NGEC- Life and Works of Jose Rizal

Learning Module 02
The Life and Works of Jose Rizal

Learning Packet 01

Noli Me Tangere

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Learning Packet 01

Noli Me Tangere
Introduction
This course packet will discuss the Noli Me Tangere which can be described as an
exceptional firsthand document of the real struggles faced by the Filipinos at the end of
the 19th century. Rizal used this novel to expose the country’s social and political
problems while also served as a metaphor for his battle.

Objectives
At the end of this course packet, students are expected

1. Recognize various characters presented in the novel Noli Me Tangere

2. Appraise important characters in the novel what they represent
3. Develop deep sense of nationalism and patriotism through Philippine situation as
presented in Noli Me Tangere
Learning Management System
Google Drive
Google Classroom
Google Meet

Duration

 Topic 01: Noli Me Tangere = 6 hours (5 hours self-directed learning with

practical exercises and 1 hour assessment)

Delivery Mode
The course packet will be delivered online, both asynchronous and synchronous.

Assessment with Rubrics

Essay questions are provided which will serve as assessment at the end of this course
packet. The following are the rubrics to be used in checking.

Quality of Writing (5 points)

Expert Accomplished Capable Beginner
5 points 4 points 3 points 1 point

Piece was written in Piece was written in Piece had little style Piece had no style
an extraordinary an interesting style and voice. Give some and voice. Gives no
style and voice. Very and voice, somewhat information but information and very
informative and well poorly organized poorly organized.
organized
Grammar, Usages and Mechanics (5 points)

Expert Accomplished Capable Beginner

5 points 4 points 3 points 1 point

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Virtually, no Few spelling and A number of So many spelling,

spelling, punctuation errors spelling, punctuation punctuation and

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 NGEC- Life and Works of Jose Rizal

punctuation or with minor or grammatical grammatical errors

grammatical errors. grammatical errors. errors. that they interfere
with the meaning.

TOTAL = 10 points

Requirement with Rubrics

There will be an activity on character symbolism. The following rubrics will be used’

Quality of Writing (5 points)

Expert Accomplished Capable Beginner
5 points 4 points 3 points 1 point

Piece was written in Piece was written in Piece had little style Piece had no style
an extraordinary an interesting style and voice. Give some and voice. Gives no
style and voice. Very and voice, somewhat information but information and very
informative and well poorly organized poorly organized.
organized
Grammar, Usages and Mechanics (5 points)

Expert Accomplished Capable Beginner

5 points 4 points 3 points 1 point

Virtually, no Few spelling and A number of So many spelling,

spelling, punctuation errors spelling, punctuation punctuation and
punctuation or with minor or grammatical grammatical errors
grammatical errors. grammatical errors. errors. that they interfere
with the meaning.
TOTAL = 10 points

Readings
Read the Synopsis of the novel NOLI ME TANGERE

Synopsis of the “Noli Me Tangere”

The novel Noli Me Tangere contains 63 chapters and an epilogue. It begins with a
reception given by Capitan Tiago (Santiago de los Santos) at his house in Calle
Anloague (now Juan Luna Street) on the last day of October. This reception or dinner
was given in honor of Crisostomo Ibarra, a young and rich Filipino who had just
returned after seven years of study in Europe. Ibarra was the only son of Don Rafael
Ibarra, friend of Capitan Tiago, and a finance of beautiful Maria Clara, supposed
daughter of Capitan Tiago.

Among the guests during the reception was Padre Damaso, a Franciscan friar who had
been parish priest of San Diego (Calamba), Ibarra’s native town for 20 years; Padre

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Sibyla, a young Dominican parish priest of Binondo; Senor Guevara, an elderly and
kind lieutenant of the Guardia Civil. Don Tiburcio de Espadana, a bogus Spanish
Physician, lame, and henpecked husband of Dona Victorina; and several ladies.

Ibarra, upon his arrival, produced a favorable impression among the guests, except
Padre Damaso, who was rude to him. In accordance with a German custom, he
introduced himself to the ladies.

During the dinner the conversation centered on Ibarra’s studies and travels abroad.
Padre Damaso was in a bad mood because he got a bony neck and hard wing of the
chicken tinola. He tried to discredit Ibarra’s remarks.

After dinner, Ibarra left Capitan Tiago’s house to return to his hotel. On the way, the
kind Lieutenant Guevara told him the sad story of his father’s death in San Diego. Don
Rafael, his father, was a rich and brave man. He defended a helpless boy from the
brutality of an illiterate Spanish tax collector, pushing the latter and accidentally killing
himself. He was thrown in prison, where he died unhappily. He was buried in
consecrated ground but his enemies, accusing him of being a heretic, had his body
removed from the cemetery.

On hearing his father’s sad story, Ibarra thanked the kind Spanish Lieutenant and
vowed to find out the truth about his father’s death.

The following morning, he visited Maria Clara, his childhood sweetheart. Maria Clara
teasingly said that he had forgotten her because the girls in Germany were beautiful.
Ibarra replied that he had never forgotten her.

After the romantic reunion with Maria Clara, Ibarra went to San Diego to visit his
father’s grave. It was All Saint’s Day. At the cemetery, the grave-digger told Ibarra that
the corpse of Don Rafael was removed by order of the parish priest to be buried in the
Chinese cemetery; but the corpse was heavy and it was a dark rainy night so that he
(the grave-digger) simply threw the corpse into the lake.

Ibarra was angered by the grave-digger’s story. He left the cemetery. On the way, he
met Padre Salvi, Franciscan parish priest of San Diego. In a flash, Ibarra pounced on
the pries, demanding redress for desecrating his father’s mortal remains. Padre Salvi
told him that he had nothing to do with it, for he was not the parish priest at the time
of Don Rafael’s death. It was Padre Damaso, his predecessor, who was responsible for
it. Convinced of Padre Salvi’s innocence, Ibarra went away.

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In his town, Ibarra met several interesting people, such as the wise old man Tasio the
Sage, whose ideas were too advanced for his times so that the people, who could not
understand him, called him “Tasio the Lunatic;” the progressive school teacher, who
complained to Ibarra that the children were losing interest in their studies because of
the lack of a proper schoolhouse and the discouraging attitude of the parish priest
towards the teaching of Sapnish and the use of modern methods of pedagogy; the
spineless gobernadorcillo, who catered to wishes of the Spanish parish priest; Don
Filipo Lino, the teniente mayor and leader of the liberal faction iin the town; Don
Melchor, the captain of the cuadrilleros (town poloce); and the former gebernadorcillos
who were prominent citizens – Don Basilio and Don Valentin.

A most tragic story in the novel is the tale of Sisa, who was formerly a rich girl but
became poor because she married a gambler, and a wastrel at that. She became crazy
because she lost her two boys, Basilio and Crispin, the only joys of her wretched life.
These boys were sacristance (sextons) in the church, working for a small wage to
support their poor mother. Crispin, the younger of the two brothers, was accused by
the brutal sacristan mayor (chief sexton) of stealing the money of the priest. He was
tortured in the convent and died. Basilio, with his brother’s dying cries ringing in his
ears, escaped. When the two boys did not return home, Sisa looked for them
everywhere and, in her great sorrow, she became mad.

Capitan Tiago, Maria Clara, and Aunt Isabel (Capitan Tiago’s cousin who took care of
Maria Clara, after her mother’s death) arrived in San Diego. Ibarra and his friends gave
a picnic in the lake. Among those present in his picnic, were Maria Clara and her four
girl friends – “the merry Sinang, the grave Victoria, the beautiful Iday, and the
thoughtful Neneng”; Aunt Isabel, chaperon of Maria Clara; Capitana Tika, mother of
Sinang; Andeng, foster-sister of Maria Clara; Albino, the ex-theological student who
was in love with Sinang; and Ibarra and his friends. One of boatmen was a strong silent,
peasant youth named Elias.

An incident of the picnic was the saving of Elias’ life by Ibarra. Elias bravely grappled
with a crocodile which was caught in the fish corral. But the crocodile struggled
furiously so that Elias could not subdue it. Ibarra jumped into the water and killed the
crocodile, thereby saving Elias.

Another incident, which preceded the above-mentioned near-tragic crocodile incident,

was the rendering of a beautiful song by Maria Clara who had a sweet voice. Upon the
insistent requests of her friends, she played the harp and sang:

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THE SONG OF MARIA CLARA

“Sweet are the hours in one’s native land,
Where all is dear the sunbeams bless:
Life-giving breezes sweep the strand,
And death is soften’d by love’s caress
Warm kisses play on mother’s lips,
On her fond, tender breast awakening:
When round her neck the soft arm alips,
And bright eyes smile, all love partaking.
Sweet is death for one’s native land,
Where all is dear the sunbeams bless;
Death is the breeze that sweeps the strand,
Without a mother, home, or love’s caress.”

After Maria Clara’s song and the crocodile incident, they went ashore. They made
merry in the cool, wooded meadow, Padre Salvi, Capitan Basilio (former
gobernadorcillo and Sinang’s father), the alferez (lieutenant of the Guardia Civil), and
the town officials were present. The luncheon was served, and everybody enjoyed
eating.

The meal over, Ibarra and Capitan Basiliio played chess, while Maria Clara and her
friends played the “Wheel of Chance,” a game based on a fortune-telling book. As the
girls were enjoying their fortune-telling game, Padre Salvi came and tore to pieces the
book, saying that it is a sin to play such game. Shortly thereafter, a sergeant and four
soldiers of the Guardia Civil suddenly arrived, looking for Elias, who was hunted for
(1) assaulting Padre Damaso and (2) throwing the alferezn into a mud hole.
Fortunately, Elias had disappeared, and the Guardia Civil went away empty-handed.
During the picnic also, Ibarra received a telegram from the Spanish authorities
notifying him of the approval of his donation of a schoolhouse for the children of San
Diego.

The next day Ibarra visited old Tasio to consult him on his pet project about the
schoolhouse. He saw the old man’s writings were written in hieroglyphics. Tasio
explained to him that he wrote in hieroglyphics because he was writing for the future
generations who would understand them and say, “Not all were asleep in the night of
our ancestors!”

Tasio was pessimistic about the project of Ibarra to build a schoolhouse at his own
expense. However, the construction of the schoolhouse continued under the
supervision of the architect called Nor Juan.

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Meanwhile San Diego was merrily preparing for its annual fiesta, in honor of its patron
saint San Diego de Alcala, whose feast day is the 11th of November. On the eve of the
fiesta, hundreds of visitors arrived from nearby towns, and there were laughter, music,
exploding bombs, feasting, and moro—moro. The music was furnished by five brass
brands (including the famous Pagsanjan Band owned by the escribano Miguel
Guevara) and three orchestras.

In the morning of the fiesta there was a high Mass in the church, officiated by Padre
Salvi. Padre Damaso gave the long sermon, in which he expatiated on the evils of the
time that were caused by certain men who, having tested some education, spread
pernicious ideas among the people.

After Padre Damaso’s sermon, the Mass was continued by Padre Salvi. Elias quietly
moved to Ibarra, who was kneeling and praying by Maria Clara’s side, and warned him
to be careful during the ceremony of the laying of the cornerstone of the schoolhouse
because there is a plot to kill him.

Elias suspected that the yellowish man, who built the derrick, was a paid stooge of
Ibarra’s enemies. True to his suspicion, later in the day, when Ibarra, in the presence of
a big crowd, went down into the trench to cement the cornerstone, the derrick,
collapsed. Elias quick as a flash pushed him aside, thereby saving his life. The
yellowish man was the one crushed to death by the shattered derrick.

At the sumptuous dinner that night under a decorated kiosk, a sad incident occurred.
The arrogant Padre Damaso, speaking in the presence of many guests, insulted the
memory of Ibarra’s father. Ibarra jumped from his seat, knocked down the fat friar with
his fist, and then seized a sharp knife. He would have killed the friar, were it not for
the timely intervention of Maria Clara.

Ibarra’s attack on Padre Damaso produced two results: (1) his engagement to Maria
Clara was broken and (2) he was excommunicated. Fortunately, the liberal-minded
governor-general visited the town and befriended Ibarra. He told the young man not to
worry. He persuaded Capitan Tiago to accept Ibarra as son-in-law and promised to see
the Archbishop of Manila to lift off the ban of excommunication.

The fiesta over, Maria Clara became ill. She was treated by the quack Spanish
physician, Tiburcio de Espadana, whose wife, a vain, frustrated mative woman, was a
frequent visitor in Capitan Tiago’s house. This woman had hallucinations of being a
superior Castilian, and although a native herself, she looked down on her own people

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as inferior beings. She added another “de” to her husband’s surname in order to be
more Spanish. Thus she wanted to be called “Doctora Dona Victorina de los Reyes de
De Espadana.” She introduced to Capitan Tiago a young Spaniard, Don Alfonso
Linares de Espadana, a cousin of Don Tiburcio de Espadana and godson of Padre
Damaso’s brother-in-law. Linares, penniless and jobless, came to the Philippines in
search of a Filipino heiress and fortune.

Both Dona Victorina and Padre Damaso sponsored his wooing of Maria Clara, but the
latter did not respond because she loved Ibarra.

A touch of comedy in the novel was the fight between two ludicrous senoras – Dona
Consolacion, the vulgar mistress of the Spanish alferez, and Dona Victorina, the
flamboyantly dressed wife of a henpecked Spanish quack doctor. Both insulted each
other in gutter language, and, not satisfied with their verbal warfare, they squared off
to come to blows. The timely arrival of Padre Salvi stopped the fight, much to the regret
of the curious onlookers.

The story of Elias, like that of Sisa, was a tale of pathos and tragedy. He related it to
Ibarra. Some 60 years ago, his grandfather, who was then a young bookkeeper in the
Spanish commercial firm in Manila, was wrongly accused of burning the firm’s
warehouse. He was flogged in public and was left in the street, crippled and almost
dead. His wife, who was pregnant, begged for alms and became prostitute in order to
support her sick husband and their son. After giving birth to her second and the death
of her husband, she fled, with her two sons, to the mountains.

Years later the first boy became a dreaded tulisan named Balat. He terrorized the
provinces. One day he was caught by the authorities. His head was cut off and was
hung from a tree branch in the forest. On seeing this gory object, the poor mother
(Elias’ grandmother) died.

Balat’s younger brother, who was by nature kind-hearted, fled and became a trusted
laborer in the house of a rich man in Tayabas. He fell in love with the master’s daughter.
The girl’s father, enraged by the romance, investigated his past and found out the truth.
The unfortunate lover (Elias’ father) was sent to jail, while the girl gave birth to twins,
a boy (Elias) and a girl. Their rich grandfather (father of their mother) took care of
them, keeping secret their scandalous origin, and reared them as rich children. Elias
was educated in the Jesuit College in Manila, while his sister studied in La Concordia
College. They lived happily until one day, owing to certain dispute over money matters;
distant relative exposed their shameful birth. They were disgraced. An old male
servant, whom they used to abuse, was forced to testify in court and the truth came out

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that he was their real father.

Elias and his sister left Tayabas to hide their shame in another place. One day the sister
disappeared. Elias roamed from place to place, looking for her. He heard later that a
girl answering to his father’s description was found dead on the beach of San Diego.
Since then, Elias lived a vagabond life, wandering from province to province- until he
met Ibarra.

Ibarra’s enemies left no stone unturned to bring about his ruin. They engineered an
attack on the barracks of the Guardia Civil, at the same time warning the alferez to
alert his men that night. They deceived the attackers by telling them that the
mastermind was Ibarra. So that when the attack failed and the surviving attackers were
caught, Ibarra was blamed for the catastrophe.

Elias, learning of Ibarra’s arrest, burned all the papers that might incriminate his friend
and set Ibarra’s house on fire. Then he went to prison and helped Ibarra escape. He and
Ibarra jumped into a banca loaded with zacate (grass). Ibarra stopped at the housr of
Capitan Tiago to say goodbye to Maria Clara. In the tearful last scene between the two
lovers, Ibarra forgave Maria Clara for giving up his letters to her which the Spanish
authorities utilized as evidence against him. On her part, Maria Clara revealed that
those letters were exchanged with a letter from her late mother, Pia Alba, which Padre
Salvi gave her. From this letter, she learned that her real father was Padre Damaso.

After bidding Maria Clara farewell, Ibarra returned to the banca. He and Elias paddled
up the Pasig River toward Laguna de Bay. A police boat, with the Guardia Civil on
board, pursued them as their banca reached the lake. Elias told Ibarra to hide under the
zacate. As the police boat was overtaking the banca, Elias jumped into the water and
swam swiftly toward the shore. In this way, he diverted the attention of the soldiers on
the person, thereby giving Ibarra a chance to escape.

The soldier fired at the swimming Elias, who was hit and sank. The water turned red
because of his blood. The soldiers, thinking that they had killed then fleeing Ibarra
returned to Manila. Thus Ibarra was able to escape.

Elias, seriously wounded, reached the shore and went into the forest. He met a boy,
Basilio, weeping over his mother’s body. He told Basilio to make a pyre on which their
bodies (his and Sisa’s) were to be burned to ashes.it was Christmas Eve, and the moon
gleamed softly in the sky. Basilio prepared the funeral pyre. As life’s breath slowly left
his body, Elias looked toward the east and murmured: “I die without seeing the dawn
brighten over my native land! You, who have it to see, welcome it – and forget not

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those who have fallen during the night!”

The novel has an epilogue which recounts what happened to the other characters. Maria
Clara, out of her loyalty to the memory of Ibarra, the man she truly loved, entered the
Santa Clara nunnery. Padre Salvi left the parish of San Diego and became a chaplain
of the nunnery. Padre Damaso was transferred to a remote province, but the next
morning he was found dead in his bedroom, Capitan Tiag, the former genial host and
generous patron of the church became an opium addict and a human wreck. Dona
Victorina, still henpecking poor Don Tiburcio, had taken to wearing eye-glasses
because of weakening eye-sight. Linares, who failed to win Maria Clara’s affection,
died of dysentery and was buried in Paco cemetery.

The alferez, who successfully repulsed the abortive attack on the barracks, was
promoted major. He returned to Spain, leaving behind his shabby mistress, Dona
Consolacion.

The novel ends with Maria Clara, an unhappy nun in Santa Clara nunnery – forever
lost to the world.

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Introduction Key Points:

The dark winter of 1896 was memorable to Rizal for two

reasons: first, it was a very painful episode for he lived in  Key point 01
poverty in a strange city and, second, after enduring so The writing of Noli
Me Tangere was
much sufferings, the publication of his first novel, Noli Me inspired by the novel
Tangere, on March, 1887, brought him so much joy. Uncle Tom’s cabin,
authored by Harriet
Beecher Stowe.
This immortal novel is consisted of 63 chapters and an
epilogue. It exposes the abuses and inequities of most  Key point 02
The novel portrays
Spanish friars and government officials during his time. the brutalities of
American slave-
He was a student of medicine at Universidad Central de owners and the
pathetic conditions of
Madrid when he started writing the novel and 26 years old the unfortunate
when it was published. Negro slaves

 Key point 03
The novel was dedicated to the people whose sorrows and He planned to
miseries were mirrored for their awareness and to awaken prepare a novel that
them to the truths and realities concerning the illness of the would depict the
miseries of his
society. Inconsistently, though, the novel was written in people under the
Spanish, the language of the conquerors and the educated lash of Spanish
during that time. tyrants.

Pre-Assessment Definition of Terms:

As pre-assessment, answer the following questions:
Novel. A fictitious
1. What inspired Rizal to write the novel? prose narrative of
2. Why did he become hopeless in publishing the book length, typically
novel? How was it published? representing
character and action
3. What was the story behind the title? with some degree of
4. Why is Noli Me Tangere said to be based on truth? realism.

Social cancer.
Lesson Proper Illness of the society.
 Review.
In the discussion of previous learning packets, we Hazard Alerts:
learned so much about Dr. Jose Rizal. We came across
his sufferings and victories, his failures and successes. Answer the Pre-
assessment Test
His struggles were so magnanimous that a lesser person
cannot shoulder.

The major protagonist of his Noli Me Tangere,

Crisostomo Ibarra suffered so much as well. In spite of

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all the sufferings, he remained steadfast on what he

believed and on what he would to achieve for his
motherland and its people.

The question now is…Is Jose Rizal the Crisostomo

Ibarra?

 Activity.
Everyone knows that Rizal is a voracious reader of good Do the activity as
books, something that he acquired from his Tio springboard for the
discussion of the
Gregorio Alonso. His father bought him volumes of lesson.
good books to read. One book that really impressed
Rizal was the book that inspired him to write a novel
about his country ang his people.

In a ¼ sheet of paper, name the book and its author and

discuss what is in the book that impressed Rizal.

 Processing of the Activity.

As you read the lesson, be guided by the following Answer the questions
questions: provided. In doing so,
you will be able to
1. What gave Rizal the idea of writing a novel about have a clearer
his country and his people? How was the plan of understanding of the
writing the novel? Was the plan realized, why or lesson.
why not?
2. When and where did he start and finish writing his
first novel, Noli Me Tangere?
3. What was the problem he encountered in publishing
the novel? How was he able to finally publish his
novel?
4. How was Rizal able to conceive the title of the
novel? What was its significance to the novel?
5. Why did Rizal say that his novel was based on
truths? Discuss

 Brief Lesson.

Rizal’s reading of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s

Cabin, which portrays the brutalities of American slave-
owners and the pathetic conditions of the unfortunate Negro
slaves, inspired Dr. Rizal to prepare a novel on the

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Philippines. He was then a student in the Central University

of Madrid.

Noli Me Tangere is a novel that was an advisory for the

Filipinos to fight against the colonizers and today’s
reminder of our history. The characters and the events in the
story resemble our life, culture, and beliefs of Filipino
people. This literary piece will mark in our hearts the values
that the novel tells us to be a good role model that will
benefit our country. Reading this literary piece will make us
realize the true meaning of nationalism and be a catalyst for
change.

Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere tells us that we should reflect

on our actions and beliefs for our country. The theme of the
novel is to promote nationalism and to accept change in
ourselves is still applies to us today. We must patronize our
country by respecting the law, promoting Philippine
culture, and realizing the true goal of the country by helping
each other towards the improvement of the country. It
teaches us the values of wisdom, fighting what is right, and
loving our country. This novel is being taught in school in
order to not repeat the history itself by learning how to love
our country and to empower the youth as the catalyst of
change for our country. Being a true Filipino is what Jose
Rizal wants us to be, to know who we are and what is our
true goals will make the country flourished.

Toward the end of 1884, Rizal began writing a novel in

Madrid and finished about one-half of it. When he went to
Paris, in 1885, after, completing his studies in the
Universidad Central de Madrid, he continued writing the
novel, finishing one-half of the second half. He wrote the
last fourth of the novel in Germany.

During the dark days of December, 1886, while his spirit

was at its lowest ebb, he almost threw the manuscript into
the fire. The novel was almost finished then. He was
desperately despondent because he saw no hope of having
it published for, he was utterly penniless. Thus, he wrote to

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his friend, Fernando Canon; “I did not believe that the Noli
Me Tangere would ever be published when I was in Berlin,
heart-broken, weakened, and discouraged from hunger and
deprivation. I was on the point of throwing my work into
the fire as a thing accursed and fit only to die…”

In mid-December, a telegram from Barcelona arrived. It

was sent by Dr. Maximo Viola, informing Rizal of his
coming visit to Berlin. The message revived the author’s
hope. His friend, Viola, a scion of a rich family of San
Miguel, Bulacan, would surely lend him the money for the
publication of the novel.

Symbolisms in the Cover

Noli Me Tangere (translated as
Touch Me Not) is a novel
written by José Rizal which
served as an eye opener and
wake up call to the Filipinos
during his time. It was
published on the year 1887.
Just one look at the cover, it
already tells us every bit of
what's in the novel. Rizal also
purposely designed the title to be placed diagonally so that
it can divide an upper and lower triangle that will be
discussed further through this page.
1. Upper Triangle. This represents Rizal's past life.
2. Lower Triangle. This represents Rizal's currents
situations.
3. Silhouette of a Filipina. Believed to be Maria Clara
or as the "Inang Bayan" to whom Rizal dictates the
novel
4. Cross/Crucifix. Represents the Catholic faith as it
rises above Inang Bayan and Filipinos (shows
dominance). It also symbolizes sufferings and death
5. Pomelo Blossoms & Laurel Leaves. They
represent faith, honor and fidelity, which are the
values Rizal aspires to be embodied by Filipinos.
Pomelos are used to scent their air commonly

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during prayers and cleansing rituals. Laurel leaves

are used as crowns during Greek Olympics for
honoring the best
6. Burning Torch. Refers to the Olympic torch.
Pertains to the awakening of Filipino
consciousness. It also sheds light to the text of the
manuscript
7. Sunflower. It symbolizes a new beginning. It is
compared to the happiness of which appears to be
always bowing down.
8. Feet. It symbolizes the power of the friars. It is
placed on the base of the triangle (foundation)
because without friars, the Filipinos cannot stand on
their own
9. Shoes. It represents wealth. It is also the footprints
left by friars in teaching Catholicism
10. Hairy Legs. It symbolizes the Legend of the Wolf.
The wolf shape shifts just like how friars hide their
true nature and character
11. Helmet of a Guardia Civil. It represents the
arrogance of those in authority
12. Whip. It represents the abuses and cruelties done by
the Spaniards and friars as depicted in the novel
13. Flogs (Suplina). It is used for self-flagellation. Just
like the whip, this also symbolizes the cruelties of
the Guardia Civil
14. Chain. It symbolizes slavery and imprisonment
15. Rizal's Signature. It shows that Rizal experienced
and witnessed the ills and abuses that happened
during his time
16. Bamboo Stalks. It represents Filipino resiliency.
Despite the sufferings, Filipinos can still stand tall
and firm

The Title of the Novel.

Noli Me Tangere is a Latin phrase which means “Touch Me
Not” or “Do Not Tounch Me.” Rizal did not originally
conceive it. He admitted taking it from the Bible.

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In his letter to Felix R. Hidalgo in French on March 5, 1887,

he said: “Noli Me Tangere, words taken from the Gospel of
Saint Luke, signify “do not touch me”. In citing the Biblical
source, Rizal made a mistake. It should be the Gospel of St.
John (Chapter 20, Verses 13 to 17). According to St. John,
on the First Easter Sunday, St. Mary Magdalene visited the
Holy Sepulcher, and to her Our Lord Jesus, just arisen from
the dead, said:

“Touch me not; I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go

to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father;
and to my God and your God”.

The Author’s Dedication

Rizal dedicated the Noli Me Tangere to the Philippines –
“To My Country.” His dedication runs as follows:

Recorded in the history of human sufferings is a cancer so

malignant a character that the least touch irritates it and
awakens in it the sharpest pains. Thus, how many times,
when in the midst of modern civilizations, I have wished to
call thee before me, now to accompany me in memories,
now to compare thee with other countries, hath thy dear
image presented itself showing a social cancer like to that
other!

Desiring thy welfare which is our own, and seeking the best
treatments, I will do with thee what the ancients did with
their sick, exposing them on the steps of the temple so that
everyone who came to invoke the Divinity might offer them
a remedy.

And to this end, I will strive to reproduce thy condition

faithfully, without discrimination; I will raise a part of the
veil that covers the evil, sacrificing to truth everything, even
vanity itself, since, as thy son I am conscious that I also
suffer from thy defects and weaknesses.

The “Noli” Based on Truth

The Noli Me Tangere, unlike many works of fictional
literature, is a true story of Philippine conditions during the

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last decade of Spanish rule. The places, the characters, and

the situations really existed. “The facts I narrate there,” said
Rizal, “are all true and have happened; I can prove them.”

The characters – Ibarra, Maria Clara, Elias, Tasio, Capitan

Tiago, Padre Damaso, Padre Salvi, etc, – were drawn by
Rizal from persons who actually existed during his times.
Maria Clara was Leonor Rivera, although in real life she
became unfaithful, unlike the heroine of the novel, and
married an Englishman. Ibarra and Elias represented Rizal
himself. Tasio the Sage was his elder brother, Paciano.
Padre Salvi was identified by Rizalists as Padre Antonio
Piernavieja, the hated Augustinian friar in Cavite who was
killed by our patriiots during the Revolution. Capitan Tiago
was Capitan Hilario Sunico of San Nicolas. Dona Victorina
was Dona Agustina Medel. The two brothers Basilio and
Crispin were the Crisostomo brothers of Hagonoy. Padre
Damaso was typical of a domineering friar during the days
of Rizal, who was arrogant, supercilious, and anti-Filipino.

This novel has a lot of symbolism and real-life events that

opened the eyes of the Filipino people during the Spanish
colonization to start the revolution and overthrow the
Spanish colonizers. Every character in Noli Me Tangere has
a role that depicts different roles in Philippine society to
fight for the freedom of the country. Jose Rizal represented
his persona as Crisostomo Ibarra who was a rich character
yet he was rebellious who fought for the freedom of the
Spaniards while Elias who was poor and oppressed by the
Spaniards but he sacrificed his life so that Crisostomo can
escape because he believed that Crisostomo has a better
chance to fight against the Spaniards. Elias’ sacrifice paved
the way to Crisostomo Ibarra’s revenge against the
Spaniards in the sequel of the novel “El Filibusterismo”.

Other characters that significantly represent Filipinos were

like Doña Victorina was a social climber who did not want
to be known as an Indio. All Filipinos were called Indios
during the time of the Spaniards which means that Filipinos
were foolish, not smart, and poor. There are characters that

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have the symbolic meaning of the novel like Sisa was a

mother of Crispin and Basilio who took care of her children
and became an outcast when her sons were missing. Sisa
represents the Inang Bayan or Motherland who became an
outcast because of the ill-treatment of the Spaniards to the
Filipinos while Maria Clara represented the Filipino women
who were oppressed and abused by the Spaniards.

The novel depicted real-life events during the Spanish

colonization in the Philippines like the Friars’ command
decisions were more powerful than the Governor-General’s
decisions, social issues, injustice, and the Philippines as a
backward country. The conflicts in the novel exist until
today’s generation that it affects our society and the country
that needs to learn and read Noli Me Tangere. The conflicts
that were dominant in the novel like corruption, injustice,
poverty, and abuse remain the same problem up to this day.

 Enhancement Activity.
How is the lack of freedom portrayed in the novel?

 Generalization.
The three themes of Noli Me Tangere are Colonialism,
Religion, and Power. They appear in all chapters of the
novel. The novel is a critical and ardent exposition of
the cruelty and immorality of Spanish colonial rule in
Philippine society.

 Application.
As a college student, how can you promote national
critical consciousness using the learnings from Noli Me
Tangere?

Learning Packet Discussion Forum

After completing the course packet, please post your
questions or concerns at (link) for further discussion.

Post-Assessment
As post-assessment, answer the following questions:
1. What inspired Rizal to write the novel?
2. Why did he become hopeless in publishing the

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novel? How was it published?

3. What was the story behind the title?
4. Why is Noli Me Tangere said to be based on truth?

Additional Activity
The additional activities will be posted in the Google
Classroom. Please check your Google Classroom regularly
for announcements and activities.

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Activity Sheet

Choose seven (7) main characters of Noli Me Tangere and accomplish the table below.
Use Times New Roman Type and font size is 10. Be guided by the rubrics provided
above.

Name of Characterization in Representation/ Representation/

Characters the Novel Symbolism, during Symbolism at present
Rizal’s time time

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Assessment

Essay writing:

1. What are the social and political issues portrayed in the Noli Me Tangere that
are still evident in present Philippine society? Give five (5) and discuss.
2. Why is Noli Me Tangere considered one of the most influential novels written
by Jose Rizal?
3. After examining the novel, how did Noli Me Tangere awaken Filipino
nationalism?

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Assignment

Essay writing: Answer the question below. Be guided by the rubrics provided.

Why is Noli Me Tangere considered one of the most influential novels written by Jose
Rizal?

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References

"Noli Me Tangere": Jose Rizal Philippines History Novel. (n.d.). Retrieved from
Cambridge Forecast: https://cambridgeforecast.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/noli-me-
tangere-jose-rizal-phillipines-novel/

Clarisse, A. (2019, September 14). Noli Me Tangere: A Wake-Up Call Book of

Revolution. Retrieved from https://amberclarisse0928.medium.com/noli-me-tangere-
a-wake-up-call-book-of-revolution-9268a46b13d6

Noli Me Tangere Cover. (n.d.). Retrieved from Unveiling Rizal:

https://unveilingrizal.weebly.com/mystery-of-the-cover.html
G.F. Zaide and S.M. Zaide.2008. JOSE RIZAL: Life, Works and Writings of a Genius,
Writer, Scientist and National Hero. All-Nations Publishing Co., Inc. Quezon City.

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Learner’s Feedback Form

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