José Rizal's Life, Works, and Relationships in Detail

Full Name and Early Life

● Full Name: José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda

● Birthdate: June 19, 1861, in Calamba, Laguna.
● He was born to Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso. The Rizal family was a
well-to-do family of mixed Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish ancestry, originally using the
surname Mercado, but later adopting Rizal to avoid the attention of Spanish authorities.

Education and Early Literary Works

Rizal was a brilliant student and a prolific writer, producing works that promoted Filipino
nationalism:

● "Sa Aking Mga Kabata" (At 8 years old): Rizal's first known poem, written in Tagalog,
expresses his love for the Filipino language and culture. It’s where he emphasized that
"he who does not love his language is worse than a beast and a putrid fish."

Kapagka ang baya'y sadyang umiibig

Sa kanyang salitang kaloob ng langit,
Sanlang kalayaan nasa ring masapit
Katulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid.

Pagka't ang salita'y isang kahatulan

Sa bayan, sa nayo't mga kaharian,
At ang isang tao'y katulad, kabagay
Ng alin mang likha noong kalayaan.

Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita

Mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda,
Kaya ang marapat pagyamaning kusa
Na tulad sa inang tunay na nagpala.

Ang wikang Tagalog tulad din sa Latin

Sa Ingles, Kastila at salitang anghel,
Sapagka't ang Poong maalam tumingin
Ang siyang naggawad, nagbigay sa atin.

Ang salita nati'y huwad din sa iba

Na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
Na kaya nawala'y dinatnan ng sigwa
Ang lunday sa lawa noong dakong una.
 ● "A La Juventud Filipina" (To the Filipino Youth): Written in 1879 while Rizal was
studying at Ateneo Municipal de Manila, this poem was dedicated to the Filipino youth.
It emphasized their role as the hope of the nation and is often cited as one of his most
important works of early nationalism.

Filipino ver:

Itaas ang iyong noong aliwalas,

Mutyang Kabataan, sa iyong paglakad;
Ang bigay ng Diyos sa tanging liwanag
Ay pagitawin mo, Pag-asa ng Bukas.

Ikaw ay bumaba, O katalinuhan,

Mga puso namin ay nangaghihintay;
Magsahangin ka nga't ang aming isipa'y
Ilipad mo roon sa kaitaasan.

Taglayin mo lahat ang kagiliw-giliw

Na ang silahis ng dunong at sining;
Kilos, Kabataan, at iyong lagutin,
Ang gapos ng iyong diwa at damdamin.

Masdan mo ang putong na nakasisilaw,

Sa gitna ng dilim ay dakilang alay,
Ang putong na yaon ay dakilang alay,
Sa nalulugaming iyong Inang Bayan.

O, ikaw na iyang may pakpak ng nais

At handang lumipad sa rurok ng langit,
Upang kamtan yaong matamis na himig,
Doon sa Olimpo'y yamang nagsisikip.

Ikaw na ang tinig ay lubhang mairog,

Awit ni Pilomel na sa dusa'y gamot
Lunas na mabisa sa dusa't himutok
Ng kaluluwang luksa't alipin ng lungkot.

Ikaw na ang diwa'y nagbibigay-buhay,

Sa marmol na batong tigas ay sukdulan,
At ang alaalang wagas at dalisay
Sa iyo'y nagiging walang-kamatayan.

At ikaw, O Diwang mahal kay Apeles,

Sinuyo sa wika ni Pebong marikit,
O sa isang putol na lonang makitid
Nagsalin ng kulay at ganda ng langit.
Paciano's Influence and Family Struggles

● Paciano Rizal, his older brother, played a significant role in shaping Rizal’s political and
intellectual development. Paciano was deeply influenced by Fr. José Burgos, one of the
GOMBURZA martyrs, and passed on his nationalist ideas to José.
● In 1872, the same year GOMBURZA was executed, Teodora Alonso, Rizal's mother,
was imprisoned for almost two and a half years after being accused of attempting to
poison her sister-in-law. This personal tragedy further fueled Rizal's desire for reform.

Exile and Travels Abroad

● In 1882, Rizal left for Spain to study medicine at the University of Madrid. While
abroad, he connected with fellow Illustrados, Filipino intellectuals fighting for reform. He
published "Noli Me Tangere" in 1887, a novel that criticized the oppressive Spanish rule
and the abuses of the Catholic friars. The novel was banned in the Philippines, but it
made Rizal a hero among Filipinos.

Ferdinand Blumentritt

● Rizal developed a close friendship with Ferdinand Blumentritt, an Austrian

ethnographer and Filipinologist. Their relationship started through correspondence after
Rizal sent Blumentritt a copy of "Noli Me Tangere". Blumentritt was one of the first
Europeans to truly understand the Filipino plight and supported Rizal’s call for reform. He
remained a loyal friend until Rizal's death.

Rizal’s Romantic Life

Rizal’s relationships with women were complex, and several women played significant roles in
his emotional life:

1. Segunda Katigbak: Rizal’s first love. He met her when he was a teenager, but she was
already engaged to another man, ending their romantic involvement before it even
began.

2. Leonor Rivera: Rizal’s most serious relationship. She was his second cousin, and their
11-year-long romance (4 years of seeing each other) was a major part of his life.
They exchanged letters for years, but due to her parents' disapproval and her arranged
marriage to an Englishman, their relationship ended. She is often considered the
inspiration for María Clara, a key character in Noli Me Tangere.

3. Leonor Valenzuela: Another Leonor, who Rizal courted during his time in Manila. He
would send her love letters written in invisible ink, which could only be read when
heated over a candle.

4. Gertrude Beckette: While in London, Rizal lived with the Beckette family. Gertrude, the
eldest daughter, fell in love with Rizal, but their relationship remained platonic. Rizal
eventually distanced himself, not wanting to complicate his studies and mission.
 5. Suzanne Jacoby: A Belgian woman with whom Rizal had a brief romance while staying
in Brussels. Suzanne was heartbroken when Rizal left for Spain, as evidenced by the
emotional letters she sent him.

6. O Sei San: A Japanese woman whom Rizal met while in Japan. They had a deep
connection, and O Sei San even offered to join Rizal in his travels, but Rizal declined as
he prioritized his work for the Philippines.

7. Nellie Boustead: A Filipina of Spanish and British descent who lived in Europe. Rizal
almost married Nellie, but they had differences in religion (she wanted him to convert to
Protestantism) and politics, which led to the end of their engagement.

8. Josephine Bracken: The last woman in Rizal’s life, and the most controversial. She was
an Irish woman whom Rizal met while he was in Dapitan. Josephine had come to the
Philippines with her blind stepfather, who sought Rizal’s medical expertise. She and
Rizal fell in love, but Rizal's family disapproved of their relationship. (They suspected
Josephine Bracken as a spy sent by the Spanish authorities) There were also rumors
that they had a child who died shortly after birth.

Rizal’s Political Activism and Execution

● Rizal's "Noli Me Tangere" and its sequel "El Filibusterismo" were powerful critiques of
Spanish colonial rule and the Catholic Church. These works inspired the Philippine
Revolution, but Rizal believed in reform rather than violent revolution. He was exiled to
Dapitan in 1892, where he continued his medical practice and civic work.
● In 1895, he asked to go to Cuba as a volunteer doctor to treat victims of yellow fever,
which was approved by Governor-General Blanco. However, he was arrested en route
and returned to the Philippines.
● 1896: The Philippine Revolution broke out, and Rizal was accused of rebellion,
sedition, and forming illegal associations. Despite having no direct involvement with the
armed revolt, he was arrested, tried, and sentenced to death.
● On December 30, 1896, Rizal was executed by firing squad in Bagumbayan (now
Luneta Park, Manila), becoming a martyr for Philippine independence.

Final Thoughts

José Rizal’s intellectual brilliance, extensive travels, writings, and relationships all contributed to
his larger role as a national hero. He was a man deeply committed to the cause of Filipino
freedom, whose life was filled with love, patriotism, and tragedy. His ideas of nationhood,
reform, and education continue to inspire Filipinos today.

The documentary, Pluma, serves as an awakening for the Filipinos in today’s modern world
because with the advent of modernization, people have forgotten the essence of our Filipino
heroes. Notably, the Filipinos have become too immersed in the cultures of other countries that
they choose to be fanatics of such, instead of promoting Filipino culture and tradition. With that
being said, why is the documentary important in the formation and strengthening of our Filipino
identity?

In the past, Filipinos simply became followers of Spanish Colonial rule. Because of Rizal’s
bravery, he was able to free the Filipinos from the Spaniards. With his actions, he was able to
become a reminder that the Filipinos can do so much more than just being followers. In the
documentary, it was shown that despite all the struggles of Rizal, he was able to fight back, not
with a sword, but with a pen.

As a long-term nationalist, proven through his writings ever since he was young, Rizal
was able to prove that even the youth can make a change and be aware of our nation’s
problems and circumstances. As a child, he wrote the famous line “He who does not love his
language is worse than a beast and a putrid fish,” and this line is still used even today and is a
pressing matter given the decline of Filipino language users in our country because of
globalization. Similarly, his other works present ideas that have been and still continue to be
important in the Philippines today, which shows how important it is to see the evolution of Rizal’s
writings. The documentation of Rizal's struggles remains relevant as it addresses timeless
issues like national identity, social justice, and patriotism. His works continue to inspire Filipinos
to confront challenges and drive change, especially amid modern global influences.