LESSON 4: Rizal’s Exile, Trial and Death

RIZAL IN DAPITAN
On July 17, 1892, together with his guard Captain Ricardo Carnicero, Rizal arrived in Dapitan.
In his first night, he viewed Dapitan as a place full of darkness and it ended his career. The first
problem which he encountered in Dapitan was the place where he would stay. He was not
allowed to stay in the Jesuit house because according to Fr. Pastells, he needed to retract all the
things that he wrote against the church and because he did not want to retract his writings he
chose to live in the house of Capitan Ricardo Carnicero.
Capitan Ricardo, Jose Rizal and the other guard decided to bet on a lottery and luckily they won
20,000 pesos. They divided the money among themselves and Jose Rizal used the money that he
received to purchase a land which was one kilometer away from Dapitan, the place of Talisay.
His guard allowed him to put up a house in Talisay on the condition that he would report to
Capitan Ricardo three times a day. And because he earned the trust of Capitan Ricardo he was
able to live in Talisay in his exile in Dapitan.

LIFE IN TALISAY
Away from his busy life in big cities in Europe, he was conferred to adjust in a simple life
in Dapitan which was very different from the busy places that he had been to in Europe. But
instead of being bored, he spent his time doing things that would make Dapitan productive.
He used his money to build an octagonal house made up of bamboo and nipa in Talisay.
One portion of the house is allotted for the school for the young boys in Talisay, the other part
was used for his eye clinic which was known in the country and also in Hong Kong. He also built
a house for the ladies in his family who were free to visit him in Dapitan. He earned a lot of
money because some of his customers came from Hong Kong and from wealthy families in the
other provinces of the country. He used the money as capital for his lumber business in Dapitan
and as he wrote to his friend Blumentrit, he earned money in Dapitan which made him wealthy.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO DAPITAN
o He opened an eye clinic for the poor, and some of his patients came from the different
parts of the country and from Hong Kong
o He developed waterways so that the people in Talisay, Dapitan could have a clean water
o He developed a system for the lighting and cleaning of the areas to avoid mosquitos
o He established a school that catered to education of the young people for free
o He taught the more advance system of farming
o He initiated the founding of a cooperative for the fishermen in Talisay
 o He developed studies about the different species that could be found in Dapitan
o He invented “sulpukan” lighter and the machinery in making bricks
o He initiated the foundation of the cooperative for the farmers
o He worked for the development of the sugar, abaca and lumber trading

LOVELIFE OF RIZAL IN DAPTAN

His busy life in Dapitan did not become a hindrance for Rizal to have an affair. On this
far island came his dulce estrangera, Josephine Bracken. She went to Dapitan with Mr. George
Tauffer, a blind man who adopted her. Because Rizal was known as an eye specialist in Hong
Kong, Mr. Tauffer decided to go to Dapitan to consult his condition with Jose Rizal. While
staying in Dapitan, Josephine fell in love with Jose (Jose Rizal) while Rizal was also attracted to
charming face and kind behavior of Josephine. Rizal’s mother objected to their relationship
because Josephine had mysterious origin. She had a modest education and worked in a restaurant
in Hong Kong. But Jose Rizal asked his parents and sisters to accept Josephine because
according to Rizal, Josephine tried to her best to make him happy.
Even if he loved Josephine, he could not marry her because during those time there was
no civil wedding. The only way to wed was through the church and if Rizal wanted to marry
Josephine, he needed to retract the content of his novels and Rizal could not do that. So he and
Josephine went inside the church and while facing the crucifix, promised that they would love
each other like married couple.
Josephine got pregnant and Jose Rizal was excited to finally have a child but
unfortunately because of the still unknown reasons although there were a lot of speculations,
Josephine had a miscarriage. To relieve the sadness of Josephine, they adopted a child named
Maria, but then the parents of Maria took their child back.
When Rizal was imprisoned in Fort Santiago, Josephine lived with the family of Rizal
but because Teodor Alonso did not want her, she decided to live with her friend Manuela, a
known mistress of a friar. After the death of Rizal, Josephine said that Rizal married her so she
was entitled to an inhiritance. She was said to be the source of the issue of Rizal’s retraction.
When she could not get anything from the family of Rizal, she stoke some of the paintings and
documents of Rizal and sold those paintings in Hong Kong and one of them was the painting of
Juan Luna entitled “The Parisian Life”

LITERARY WORKS IN DAPITAN

 Hym to Talisay
 My Retreat
IMPRISONMENT AND TRIAL IN FORT SANTIAGO

Rizal’s deportation to Dapitan only lasted four years (1892-1896). He asked Governor
General Blanco if he could serve as a doctor under the Spanish flag in Cuba. The governor
general granted his request, however, because of the influential people who wanted to execute
him, Governor General Blanco was pressured to follow under the order.
On July 31, 1896, his exile to Dapitan ended. On August 6, 1896, he rode a ship named Castilla
and waited for the start of his trip going to Spain and then from Spain to Cuba. On August 19,
1896, the secret society of Katipunan was revealed to the Spanish government and they accused
Rizal as the founder of the Katipunan. On August 26, 1896, the uprising against the Spaniards
started and on August 30, 1896, Governor General Blanco declared the state of war against the
eight provinces in the Philippines. On September 2, 1896, Rizal’s trip going to Spain started and
he was not aware that he was being accused as the leader of the said uprising. On September 28,
1896, Rizal was able to know the plan of Blanco against him. On October 3, 1896 Rizal reached
Barcelona but he was not allowed to go down the ship and he was under the watch of General
Eulogio Despujol the same person who signed his deportation to Dapitan four years ago. On
November 3, 1896, he reached Manila and was imprisoned in Fort Santiago.

The Trial
Upon his return in Manila, he was imprisoned in Fort Santiago while the Spanish
authorities were investigating his case. On November 20, 1896, the Spanish authorities
discussed the nature of his case. They used the different poems, novels and letters of Rizals
against him.

Among the writings which were used against him were the Hymn for Talisay, Noli Me Tangere,
El Filibusterismo, his speeches and letters to his friends which according to them was used by
Rizal to encourage rebellion against the church and government. He was accused as the leader of
the uprising and the founder of KKK since some of the founder of KKK were present in the
establishment of La Liga Filipinas. They also found the photograph of Rizal in the headquarters
of KKK and his name was also used as the password of KKK.
On December 8, 1896, Rizal chose from among the names given to him, the person who
could be his legal counsel. And he chose Luis Taviel de Andrade, the brother of his former guard.
On December 15, 1896, Rizal presented the letter to his countrymen stating that the
leaders of the uprising only used his name to collect funds and he was not connected to the
uprising.
THE DECISION
Governor General Despujol reviewed all the things related to the case of Rizal and the
friars were not happy with the way Despujol was handling the case of Rizal so using their
influence, they replaced Despujol and appointed Governor General Camilo Polavieja.
On December 26, 1896, the trial was held and all of the evidence were presented to
Governor General Camilo Polavieja. Then Polavieja presented the documents to Lt. Col. Togores
Arjona. On December 29, 1896, the Governor General signed the decision that Jose Rizal would
be executed at 7:00 am in Bagumbayan.
On December 29, 1896, Rizal was informed about the decision and he was not surprised.
On his remaining time, he wrote letters to his family and friends.
Aside from the letters to his friends and family, he also wrote a poem stating his last farewell to
his countrymen. --- My Last Farewell

THE EXECUTION
On December 30, 1896, at 6:30 am, Jose Rizal, Taviel de Andrade, Fr March and Fr
Villaclara left Fort Santiago to face the execution of Rizal. According to the physician who
examined Rizal, his heartbeat was normal at the time of the execution. Before he was shot, he
asked the guards to spare his head and if he could face the firing squad during the execution. But
the second request was not granted since he was considered as a traitor. At 7:03, in the morning
he was executed in Bagumbayan.
Rizal’s Death
30, December, 7:03 AM, With the captain shouting “Fuego!” Shouts rang out from the guns of
eight indio shoulders. Rizal, being a convicted criminal was not facing the firing squad. As he
was hit, he resists and turns himself to face his executors. He falls down and dies facing the sky.
But in two years after Rizal’s death, the victorious Philippine revolutionaries will sealed the fate
of the Spanish Empire in the east. Three hundred thirty-three years of Spanish Colonialism ended
in 1898.
30 December 1896, afternoon: Narcisa, after a long search, discovered where her brother’s body
was secretly buried, at the old unused Paco Cemetery. She asked the guards to place a marble
plaque designed by Doroteo Ongjungco containing Rizal’s inititals in reverse – “RPJ”
17 August 1898: Four days after the Mock Battle of Manila when the Americans took over the
city, the remains of Rizal were exhumed. They were brought to Narcisa’s house, washed and
cleansed and were placed in an invory urn designed by Romualdo Teodoro de Jesus. The urn
stayed there until 1912.
29 December 1912: From Estraude Street in Binondo, Manila, the urn was transferred in a
procession headed by the masons and the Knights of Rizal to the marble hall of the
Ayuntamiento de Manila, where it stayed overnight with the Knights on guard.
30 December 1912, morning: In a solemn procession, the urn began its last journey to Rizal’s
final resting place the base of the soon-to-rise national monument to Jose Rizal.
30 December 1913: The Rizal National Monument at the Luneta was inaugurated. Its original
design name was “Motto Stella”(Guiding Star) and was made by Swiss sculptor Dr. Richard
Kissling who earlier also made the National Monument to William Tell, the National Hero of
Switzerland.
30 December 2012: The transfer of the remains of Rizal from Binondo to the site of the Rizal
Monument was recreated one hundred years later by the Order of the Knights of Rizal and the
National Historical Commission of the Philippines in commemoration of Rizal’s 116 th
Martyrdom Anniversary.

Factors That Led to Rizal’s Execution:

The Spanish colonial government accused Rizal for three crimes:
1. Illegal association – for founding La Liga Filipina
2. Rebellion – for publication of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
3. Sedition – for criticizing the Catholic religion aiming for exclusion from the Filipino
culture and dedicating El Filibusterismo to the three traitors and for emphasizing on the
novel’s title that “the only salvation for the Philippines was the separation from the
mother colony (referring to Spain)
The penalty for those accusation is life imprisonment to death and correctional imprisonment and
a charge of 325 to 3,250 Pesetas.
Evidences
The prosecution drew information from the dossier on Rizal which detailed his
“subversive activities” some of which are the following:
1. The writing and publication of “Noli Me Tangere”, the Annotations to Morga’s History of
the Philippines, El Filibusterismo, and the various articles which criticized the friars and
suggested their expulsion in order to win independence.
2. The establishment of masonic lodges which became the propaganda and fund raising
center to support subversive activities and the establishment of centers in Madrid,
Hongkong and Manila to propagate his ideas.
After finishing as much evidence as possible on November 20, 1896, the preliminary on
Rizal began. During the five-day investigation, Rizal was informed of the charges against him
before Judge advocate Colonel Francisco Olive.
Two Kinds of Evidences Endorsed by Colonel Olive to Governor Ramon Blanco:
1. Documentary – fifteen exhibits
2. Testimonal – provided by Martin Constantino, Aguedo del Rosario, Jose Reyes, Moises
Salvador, Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco, Deodato Arellano, Pio Valenzuela, Antonio
Salazar, Francisco Quison and Timoteo Paez

Effects of Rizal’s Execution in Spanish Colonial Rule and the Philippine revolution.

 The effect of Rizal’s execution is “Rebellion.” The Philippine independence struggle

turned more violent after Rizal’s death. It was led first by Andres Bonifacio and later by
Emilio Aguinaldo. Emilio Aguinaldo was a peasant worker and an idealist young
firebrand. Rizal’s death filled the rebels with new determination, but the Katipunan was
becoming divided between supporters of Bonifacio who revealed himself to be an
increasingly ineffective leader, and its rising star, Aguinaldo.
 At a conventin held ar Tejeros, the Katipunan’s headquarters in March 1897, delegates
elected Aguinaldo president and demoted Bonifacio to the post of director of the interior.
Bonifcaio withdrew with his supporters and formed his own government. After fighting
broke out between Bonifacio’s and Aguinaldo’s troops, Bonifacio was arrested, tried and
on May 10, 1897, executed by order of Aguinaldo.
 Aguinaldo extracted some concessions from the Spaniards in 1897 and declared
Philippines independence on June 12, 1898 from the balcony of his hime in Cavite and
established himself as president of an ill-fated provisional Philippine Republic after
Filipinos drove the Spanish from most of the archipelago. Through their revolutionary
proclamation, Filipinos claim that the Philippines was the first democratic republic in
Asia.
 As 1897 wore on, Aguinaldo himself suffered reverses at the hands of Spanish troops,
being forced from Cavite in June and retreating to Biak-na-Bato in Bulacan Province.
Although Spanish troops were able to defeat insurgents on the battlefield, they could not
suppress guerilla activity. In August armistice negotiations were opened between
Aguinaldo and a new Spanish governor.
 After three years of bloodshed, most of it Filipino, a Spanish-Filipino peace pact was
signed in Hong Kong in December, 1897. According to the agreement the Spanish
governor of the Philippines would pay Aguinaldo the equivalent of US$800,000 and the
rebel leadeer and his government would go into exile. Aguinaldo established himself in
Hong Kong, and the Spanish bought themsleves time. Within the year, however, their
more than three centuries of rule in the islands would come to an abrupt and unexpected
end.
Rizal’s retraction: Truth vs Myth
Since Rizal’s retraction letter was discovered by Father Manuel Garcia, C.M. in 1935, its content
has become a favorite subject of dispute among academicians and Catholics. The letter, dated
December 29, 1896, was said to have been signed by the National Hero himself.
It stated: “I declare myself a Catholic and in this religion in which I was born and educated I
wish to live and die. I retract with all my heart whatever in my words, writings, publications and
conduct has been contrary to my character as son of the Catholic Church.”
The controversy whether the National Hero actually wrote a retraction document only lies in the
judgment of its reader, as no amount of proof can probably make the two opposing groups—the
Masonic Rizalists (who firmly believe that Rizal did not withdraw) and the Catholic Rizalists
(who were convinced Rizal retracted)—agree with each other.
Proofs, documents
History books tell most people that the first draft of the retraction was sent by Archbishop
Bernardino Nozaleda to Rizal’s cell in Fort Santiago the night before his execution in
Bagumbayan. But Rizal was said to have rejected the draft because it was lengthy.
According to a testimony by Father Vicente Balaguer, a Jesuit missionary who befriended the
hero during his exile in Dapitan, Rizal accepted a shorter retraction document prepared by the
superior of the Jesuit Society in the Philippines, Father Pio Pi.
Rizal then wrote his retraction after making some modifications in the document. In his
retraction, he disavowed Masonry and religious thoughts that opposed Catholic belief.
“Personally, I did not believe he retracted, but some documents that was purchased by the
Philippine government from Spain in the mid-1990s, the Cuerpo de Vigilancia de Manila,”
showed some interesting points about the retraction, said Jose Victor Torres, professor at the
History department of the De La Salle University.
Popularly known as the Katipunan and Rizal documents, the Cuerpo de Vigilancia de Manila is a
body of documents on the Philippine revolutions that contains confidential reports, transcripts,
clippings, and photographs from Spanish and Philippine newspapers.
Despite this, Torres said his perception of the Filipino martyr would not change even if the
controversies were true.
“Even though it would be easy to say he retracted all that he wrote about the Church, it still did
not change the fact that his writings began the wheels of change in Philippine colonial society
during the Spanish period—a change that led to our independence,” Torres said. “The retraction
is just one aspect of the life, works, and writings of Rizal.”
But then, Torres noted that the controversy is irrelevant today.
“The way Rizal is taught in schools today, the retraction means nothing,” he said.
‘Unadorned fact’
“He (Rizal) retracted. He died as a Catholic, and a proof that he died as a Catholic was he was
buried inside the sacred grounds of Paco Cemetery,” said De Viana, who compared the martyr
with Apolinario Mabini, a revolutionary and free mason who was buried in a Chinese cemetery.
De Viana said it is not possible that the retraction letter had been forged because witnesses were
present while Rizal was signing it.
He added that the evidence speaks for itself and moves on to the question on Rizal’s character as
some argue that the retraction is not in line with Rizal’s mature beliefs and personality.
“Anti-retractionists ask, ‘What kind of hero is Jose Rizal?’ They say he was fickle-minded. Well,
that may be true, but that is human character. Rizal was not a perfect person,” De Viana said.
He also mentioned that just like any person, Rizal was prone to flip-flop. He believes that Rizal
retracted because the national hero wanted to be at peace when he dies.
But would Rizal’s works deem irrelevant and futile because of his retraction?
De Viana answered, “Rizal awakened our knowledge of nationalism. For me, that is enough. The
issue will not invalidate his works in any way.”
Filipino historian Nicolas Zafra considered the controversy as “a plain unadorned fact of history,
having all the marks and indications of historical certainty and reality” in his book The
Historicity of Rizal’s Retraction.
Dr. Augusto De Viana, head of UST’s Department of History, also believes that Rizal retracted
and said the National Hero just renounced from the Free Masonry and not from his famous
nationalistic works. (source: The Varsitarian: The Official Student Publication of UST).
 INTRODUCTION
This module will discuss the most talked novels made by the greatest and brightest man known
in his time, our famous national hero – Jose Rizal. Lesson 5 will discuss Noli Me Tangere which
is the first part of your module. The second part which is the lesson 6 will discuss El
Filibusterismo, the sequel of the Noli.
In more than a century since its appearance, José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere has become widely
known as the great novel of the Philippines. A passionate love story set against the ugly political
backdrop of repression, torture, and murder, “The Noli,” as it is called in the Philippines, was the
first major artistic manifestation of Asian resistance to European colonialism, and Rizal became a
guiding conscience—and martyr—for the revolution that would subsequently rise up in the
Spanish province.
The second and last novel completed by José Rizal (though he left behind the unfinished manuscript of a
third one), El Filibusterismo is a sequel to Noli Me Tangere. A dark, brooding, at times satirical novel of
revenge, unfulfilled love, and tragedy, the Fili (as it is popularly referred to) still has as its protagonist
Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra. Thirteen years older, his idealism and youthful dreams shattered, and taking
advantage of the belief that he died at the end of Noli Me Tangere, he is disguised as Simoun, an
enormously wealthy and mysterious jeweler who has gained the confidence of the colony’s governor-
general.

LESSON 5: NOLI ME TANGERE

The Noli Me Tangere was the Rizal’s first novel which tackled the society and government in the
Philippines during the Spanish colonization. He used cancer as the metaphor of the Philippine
society since like cancer, the sickness of our society was untouched, growing to be chronic
malady and incurable. In his novel, he discussed how the friars deceived the Filipinos and made
them blindly believe in the practices of religion.
He used San Diego as the epitome of the Philippines, the events in San Diego were based on his
observation in political situations and society in our country and also there were influences of the
books that he had read while he was in Europe like the book of Harriet Beecher Stowe entitled
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin”which described the abuses experienced by the Africans under their
American masters and the book written by Eugene Sue entitled “The Wandering Jew”.
Background of the Publication of the Noli
Toward the end of 1884, Rizal started to write Noli in Madrid and finished about one-half
of it. In Paris, 1885, while studying at the Universidad Central de Madrid, he finished one-half of
the second half. He finished the last fourth of Noli in Germany. The last few chapters were
written at Millhelmsfeld in April-June 1886.
Viola Financed Printing. Sick and penniless, Rizal had no hope of having it published, he
received a telegram from Dr. Maximo Viola that he was coming to Berlin. Dr. Viola was a scion
of rich family of San Miguel, Bulaca. When Viola arrived before Christmas Day, he was shocked
to find Rizal in poverty and was sick due to lack of proper nourishment. He agreed to finance the
printing cost of the Noli. He also loaned some cash money for the living expenses. To save
printing expenses, Rizal deleted certain passages in his manuscript, including the whole chapter,
Elias and Salome.
Printing of the Noli. Rizal with the help of Viola, supervised the printing of the Noli. Day by
day, they were at the printing shop proof-reading the printed pages. Noli came off the press on
March 21, 1887. First copies of the printed novel were sent to Rizal’s friends like Blumentritt,
Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce and Felix Hidalgo. March 29,
1887, Rizal gave Viola the galley proofs of the Noli in token of his appreciation and gratitude.

Attackers & Defenders of the Noli

Attackers:
a) Fr. Jose Rodriguez, an Augustine priest who published a series of eight (8) pamphlets to
discredit Noli
b) Father Font – printed and distributed copies to discredit the controversial novel
c) General Jose de Salamanca
d) General Luis M. de Prado
e) Sr. Fernando Vida
f) Vicente Barrantes, the Spanish academician of Madrid who bitterly criticized the Noli in
an article published in La España Moderna (Madrid newspaper) in January 1890.

Defenders:
a) Marcelo H. Del Pilar
 b) Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor
c) Graciano Lopez Jaena
d) Mariano Ponce
e) Fr. Sanchez, Rizal’s favorite teacher in the Ateneo
f) Don Segismundo Moret, former Minister of the Crown
g) Dr. Miguel Morayta, historian and stateman
h) Professor Blumentritt, scholar and educator
i) Other Filipino reformists in foreign lands
j) Rev. Vicente Garcia, a Filipino pries-scholar and a Tagalog translator
k) Desiderio Magalong

Summary of Noli Me Tangere (The Social Cancer)

Juan Crisostomo Ibarra is a young Filipino who, after studying for seven years in Europe, returns
to his native land to find that his father, a wealthy landowner, has died in prison as the result of a
quarrel with the parish curate, a Franciscan friar named Padre Damaso. Ibarra is engaged to a
beautiful and accomplished girl, Maria Clara, the supposed daughter and only child of the rich
Don Santiago de los Santos, commonly known as “Capitan Tiago.”
Ibarra resolves to forego all quarrels and to work for the betterment of his people. To show his
good intentions, he seeks to establish, at his own expense, a public school in his native town. He
meets with ostensible support from all, especially Padre Damaso’s successor, a young and
gloomy Franciscan named Padre Salvi, for whom Maria Clara confesses to an instinctive dread.
At the laying of the cornerstone for the new schoolhouse, a suspicious accident, apparently
aimed at Ibarra’s life, occurs, but the festivities proceed until the dinner, where Ibarra is grossly
and wantonly insulted over the memory of his father by Fray Damaso. The young man loses
control of himself and is about to kill the friar, who is saved by the intervention of Maria Clara.
Ibarra is excommunicated, and Capitan Tiago, through his fear of the friars, is forced to break the
engagement and agree to the marriage of Maria Clara with a young and inoffensive Spaniard
provided by Padre Damaso. Obedient to her reputed father’s command and influenced by her
mysterious dread of Padre Salvi, Maria Clara consents to this arrangement, but becomes
seriously ill, only to be saved by medicines sent secretly by Ibarra and clandestinely
administered by a girlfriend.
Ibarra succeeds in having the excommunication removed, but before he can explain matters, an
uprising against the Civil Guard is secretly brought about through agents of Padre Salvi, and the
leadership is ascribed to Ibarra to ruin him. He is warned by a mysterious friend, an outlaw
called Elias, whose life he had accidentally saved; but desiring first to see Maria Clara, he
refuses to make his escape, and when the outbreak page occurs, he is arrested as the instigator of
it and thrown into prison in Manila.
On the evening when Capitan Tiago gives a ball in his Manila house to celebrate his supposed
daughter’s engagement, Ibarra makes his escape from prison and succeeds in seeing Maria Clara
alone. He begins to reproach her because it is a letter written to her before he went to Europe
which forms the basis of the charge against him, but she clears herself of treachery to him. The
letter had been secured from her by false representations and in exchange for two others written
by her mother just before her birth, which prove that Padre Damaso is her real father. These
letters had been accidentally discovered in the convento by Padre Salvi, who made use of them
to intimidate the girl and get possession of Ibarra’s letter, from which he forged others to
incriminate the young man. She tells him that she will marry the young Spaniard, sacrificing
herself thus to save her mother’s name and Capitan Tiago’s honor and to prevent a public
scandal, but that she will always remain true to him.
Ibarra’s escape had been affected by Elias, who conveys him in a banka up the Pasig to the Lake,
where they are so closely beset by the Civil Guard that Elias leaps into the water and draws the
pursuers away from the boat, in which Ibarra lies concealed.
On Christmas Eve, at the tomb of the Ibarras in a gloomy wood, Elias appears, wounded and
dying, to find there a boy named Basilio beside the corpse of his mother, a poor woman who had
been driven to insanity by her husband’s neglect and abuses on the part of the Civil Guard, her
younger son having page disappeared some time before in the convento, where he was a
sacristan. Basilio, who is ignorant of Elias’s identity, helps him to build a funeral pyre, on which
his corpse and the madwoman’s are to be burned.
Upon learning of the reported death of Ibarra in the chase on the Lake, Maria Clara becomes
disconsolate and begs her supposed godfather, Fray Damaso, to put her in a nunnery.
Unconscious of her knowledge of their true relationship, the friar breaks down and confesses that
all the trouble he has stirred up with the Ibarras has been to prevent her from marrying a native,
which would condemn her and her children to the oppressed and enslaved class. He finally yields
to her entreaties and she enters the nunnery of St. Clara, to which Padre Salvi is soon assigned in
a ministerial capacity.

Characters of the Noli

1. Crisóstomo Ibarra

Also known in his full name as Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra y Magsalin, a Filipino who studied in
Europe for 7 years, the love interest of Maria Clara. Son of the deceased Don Rafael Ibarra;
Crisostomo changed his surname from Eibarramendia to Ibarra, from his ancestor's surname.
2. Elías
Ibarra's mysterious friend, a master boater, also a fugitive. He was referred to at one point as the
pilot. He wants to revolutionize his country. Ibarra's grandfather condemned his grandfather of
burning a warehouse, making Elias the fugitive he is.

3. María Clara

María Clara de los Santos, Ibarra's sweetheart; the illegitimate daughter of Father Dámaso and
Pía Alba.
4. Father Dámaso

Also known in his full name as Dámaso Verdolagas, Franciscan friar and María Clara's
biological father.
5. Don Filipo

A close relative of Ibarra, and a Filibuster.

6. Linares

A distant nephew of Don Tiburcio de Espadana, the would-be fiance of Maria Clara.
7. Captain General (no specific name)

The most powerful official in the Philippines, a hater of secular priests and corrupt officials, and
a friend of Ibarra.
8. Captain Pablo

The Leader of the rebels, whose family was destroyed because of the Spanish.
9. Tarcilo and Bruno

Brothers, whose father was killed by the Spaniards.

10. Sisa

The mother of Basilio and Crispín, who went insane after losing her sons.
11. Basilio

The elder son of Sisa.

12. Crispín
The younger son of Sisa who died from the punishment from the soldiers from the false
accusation of stealing an amount of money.
13. Padre Sibyla

Hernando de la Sibyla, a Filipino friar. He is described as short and has fair skin.

14. Kaptain Tiago

Also known in his fullname as Don Santiago de los Santos the known father of María Clara but
not the real one; lives in Binondo.
15. Padri Salví

Also known in his full name as Bernardo Salví, a secret admirer of María Clara.
16. Pilosopo Tasyo

Also known as Don Anastasio, portrayed in the novel as a pessimist, cynic, and mad by his
neighbors.

17. The Alférez

Chief of the Guardia Civil ; mortal enemy of the priests for the power in San Diego.
18. Don Tiburcio

Spanish husband of Donya Victorina who is limp and submissive to his wife; he also pretends to
be a doctor.
19. Doña Victorina

Victorina de los Reyes de De Espadaña, a woman who passes herself off as a Peninsular.
20. Doña Consolación

Wife of the Alférez, another woman who passes herself as a Peninsular; best remembered for her
abusive treatment of Sisa.
21. Pedro

Abusive husband of Sisa who loves cockfighting.

22. Old Tasio

An older man who Ibarra seeks advice from. The town thinks him mad, but in actuality he is
quite wise.
 LESSON 6 : EL FILIBUSTERISMO
The second novel of Jose Rizal was full of revenge and anger. This novel encouraged the people
who experienced abuse to revenge and seek for justice using violent means. This novel was
written in the memory of GomBurZa, the three priests who experienced injustice and executed in
1872. If Noli Me Tangere described the society during the Spanish colonization in the
Philippines, El Filibusterismo encouraged the people to rise and unite to assert reform even
violent means.

Noli Me Tangere El Filibusterismo

 Published in Berlin, Germany  The Subversive

 March 21, 1887  Published in Ghent, Belgium

 Published through the help of  September 18, 1891

Maximo Viola

 Influenced by the novel entitled  Saved by Valentin Ventura

“Uncle Tom’s Cabin”

 A novel exposing the real situation  Dedicated to the GomBurZa

in the Philippines

 Sometimes used to describe an eye  Sequel to the Noli

cancer

 Refers to the existing SOCIAL  Darker and more tragic than its
CANCER (Apathy & Ignorance) predecessor

 Culture of the Philippines  A political novel

 An Idealist introducing reforms  A story of revenge and revolution

 A tragic love story  Metaphor of Philippine Society

(Bapor and Pasig River)
  Colonial discrimination

 Church Power

Background of the Publication of El Filibusterismo

After Rizal arrived in Ghent, Belgium, he searched for printing press with the lowest cost
for the publication of his Fili. The F. Meyer Van Loo Press charged the lowest fee and was
willing to print book on installment basis. To pay the down payment, Rizal pawned his jewels.
While the printing was ongoing, Rizal was desperate because his funds were running low. The
money he received from Basa and Php 200.00 from Rodriguez Arias were also used up and much
more was needed to pay the printing press.
The printing had to be suspended because he could no longer give the needed amount, in
a moment of despair, he almost hurled the manuscript into flames, just as he almost did to Noli in
Berlin.
When everything seemed lost, an unexpected help came from Valentin Ventura in Paris
who learned of Rizal’s predicament. When Ventura sent him the necessary funds, the printing of
the book was resumed.
Printing of the Fili was Complete. September 18, 1891, El Filibusterismo came off the press.
Now, Rizal was a happy man. Immediately he sent two (2) printed copies to Basa and Sixto
Lopez who were in Hongkong. He also sent complimentary copies to Blumentritt, Mariano
Ponce, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Pardo de Tavera, Antonio and Juan Luna and other friends.
Rizal dedicated the novel to Gom-Bur-Za because of their martyrdom.
The Manuscript and the Book. The original manuscript in Rizal’s handwriting has been
preserved in the National Library. It was acquired from Valentin Ventura by the Philippine
Government for a fee of Php 10,000.00. The Manuscript consists of 279 pages of long sheets of
paper. Two features in the manuscript do not appear in the printed book perhaps to save from the
printing cost. The title page contains an inscription written by Ferdinand Blumentritt.

Summary of El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed)

The protagonist of El Filibusterismo is a jeweler named Simoun. He is the new identity of
Crisostomo Ibarra who, in the prequel Noli, escaped from pursuing soldiers. It is revealed that
Crisostomo dug up his buried treasure and fled to Cuba, becoming richer and befriending
Spanish officials.
After many years, the newly fashioned Simoun returns to the Philippines, where he is able to
freely move around. He is a powerful figure not only because of his wealth but also because he is
a good friend and adviser of the governor general.

Outwardly, Simoun is a friend of Spain; however, in secret, he is plotting a terrible revenge

against the Spanish authorities. His two obsessions are to rescue his paramour Maria Clara from
the nunnery of Santa Clara and to foment a Philippine revolution against Spain.
The story of El Filibusterismo begins on board a steamer ship sailing up the Pasig river from
Manila to Laguna de Bay. Among the passengers are Simoun; Doña Victorina, a pro-Spanish
native woman who is going to Laguna in search of her henpecked husband, Tiburcio de
Espadaña, who has deserted her; Paulita Gomez, her beautiful niece; Ben-Zayb (anagram of
Ibañez), a Spanish journalist who writes silly articles about the Filipinos; Padre Sibyla, vice-
rector of the University of Santo Tomas; Padre Camorra, the parish priest of the town of Tiani;
Don Custodio, a pro-Spanish Filipino holding a position in the government; Padre Salvi, thin
Franciscan friar and former cura of San Diego; Padre Irene, a kind friar who was a friend of the
Filipino students; Padre Florentino, a retired scholarly and patriotic Filipino priest; Isagani, a
poet-nephew of Padre Florentino and a lover of Paulita; and Basilio, son of Sisa and promising
medical student, whose medical education is financed by his patron, Capitan Tiago.
A man of wealth and mystery, Simoun is a very close friend and confidante of the Spanish
governor general. Because of his great influence in Malacañang, he was called the “Brown
Cardinal” or the “Black Eminence”. By using his wealth and political influence, he encourages
corruption in the government, promotes the oppression of the masses, and hastens the moral
degradation of the country so that the people may become desperate and fight. He smuggles arms
into the country with the help of a rich Chinese merchant, Quiroga, who aspires to be Chinese
consul of Manila. His first attempt to begin the armed uprising did not materialize because at the
last hour he hears the sad news that Maria Clara died in the nunnery. In his agonizing moment of
bereavement, he did not give the signal for the outbreak of hostilities.
After a long time of illness brought about by the bitter loss of Maria Clara, Simoun perfects his
plan to overthrow the government. On the occasion of the wedding of Paulita Gomez and Juanito
Pelaez, he gives a wedding gift to them a beautiful lamp. Only he and his confidential associates,
Basilio (Sisa’s son who joined his revolutionary cause), know that when the wick of his lamp
burns lower the nitroglycerine, hidden in its secret compartment, will explode, destroying the
house where the wedding feast is going to be held killing all the guests, including the governor
general, the friars, and the government officials. Simultaneously, all the government buildings in
Manila will be blown by Simoun’s followers.
As the wedding feast begins, the poet Isagani, who has been rejected by Paulita because of his
liberal ideas, is standing outside the house, sorrowfully watching the merriment inside. Basilio,
his friend, warns him to go away because the lightened lamp will soon explode.
Upon hearing the horrible secret of the lamp, Isagani realizes that his beloved Paulita is in grave
danger. To save her life, he rushes into the house, seizes the lightened lamp, and hurls it into the
river, where it explodes.
The revolutionary plot is thus discovered. Simoun is cornered by the soldiers, but he escapes.
Mortally wounded, and carrying his treasure chest, he seeks refuge in the home of Padre
Florentino by the sea.
The Spanish authorities, however, learns of his presence in the house of Padre Florentino.
Lieutenant Perez of the Guardia Civil informs the priest by letter that he will come at eight
o’clock that night to arrest Simoun.
Simoun eludes arrest by taking poison. As he is dying, he confesses to Padre Florentino,
revealing his true identity, his dastardly plan to use his wealth to avenge himself, and his sinister
aim to destroy his friends and enemies.
The confession of the dying Simoun is long and painful. It is already night when Padre
Florentino, wiping the sweat from his wrinkled brow, rises and begins to meditate. He consoles
the dying man saying: “God will forgive you Señor Simoun. He knows that we are fallible. He
has seen that you have suffered, and in ordaining that the chastisement for your faults should
come as death from the very ones you have instigated to crime, we can see His infinite mercy. He
has frustrated your plans one by one, the best conceived, first by the death of Maria Clara, then
by a lack of preparation, then in some mysterious way. Let us bow to His will and render Him
thanks!”
Watching Simoun die peacefully with a clear conscience and at peace with God, Padre Florentino
falls upon his knees and prays for the dead jeweler. The priest then takes the treasure chest and
throws it into the sea.
The other characters that left their mark in the novel are Doña Victorina who is so desperate to be
part of the Spanish circle thus will do everything to bring back into her life her weak husband,
the fake doctor Don Tiburcio de Espadaña. Ben-Zayb is an irresponsible Spanish journalist who
write stupid news about the Filipinos. Fr. Camorra is the perverted Spanish priest of Tiani who
likes to rape Juli. Don Custodio is a government official who discreetly supports the dream of
Filipino students to have an academy. Pepay is an attractive dancer and mistress of Don Costudio
who uses her charm over Don Costudio to give help to the Filipino students. Macaraig belongs to
a rich family and a leader of the student crusade aiming to have a school for Spanish language.
Placido Penitente is a disgruntled and unhappy student because of the poor method of teaching in
the university. Señor Pasta is the indifferent Filipino lawyer who refuses to help the Filipino
students in their petition for a better education.
Fr. Salvi is the Franciscan friar who harbors a malicious feeling for Maria Clara. Fr. Irene is a
kind friar and a friend to Filipino students. Capitan Tiago supports the medical study of Basilio
and is known in the novel as an opium addict who died because of his vice. Cabesang Tales is a
victim of land grabbing who is also Matanglawin in the novel. Juli is the girlfriend of Basilio
who kills herself rather than be violated by Fr. Camorra.

Characters of El Filibusterismo
1. Simoun

Crisóstomo Ibarra reincarnated as a wealthy jeweler, bent on starting a revolution

2. Basilio

Sisa's son, now an aspiring doctor

3. Isagani

poet and Basilio's best friend; portrayed as emotional and reactive; Paulita Gómez' boyfriend
before being dumped for fellow student Juanito Peláez
4. Kabesang Tales

Telesforo Juan de Dios, a former cabeza de barangay (barangay head) who resurfaced as the
feared Luzón bandit Matanglawin (Tagalog for Hawkeye); his father, Old Man Selo, dies
eventually after his own son Tano, who became a guardia civil, unknowingly shoots his
grandfather in an encounter
5. Don Custodio

Custodio de Salazar y Sánchez de Monteredondo, a famous journalist who was asked by the
students about his decision for the Academia de Castellano. In reality, he is quite an ordinary
fellow who married a rich woman in order to be a member of Manila's high society
6. Paulita Gómez

the girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of Doña Victorina, the old India who passes herself off as a
Peninsular, who is the wife of the quack doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña. In the end, she and Juanito
Peláez are wed, and she dumps Isagani, believing that she will have no future if she marries him
7. Father Florentino
Isagani's godfather, and a secular priest; was engaged to be married, but chose the priesthood
instead, the story hinting at the ambivalence of his decision as he chooses an assignment to a
remote place, living in solitude near the sea.
8. Huli

Juliana de Dios, the girlfriend of Basilio, and the youngest daughter of Kabesang Tales
9. Ben Zayb

Abraham Ibañez is his real name. He is a journalist who thinks he is the only one thinking in the
Philippines
10. Placido Penitente

a student of the University of Santo Tomas who is always miserable, and therefore controls his
temper
11. Quiroga

a Chinese businessman who dreamt of being a consul of a Consulate of China in the Philippines.
He hid Simoun's weapons inside his house
12. Old Man Selo

father of Kabesang Tales. He raised the sick and young Basilio after his mother Sisa had died
13. Father Fernandez

the priest-friend of Isagani. He promised to Isagani that he and the other priests will give in to
the students' demands
14. Attorney Pasta

one of the great lawyers of mid-Hispanic Manila

15. Captain-General

(no specific name) the powerful highest official of the Philippines

16. Padre Sibyla

Hernando de la Sibyla, a Filipino friar and now vice-rector of the University of Santo Tomas
(U.S.T.)