Villeza, Patrisha Rae G.

GERIZ01X- ACT182

1.

NOLI ME TANGERE

Noli Me Tangere starts when Capitan Tiago hosts a dinner party to welcome Ibarra who
is back after 7 years of studying in Europe and discovers that Don Rafael, his father, a very
powerful and wealthy land owner recently died because of the wrong accusations of subversion
and heresy of Padre Damaso but on the latter part, Don Rafael proven innocent. Ibarra decided
to go back in his beloved hometown, San Diego. Maria Clara, Ibarra’s fiancé also relocates in
San Diego. Observing what is happening in San Diego, he realized that friars wield much more
power than the government. The friars are actively interfering the everyday life of the people of
San Diego and hearing from the schoolmaster that Padre Damaso instructing to change the
educational techniques. Ibarra wants for the betterment of his hometown and after hearing
those incidents, he decided to build a school in San Diego. Ibarra wanted to make a change to
the people of San Diego without the influence of the friars. Ibarra is clueless that this would be
the start of his sufferings in interfering the powerful hands of the friars, including Maria Clara.
During the blessing ceremony of the new built school, a mysterious man approaches Ibarra that
his life is in danger. But Ibarra ignores the advice and Elias, the mysterious man takes action to
save Ibarra. Celebrating the success of the school, Padre Damaso arrived uninvited. Ibarra
loses his control over Padre Damaso in insulting his father by grabbing a knife and about to kill
the friar. Through Ibarra’s action, he is excommunicated from the church. The fear over the
friars, Capitan Tiago call off the wedding instead, betrothing Maria Clara with Linares. Ibarra
succeeds in lifting the excommunication, Padre Salvi, who secretly loves Maria Clara hired
Lucas, who wants to revenge on his brother’s death. Lucas framed Ibarra that he is the
mastermind of the rebel attacks on Civil Guards. Ibarra is arrested and found guilty. Elias, the
mysterious man, saved him again by breaking him out of the prison. Ibarra decides to stop and
reproach Maria Clara regarding the letter. Maria Clara explained herself that she was
blackmailed regarding to his biological father which turnout Padre Damaso. Maria Clara wanted
is to save his deceased mother and Capitan Tiago’s name in the scandal. Ibarra and Elias get
off into the boat. Realizing that another boat is chasing them, Elias tells Ibarra to jump off to the
boat and meet him on Christmas Eve near the woods in San Diego. Elias saved again Ibarra by
concealing his death. Founding out the news about the death of Ibarra, Maria Clara decided to
enter a convent. On Christmas Eve, young Basilio, who studied to be sextons together with his
brother Crispin who falsely accused of theft, is wandering into the woods. Going to San Diego,
he searches for his mother Sisa, a loving mother who searched for his sons that leads her to
insanity. Finding his mother, he realized that she does not recognized him and running back to
the woods. After chasing Sisa, finally his mother recognized him. Elias appeared wounded and
dying and realized that Ibarra has not arrived. Elias found Basilio beside his dead mother and
telling him that he is about to die. He instructed Basilio to build a pyre and to burn Sisa and his’
body.

EL FILIBUSTERISMO

The disappearance of Ibarra in Noli Me Tangere, it is revelead that Ibarra dug up his
treasure and fled to Cuba. Returning in the Philippines, Ibarra is back with a new identity.
Simoun disguised as Ibarra is a wealthy jeweler and powerful figure because he is a friend and
adviser of the Gobernador Heneral. Befriending the Spanish officials, Simoun deep in his heart
has a longing vision in making a revenge against the Spaniards. He is hungry for vengeance.
Vengeance to save Maria Clara and to avenge his father’s death. He used his power to
encourage corruption in the government that promotes a degradation to the country so that
people will become hungrier to fight for their rights. Smuggling arms of the country with the help
of Chinese merchant, Quiroga, Ibarra plans the first attempt to attack the Spaniards, but his plan
did not push through because he heard the news about the death of Maria Clara in the convent.
Mourning of the death of Maria Clara, Simoun is determined to execute his attack to the
government on the wedding of Paulita Gomez and Juanito Pelaez. He gives a beautiful lamp as
a wedding gift. Simoun and his side kick Basilio know when the lamp burns lower, the lamp will
explode. Including the Governor General, officials, friars and all the guest who attended the
wedding ceremony will be killed. After the explosion, Simoun’s next plan is to attack the building
of Manila. Isagani, who sadly watching the wedding of Paulita Gomez, the girl who rejected him,
Basilio warns Isagani to run away because anytime soon the lighted lamp will explode. But
realizing that Paulita is in grave danger, he saves her life by stealing the lamp and hurls it into
the river. Discovering the bloody revolutionary act of Simoun leads him to be wanted. Dying
Simoun carrying his treasure chest, flees to the home of Padre Florentino. The hopeless
Simoun take poison to elude his arrest. The dying Simoun confesses his identity to the priest
and his hungriness of revenge. Padre Florentino absolves Simoun turns out to be Ibarra from
his sins. The priest prays for Ibarra and throwing the treasures of Simoun into the sea of hoping
that it could be recover again by intending to use it for good purposes.

2.

Maria Clara- Maria Clara is a Filipina Mestiza, a woman of high social standing. Her beauty and
simplicity caught the heart of Ibarra. She is the daughter of Capitan Tiago and Pia Alba that
turns out Padre Damaso is her biological father. Maria Clara is a loving and respectful daughter
and partner that she will sacrifice herself for the sake of her loved ones. She is the ideal image
of women because of her beauty and charm.

The weak character of Maria Clara represents the women in today’s society. She is the ideal
image of Filipino women who wants what is the best for the happiness of her parents even if it is
sacrificing her own happiness. I think the character itself portraying today is having an
authoritative father in choosing path for their daughter.

Capitan Tiago- He is a wealthy man. He loves power. Capitan Tiago keeps his close ties with
high ranking officials of the government for the power. He even supported the oppressor against
his fellow Filipino. Capitan Tiago is an authoritative father to Maria Clara that his primarily
concern is to marry his daughter from an influential family.

Capitan Tiago can be a representation of influential rich people today because of the
connections and holding a strong authority. He can also be our political officials today. Their
image is what is most important than doing the right thing for the people. Capitan Tiago can be
compared to the rich and influential father for having an authority to decide for their children.

Sisa- Sisa is a loving mother of Crispin and Basilio. She is a beautiful and young mother. The
unending love for her sons leads her to be a deranged mother. She cannot protect herself and
her sons from the beating of her husband.

Sisa is the face of the Filipino mothers who loves their children unquestionably. She can also be
the image of having an abusive husband. Until now there are martyr mothers suffering in this
kind of situation and accepting the beatings of their husband to protect and save her family. Sisa
is also the image of our mother for giving what is the best for her children.
Crisostomo Ibarra- Ibarra is a wealthy mestizo who came back from the Philippines. He is the
fiancé of Maria Clara. He is sophisticated and very idealistic man. Crisostomo Ibarra is the son
of one of the wealthiest men in San Diego. All he wanted is change for the betterment of the
Filipinos. He also a highly esteemed man for having a courage to fight against the oppressor.

Crisostomo Ibarra is the best representation of the Filipino youth who wanted a change from the
failure of our government. It can also be symbolizing the voices of Filipinos. Voices that are still
inaudible to the government. I can also compare Ibarra to the rallyists who are voicing out and
fighting for the equal rights of every Filipino.

Padre Florentino- Padre Florentino is an indio priest. He is an old man with gray hair. Simoun
flees to Padre Florentino’s home to sought for shelter after being wounded. Padre Florentino is
the one whom Simoun seek help and revealed his true identity.

The character of Padre Florentino is comparable to our priests today. His compassion towards
Simoun is what kind of priest we have today. A religious leader who accepts forgiveness,
compassionate, understanding, and a truly servant of God.

Basilio- Basilio is the loving son of Sisa and brother of Crispin. He works as a sexton and a side
kick of Simoun. Basilio is an optimistic man despite of his hardships. Basilio shows his maturity
at very young age in handling his problems. He wanted a high social status to change his fate
and will not experience again of what happened to his family.

Basilio is a representation of Filipinos who suffered hardships at very young age and a victim of
poverty. A young Filipino who wants the best for his family yet the unjust treatment of the
government blocking his way. I can also see Basilio to those Filipinos who wanted a change for
his country but because of his status in life, having no power still suffers to the failure of the
government.

3.

El Filibusterismo is the second novel of Dr. Jose Rizal, a sequel of Noli Me Tangere. It
is darker compare to the first novel because it is all about hungriness of vengeance, greed,
unfulfilled love, and tragedy. The El Filibusterismo consider a dark novel because of the dark
theme and dark characters portraying throughout the book. Rizal depicts Simoun’s character as
a disguised and full of hatred. The theme of the El Filibusterismo makes it a darker novel than
Noli Me Tangere because of the hidden desire of a revolutionary act to oust the Spaniards the
only sees solution as a means of change. Rizal makes the El Filibusterismo a selfless liberated
novel that might take a change. Simoun’s idea of a worst and violent revolution in novel makes
me consider it as a dark novel.