University of Luzon

Perez Blvd. Dagupan City Pangasinan Philippines 2400

S.Y. 2022-2023

The Revelation
of a Hero
Members:
Ivan Ocado
Joychelle Serran
Lester Asia
Rex Cariaga
Basti Galano
 I. Context/Background behind his writing

Noli me Tangere or “Touch me not” in Latin is the first novel written by Filipino patriot
and national hero Dr. Jose Rizal in 1887 and published in Germany. The novel has many
symbolic and real events, opening the eyes of the Filipinos during the Spanish colonization and
launching the revolution to overthrow the Spanish colonists. Each character in Noli Me Tangere
plays different roles in Philippine society fighting for freedom. Jose Rizal presented his persona
as Crisostomo Ibarra, who was a rich man, but he was rebellious, fighting for the freedom of the
Spaniards, while Elias, who was poor and oppressed by the Spaniards, sacrificed his life so that
Crisostomo could escape, because he believed that Crisostomo had a better chance of fighting
against the Spaniards. The sacrifice of Elias led to the vengeance of Crisostomo Ibarra against
the Spaniards in the sequel to the novel El Filibusterismo. (Clarrise, 2019)

Rizal was studying medicine at the Universidad Central de Madrid when he started to
write Noli, he continued to write the second half of Noli in Germany. Rizal was sent to Europe to
learn and understand new knowledge, cultures and etc. Rizal proposed the creation of the novel
to his fellow compatriots, but he later realized that they were more interested in women and
gambling, so he proceeded to write by himself in Madrid and later finished it in Berlin.

Rizal was influenced by a book entitled “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe
which led to the creation of Noli me Tangere which was made to reveal and expose the
corruption and maltreatment of the Spaniards, it was also created to awaken the minds of every
Filipino about the abuse and corruption of the Spaniards. The novel depicts real events during
Spanish colonization in the Philippines, such as the decision-making of the friars to command
was more powerful than that of the Governor-General, social issues, injustice and the Philippines
as a backward country. The conflict of the novel has existed to this generation, affecting our
society and the country that needs to learn and read Noli Me Tangere. The dominant conflicts in
the novel such as corruption, injustice, poverty and abuse are still the same problem to this day.
Noli Me Tangere is a novel that was an advisory to Filipinos to fight the settlers and a reminder
of our history today. The characters and events in the story are similar tour lives, culture and
beliefs of the Filipino people. This literary piece will mark in our hearts the values that the novel
tells us a good example that will benefit our country. Reading this literary piece will make us
recognize the true meaning of nationalism and become a catalyst for change. (Clarisse, 2019)

II. Synopsis and Symbol of significant characters

Young and well-off Filipino Crisostomo Ibarra, the main character of the Noli Me
Tangere, returned home after studying abroad for a while. Capitan Tiago (Santiago de los
Santos) hosted a celebration in his Manila home in his honor. The gathering was attended by
renowned local personalities like Padre Damaso, a fat Franciscan priest who had been
assigned for many years in Ibarra's native town (San Diego); Fray Sybila, the young
Dominican curate of Binondo; Lieutenant Guevarra of the Guardia Civil; and Doña
Victorina, wife of a fake Spanish physician Tiburcio de Espadaña. Crisostomo's father, Don
Rafael Ibarra, was Capitan Tiago's buddy. Maria Clara, who was thought to be Capitan
Tiago's daughter, was engaged to Crisostomo. Padre Damaso insulted Ibarra and blatantly
attempted to ruin his reputation during the celebration. The friar's insult was easily
disregarded by the gentleman Ibarra. Lieutenant Guevara spoke with Ibarra as he was leaving
Capitan Tiago's home and told him about the terrible things that had happened to his late
father in San Diego. Due to Don Rafael's lack of attendance at mass and confession, the San
Diego curate falsely accused him of being a heretic and a filibuster, according to Guevara.
Don Rafael once witnessed a fight between a weak boy and a Spanish tax collector. He had
unintentionally killed the brutal Spaniard by pushing him while attempting to defend the
helpless boy. Don Rafael was thus imprisoned and died in his cell miserably. (Manebog,
2018)

His remains were initially interred in sacred ground, but his enemies had it taken from
the Catholic cemetery. The following day, Crisostomo paid his beloved Maria Clara a visit.
Ibarra went to San Diego to hunt for his father's tomb after the nice visit with his girlfriend.
Through the grave digger, he had learned that the curate had ordered the removal of his
father's body so it could be moved to the Chinese cemetery. However, because it was pouring
rain and the body was heavy, the grave digger simply threw Don Rafael's body into a river.
(Manebog, 2018)

When Ibarra saw Padre Salvi, a parish priest in San Diego, he became enraged by
what he had learnt and abruptly attacked him. Salvi, however, informed him that Damaso
was the parish priest of the community at the time of Don Rafael's passing. Ibarra hosted a
picnic at the lake for Maria Clara and her family as soon as they arrived in San Diego. Ibarra
had rescued Elias, the boatman, from a crocodile that was imprisoned in a fish cage during
the picnic. Later on, during the picnic, some Guardia Civil personnel arrived and began
pursuing Elias, who had earlier attacked Padre Damaso and the alferez. However, Elias had
already left before the Guardia Civil showed up. (Manebog, 2018)

Elias helped Ibarra escape from prison. Before departing, they surreptitiously stopped
by Capitan Tiago's residence. Maria Clara explained that she was forced to hand over Ibarra's
letter, which was used to prove his guilt, under duress by Padre Salvi in return for the letters
that her late mother had written. She discovered from these that Padre Damaso was her actual
father. (Manebog, 2018)

Then Ibarra and Elias departed by boat. Elias told Ibarra to lie down and covered him
with grass to hide him. As luck would have it, they were noticed by their foes. Elias, thinking
he could outsmart them, jumped into the water. The guards fired repeatedly at him without
realizing they were shooting at the wrong person. Badly damaged, Elias entered the
woodland where he found the altar boy Basilio who was wailing over the body of his dead
mother, Sisa. When she discovered that her two sons, altar boys Crispin and Basilio, had
vanished from the convent, his mother had previously gone insane. (Manebog, 2018)

Crispin had been tortured and executed by the evil and corrupt sacristan mayor after
being falsely charged with stealing from the monastery. Salvi covered up the death of his
brother while Basilio managed to flee. Elias gave Basilio the order to build a funeral pyre and
burn his and Sisa's bodies to ashes because he knew he would soon die. Elias muttered these
hopeful nationalistic words as he was dying: "I shall die without seeing the dawn break upon
 my homeland. You, who shall see it, salute it! Do not forget those who have fallen during the
night." (Manebog, 2018)

The epilogue of the book describes Capitan Tiago's opium addiction. Padre Damaso
was assigned to a far province and was found dead in his bedroom one morning. Maria Clara
entered the nunnery feeling sad since she thought Ibarra had been killed and thrown into the
river. Padre Salvi left the church in San Diego to work as the nunnery's priest. Some deduce
that Salvi, who had been presented as having a latent desire for Maria Clara, often abused her
in the nunnery. So, one rainy night, a pretty insane woman was seen at the top of the convent,
furiously crying and cursing the heavens for her misfortune. (Manebog, 2018)

The Undesirables and their Symbolism

We now talk about the characters that represent the pervasive social cancer, Firstly
Crisostomo Ibarra who is the Exemplified the vision that Jose Rizal had aimed for the youth of
the Philippines during his time. Others attribute Ibarra as Rizal's reflection of himself. Secondly,
Maria Clara, she symbolizes the purity and innocence of a sheltered native woman during the
time of Spanish occupation. She does not value material things that were abundantly bestowed
upon her by admirers and family alike but holds in high esteem her parents' honor and the
promise she had given to her sweetheart. Next is a critique of Spanish rule over the Philippines
and a representation of the Spanish friars of Rizal's era, Padre Damaso. Fourthly Elias who
stands in for the average Filipino, who is not only conscious of the wrongs being done to his
countrymen but also wants to free them from their oppressors. He is supposedly Andres
Bonifacio personified. Next is Tasio, he is a representation of the educated Filipinos who
previously admired Spanish imperial culture. When they eventually returned to the Philippines
and saw the glaring disparity between what their fellow people received from their colonizers,
they eventually lost interest. The more they devote themselves to learning, the stranger they
appear to the people they are trying to enlighten, also Padre Salvi who represents the
promiscuous friars of Rizal's era. Next is Don Tiburcio, a parody of uneducated Spaniards who
caused chaos in the provinces during the colonial era, then also Doña Victorina de los Reyes de
Espadaña who is commonly known as Doña Victorina, serves as a metaphor for all Filipinos in
society who are ashamed of their ethnicity and country. Next to Doña Victorina is Sisa or the
homeland, which was in pain due to the death of her children, is supposed to have been
personified by Sisa. The sad incidents that destroyed her life served as a symbol of the
conquerors' maltreatment of the country. And finally, Crispin who stands in for those innocent
people who have been falsely accused of committing a crime. Their deaths and the subsequent
cover-ups put an end to the injustice they experienced at the hands of the authorities during their
tenure. (Epino, 2016)

III. Importance of Noli Me Tangere to the Filipino nation

and to all students

“Revealing the Truth”, the historical and sentimental elements in Dr. Jose Rizal's
book Noli Me Tangere had a significant impact on the country. It made the real enemies of our
nation more visible in our minds and eyes. The Filipino people were its primary audience, but it
also had a message for people in other countries. We had the opportunity to fully comprehend
and learn a lot from this book. The book not only described how the Spaniards gradually
eliminated our rights and our position as Filipinos, but also how they gradually won the support
of our fellow citizens. (mindanaofilmsmil, 2017)

“A Lesson”, By highlighting the positive traits of Filipinos, a Filipina's devotion and

her impact on a man's life, their profound sense of gratitude, and their sound common sense
under the Spanish rule, Rizal portrayed nationality. By reading or appreciating the book,
Filipinos learned more about what had happened in the past. We came to understand that there
were some parallels between the past and the present. Because of the corruption and abuse of the
previous administration, people's opinions of the current system of government have changed.
This is because they read the book and learned about the problems and potential corruption that
exists today. The book also made us aware that, in the past, our enemies were not just the
Spaniards but also our fellow Filipino leaders who had abandoned our nation.
(mindanaofilmsmil, 2017)

“A Filipino Standard”, The Filipinos value Noli Me Tangere for a variety of

reasons. The first is that Rizal, our national hero who was also a valiant martyr and an example
to all young people, wrote it. His book served as the impetus for the Filipino people's impending
power to demand freedom and independence. His work served as a tool for unifying the national
identity and consciousness of the Filipino people. (mindanaofilmsmil, 2017) The students might
interpret this as a benchmark for modesty in the face of difficulties and endurance in the face of
the daily pressures of student life.

“The Gauntlet”, The goal of "Noli Me Tangere" was to use its power to stoke the
public's desire for freedom and change. Although the book is a fictional story, it contains the
untold truth about the abuse and corruption committed by the Catholic Church and the colonial
government. A growing number of Filipinos who opposed Spanish colonial tyranny and aspired
to achieve democratic rights expressed their growing national consciousness in Rizal's book. It
served as a wake-up call for all Filipinos, forcing them to emerge from the illusion of a
coexisting in "harmonious and peaceful" harmony with the Spanish. We gained power from Noli
Me Tangere because it planted the seed of knowledge and sparked our desire for independence
and freedom. The writings of Rizal were produced to encourage the burgeoning nationalism that
will free the Filipinos from the bonds of oppression. (mindanaofilmsmil, 2017)

IV. Why Noli Me Tangere should be studied and

included as mandated by R.A. 1425

Noli should be studied because, it teaches about patriotism and sacrifice. Noli Me
Tangere urges us to consider our attitudes toward and actions on behalf of our nation. The
 novel's message, which still holds true today, is to support nationalism and learn to accept
change in ourselves. By upholding the law, promoting Philippine culture, and realizing
the country's true purpose by cooperating with one another to improve it, we must
support our nation. It instills in us the virtues of wisdom, standing up for what is right,
and love for our nation. This book is being taught in schools to teach students how to love
their country and to empower them to be the change agents who will prevent history from
being repeated. Jose Rizal wants us to be authentic Filipinos because only when we know
who we are and what our true aspirations are, will the nation prosper. The novel Noli Me
Tangere served as a warning to the Filipino people to resist the colonizers and serves as a
reminder of our history today. The story's characters and events are representative of
Filipino culture, life, and beliefs. The values that the book instructs us to uphold will help
us to be positive role models for our nation. This literary work will leave its mark on our
hearts. Reading this literary work will help us understand nationalism's true meaning and
serve as a catalyst for change. (Clarrise, 2019)

It is important that Noli Me Tangere be included in Republic Act 1425, for it is

part of history and one of the major factors of our Freedom and Independence. Because
Dr. Jose P. Rizal is a key figure in the culture and history of the Philippines, the Rizal
legislation has a profound impact on our lives as Filipinos. The life in the Philippines
under the Spanish rule and the fervent longing for freedom and independence are
immortalized in Rizal's literary works. (LawBooklet, 2023)

V. Noli Me Tangere’s contribution to Rizal’s Heroism

“Touch me not” greatly contributes to Rizal’s Heroism due to its effect among the
Filipino People in his time and even now. The contents of Noli, its characters and
symbols, the purpose and content of Noli Me Tangere and its great impact towards the
Filipinos are great contributions to Riza’s case for heroism, It made us more aware of the
nation's real villains. Although other countries were included in its intended readership,
the Filipino people were its primary focus. Through this book, we had the opportunity to
truly comprehend and learn a lot. The book demonstrated how the Spaniards gradually
undermined our standing and our rights as Filipinos, as well as how they gradually won
the support of our fellow citizens. It wasn't created or written just for the people of the
Philippines to see; it also served to highlight the other country. By highlighting the
positive traits of Filipinos, a Filipina's loyalty and her impact on a man's life, their
profound feeling of appreciation, and their sound common sense under the Spanish rule,
Rizal portrayed nationality, which greatly impacts the Filipino People.
(mindanaofilmsmil, 2017)

Conclusion

In Conclusion Noli Me Tangere by Dr. Jose Rizal indeed brought great impact and
contribution in achieving our freedom and independence, it made us realize the
corruption and abuse of Spaniards toward the Filipinos, but thanks to Rizal’s novel, it was
able to open our minds and gave courage to us Filipinos to fight and rebel against the
Spaniards and look where we are now, Free and Independent. After all that was said we
still strongly believe that Jose Rizal Should be our Official National Hero for his works
and contributions, for without it there would be no ember to start the flame of
indomitable patriotism and love for our country which greatly contributed to our freedom
and independence. It is really true that FREEDOM is NOT FREE, you have to FIGHT for
it.
Bibliography

Clarisse, A.,2019 (Noli Me Tangere: A Wake-Up Call Book of Revolution)

https://amberclarisse0928.medium.com/noli-me-tangere-a-wake-up-call-book-of-revolution-
9268a46b13d6#:~:text=Noli%20Me%20Tangere%20is%20a,and%20beliefs%20of%20Filipino
%20people.

Epino,D.D.,2016 ( Noli Me Tangere Characters and Symbolism)

https://prezi.com/q67afzrbofrl/noli-me-tangere-characters-and-symbolism-copied/?
fbclid=IwAR0d8SDZezXh_C2lI_1ckJUb130aUZr5u9p9F6du1WrKJUlTSytaVSj5bHw

mindanaofilmsmil, 2017 (A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF NOLI ME TANGERE,

FOCUSING ON FILIPINO NATIONALISM/ CORRUPTION: “THE PHILIPPINES
JOURNEY TO METAMORPHOSIS”
https://mindanaofilmsmil.wordpress.com/2017/02/24/the-philippines-journey-to-metamorphosis/

LawBooklet, 2023 (Rizal Law Summary (Republic Act 1425))

https://lawbooklet.com/rizal-law-republic-act-1425/?fbclid=IwAR2vheH-
TBvMBvczleSzwsAk7mKcVuBN7MgzADIZWIyts5oKkNoOCma6jmQ