 1861, in the town of Calamba, Laguna. He was the seventh child in a family of 11
children (2 boys and 9 girls). Both his parents were educated and belonged to distinguished
families. His father, Francisco Mercado Rizal, an industrious farmer whom Rizal called "a model
of fathers," came from Biñan, Laguna; while his mother, Teodora Alonzo y Quintos, a highly
cultured and accomplished woman whom Rizal called "loving and prudent mother," was born in
Meisic, Sta. Cruz, Manila.
At the age of 3, he learned the alphabet from his mother; at 5, while learning to read and
write, he already showed inclinations to be an artist. He astounded his family and relatives by his
pencil drawings and sketches and by his moldings of clay. At the age 8, he wrote a Tagalog poem,
"Sa Aking Mga Kabata," the theme of which revolves on the love of one's language. In 1877, at
the age of 16, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree with an average of "excellent" from the
Ateneo Municipal de Manila. In the same year, he enrolled in Philosophy and Letters at the
University of Santo Tomas, while at the same time took courses leading to the degree of surveyor
and expert assessor at the Ateneo. He finished the latter course on March 21, 1877 and passed the
Surveyor's examination on May 21, 1878; but because of his age, 17, he was not granted license
to practice the profession until December 30, 1881. In 1878, he enrolled in medicine at the
University of Santo Tomas but had to stop in his studies when he felt that the Filipino students
were being discriminated upon by their Dominican tutors.
On May 3, 1882, he sailed for Spain where he continued his studies at the Universidad
Central de Madrid. On June 21, 1884, at the age of 23, he was conferred the degree of Licentiate
in Medicine and on June 19,1885, at the age of 24, he finished his course in Philosophy and Letters
with a grade of "excellent." Having traveled extensively in Europe, America and Asia, he mastered
22 languages. These include Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew,
Italian, Japanese, Latin, Malayan, Portuguese, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Tagalog, and other
native dialects. A versatile genius, he was an architect, artists, businessman, cartoonists, educator,
economist, ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist, linguist, musician,
mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, ophthalmic surgeon, poet, propagandist, psychologist,
scientist, sculptor, sociologist, and theologian. He was an expert swordsman and good shot.
 In the hope of securing political and social reforms for his country and at the same time
educate his countrymen, Rizal, the greatest apostle of Filipino nationalism, published, while in
Europe, several works with highly nationalistic and revolutionary tendencies. In March 1887, his
daring book, NOLI ME TANGERE, a satirical novel exposing the arrogance and despotism of the
Spanish clergy, was published in Berlin; in 1890 he reprinted in Paris, Morga's SUCCESSOS DE
LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS with his annotations to prove that the Filipinos had a civilization worthy
to be proud of even long before the Spaniards set foot on Philippine soil; on September 18, 1991,
EL FILIBUSTERISMO, his second novel and a sequel to the NOLI and more revolutionary and
tragic than the latter, was printed in Ghent.
Because of his fearless exposures of the injustices committed by the civil and clerical
officials, Rial provoked the animosity of those in power. This led himself, his relatives and
countrymen into trouble with the Spanish officials of the country. As a consequence, he and those
who had contacts with him, were shadowed; the authorities were not only finding faults but even
fabricating charges to pin him down. Thus, he was imprisoned in Fort Santiago from July 6, 1892
to July 15, 1892 on a charge that anti-friar pamphlets were found in the luggage of his sister Lucia
who arrive with him from Hong Kong. While a political exile in Dapitan, he engaged in agriculture,
fishing and business; he maintained and operated a hospital; he conducted classes- taught his pupils
the English and Spanish languages, the arts. The sciences, vocational courses including agriculture,
surveying, sculpturing, and painting, as well as the art of self defense; he did some researches and
collected specimens; he entered into correspondence with renowned men of letters and sciences
abroad; and with the help of his pupils, he contracted water dam and a relief map of Mindanao-
both considered remarkable engineering feats.
His sincerity and friendliness won for him the trust and confidence of even those assigned
to guard him; his good manners and warm personality were found irresistible by women of all
races with whom he had personal contacts; his intelligence and humility gained for him the respect
and admiration of prominent men of other nations; while his undaunted courage and determination
to uplift the welfare of his people were feared by his enemies. When the Philippine Revolution
started on August 26, 1896, his enemies lost no time in pressing him down. They were able to
enlist witnesses that linked him with the revolt and these were never allowed to be confronted by
him. Thus, from November 3, 1986, to the date of his execution, he was again committed to Fort
Santiago. In his prison cell, he wrote an untitled poem, now known as "Ultimo Adios" which is
considered a masterpiece and a living document expressing not only the hero's great love of
country but also that of all Filipinos. After a mock trial, he was convicted of rebellion, sedition
and of forming illegal association. In the cold morning of December 30, 1896, Rizal, a man whose
35 years of life had been packed with varied activities which proved that the Filipino has capacity
to equal if not excel even those who treat him as a slave, was shot at Bagumbayan Field.

Rizal as to Compare with other Asian heroes

Rizal and Sun Yat sen - - Sun Yat-sen has been attributed as the 'Father of the Chinese
Revolution' but this may not be totally acceptable. To regard Sun as solely responsible for the
making of the Chinese Revolution was but a fantastic inflation by hagiographers. It unfairly
neglects the work of other revolutionaries like Huang Hsing who were also decisive in creating
the Chinese Republic. Again, Sun has been termed an idealist rather than a statesman, an easy prey
to any plausible new ideas.' Some went to the extreme to say that Sun had nothing to do with the
actual work of overthrowing the monarchy because the revolution was finished when he reached
China. To accept this last view would mean a total rejection of the significance of Sun in the
revolutionary movement and in the history of modern China. Yet this criticism was again not based
on historical fact. For it is true that he was away when the Wuchang rising broke out. But well
before the outbreak of the revolution, it was Sun that spread the revolutionary idea and urged for
the support of the revolution. Even during the revolution, he sought for the neutrality of the Powers.
Other contributing factors -- The other causes which contributed to the collapse of the Manchu
rule in which Sun played little or no part need to be scrutinized. The Chinese revolutionary
movement in general started well before Sun's advocacy. People of different walks of life had
perceived the decadence of the Manchu rule and the threat of foreign imperialism. Intellectuals,
especially, yearned for either reforms or revolution in place of the Manchu dynasty. They knew
the essential difference between an ethnic dynasty and the concept of modern nationalism.
Anti-Manchu feelings were also facilitated by the constitutional movement starting from
1905. Constitutionalists gathered together to debate and discuss vital current and political issues.
They became the people who resisted Manchu re-centralisation program and seceded from
Manchu rule immediately after the Wuchang Uprising.
The political, social and economic problems which coalesced with the railway controversy
in 1910 and 1911 also produced a revolutionary atmosphere conducive to insurrections. The
Railway Protection Clubs' movement became the focal point of anti-Manchu rule. The reallocation
of troops into Szechuan, leaving Hunan and Hupei militarily semi-empty, finally provided the
revolutionary spark.
Rizal and Mahatma Ghandi - Mahatma Gandhi and Indian Freedom MovementMahatma
Gandhi was an important part of Indian independence movement even when he was not in the
country. He noticed the political condition of the country while he was still in South Africa and
urged his countrymen to observe non-violence and remain truthful in order to achieve freedom
from the British.
Rizal and Mother Teresa - mother Teresa of Calcutta, the champion of poor and needy was
beatified on 19th October 2003 by Pope John Paul II, after she died in 1997. After her death,
Mother Teresa came to be regarded as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church and her beatification
was the first step on her path to sainthood. The ceremony of the beatification of this Macedonian
nun who dedicated her life to humanity, took place in Rome leading to an immense increase in her
popularity and people's belief in her vocation.

Rizal's Social and poltical Ideas

That body of knowledge relating to society including the wisdom which man's experience
in society has taught him is social philosophy. The facts dealt with are principles involved in nation
building and not individual social problems. The subject matter of this social philosophy covers
the problems of the whole race, with every problem having a distinct solution to bolster the people's
Social knowledge. man in society; influential factors in human life;racial problems;social
constant,social justice;social ideal;poverty and wealth; reforms;youth and greatness;history and
progress; future Philippines.
The above dealt with man's evolution and his environment, explaining for the most part
human behavior and capacities like his will to live; his desire to possess happiness; the change of
his mentality; the role of virtuous women in the guidance of great men; the need for elevating and
inspiring mission; the duties and dictates of man's conscience; man's need of practicing gratitude;
the necessity for consulting reliable people; his need for experience; his ability to
deny; the importance of deliberation; the voluntary offer of man's abilities and possibilities; the
ability to think, aspire and strive to rise; and the proper use of hearth, brain and spirit-all of these
combining to enhance the intricacies, beauty and values of human nature. All of the above served
as Rizal's guide in his continuous effort to make over his be.
In Rizal's political view, a conquered country like the Philippines should not be taken
advantage of but rather should be developed, civilized, educated and trained in the science of self-
government.
He bitterly assailed and criticized in publications the apparent backwardness of the Spanish
ruler's method of governing the country which resulted the bondage and slavery of the conquered
the Spanish government's requirement of forced labor and force military service upon the n natives;
the abuse of power by means of exploitation; the government ruling that any complaint against the
authorities was criminal; andMaking the people ignorant, destitute and fanatic, thus discouraging
the formation of a national sentiment.
Rizal's guiding political philosophy proved to be the study and application of reforms, the
extension of human rights, the training for self government and the arousing of spirit of discontent
over oppression, brutality, inhumanity, sensitiveness and self love.loved Philippines.

Rizal's Novels
Noli Me Tangere - Having completed his studies in Europe, young Juan Crisostomo Ibarra comes
back to the Philippines after a 7-year absence. In his honor, Captain Tiago throws a get-together
party, which is attended by friars and other prominent figures. In an unfortunate incident, former
curate Father Dámaso belittles and slanders Ibarra. But Ibarra brushes off the insult and takes no
offense; he instead politely excuses himself and leaves the party because of an allegedly important
task.
The day after the humbling party, Ibarra goes to see María Clara, his love interest, a
beautiful daughter of Captain Tiago and an affluent resident of Binondo, Manila. Their long-
standing love is clearly manifested in this meeting, and María Clara cannot help but reread the
letters her sweetheart had written her before he went to Europe. Before Ibarra left for San Diego,
Lieutenant Guevara, a guardia civil, reveals to him the incidents preceding the death of his father,
Don Rafael Ibarra, a rich hacendero of the town.
According to the Lieutenant, Don Rafael was unjustly accused of being a heretic, in
addition to being a filibuster- an allegation brought forth by Father Dámaso because of Don
Rafael's non-participation in the Sacraments, such as Confession and Mass. Father Dámaso's
animosity against Ibarra's father is 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 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 the lake. [1]
Revenge was not in Ibarra's plans; instead he carries through his father's plan of putting up
a school, since he believes that education would pave the way to his country's progress (all over
the novel the author refers to both Spain and the Philippines as two different countries which form
part of a same nation or family, being Spain the mother and the Philippines the daughter).
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-not saved him.
Instead the hired killer met an unfortunate incident and died. The sequence of events proved to be
too traumatic for María Clara who got seriously ill but was luckily cured by the medicine Ibarra
sent her
After the inauguration, Ibarra hosts a luncheon during which Father Dámaso, uninvited and
gate-crashing the luncheon, again insults him. Ibarra ignores the priest's insolence, but when the
latter slanders the memory of his dead father, he is no longer able to restrain himself and lunges at
Father Dámaso, prepared to stab the latter for his impudence. As a consequence, Dámaso
excommunicates Ibarra. Father Dámaso takes this opportunity to persuade the already-hesitant
father of Maria Clara to forbid his daughter from marrying Ibarra. The friar wishes María Clara to
marry a Peninsular named Linares who just arrived from Spain.
With the help of the Captain-General, Ibarra's excommunication is nullified and the
Archbishop decides 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 is blamed on him, and he is wrongly
arrested and imprisoned. But the accusation against him is overruled because during the litigation
that followed, nobody could testify that he was indeed involved. Unfortunately, his letter to Mara
Clara somehow gets into the hands of the jury and is manipulated such that it then becomes
evidence against him.
Meanwhile, in Captain Tiago's residence, a party is being held to announce the upcoming
wedding of Maria Clara and Linares. Ibarra, with the help of Elías, takes this opportunity and
escapes from prison. But before leaving, Ibarra talks to Mara Clara and accuses her of betraying
him, thinking that she gave the letter he wrote her to the jury. Mara Clara explains 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, María Clara, was born. The letters
were from her mother, Pia Alba, to Father Damaso alluding to their unborn child; and that she,
Maria Clara, is therefore not the daughter of Captain Tiago, but of Father Dámaso.
Afterwards, Ibarra and Elias board a boat and flee the place. Elías instructs Ibarra to lie
down and the former covers the latter with grass to conceal the latter's presence. As luck would
have it, they are spotted by their enemies. Elias thinks he could outsmart them and jumps into the
water. The guards rain shots on the person in the water, all the while not knowing that they are
aiming at the wrong man.
Maria Clara, thinking that Ibarra has been killed in the shooting incident, is greatly
overcome with grief. Robbed of hope and severely disillusioned, she asks Father Dámaso to
confine her into a nunnery. Father Dámaso reluctantly agrees when Mara Clara threatens to take
her own life. demanding, "the nunnery or death!"(2] Unbeknownst to her, Ibarra is still alive and
able to escape. It was Elías who has taken the shots. It is Christmas Eve when Elias wakes up in
the forest, gravely wounded and barely alive. It is in this forest that Elias finds Basilio and his
lifeless mother, Sisa.
El Filibusterismo - Thirteen years after he left the Philippines, Juan Crisostomo Ibarra (the
main character from Noli Me Tangere) returned as Simoun, a rich jeweler sporting a beard and
blue-tinted glasses, and a confidant of the Governor-General of the Philippines Captain-General.
Abandoning his idealism, he becomes a cynical saboteur, the titular Filibuster (military)
filibustero, seeking revenge against the Spanish Philippines system responsible for his misfortunes
by plotting a revolution. Simon insinuates himself into Manila high society and influences every
decision of the Captain-General to mismanage the country's affairs so that a revolution will break
out. He cynically sides with the upper classes, encouraging them to commit abuses against the
masses so that the latter would be encouraged to revolt against the oppressive Spanish colonial
regime. This time, he does not attempt to fight the authorities through legal means, but through
violent revolution using the masses. Simon has reasons for instigating a revolution. First is to
rescue María Clara from the convent and second, to get rid of ills and evils of Philippine society.
His true identity is discovered by a now grown-up Basilio while visiting the grave of his mother,
Sisa, as Simon was digging near the grave site for his buried treasures. Simon spares Basilio's life
and asks him to join in his planned revolution against the government, egging him on by bringing
up the tragic misfortunes of the latter's family. Basilio declines the offer as he still hopes that the
country's condition will improve.
Basilio, at this point, is a graduating student of medicine at the Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo Municipal de Manila. After the death of his mother, Sisa, and the disappearance of his
younger brother, Crispin, Basilio heeded the advice of the dying boatman, Elias, and traveled to
Manila to study. Basilio was adopted by Captain Tiago after Mara Clara entered the convent.
With Captain Tiago's help, Basilio was able to go to Colegio de San Juan de Letrán where, at first,
he is frowned upon by his peers and teachers not only because of the color of his skin but also
because of his shabby appearance which he also experience at Ateneo. Captain Tiago's confessor,
Father Irene is making Captain Tiago's health worse by giving him opium even as Basilio tries
hard to prevent Captain Tiago from smoking it. He and other students want to establish a Spanish
language academy so that they can learn to speak and write Spanish language in the Philippines
Spanish despite the opposition from the Dominican Order Dominican friars of the University of
Santo Tomas Universidad de Santo Tomas. With the help of a reluctant Father Irene as their
mediator and Don Custodio's decision, the academy is established; however they will only serve
as caretakers of the school not as the teachers. Dejected and defeated, they hold a mock celebration
at a panciteria while a spy for the friars witnesses the proceedings.
Simon, for his part, keeps in close contact with the bandit group of Kabesang Tales, a
former cabeza de barangay who suffered misfortunes at the hands of the friars. Once a farmer
owning a prosperous sugarcane plantation and a cabeza de barangay (barangay head), he was
forced to give everything to the greedy and unscrupulous Spanish friars. His son, Tano, who
became a civil guard was captured by bandits, his daughter Juli had to work as a maid to get enough
ransom money for his freedom; and his father, Tandang Selo, suffered a stroke and became mute.
Before joining the bandits, Tales took Simon's revolver while Simon was staying at his house for
the night. As payment, Tales leaves a locket that once belonged to María Clara. To further
strengthen the revolution, Simon has Quiroga, a China|Chinese man hoping to be appointed consul
to the Philippines, smuggle weapons into the country using Quiroga's bazaar as a front. Simon
wishes to attack during a stage play with all of his enemies in attendance.
He, however, abruptly aborts the attack when he learns from Basilio that Maria Clara had
died earlier that day in the convent.
A few days after the mock celebration by the students, the people are agitated when
disturbing posters are found displayed around the city. The authorities accuse the students present
at the pancitería of agitation and disturbing peace and has them arrested. Basilio, although not
present at the mock celebration, is also arrested. Captain Tiago dies after learning of the incident
and as stated in his will forged by Father Irene, all his possessions are given to the Church, leaving
nothing for Basilio. Basilio is left in prison as the other students are released. A high official tries
to intervene for the release of Basilio but the Captain-General, bearing grudges against the high
official, coerces him to tender his resignation. Juli, Basilio's girlfriend and the daughter of
Kabesang Tales, tries to ask Father Camorra's help upon the advice of an elder woman. Instead of
helping Juli, however, Father Camorra tries to rape her as he has long-hidden desires for Julì. Juli,
rather than submit to the will of the friar, jumps over the balcony to her death.
Basilio is soon released with the help of Simon. Basilio, now a changed man, and after
hearing about Juli's suicide, finally joins Simon's revolution. Simon then tells Basilio his plan at
the wedding of Paulita Gómez and Juanito, Basilio's hunch-backed classmate. His plan was to
conceal an explosive inside a pomegranate-styled Kerosene lamp|/amp that Simon will give to the
newlyweds as a gift during the wedding reception. The reception will take place at the former
home of the late Captain Tiago, which was now filled with explosives planted by Simoun.
According to Simon, the lamp will stay lighted for only 20 minutes before it flickers; if
someone attempts to turn the wick, it will explode and kill everyone important members of civil
society and the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines|Church hierarchy-inside the house.
Basilio has a change of heart and attempts to warn the people inside, including Isagani, his friend
and the former boyfriend of Paulita. Simon leaves the reception early as planned and leaves a note
behind;
Initially thinking that it was simply a bad joke by those left behind, Father Salvi recognizes
the handwriting and confirms that it was indeed Ibarra's. As people begin to panic, the lamp
flickers.
 Father Irene tries to turn the wick up when Isagani, due to his undying love for Paulita,
bursts in the room and throws the lamp into the river, sabotaging Simon's plans. He escapes by
diving into the river as guards chase after him. He later regrets his impulsive action because he
had contradicted his own belief that he loved his nation more than Paulita and that the explosion
and revolution could have fulfilled his ideals for Filipino society.
Simon, now unmasked as the perpetrator of the attempted arson and failed revolution,
becomes a fugitive. Wounded and exhausted after he was shot by the pursuing Guardia Civil
soldiers, he seeks shelter at the home of Father Florentino, Isagani's uncle, and comes under the
care of Doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña, the husband of Doña Victorina, who was also hiding at the
house. Simon takes poison in order for him not to be captured alive by the authorities.
Before he dies, he reveals his real identity to Father Florentino while they exchange
thoughts about the failure of his revolution and why God forsook him. Father Florentino opines
that God did not forsake him and that his plans were not for the greater good but for personal gain.
Simon, finally accepting Father Florentino's explanation, squeezes his hand and dies. Father
Florentino then takes Simon's remaining jewels and throws them into the sea, hoping that they
would not be used by the greedy, and that when the time came that it would be used for the greater
good, when the nation would be finally deserving liberty for themselves, the sea would reveal the
treasures.