Consuelo Ortiga y Rey
Consuelo Ortiga y Rey, born on November 11, 1862, in Manila, Philippines, hailed from an
esteemed Spanish-Filipino family, boasting wealth and prominence. Renowned for her
exceptional looks and intellect, she crossed paths with Jose Rizal in Europe, specifically
Madrid, Spain, during the early 1880s. Rizal, engrossed in his studies encompassing medicine
and various disciplines, found himself captivated by Consuelo's allure.
Consuelo Ortiga y Rey, the prettier of Don Pablo Ortiga’s daughters, fell in love with him.
He dedicated to her “A la Senorita C.O. y R.”, which became one of his best poems. The
Ortiga’s residence in Madrid was frequented by Rizal and his compatriots. He probably fell
in love with her and Consuelo apparently asked him for romantic verses. He suddenly backed
out before the relationship turned into a serious romance, because he wanted to remain loyal
to Leonor Rivera and he did not want to destroy his friendship with Eduardo de Lete who was
madly in love with Consuelo.
O – Sei – San
O – Sei – San was a nickname given to Seiko Usui, a native of Japan. She had an inmate
relationship with Jose Rizal during Rizal’s vacation on Yokohama. She was 23 years old
when she met Rizal. Her former status as a daughter of samurai gave her an address of “O –
Sei – San” and “The Honorable Miss Sei”.
O – Sei – San, a Japanese samurai’s daughter taught Rizal the Japanese art of painting known
as “su - mie”. She also helped Rizal improved his knowledge of Japanese language. If Rizal
was a man without patriotic mission, he would have married O – Sei – San and lived a stable
and happy life with her in Japan because Spanish legation there offered him a lucrative job.
Gertrude Beckett
Gertrude was the daughter of Rizal’s landlord—Charles Beckett who is an organist at St.
Paul’s Church in London. Coming from brief stay in Japan and the United States of America,
Rizal chose to live in the capital city of the United Kingdom on May, 1888.
While Rizal was in London annotating the Sucesos de Las Islas Filipinas, he boarded in the
house of the Beckett Family, within walking distance of the British Museum. Gertrude, a
blue-eyed ad buxom girl (also called ‘Gettie’ or ‘Tottie’) was the oldest of the three Beckett
daughters. She fell in love with Rizal. Tottie helped him in his painting and sculpture. But
Rizal suddenly left London for Paris to avoid Gertrude, who was seriously in love with him.
Before leaving London, he was able to finish the group carving of the Beckett sisters. He
gave the group carving to Gertrude as a sign of their brief relationship.
Rizal was 27 years old and Gertrude Beckett was 18 years old when they first met.
Jose Rizal tries to express his feelings to Miss Consuelo Ortiga y Rey (C.O.y R.) through a
dark and depressing tone and imagery, perhaps to bemoan a love that is not meant to be.
A La Senorita (C.O. y R.)
Why ask for those unintellectual verses that once, insane with grief, I sang aghast? Or are you
maybe throwing in my face my rank ingratitude, my bitter past?
Why resurrect unhappy memories now when the heart awaits from love a sign, or call the
night when day begins to smile, not knowing if another day will shine?
You wish to learn the cause of this dejection delirium of despair that anguish wove? You
wish to know the wherefore of such sorrows, and why, a young soul, I sing not of love?
Oh, may you never know why! For the reason brings melancholy but may set you laughing.
Down with my corpse into the grave shall go another corpse that's buried in my stuffing!
Something impossible, ambition, madness, dreams of the soul, a passion and its throes Oh,
drink the nectar that life has to offer and let the bitter dregs in peace repose!
Again I feel the impenetrable shadows shrouding the soul with the thick veils of night: a mere
bud only, not a lovely flower, because it's destitute of air and light
Behold them: my poor verses, my damned brood and sorrow suckled each and every brat!
Oh, they know well to what they owe their being, and maybe they themselves will tell you
what.
