NOTES ON RIZAL – THE NOVELS OF RIZAL

What is a Novel?
A novel is a fictitious prose narrative of book length, typically representing character and action with some
degree of realism.

NOLI ME TANGERE - is a latin word which means “Touch Me Not” which was taken from the bible (the Gospel of St.
John Chapter 20: 13-17. The statement was uttered by Christ to Mary Magdalene on his
Resurrection.
- it is dedicated to the Philippines and Filipino people.
- it contains 63 chapters excluding the Epilogue
- it began at the reception that was given by Capitan Tiago (Santiago de los Santos) to
Crisostomo Ibarra, son of Don Rafael Ibarra - the friend of Capitan Tiago.
- it ended with Maria Clara who became a nun in Santa Clara Nunnery.
The Cover of Noli Me Tangere
The Title is prominently crosses the cover, the style of its print seems as if they were written in blood, an augury
of pain and suffering described in the novel.
The profile and stature of a woman on the left side of the cover may represent the Motherland for whom Rizal
gave his life.
The cross, the whip and the helmet symbolizes the governing authorities on the Philippines soil - the Church, the
Civil and MIlitary Officials.
The Friar’s foot symbolizes -tyranny
Uncle Tom’s Cabin - the novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe which portrayed the brutalities of American slave-
owners and the inhuman conditions of unfortunate Negro slaves inspired Rizal to write a novel.

Jan. 2, 1884 - the date Rizal made a proposal during a reunion of Filipinos in the residence of Paterno in Madrid that a
group of Filipinos will write a novel about Philippines.

> The idea was approved but did not materialized.

End of 1884 - the time Rizal began writing the novel in Madrid by himself.

1885 - Rizal went to Paris and continued writing the novel, finishing one half of the second half.
- Went to Germany and finished the last fourth of the novel.

1886 - Rizal wrote the last few chapters of the novel but saw no hope of having it published because of lack of funds.
- By Dec. of the same year DR. MAXIMO VIOLA a rich friend of Rizal from Bulacan visited him and agreed to
finance the printing cost of the novel.
- After christmas, Rizal put up finishing touches of the novel and to save printing expenses, deleted the whole
chapter of “ELIAS and SALOME”.

Feb. 21, 1887 - finally Rizal finished the novel.

Mar. 21. 1887 - the novel came off the press

Reaction to Noli:

- Noli Me Tangere received formal expression of high praise and congratulations from friends and admirers of
Rizal. On the other hands, his enemies were bitter in attacking and condemning the same. Probably no
other work or writing of another Filipino author has aroused as much as acrimonious debate not only
among
Filipinos but also the reactionary foreigners

- In the Philippines, Noli was attacked and condemned by a Faculty Committee in 1887 and forwarded the
result of their findings as follows:

it was heretical, impious and scandalous to the religious order

it was unpatriotic and subversives to public order
it was libelous to the government of Spain

- The Faculty Committee recommended the following:

1. Prohibition of the importation, reproduction and circulation of the novel.

Intimate friends of Rizal who received the first copy of the novel
 1. Ferdinand Blumentrit
2. Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor
3. Graciano Lopez Jaena
4. Mariano Ponce
5. Felix R. Hidalgo.
6. Juan Luna
7. Resurrection Hidalgo
. Maximo Viola - received a galley proofs of the Noli carefully rolled around the pen that he used in writing and a
complimentary copy of the novel.

EL FILIBUSTERISMO - which means “The Rebellion”

- this is a sequel to the Noli
- it contains 38 chapters
- it is more revolutionary and more tragic
- it has little humor and less idealism
- it is dedicate to the 3 martyred priests GOM-BUR-ZA
- the original manuscript in Rizal’s own writing is still preserved in the Filipiniana Division of the Bureau of
Public Libraries in Manila.
- the original manuscript consisted of 279 pages of long sheets of paper.
- the story of Fili began on board the steamer Tabo and on board is Simon - a jeweler.
- it ended at the house of Padre Florentino when Simon in order to elude arrest took up poison and while dying
revealed to Fr. Florentino his identity and plan to use his wealth to avenge himself and his sinister aim
to
destroy his friends and enemies.

Oct. 1887 - the year Rizal started writing this novel while in Calamba.

1888 - Rizal made some changes in the plot and made correction of some chapters while in London.
- Rizal wrote more chapters while in Paris and Madrid

Mar. 29, 1891 - Rizal finished the manuscript.

F. Meyer-Van Loo Press - the printing in Ghent, Belgium that was willing to print the novel in installment basis.

Aug 1891 - the printing was suspended because of funding.

Sept. 18, 1891 - El Filibusterismo came off the press