Module 5

Rizal's Return to Europe

and the Novel
El Filibusterismo

Reference: Life and Works of Dr. Jose P. Rizal; A Modular Approach

based on the New CHED Curriculum, M. C. Pangilinan, M. C. Franco-
Igloria, E. A. Pasague, 2018, Mindshapers Co., Inc.
 OBJECTIVES :
At the end of module 6, the student
should be able to:
 Decide well on a situation in relation to one's safety or one's
principle/belief;
 Compare the two novels in many aspects and to find out the
purpose why they were written;
 Discuss Rizal as a traveler representing the Filipino through his
works and achievements; and
 Study Rizal's views in religion, family and rights of the people.
 February 3, 1888
For second time, Rizal sailed to Hong
East Asia
Kong as a frustrated being who wanted
the utmost reform in his native land.
Jose Sainz de Verranda
Terrero's former secretary, followed Rizal in the said
British colony, and was believed to be
commissioned by the Spanish authorities to spy on
the him.
American Streamer, Oceanic
After almost three weeks, on board in this streamer he
left Hong Kong and sailed Japan where he was
invited by Secretary Juan Perez Caballero to live at
the Spanish Legation
It was a bait
His instinct told him that it was a bait - a way for the
Spanish officials to keep track of his activities.
Accepted it
Since it was economical to stay at
the legation and he believed that he
had nothing to hide, he accepted it.
Scenic Japan
Rizal was impressed by the scenic Japan
and had keenly observed the life, customs
and culture of the people.
O-Sei-San (Usui Seiko)
He had fallen in love not only with
the view but more to its women,
particularly with this 23-year old
woman.
 Sail to the West
Tempted to Settle
Due to love, he tempted to settle in
Japan with O-Sei-San
April 13, 1888
Rizal boarded Belgic - an English streamer bound
for the US, reaching the land on April 28.
He visited some States and Cities
He visited San Francisco, left it on the second day for
Oklahoma, then to Sacramento, then to Reno, and
finally New York
May 16, 1888
The ship “City of Rome” sailed Liverpool and where
he decided to stay in London until March 1889.
Why in London
He chooses to stay so that he could improve his
English skills, study and do an annotation of
Antonio Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas
and it was a safe place to carry his reforms he
wanted for the Philippines
Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor
During his stay in London, he stayed
Regidor's home and boarded at the
Beckett family.
Gertrude
He fell in love with her during his
boarding at the Beckett family
 In Great Britain
In London; good news
He received both news from home. The good one
was that Rev. Vicente Garcia was defending his
Noli from the attacks of the friar. During his stay in the country
Rizal also made use of his time in writting essays
In London; bad news and articles for the La Solidaridad.
The bad one was that the Filipino signatories of the
Petition 1888 and the tenants of the Calamba On June 12, 1889
agrarian trouble were facing persecution.
With Filipino and Spanish friend, they
Exiled and denied of founded the Asociacion Hispano-Filipino
Cont. of bad news, his brothers-in-law, Manuel T. which aimed for unionism and reforms.
Hidalgo and Mariano Herbosa were exiled to bohol
and was denied of Christian burial After 10 months
He left London and departed for
Friend imprisoned Paris, France.
His friend, Laureano Viado, a UST medical student
was imprisoned for possessing a copy of his Noli.
 In Paris
Rizal continued his study on various languages and
In France
practiced his artistic skills and finishes two statues.
2 Statues
“The Beggar” and “The Maid With A Basket”
Kidlat Club
He organized a social club which brought together
young Filipinos residing in France.
Indios Bravos
Soon, the members of the said club founded a new
Filipino society, an organization which envisioned
Filipinos being recognized by Spain for being
excellent in various fields of knowledge.
January 1890
Rizal annotation of Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas finally printed and published.
Garnier Freres
He published Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas.
 Before going to Belgium
Together with his roommate Jose Albert, Rizal
In Belgium
Lost battle
He decided to go home but instead of going
celebrated Christmas in Paris. Shortly after New
home, a letter from Paciano told him that they
Year, he visited London for the last time.
aready lost the case against the Dominican and
they are in need of Lawyer that can defend their
January 28, 1890
families in Calamba from Madrid.
He left Paris for Brussels. With Albert, they left the
extravagant and gay social life in Paris and stays
in a boarding house owned by the Jacoby sisters. No Right Person to be Found
He traveled to Madrid to seek justice but in
Dimas Alang and Laong Laan vain - he could not find a right person
Rizal continued to contribute for La Solidaridad under
the above pseudoname. Land Eviction
He heard that his family was already evicted
Received Letters from their land in Calamba and other family
members were banished to Mindoro and
From Calamba, he received letters that the agrarian Manila
trouble in the province was getting worse
 Rizal's Misadventure 1.0
He challenged Antonio Luna, it was about the
latters frustration with his unsuccessful love affair
In Spain
with Nellie Boustead, and so gave negative remarks
that Rizal cannot tolearate.
Rizal's Misadventure 2.0
Other encounter was with Wenceslao Retano who
had insulted Rizal and his family by writing
La Epoca - an anti-Filipino newspaper
La Epoca Insult
Retano write that the Rizal family was evicted from
their lands because they did not pay their rent.
Heart Broken
It was in this city that he heard the news of Leonor
Rivera's marriage with and Englishmen Henry
Kipping
Rivalry
MH del Pilar and Jose Rizal rivalry for leadership
with the Associacion Hispano Filipino in which a
faction emerged from the Filipinos in Madrid:
Rizalistas and Pilaristas
Election
Organization's election was held to settle the
rivalry; losing the election, Rizal decided to go
back home fearing that his presence may result
to bigger and stronger faction.
Finishing his 2nd Novel
Instead of going staight to Hong Kong, he
went back to Brussels to finish his 2nd novel
- The El Filibusterismo, said to be the cont.
of Noli.
El Filibusterismo
 El Filibustirismo - the 2nd novel of
Jose Rizal which was a cont. of the
Noli in Brussels and he finished it in
Biarritz, Madrid, inspired by the
magnificent place and his romance
with Nellie Bousted.
 On March 29, 1891 - in the eve of his
departure from Biarritz to Paris, he
finished the manuscript of El
Filibusterismo.
 On May 30, 1891 - he completed the
revision and was ready for printing.
 F. Meyer-Van Loo Press, No. 66 Viaa-
nderen Street - a publisher that he find
that published books in an installment.
 In order to pay for the downpayment
and early partial payments during the
printing of the novel, he pawned his
jewels.
 Basa and Rodriguez Arias also funded
his printing.
 Valentin Ventura in Paris helped him
because of the insufficient funds that's
why the printing was suspended.
 On September 18, 1891 - the novel
came off the press in Ghent; then he
immediately sent copies to Basa, to
Sixto Lopez in Hong Kong, to his friends
- Ventura in Paris and to his friends in
the Philippines.
El Filibusterismo
 The novel was praised to the skies  Rizal dedicated El Filibusterismo to
Filipino patriots in foreign lands and in the martyrs, GOMBURZA. Their
the Philippines. martyrdom, which Paciano related to
 The members of the Filipino colony of him when he was a boy in Calamba
Barcelona published a tribute in La was never forgotten.
Publicidad, a Barcelona newspaper,
eulogizing the novel's original style
which is comparable only to
sublime Alexander Dumas and may
well be offered as “a model, a
precious jewel in the decadent
literature of Spain”.
 October 1891 - the liberal Madrid
newspaper, El Nuevo Regimen,
serialized the novel in its issue.
Summary of El Filibusterismo
Thirteen years after Jose Rizal left the
Philippines, Juan Crisostomo Ibarra (the
main character from Noli) returned as
Simoun, a rich jeweler sporting a beard and
blue tinted glasses, and a confidant of the
Governor-General of the Philippines. Abando-
ning his idealism, he became cynical saboteur,
the titula filibustero, seeking revenge against
the Spanish Philippines system responsible
for his misfortunes by plotting a revolution,
Simoun mingled himself into Manila high
society and influenced every decision of the
Captain General to mismanage the country's
affairs so that a revolution will break out. He
cynically sided with the upper classes,
encouraging them to commit abuses against
the masses so that the latter would be
encouraged to revolt against the oppressive
Colonial regime. This time, he did not attempt
to fight the authorities through legal means,
but through violent revolution using the
masses. Simoun had reasons for
instigating a revolution. First is to rescue
Maria Clara from the convent and second,
to get rid of ills and evils of the Philippines
society. His true identity is discovered by a
now grown-up Basilio while visiting the
grave of his mother, Sisa; as Simoun
was digging near the grave site for his buried
treasures. Simoun spared Basilio's life and
asked him to join in his planned revolution
against the government, up the tragic
misfortunes of the latter's family. Basilio
declined the offer as he still hopes that the
country's condition will improve.
Basilio, at this point, is a graduating
Summary of El Filibusterismo
de Manila. After the death 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 Maria Clara entered the
convent. With Captain Tiago's help, Basilio
was able to go to Colegio de San Juan de
Letran where, at first, he is frowned upon
by his peers and teachers not because of the
color of his skin but also because of his
shabby appearance which he also
experienced at Ateneo. Captain Tiago's
confessor, Father Irene was making
Captain Tiago's health worse by giving him
opium even as Basilio tried hard to prevent
Captain Tiago from smoking it. He and other
students wanted to establish a Spanish
and write Spanish language in the
Philippines despite the opposition from the
Dominican friars of the University of Santo
Tomas. With the help of a reluctant Father
Irene their mediator and Don Custodio's
decision, the academy was 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.
Simoun, for his part, kept in close
contact with the bandit group of Kabesang
Tales, a former cabeza de baranggay 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
Summary of El Filibusterismo
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 Simoun's
revolver while Simoun was staying at his
house for the night. As a payment, Tales left a
locket that once belonged to Maria Clara. To
further strengthen the revolution, Simoun has
Quiroga, a Chinese man hoping to be
appointed consul to the Philippines, smuggled
weapons into tauntry using Quiroga'z bazaar
as a front. Simoun wished to attack
during a stage play with all of his enemies
attendance. He however, abruptly aborted
attack when he learned from Basilio that
Maria Clara had died earlier that day in
A few days after the mock celebration by
the students, the people agitated when distu-
rbing posters were found displayed around the
city. The authorities accused the students
prese-nt at the panciteria of agitation and
disturbing peace and had them arrested.
Basilio, although not present at the mock
celebration, was also arrested. Captain Tiago
died after learning of the incident and as
stated in his will - forged by Father Irene, all
his possessions were given to the
Church, leaving nothing to Basilio. Basilio was
left in prison as the other students were
released. A high officials tried to intervene from
the release of Basilio but the Captain-Gen.,
bearing burden grudges against the high
officials, coerced him to tender his resignation.
Juli, Basilio's girlfriend and the daughter of
Summary of El Filibusterismo
upon the advice of an eleder woman, Instead
of helping Juli, however, Father Camorra tried
to rape her for he had long hidden desires for
Juli. Juli rather than submits to the will of the
friar, jumped over the balcony to her death.
Basilio was soon released with the help
of Simoun. Basilio, now a changed man, and
after hearing about Juli's suicide, finally
joined Simoun's revolution. Simoun then
told Basilio his plan at the wedding of Paulita
Gomez and Juanito - Basilio's hunch-
backed classmate. His plan was to conceal
an explosive inside a pomegranate-styled
Kerosene lamp that Simoun will give to
the newlyweds as a gift during the wedding
recept-ion. The reception will take place at the
former home of the late Captain Tiago, which
was now filld with explosives planted by
According to Simoun, 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 had a change of heart and
attempts to warn the people inside, including
Isagani, his friend and the former boyfriend
of Paulita. Simoun left the reception early as
planned and left a note behind; The Writing
on the Wall (Mene Thecel Phares).
 The Writing on the Wall (Mene Thecel Phares).
Initially thinking that it simply a bad joke
by those left behing. Father Salvi recogni-zed
the handwriting and confirmed that was
indeed Ibarra's. As people began to panic, the
lamp flickered. Father Irene tried to turn the
wick up when Isagani, due to his undying love
for Paulita, burst in the room and threw the
lamp into the river, sabotaging Simoun's plan.
He escaped by diving into the river as guards
chased after him. He later regreted his
impulsive action becaues he 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.
Simoun, now unmasked as the
perpetrator of the attempted arson and failed
revolution, became a fugitive. Wounded and
exhausted after he was shot by the pursuing
Guardia Civil soldiers, he sought shelter at the
home of Father Florentino, Isagani's uncle, and
came under the care of Dr. Tiburcio de Epadaña,
the husband of Doña Victorina, who was also hiding
at the house. Simoun took poison in order for him
not to be captured alive by the authorities. Before
he died, he revealed his real identity to Father
Florentino while they exchanged thoughts about the
failure of his revolution and why God forsook him.
Father Florentino explained that God did not
forsake him and that his plans were not for the
greater good but for personal gain. Simoun, finally
accepting Father Florentino's explanation,
squeezed his hand and died. Father Florentino then
took Simoun's remaining jewels and threw them
into the sea, hoping that they would not be used by
the greedy, and that when the time comes that it
would be used for the greater good, when the
nation would be finally deserving liberty for
Characters of El Filibustirismo
 SIMOUN BASILIO ISAGANI KABESANG TALES

Crisostomo Sisa's son and He is a poet and Telesforo Juan de

Ibarra disguised was adopted by Basilio's best Dios, a former
as a wealthy Kaptain Tiago, friend; portrayed cabeza de barangay
jeweler, bent on boyfriend of Juli, as an emotional who resurfaced as
starting a an aspiring and the feared Luzon
revolution. Using doctor and joined reactive/impulsiv bandit Matanglawin
his wealth, he Simoun for his e student (“Hawkeye); his
encouraged the revolution when leader; He is father, Tandang
people who he learned that Paulita Gomez Selo, died eventually
experienced Juli died. boyfriend before after his own son
abuse to join being dumped for Tano, who became a
him in his fellow student guardia civil,
rebellion against Juanito Pelaez. unknowingly shot
the church and his grandfather in
the an encounter.
governement.
 DON CUSTODIO JULI FATHER PAULITA GOMEZ
FLORENTINO

Custodio de Juliana de Dios, The girlfriend of

Salazar y Sancez the girlfriend of Isagani's Isagani and the
de Basilio, and the godfather, and a niece of Dona
Monteredondo, a youngest secular priest; Victorina, the old
famous “journalist” daughter of was engaged to Indian who passes
who was asked by Kabesang Tales. be married but herself off as a
the students about chose to be a Peninsulares/Penins
his decision for the priest after being ular, who was the
Academia de pressured by his wife of the quack
Castellano. In mother, the story doctor Tiburcio de
reality, he was an hinting at the Espadana. In the
ordinary fellow ambivalence of end, she and Juanito
who maried a rich his decision as Pelaez were wed,
woman in order to he chose an and she dumped
be a member of assign-ment to a Isagani, believing
Manila's high remote place, that she will have
society. living in solitude no future with him.
near the sea.
 BEN ZAYB QUIROGA TANDANG PLACIDO
SELO PENITENTE

Ibraham Ibañez. A Chinese

He is a journalist businessman Father of A student of UST
who thought he who dreamt of Kabesang Tales. who was very
was only one being a consul of He raised intelligent and wise
thinking in the a “Consulate the sick and but did not want, if
Philippines. of China” in young Basilio not only by his
the after his mother mother's plea to
Philippines. He Sisa had died. pursue his studies.
kept Simoun's He also controls his
weapons inside temper against his
his house. Physics teacher
Father Millon.
 ATTY. PASTA CAPT. GEN. PADRE SIBYLA FATHER
FERNANDEZ

One of the great The most Hernando de la

lawyers of mid- powerful highest Sibyla, a Filipino The priest-friend of
Hispanic Manila. official in the friar and now Isagani. He promised
Philippines with vice-rector of the Isagani that he and
no specific name. UST. the other priests will
give in to the
students' demand.
Comparison of Noli and El Fili
 Noli and El Filibustirismo vary in many
aspects, although they are written by the
same author and are supposed to be
dealing with the same story and have the
same characters.
 The Noli is a romantic novel. It is a “work
of the heart” and “a book of feeling”. It
has freshness, color, humor, lightness and
wit. Whereas, El Filibustirismo is a poltical
novel. It is a “work of heal” and a “book of
the thought”. It contains bitterness, hatred,
pain, violence and sorrow.
 Jose Rizal's original intention was to
make the El Filibustirismo longer than
the Noli. However, El Filibustirismo is
shorter than Noli, it contains 38 chapters
whereas 64 chapters of Noli.
 There were many opinions as to which the
superior novel is - the Noli or the Fili. Rizal
himself considered Noli as the superior
to the Fili as novel. MH Del Pilar and
Retana, Rizal's first Spanish biographer,
also believed that Noli is superior.
 However, other including Blumentritt,
Graciano Lopez Jaena and Dr. Rafael
Palma was against the opinion of Rizal.
They believed that the Fili is superior than
the other.
 In Lopez Jaena's letter he said that the Fili
was superior to the Noli because of it
exquisite delicate, literary style, its easy
and correct dialogue, its phraseology,
vigorous and elegant, and its profound
ideas and sublime thoughts.
Comparison of Noli and El Fili
 However, Lopez Jaena advise Rizal to (cont.) marvelous like all the brilliant
write another novel because he was not productions of his pen. He also said that it was
satisfied with Fili as political novel. a true twin of the Noli.
 The issue of which is the superior novel is
purely academic. Noli and El Fili are good
novels from the point of view of history.
Both depict with realistic color the actual
conditions of the Philippines and Filipinos
the decadent days of Spanish rule.
 Both are instrumental in awakening the
spirit of Filipino nationalism and are
responsible in paving the ground for
Philippine Revolution that brought about
the downfall of Spain.
 Neither the Noli nor the Fili is superior to
one another, Mariano Ponce told Rizal that
Fili was indeed excellent novel but it was
like
 The Comparison of the Two Novel of Dr. Jose P. Rizal
Feature/Aspect Noli Me Tangere El Filibustirismo
Date & Place March 21, 1887, September 18, 1891,
Published Berlin, Germany Ghent, Belgium
Spanish
Noli Me Tangere El Filibustirismo
(Language)
English Touch Me Not/
The Reign of Greed
(Language) Social Cancer
Filipino Huwag mo Akong Ang Paghahari ng
(Language) Salingin Kasakiman
Romantic Novel, a
Political Novel, a story
story exposing the
Genre of revenge and
real situation in the
revolution
Philippines
 The Comparison of the Two Novel of Dr. Jose P. Rizal
Feature/Aspect Noli Me Tangere El Filibustirismo
To work as a pacifist, To revenge the
choosing peaceful sufferings of the family
reforms through and countrymen
education of the resulting from bitter
Concept
youth, colonial and traumatic
discrimination, an experiences, failure of
idealist introducing of the revolution planned
reforms by Simoun
Dedication Motherland GOMBURZA
Length 64 Chapters 38 Chapters
Influenced by the
Influence & Saved Saved by Valentin
novel entitled: Uncle
By Venture
Tom's Cabin