Rizal’s Life

Higher Education
 At Ateneo De Manila
● Ateneo was known to be the most
prestigious college for boys
because of its great teaching
● From 1872-1877, Rizal studied in
Ateneo de Manila at the age of 11
● Rizal went to Ateneo Municipal,
formerly known as Escuela Pia
● His father wanted to send Rizal to
Letran but decided to have him
enrolled at the latter instead
 At Ateneo De Manila
● Accompanied by Paciano, Rizal
took the entrance examination at
the Colegio de San Juan de
Letran on June 10, 1872
● The exams for incoming freshmen
in the different colleges for boys
were held there since the
Dominicans exercised the power
of inspection and regulation over
Ateneo that time
 The college registrar of Ateneo Municipal,
Fr. Magin Ferrando (colorized) *not the actual photo*
 At Ateneo De Manila
● With the help of Manuel Burgos, he was
accepted in the institution
● Jose was registered as Jose Rizal because
his real surname had rung a bell to the ears
of the authorities — this was because of
Paciano’s relation with one of the leaders of
the secularization movement, Father Jose
Burgos
 At Ateneo De Manila
● Bachiller en Artes - this program exposed
students to five subjects: Christian doctrine;
Languages of Spanish, Latin, Greek and
French; History and Geography; Mathematics
and Sciences; and the Classic disciplines
(poetry, rhetoric, and philosophy)
● Ateneo enhances the character of their
students through strict religious instruction
and discipline
 At Ateneo De Manila
● The class is divided into two competing
groups (empires):
● Roman Empire - boarding students
● Carthaginian Empire - non-boarding
students
● Both groups have ranks, and they competed
through question and answers
● When banners are raised, it means victory
for the group; there is defeat if banners are
lowered
 At Ateneo De Manila
● Rizal’s first professor was Father Jose Bech
● At first, Rizal was left behind among his
classmates but he overcame it through time
management
● He excelled as the emperor in his class, a
title given to the most intelligent in the class
● The method of instruction used at Ateneo
was the ration studiorum, a system of
indoctrination under tight and constant
discipline but with reward
 At Ateneo De Manila
● Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (or For the Greater
Glory of God) - main goal of Ateneo
● A student’s life was centered on the chapel,
considered as the highest level of
extra-curricular activity
● Rizal was able to pass his oral examination
on March 14, 1877
● He finished with the degree with the highest
academic honors
 At Ateneo De Manila
● Racial pride, monastic discipline, and
seclusion of boarding school life were the
factors that gave Rizal the motivation to
outshine his classmates
● He became a member of Marian
Congregation and an officer in the religious
confraternities at Ateneo
● There, he was mentored by Father Pablo
Pastells, S.J.
 At Ateneo De Manila
● He was also a member of two academic
societies: Academy of Spanish Literature
and the Academy of Natural Sciences
● Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel
College to be proficient in Spanish and
develop his skills in poetry writing more
● But before he took up lessons, he was guided
by Father Francisco Paula de Sanchez in
developing his skills in poetry
 At Ateneo De Manila
● Agustin Saez - painting lessons
● Teodoro Romualdo de Jesus - sculpture
lessons
● As a result, Rizal was able to sculpt the
image of the Virgin Mary and the Sacred
Heart of Jesus.
● Father Jose Villaclara, S.J. encouraged him
to pay attention also to the sciences and
philosophy
 Rizal’s Literature
● The first poem that Rizal wrote as a student was entitled Mi
Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration) as he dedicated to his
mother during her birthday
 My First Inspiration
Why do the scented flowers in fragrant fray
Rival each other’s flower this festive day?

Why is the sweet melody bruited in the sylvan dale,

Harmony sweet and fluted like the nightingale?

Why do the birds sing so in the tender grass,

Flitting from bough to bough with winds that pass?
 My First Inspiration
And why does the crystal spring run among the flowers
While lullaby zephyrs sing like its crystal showers?

I see the dawn in the East with the beauty endowed

Why goes she to a feast in a carmine cloud?

Sweet mother, they celebrate your natal day

The rose with her scent innate, the bird with his lay.
 My First Inspiration
The murmurous spring this day without alloy.
Murmuring bids you always to live in joy.

While the crystalline murmurs glisten, hear you the accents strong
Struck from my lyre, listen! To my love’s first song.
 Rizal’s Literature
● The first poem that Rizal wrote as a student was entitled Mi
Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration) as he dedicated to his
mother during her birthday
● Written in 1876, Un Recuerdo de Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My
Town) shows how Rizal appreciates the beauty of his place
(Calamba), which made him love nature and to strengthen his
faith and beliefs in God
 In Memory of My Town
When I recall the days, that my boyhood saw
By the green banks of a murmuring lagoon;
When I recall the murmur of the wind
That sweetly amused by brow with delicious freshness;
 In Memory of My Town
I recall, sadly recall your countenance, infancy precious
That a loving mother Oh! Succeeded in embellishing
I recall a simple town, my contentment,
Happiness and cradle, by the fresh lagoon, seat my love.
 In Memory of My Town
The Creator I saw in the grandeur of your secular forests;
Sorrows on your bosom, never did I come to know;
While at your blue sky I gazed, neither love nor tenderness
Did I lack, for in Nature my pleasure depended.
 In Memory of My Town
Tender childhood, beautiful town, rich fountain of happiness
Of harmonious melodies that banish sorrows!
Return to my heart, return my gentle hours
Return as the birds return when flowers are in bloom!
 In Memory of My Town
But alas! Adieu! Eternally keep vigil over your peace, joy and
Repose, Genie of goodness who kindly his gifts presents with love;
For you my fervent wishes, for you my constant yearning
To learn and to heaven I pray that you your candor keep!
 Rizal’s Literature
● The first poem that Rizal wrote as a student was entitled Mi
Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration) as he dedicated to his
mother during her birthday
● Written in 1876, Un Recuerdo de Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My
Town) shows how Rizal appreciates the beauty of his place
(Calamba), which made him love nature and to strengthen his
faith and beliefs in God
● Al Niño Jesus (To the Child Jesus) as Rizal’s expression of his
devotion to Catholicism
 Rizal’s Literature
● La Alianza Intima Entre Religion y La Buena Educacion (The
Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good Education) and Por
La Educacion Recibe Lustre la Patria (Through Education The
Country Receives Light) - Rizal’s various ideas on education
● From this, Rizal likened education to a lighthouse — that it can
guide people in their behaviors and actions
● Rizal even quoted the good effects that a country and its people
can learn from an excellent and wise education
 At University of Santo Tomas
● Doña Teodora was against Rizal’s
decision to pursue a higher
education because of her fear of
what might happen to her son
due to the martyrdom of
Gomburza.
● However, Don Francisco sent
Rizal to UST, the Dominican
University of the Philippines
 At University of Santo Tomas
● His former mentors in Ateneo
suggested priesthood or farming,
but Rizal considered taking up
literature, law or medicine
● Paciano discouraged him to take
law, saying that Rizal will not be
able to practice it later on because
of the political conditions in the
country that time
 At University of Santo Tomas
● Rizal was 16 years old when he
began his freshman year at UST
● He enrolled under the Faculty of
Philosophy and Letters, Major in
Philosophy
● He took up courses in Cosmology,
Metaphysics, Theodicy and
History of Philosophy
 At University of Santo Tomas
● He also took up surveying course
at Ateneo
● Because of his age, he could not
practice the surveyor’s profession
yet and was instead presented
the title on November 25, 1881 for
his excellency
 At University of Santo Tomas
● After his first year, Rizal changed
his course from Philosophy and
Letters to Medicine
● Rizal believed that he should
finish medicine so that he could
cure his sick mother who had an
eyesight failure
 At University of Santo Tomas
● Rizal’s performance in UST was
not as good as his
accomplishment in Ateneo
● Three contributing factors:
● The attitude of Dominican
professors towards Rizal
● Racial discrimination against
Filipino students
● Primitive method used in UST
 At University of Santo Tomas
● It was manifested in Rizal’s
scholastic records that he was not
into a medical course
● Most of his grades in his medical
subjects were generally average,
his real vocation was really in the
arts
 At University of Santo Tomas
● Segundina Katigbak - from
Batangas, whom he frequently
visited in her boarding house
● But when Rizal learned that she
was getting married, he turned his
eyes on other women
 At University of Santo Tomas
● At that time, he was courting both
Leonor (Orang) Valenzuela and
Leonor Rivera
● Upon learning that Orang was
already engaged with another
man, Rizal focused on courting
Leonor Rivera, his first cousin
● He also joined gang fights,
attended parties and even did
cutting classes
 Liberalism and Literary Works as a University
Student
● Liceo Artistico Literario de Manila -
an organization of art lovers in the
city, initiated regular competitions in
literary writing
● Rizal joined the contests to prove that
the Filipinos can be equal and even
surpass the Spaniards in literary
prowess
 Liberalism and Literary Works as a University
Student
● Sponsored by the association in 1879
and 1880, his works, A La Juventud
Filipina (To The Filipino Youth) and El
Consejo de los Dioses (The Council of
the Gods) were recognized as the best
entry in the competition
 To The Filipino Youth
● This literary work is considered as one
of the best work of Rizal
● He wrote this when he was 18
● It won the grand prize in the contest
wherein Rizal received a silver quill for
sharing his talent in poetry
● The Spanish authorities noticed that it
was the first best poem in Spanish
written by a Filipino
 To The Filipino Youth
● It showed that the Filipinos were the
fair hope of the motherland
● In the poem, Spain was considered to
be the Patria but, contrary to what
was written, Rizal used the term to
mean the Philippines
● He challenges the youth of his day to
to enhance their knowledge and
talents in the arts and sciences, and to
not be afraid of the future and remove
the chain of bondage
 To The Filipino Youth
Lift up your radiant brow,
This day, Youth of my native strand!
Your abounding talents show
Resplendently and grand,
Fair hope of my motherland!
 To The Filipino Youth
Soar high, oh genius great,
And with noble thoughts fill their mind;
The honor’s glorious seat,
May their virgin mind fly and find
More rapidly than the wind.
 To The Filipino Youth
Descend with the pleasing light
Of the arts and sciences to the plain,
Oh Youth, and break forthright
The links of the heavy chain
That your poetic genius enchain.
 To The Filipino Youth
See that in the ardent zone,
The Spaniard, where shadow stand,
Doth offer a shining crown,
With wise and merciful hand
To the son of this Indian land.
 To The Filipino Youth
You who heavenward rise
On wings of your rich fantasy
Seek in the Olympian skies
The tenderest poesy,
More sweet than divine honey;
 To The Filipino Youth
You of heavenly harmony,
On a calm unperturbed night,
Philomel’s match in melody,
That in varied symphony
Dissipate man’s sorrow’s blight;
 To The Filipino Youth
You, at the impulse of your mind
The hard rock animate
And your mind with the great pow’r consigned
Transforms into immortal state
The pure mem’ry of genius great;
 To The Filipino Youth
And you, who with magic brush
On canvas plain capture
The varied charm of Phoebus,
Loved by the divine Apelles
And the mantle of Nature;
 To The Filipino Youth
Run! For genius’ sacred flame
Awaits the artist’s crowning
Spreading far and wide the fame
Throughout the sphere proclaiming
With trumpet the mortal’s name.
 To The Filipino Youth
Oh, joyful, joyful day,
For you fair Philippines!
The Almighty blessed be
Who, with loving eagerness
Sends you luck and happiness.
El Consejo de los Dioses (The Council of the Gods)
● One of Rizal’s entry in the literary
contest of 1880
● The poem was announced as the best
entry in the competition that year
● However, the jury knew that its author
was a Filipino so they decided to
confer the grand prize to a Spaniard
 Junto Al Pasig (Beside the Pasig)
● At the request of the Jesuits, Rizal
wrote a one-act play and was staged
at Ateneo in celebration of the Feast
Day of Immaculate Conception on
December 8
● The play was essentially considered
as continuation of Rizal’s appeal to
the Filipino youth to criticize foreign
individuals for causing them misery
 A Filipinas (To the Philippines)
● In February 1880, Rizal wrote a
sonnet dedicated to the Philippines
that aimed at encouraging Filipino
artists to thank the country through
their art works
● This is the most passionate poem
about the Philippines written by Rizal
 To The Philippines
Warm and beautiful like a houri from heaven,
Gracious and pure like the rising dawn
When it colors the sapphire clouds,
There sleeps a goddess of the Indian soil.
 To The Philippines
The light foam of the sonorous sea
Kisses her feet with a lover’s desire;
The civilized West adores her smile,
And the white Pole her flowered veil.
 To The Philippines
My muse, stuttering with tenderness,
Sings to her among the naiads and undines;
I offer her my happiness and fortune.

With green myrtle and purple roses

And Madonna lilies crown her pure brow,
O artists, and sing the praises of the Philippines!
 Activism at UST
● Rizal stood as a leader in student
activism when he was studying
philosophy and medicine in UST
● The Spanish and mestizo students
called the Filipinos indio or chongo
● In return, Rizal and his peers
retaliated by calling them Kastila or
bangus
 Activism at UST
● Rizal, being the front-runner, was
recognized for winning the brawls
because of his determination and
skills in fencing and wrestling
 Activism at UST
● Rizal, being the front-runner, was
recognized for winning the brawls
because of his determination and
skills in fencing and wrestling
● Rizal then created a secret group of
Filipino students called
Compañerismo
● The members were called
Companions of Jehu, the patriot
general of the Jews
 Activism at UST
● Rizal automatically became the
president of this secret society and
Galicano Apacible was the secretary
● Rizal’s activism was also expressed in
his disapproval of the outmoded
system of education in the university
● Favoritism and skin color were bases
for getting the good grades and not
the actual intellectual capacity of the
students
 Experiencing Spanish Brutality
● Rizal first experienced Spanish
brutality during his first summer
vacation at Calamba after his
freshman year in UST
● The lieutenant of the Guardia
Civil, not being greeted by Rizal,
whipped him with his sword
and slashed it at Rizal’s back,
causing him to be wounded
 Experiencing Spanish Brutality
● Rizal wrote a complaint letter to
Governor-General Primo de
Rivera but the response was
nothing as good, considering
that he was an indio