NOLI ME

TANGERE
Published in Berlin (1887)
HISTORICAL

OVERVIEW
IDEA OF WRITING A NOVEL IN THE PHILIPPINES

 Dr. Rizal’s inspiration – “Uncle Tom’ s Cabin” of

Harriet Beecher Stowe.
 He proposed his idea of writing a novel to the group
of Filipinos during their reunion in the Paterno
residence.
 Paterno brothers ( Pedro, Maximo and Antonio)
 Graciano Lopez Jaena
 Evaristo Aguirre
 Eduardo de Lete
 Julio Llorente
 Melecio Figuero
 Valentine Ventura
 Because of his friend’s indifference, he
decided to make the novel – alone.

The Writing of the Noli

 Rizal began writing the novel in Madrid and
he finished about one- half of it toward the end
of 1884.

 After the Christmas season, Rizal put the

finishing touches on his novel. (He deleted a
whole chapter – “Elias and Salome”.)
 On February 21, 1887, the Noli was
finally finished and ready for printing.

 Rizalinquires to different printing shop in

Berlin and he finally found Berliner
Buchdruckrei- Action- Gesselschaft.
THE TITLE OF THE NOVEL

 The title Noli Me Tangere is a Latin

phrase which means “ Touch me Not.”

 This was taken from the passage in St.

John – Chapter 20, verses 13-17.

 Rizal made an error when he claimed

that it was taken from the book of St.
Luke.
AUTHOR’ S DEDICATION

 Rizal dedicated his

Noli Me Tangere to
the Philippines – “ To
my Fatherland.”
 THE
CHARACTERS
1. Crisostomo Ibarra (Juan Crisostomo Ibarra y Magsalin)
2. Maria Clara (Maria Clara de Los Santos y Alba)
3. Padre Damaso (Damaso Verdolagas)
4. Kapitan Tiago (Don Santiago de Los Santos)
5. Pilosopo Tasyo (Don Anastacio)
6. Elias
7. Doña Victorina (Doña Victorina de Los Reyes de Espadaña)
8. Sisa (Narcisa)
9. Doña Consolacion
10. Tiya Isabela
11. Iday, Sinang, Victoria and Neneng
12. Andeng
13. Doña Pia Alba
14. Kapitan Tica and Kapitan Basilio
15. Albino
16. Crispin and Basilio
17. Padre Salvi
18. Padre Sibyla
19. Pedro
THE

PLOT
 - Jose Rizal’ s Noli Me Tangere was
all about the description of the Spanish
colonization here in the Philippines and
how the Spanish treated Filipino badly.
- It followed the story of Crisostomo
Ibarra who came from Europe to study
and returned in the Philippines after his
seven years of journey.
 - The plot revolves around
Crisostomo Ibarra, mixed- race heir of
a wealthy clan, returning home after
seven years in Europe and filled with
ideas on how to better the lot of his
countrymen.
 THE
SYMBOLISM
THE SCHOOL

-Ibarra’ s attempt to build a school in his

community illustrates his political views,
particularly his belief about the power of
education. The school thus symbolizes the
empowerment through education, which is
unavailable to most Filipinos.
-Yet the school also reveals the tension
between church and state as everyone tries to
gain control over the project.
NIGHT AND DAWN
-In his final words, Elias likens the dark
time before freedom and equality come to the
Philippines to the night. Some people, including
himself, will die before they can see the dawn-
the utopian time of liberation.
-Night symbolizes the time of corruption,
chaos, and confusion while dawn represents a
new happier time. Just as dawn begins a new
day, Elias hopes that a new era will dawn in the
Philippines.
CEMETERIES AND BURIALS
-Cemeteries and burials appear
often in the novel, most prominently
in the form of Don Rafael Ibarra’ s
lack of a proper final resting place.
-People who are without a final
resting place are repeatedly associated
with shame.
THE CANCER
-The title of the novel, Noli Me
Tangere, alludes to a cancer that is so
deadly and powerful that no one dares
touch the sores associated with it.
-Similarly, the novel explores a
“social cancer” that eats at the
Philippines, but is seen as too dangerous
to talk about.
MARIA CLARA
-Ibarra directly liken Maria Clara to his
nation, the Philippines, as a whole, and she can
be interpreted as an embodiment of the country.
-Like the Philippine people in general at
that time, she is typically passive and reluctant
to rebel against the society she was raised in,
despite clearly seeing its flaws.
-This change in her character can be seen
as a change Rizal anticipated in his people as
the Philippines headed towards rebellion and
war.