 Rizal’s original writings were written

in Spanish.


What we have now are translations of
his original works, these translations
come in many versions by different
Rizal scholars.

The idea of writing a novel was
hatched during a meeting of Filipinos
in the house of Pedro A. Paterno in Pedro A. Paterno
Madrid on January 2, 1884.
 Rizal proposed the writing of a novel about the Philippines
written by a group of Filipinos.


His proposal was unanimously approved by the Filipinos present
at the time, among whom were Pedro, Maximo and Antonio
Paterno, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Evaristo Aguirre, Eduardo de
Lete, Julio Llorente and Valentin Ventura.

Maximo Viola
Graciano Lopez Jaena Julio Llorente
Antonio Paterno Valentin Ventura
Eduardo de Lete

However, this project did not materialize. The people who agreed
to help Rizal with the novel did not write anything.

Initially, the novel was planned to cover and describe all phases of
Filipino life, but almost everybody wanted to write about
women.

Rizal even saw his companions spend more time gambling and
flirting with Spanish women. Because of this, he pulled out of the
plan of co-writing with others and decided to draft the novel
alone.
 This novel was inspired by Harriet
Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tome’s Cabin which
was about the cruelties of American slave-
owners.


He began writing the novel in Madrid
towards the end of 1884 and completed it
while staying in Germany by the end of
1886.


During this time financial problems
hounded Rizal and he was tempted to
throw the manuscript into the fire.

The arrival of his friend Maximo Viola saved the
novel from destruction. Viola lent Rizal P300
which made possible the printing of 300 copies.


In token of his appreciation Rizal gave Viola the
original manuscript of the Noli Me Tangere with
an autograph saying “to my dear friend, Maximo Viola,
the first to read and appreciate my work”

 Maximo Viola
The novel came of the press on March 29, 1887,
published in Berlin, Germany.
 The title of the novel means “touch
me not” in Latin.


According to Rizal it was taken
from the gospel of St. John, chapter
20, verses 13 to 17 when Mary
Magdalene met Jesus Christ just
after his resurrection.


Jesus said to her not to touch him
as he had not yet gone to his father. Mary Magdalene met Jesus Christ
 Rizal dedicated the novel to the Philippines in which he warned
of a social cancer and that he is exposing the ills of society just
like in the Bible where the sick were exposed on the steps of
the temple so that anyone passes by might invoke the divine and
offer a remedy.

Jesus Heals the Lame in the Temple


With the lens of a doctor, he tried to expose
the ills of society and looked for proper
remedy.


As a mere novelist and physician, he applied
his knowledge of prescription by means of
exposing the evils in society.

Rizal intended to bring enlightenment to his
readers.

 Those readers in turn became doctors

themselves to the malady as each held
knowledge vital to its cure or detriment.

He said he aims to portray the conditions of
Philippines and expose the widespread
arrogance of the friars (Frailocracy),
government officials and their corruption of
society.

It also aimed to portray complacency of the
Filipinos.

It aimed to unite the Filipinos by opening their
eyes into the existing social and economic
conditions.

It was his attempt to talk about his people
while revealing the social ills and complications
a fellow Filipino like himself would have to live
with during the Spanish rule.
 As group, research and read thoroughly (as your note) the
summary of the novel Noli Me Tangere. Be familiar with the
characters of the novel.
 You can refer to the following internet links:


https://www.gradesaver.com/noli-me-tangere/study-
guide/character-list

 https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Noli_Me_Tangere/Characters


https://www.gradesaver.com/noli-me-tangere/study-
guide/summary


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noli_Me Tangere_(novel)

Also, you can watch any available movie in the internet links below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBJW1NRCD1g&t=4698s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD97bfpB20U episode 1

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL_-VwkotCI episode 2
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdI8opbWmvg episode 3
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwI33ell7xA episode 4
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRe7KZgnJGw episode 5
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORNLtFziqMs episode 6
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGq7n8ZZcY4 episode 7
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL8PMXTbv-A episode 8
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdpIQm2_ijE episode 9
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9sG0trDTNg episode 10
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At5VXsfyzAk episode 11
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YyNxODzGFE episode 12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQkKyBFCqkM episode 13

Answer Journal 8.
References:

Crudo et al. A Course Module for The Life, Works, and Writings of Jose Rizal, pp.
48-51.
Augusto de Viana, Jose Rizal in our Times, p. 187.