RIZAL LIFE AND WORKS

Submitted to:
Alejandro Balbuena
INSTRUCTOR

Submitted by:
Mary Jean C. Angcon BSBA – MM-A1
STUDENT
RIZAL’S WORKS

1. TO MY FELLOW CHILDREN (Sa Aking Mga Kababata, 1869)

 The classic poem “To My Fellow Children” is thought to be the national hero’s
first Tagalog poetry, written at the age of eight. However, it was released a century
after his death sentence, raising questions about its authorship. Critics contend
that Rizal’s young age and difficulty interpreting Tagalog at the age of eight
preclude him from writing such a meaningful poem. Epifano de los Santos
published the poem in a free Spanish translation.

2. MY FIRST INSPIRATION (Mi Primera Inspiracion, 1874)

 Jose Rizal’s first poem, Mi Primera Inspiracion, was written while attending
Ateneo. This poem was written in honor of his mother’s birthday, as evidenced by
the terms “perfume of the flowers”, “the songs of the birds”, “feast your day of
bloom” and “festive day”. Jose Rizal’s creative writings express his lifelong love
and gratitude for his mother. This is his way of paying tribute to her dear mother’s
efforts.

3. FELICITATION (Felicitacion, 1875)

 The Philippine National Hero wrote the poem “Felicitation” in 1875 while
attending school at the Ateneo Municipal. Rizal, when 14, penned this poem to
thank his brother-in-law, Antonio Lopez (husband of his sister Narcisa), on Saint’s
Day.

4. THE EMBARKATION, a hymn to Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet (El Embarque:

Himno a la Flota de Magallanes, 1875)
 Rizal penned the poem above while a boarding student at the Ateneo Municipal
de Manila. It is thought to be his first poetry to be recited in public at that school.
“Hymn to Magellanta’s Fleet” commemorated Ferdinand Magellan, the first man
to colonize the Philippines.
5. AND HE IS SPANISH: ELCANO, THE FIRST TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE
WORLD (Y Es Espanol: Elcano, el Primero en dar la Vuelta al Mundo, December
1875)
 The poem “AND HE IS SPANISH: ELCANO, THE FIRST TO
CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE WORLD” is about Juan Sebastián Elcano, a Spanish
Basque who was Ferdinand Magellan’s second in command and took over and
completed the world’s first circumnavigation after Magellan died on the shores of
Mactan, Philippines.

6. The Battle: Urbiztondo, Terror of Jolo (El Combate: Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo,
December 1875)
 The poem “The Battle: Urbiztondo. Terror of Jolo” reflects Rizal’s interest in
history. It was composed to praise Urbiztondo for his successful war against the
Muslims. In the poem, the hero describes how the great warrior vanquished the
Moros under Sultan Mahumat of Jolo.

7. IN MEMORY OF MY TOWN (Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo, 1876)

 Rizal adored his homeland Calamba in Laguna. He lovingly recalled his
memories of the place. In 1876, as a 15-year-old student at the Ateneo Municipal
de Manila, he authored the poem “In Memory of My Town”. The poem was
created to show his affection and gratitude for the place where he grew up.

8. INTIMATE ALLIANCE BETWEEN RELIGION AND GOOD EDUCATION

(Alianza Intima Entre la Religion y la Buena Educacion, 1876)
 Jose Rizal believed that religion is synonymous with good education, which
explains the close tie between education and faith. As a result, at the age of
fifteen, he wrote the poem “Intimate Alliance between Religion and Good
Education” while attending Ateneo.
9. EDUCATION GIVES LUSTER TO THE MOTHERLAND (Por la Educacion
Recibe Lustre la Patria, 1876)
 Jose Rizal, a young national hero, emphasized the importance of education in a
nation’s progress and welfare. He wrote a poem titled “Education Gives Luster to
the Motherland,” encouraging Filipinos to acquire education for their dreams and
to improve their motherland.

10. THE CAPTIVITY AND THE TRIUMPH: Battle of Lucena and the Imprisonment
of Boabdil (El Cautiverio y el Triunfo: Batalla de Lucena y Prision de Boabdil,
December 1876)
 At the age of twelve. Rizal was said to have read El ultimo Abencerraje, a Spanish
version of Chateaubriand’s work, Le Dernier des Abencérages. This is the
narrative of the last member of a well-known family in the Muslim Kingdom of
Granada in the 15th century, who was inspired to write the above poem while
studying at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. In this poem, he describes the defeat
and capture of Granada’s last Moorish sultan, Boabdil.

11. TRIUMPHANT ENTRY OF THE CATHOLIC MONARCHS INTO GRANADA

(Entrada triunfal de los Reyes Católicos en Granada, December 1876)
 The above poem by Jose Rizal describes the victorious entry of Ferdinand and
Isabella, Spain’s “Most Catholic Kings,” into the city of Granada in 1492. This
item represents one of the most important symbolic moments in Spanish history.

12. THE HEROISM OF COLUMBUS (El Heroismo de Colon, 1877)

 Jose Rizal authored this epic poem in December 1877 while attending the Ateneo
Municipal de Manila. This poem honors Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of
America.

13. Columbus and John II (Colon y Juan II)

 This poem describes how King John II of Portugal lost glory and money by
failing to fund Columbus’ planned mission to the New World.
14. CHILD JESUS (Al Nino Jesus, November 1875) A translation from the Spanish by
Nick Joaquin
 During his student days, 14-year-old Jose Rizal wrote “Al Niño Jesus” (Child
Jesus), a brief religious ode expressing his Catholicism.

15. VIRGIN MARY (A La Virgen Maria, to Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage)
 The following undated poem, “A La Virgen Maria” (To the Virgin Mary), is
another devotional piece by Jose Rizal in adoration of the Virgin Mary.

16. TO THE PHILIPPINE YOUTH (A la Juventud Filipina, November 1879)

 Jose Rizal’s 1879 winning poem, which he submitted to the Manila Literary
Lyceum, attempted to urge Filipinos to rise above their inactivity. Recognized as a
classic Philippine work, it emphasized nationalistic sentiments and hinted at
insurrection against the Spanish. Spanish literary authority praised the poem as a
masterpiece.

17. ABD-EL-AZIS AND MOHAMMED (ABD-EL-AZIS Y MAHOMA, December

1879)
 Jose Rizal wrote this epic poem in 1879, which was read by Manuel Fernandez on
the night of December 8, 1879, in honor of the Ateneo’s patroness. It
commemorates the conflict between Spaniards and Moors in Spain.

18. To The Philippines, February 1880 A Translation from the Spanish by Nick Joaquin
 Jose Rizal wrote this poem as a reminder for Filipinos to love their motherland.

19. Al M.R.P. PABLO RAMON, 1881

 Jose Rizal had a deep affection for both Ateneo and his academics. He penned a
poem for one of them, Al M.R.P. Pablo Ramon, as a magnificent tribute to the
Very Reverend Pablo Ramon, Rector of the Ateneo. The poem was written on the
 occasion of the good Father’s birthday. Reverend Father Pablo Ramon had been
very courteous and supportive to the national hero.

20. GOODBYE TO LEONOR, 1882 (A Translation from the Spanish by Nick Joaquin)
 Leonor was barely 13 years old when she met Jose Rizal at Dagupan. Leonor’s
parents strongly opposed their love affair, so they communicated via exchanging
letters and images of each other. Their relationship lasted almost a decade.
However, Rizal was deeply saddened by Leonor’s marriage to Henry Kipping,
prompting him to write this tragic sonnet for his lady love.

21. THEY ASK ME FOR VERSES (Me Piden Versos, October 1882) A Translation
from the Spanish by Nick Joaquin
 Rizal was a member of the Circulo Hispano-Filipino (Hispano-Philippine Circle),
a Madrid-based association for Spaniards and Filipinos. He declaimed his written
poetry “Me Piden Versos” during the Madrid Filipinos’ New Year’s Eve reception
in 1882, at the request of the society’s members. In March 31. This poem first
appeared in La Solidaridad in 1889.

22. TO MISS C.O. Y R., 1883 A TRANSLATION FROM THE SPANISH BY NICK
JOAQUIN
 Jose Rizal, although not being a very attractive man in today’s eyes, effortlessly
attracts women. Perhaps his extraordinary abilities and charisma made him
appealing to women. Furthermore, his gift for poetry made him more appealing.
He wrote a poem named “To Miss C.O. y R” to show his adoration for Consuelo
Ortiga y Perez, Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey’s beautiful daughter. Nonetheless, he did
not pursue his love for her because he was still engaged to Leonor Rivera and a
buddy. Eduardo de Lete also had feelings for Consuelo.

23. THE FLOWERS OF HEIDELBERG (A los Flores de Heidelberg, April 1886)

  Jose Rizal spent some time at Heidelberg, a city in Baden-Württemberg,
Germany. In 1887, Rizal, then 25, finished his eye specialization at the University
of Heidelberg under the renowned Prof. Otto Becker. Flowers blossom along the
Neckar River’s banks each spring. Rizal adored the bright blue spring bloom
“forget-me-not”. These gorgeous flowers reminded him of the blooms in
Calamba. In the spring of 1886, while longing for his homeland, he wrote a lovely
poem titled “A Las Flores de Heidelberg” (To the Flowers of Heidelberg), in
which he prays for the well-being of his native place.

24. THE SONG OF MARIA CLARA, 1887

 This sonnet is part of Jose Rizal’s notorious novel, Noli Me Tangere. In the tale,
one of the main characters, Maria, performed a beautiful song with the harp
accompaniment at the insistence of her companions.

25. HYMN TO LABOR, 1888

 Jose Rizal composed the poem “Himno Al Trabajo” before leaving Calamba in
1888. This poem is in answer to a request from his friends in Lipa, Batangas.
They requested a song to honor Lipa’s elevation from town to city in January
1888. Dedicated to the hardworking people of Lipa, the poem featured poetic
exchanges between men, women, maidens, and children.

26. TO MY MUSE (A Mi, 1890, incl. in La Solidaridad)

 It was against a background of mental anguish in Brussels, during those sad days
when he was worried by family disasters. Rizal wrote his pathetic poem, “A
Mi…”(To my Muse).

27. KUNDIMAN, 1891

 The term “kundiman” refers to a traditional Filipino love song that is typically
sung by a man to a woman who is being courted. Jose Rizal wrote the poem
“Kundiman” to show his great love for his motherland. In the lines, Rizal
expresses optimism that the Philippines will be free of inequality and oppression.
28. WATER AND FIRE (El Agua Y El Fuego, 1891)
 This is a brief composition fragment from the novel El Filibusterismo’s Chapter
El Cubierta. In this poem. Jose Rizal stated his ultimate desire for the Philippines:
independence and progress.

29. SONG OF THE WANDERER/TRAVELER (El Canto Del Viajero, 1895)

 There came a period in Cuba when there was a raging yellow fever outbreak and
there were not enough physicians to meet the demands of the Cuban people.
Blumentritt, Rizal’s friend, persuaded the then-exiled Jose Rizal in Dapitan to
offer his services as a military doctor in Cuba. Governor Ramon Blanco wrote to
inform him that his offer had been accepted. Apart from the fact that his
humanitarian offer was accepted, he will be able to travel to Europe and then to
Cuba. His excitement upon getting the news drove him to write his “El Canto del
Viajero” (The Song of the Traveler/Wanderer).

30. TO JOSEPHINE, 1895

 Rizal devoted this poem to an Irish woman, Josephine Bracken, whom we called
his “dulce extranjera” (sweet foreigner). The poem implies that Rizal is “smitten”
with Josephine. When Josephine was eighteen years old, she went to Manila to
meet Dr. Jose Rizal and accompany her adoptive father for an eye procedure. She
then developed feelings for Dr. Rizal over her stepfather’s objections. Despite
previous love affairs with ladies. Dr. Jose Rizal wanted to marry only Josephine.
Josephine gave birth prematurely to an eight-month-old baby boy who lived only
a few hours. Rizal’s lost son was named “Francisco” after the hero’s father, Don
Francisco.

31. HYMN TO TALISAY, OCTOBER 1895

  Rizal taught his students in his residence in Talisay, near Dapitan, where he also
had a farm and hospital. He often met with his boys under a talisay tree. A poem
titled “In Honor of Talisay” was written for his students to sing, demonstrating
that they understand how to fight for their rights. The poem describes the location
Talisay and how Rizal achieved a peaceful life in exile.

32. MY RETREAT (Mi Retiro, 1895)

33. MY LAST FAREWELL (Mi Ultimo Adios, December 1896)