IV.

Rizal’s Life

Education at the Ateneo

 Jose Rizal’s first teacher was his mother, who had taught him how to read and pray
and who had encouraged him to write poetry. Later, private tutors taught the young
Rizal Spanish and Latin, before he was sent to a private school in Biñan.

 When he was 11 years old, Rizal entered the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. He earned
excellent marks in subjects like philosophy, physics, chemistry, and natural history.
At this school, he read novels; wrote prize-winning poetry (and even a melodrama
—“Junto al Pasig”); and practiced drawing, painting, and clay modeling, all of which
remained lifelong interests for him.

 Rizal eventually earned a land surveyor’s and assessor’s degree from the Ateneo
Municipal while taking up Philosophy and Letters at the University of Santo Tomas.
Upon learning that his mother was going blind, Rizal opted to study ophthalmology
at the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. He, however, was not able to complete
the course because “he became politically isolated by adversaries among the faculty
and clergy who demanded that he assimilate to their system.”

 Without the knowledge of his parents, Rizal traveled to Europe in May 1882.
According to his biographer, Austin Craig, Rizal, “in order to obtain a better
education, had had to leave his country stealthily like a fugitive from justice, and his
family, to save themselves from persecution, were compelled to profess ignorance of
his plans and movements. His name was entered in Santo Tomas at the opening of
the new term, with the fees paid, and Paciano had gone to Manila pretending to be
looking for this brother whom he had assisted out of the country.”

 Rizal earned a Licentiate in Medicine at the Universidad Central de Madrid, where

he also took courses in philosophy and literature. It was in Madrid that he conceived
of writing Noli Me Tangere. He also attended the University of Paris and, in 1887,
completed his eye specialization course at the University of Heidelberg. It was also
in that year that Rizal’s first novel was published (in Berlin).
 Rizal is said to have had the ability to master various skills, subjects, and languages.
Our national hero was also a doctor, farmer, naturalist (he discovered the Draco
rizali, a small lizard; Apogania rizali, a beetle; and the Rhacophorus rizali, a frog),
writer, visual artist, athlete (martial arts, fencing, and pistol shooting), musician, and
social scientist.

HIS LIFE ABROAD

Travel for Spain.

May 1, 1882 – Rizal began writing farewell letters to his friends and family

- Paciano gave him money for his allowance

- Saturnina gave him a diamond ring

May 3, 1882 – Rizal left on board the Spanish steamer Salvadora bound for Singapore

- After 5 days of sailing , the Salvadora reached Singapore

- He registered at Hotel dela Paz
- His two-days stop over were spent in visiting historic places.

From Singapore to Colombo, Sri-Lanka

May 11, 1882 – From Singapore , he bounded to Djemnah , a French steamer bound for
Europe.
May 17, 1882 – Djemnah made its stop over at the Point Galle.
Rizal noted, “Point Galle, a seacoast town which is picturesque but lonely, quiet and sad.
May 18, 1882 – Djemnah docked at Colombo
Rizal said, “Colombo is more Beautiful , Smart and elegant than Singapore, Point Galle
and manila

Trip through Suez Canal

 The Djemnah continued to voyage crossing the Indian Ocean to the Cape of
Guardaful – for Rizal, this was an inhospitable land but famous.
 The next stopover was in Aden – this was the first time Rizal stepped in African soil
and saw real camels.
 From Aden , the Djemnah arrived at the Port Said in the City of Suez.
 From Port Said , the ship arrived at Napoli (Italy).
 After the brief stop at Napoli, the ship proceeded to Marseilles.
 Rizal left Marseilles and they finally reached Barcelona – the second largest city of
Spain and the greatest city of Cataluna.
 While in Barcelona , Rizal wrote a nationalistic essay entitled, Love of Country
(Amor Patrio) – this was his first article written in Spain’s soil under the pen name
LAONG LAAN.
 He send this to his friend Basilio Teodoro Moran – the publisher of Diariong
Tagalog.
 Diariong Tagalog – the first manila newspaper that published both Spanish and
Tagalog.
 The Amor Patrio was published on August 20, 1882 in two texts.

 Marcelo H. del Pilar – he made the translation of Amor Patrio in Tagalog text.

 Rizal in his essay (Amor Patrio):

- He urged the Filipinos to love the Philippines
- He wanted them to be free, people with dignity and honor according to
God’s plan and not slaves.
 Los Viajes (Travels) – second article of Diariong Tagalog
 Revista De Madrid (Review of Madrid) – third article of Diariong Tagalog , it was
returned to Rizal and stopped the publication because of lack of funds.

In Madrid , Spain

 November 3, 1882 – Rizal Barcelona and he enrolled at the Central University of

Madrid (Universidad Central de Madrid) for the Licentiate in Medicine and
Philosophy and Letters

 He also took up Lessons in Painting and Sculpture at the Academia De Bellas Artes
de San Fernando ( academy of fine Arts of San Pedro ) as well as lessons in French ,
German and English

 He was a voracious reader and with many books he read, two books left a deep
impression on him: The Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe and The
Wandering Jew by Eugene Sue

 Aside from his studies, Rizal had the Chance to meet Consuelo Ortiga y Perez

 Rizal fell inlove with Consuelo but because of Eduardo de Lete , Rizal did not pursue
his feelings but instead he made a poem for Consuelo

 Rizal Joined the Hispano – Philippines circle (Circulo Hispano-Filipino) – a Society

of Spaniards and Filipinos

 He wrote a poem entitled , They Ask Me For Verses (Me Piden Verses) upon the
request of his co-members.

 Rizal came in close contact with the Spanish Liberals and republications who were
mostly masons

 He discovered the political possibilities of becoming a Mason, so he joined the

masonic Lodge called Acacia in Madrid with the Masonic name DIMASALANG

 While in madrid , the filipinos including Rizal were having financing problems
however , they inspired by the victory of Juan Lunas painting “Spolarium” and
Resurrecion Hidalgo’s painting “Christian Virgins Exposed to the populance”

Rizal’s Education in Spain

 Rizal completed his medical course and was conferred the degree of Licentiate in
Medicine by the Universidad Central de madrid on June 21, 1884

 The next academic year, he studied and passes all the subjects leading to the degree
of Doctor of Medicine but was not awarded his doctor’s diploma

 He was also awarded the degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and letters on June 19,
1885 with the rating of “Sobresaliente”

Rizal in Paris and Berlin

 With Rizal’s relentless search for relevant education and advance studies, he went to
Paris, France and Berlin (Germany) to specialize in Ophthalmology
 Maximo Viola – a friend of Rizal and a medical student who belonged to a rich
family in San Miguel, Bulacan

 Don Miguel Morayta – the owner of La Publicidad

Rizal in Historic Heidelberg, Germany

February 3, 1886 – Rizal Reached Heidelberg – a historic city in Germany Famous for
its old University.

 He worked at the University Eye Hospital Under the supervision of Dr. Otto Becker
 During his stay in Heidelberg, he lived with a Protestant pastor Dr. Karl Ullmen, who
became his good friend
 “A Las Flores de Heidelberg” – this was written during his stay in the city of
Heidelberg

First Letter to Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt

 Rizal wrote a German Letter to Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt on July 31, 1886
because he knew that Blumentritt was interested in Philippine languages
 Rizal sent a book entitled Arithmetica to Blumentritt
 Blumentritt became the best friend of Rizal

From Geneva, Switzerland to Italy

 June 19 in Geneva, Switzerland celebrated his 26th birthday

 After two weeks, then he toured the Italy
 Rome – “Eternal City” and “City of Caesars”
 Vatican – “Seat of authority” of the Roman Catholic Church and “City of popes”