Makati Science Technological Institute of the Philippines

Old Sta. Mesa, Manila

Rizal Life, Works and Writings

1st semester 2021 - 2022

Prof. Estrellita Sobrevilla Glodo

ASSIGNMENT 1:

POEMS

To My Fellow Children
Comprehension Guide

1. How is nationalism expressed in this poem?

- Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal expresses nationalism in his poem "To My
Fellow Children", by encouraging all the Filipinos to adopt Tagalog as their
national language. That Tagalog language would show them the importance
of using it instead of other languages, with this they can show their love for
the country.

2. What values and attitudes found in the poem are still valid and usable today?

- The attitudes and values found in the poem are promoting nationalism, using
one’s mother tongue, and showing pride for our country.

3. What was given emphasis on this poem?

- The poem “My Fellow Children'' was written by Dr. Jose Rizal, He wrote it
to inspire or motivate the youth to overcome their fears and use their talents
to become the best they can be. Jose Rizal once said “ Ang kabataan ang pag
- asa ng bayan”. This poem encourages the youth to be proud of themselves
and one of the steps to do that is to love their mother tongue rather than any
foreign languages.
 4. What is the importance of language?

- Jose Rizal's poem, “To my fellow children” wants to address the youth and
the future generations to continue his love and passion for the national
language and our country itself. He always reminds us of the importance of
one's national language and on how we should give respect for it.

5. What is meant by mother tongue?

- Mother tongue refers to the first language we learned and spoken at home
during childhood. It was taught by our parents or relatives. If a child learned
two languages at the same time in his/her early childhood, the mother tongue
is the language this person spoke most often at home before starting school.

My First Inspiration
Comprehension Guide

1. Who was the first inspiration mentioned in the poem?

- It was Dr. Jose Rizal’s Mother, Teodora Alonso Realonda.

2. Define inspiration.
- Inspiration is a feeling of encouragement you get from someone or something
that gives you new and creative ideas.

3. In your case, who was your first inspiration and why?

- My mother, because she gave me good life to experience and she’s the one who
suffered from the pain while I’m being born.

4. How was Rizal able to write a very beautiful and meaningful poem consisting of
14 stanzas in a very short span of time on the eve of his execution?
- With only 14 stanzas, Dr. Jose Rizal wrote his final mastrpiece.The day he wrote
this poem and the day he died, He showed courage and dignity that caused the
Filipnos to start the revoution

5. Why did he write this poem?

- This Poem was written in honor of his mother’s birthday, as it shows love and
appreciation for her.
 To the Filipino Youth
Comprehension Guide

1. Cite instances where Rizal’s strong sense of cultural people pride is reflected in
this poem.
- His strong cultural pride will be recognized by Filipino youth through their skills,
talents and abilities, also they stand out for their praise and success, as well as
for the glory and success of their homeland. Jose Rizal indicated in the poem,
"run for genius sacred flame, awaits the artist`s crowning." In this poem he calls
on young people to refine and promote their artistic talents.

2. How is nationalism expressed in this poem?

- Nationalism is expressed through bringing pride and love for our own dialects
and national languange.

3. Why are the youth considered by Rizal as the hope of the fatherland?
- Jose Rizal believes that the filipino youth will bring glory for our country, but he
said that the youth must be educated because proper education will help the
youth to achieve success and can nurture their own motherland.

4. To whom did Rizal dedicate this poem?

- This poem is dedicated to the Filipino Youth.

5. Compare the youth of yesterday to the youth of today, in terms of:

a. Love of the country
- The Youth of yesterday dedicatd their life for the freedom of our country and
they showed their pride and love for our own langauge, but today some youth
loves the culture of other country more than our own culture. They show their
love for the foreign goods rather than the Filipino made, some youth today
doesn’t express nationalism but colonial mentality.

b. Love of parents
- The Youth of yesterday showed their love to their parents withouth hesitation
and doubt, it was full of appreciation and respect. Some of the youth today is not
well - mannered and disrespectful to their parents becaus of the influence by the
social media and technology.
 They Ask Me for Verses
Comprehension Guide

1. State the objective of Rizal in writing this poem.

- Rizal’s objective in this poem is the Freedom of speech of Filipinos and to let the
people know his

2. What have you noticed in this poem with regard to the stanzas?
- Every Stanzas have a deep meaning, as Dr. Jose Rizal showed his emotional
sentiments and how sad he was about the experiences of Filipinos in the hands
of the spaniards when writing this poem.

3. What did he try to reminisce about in this poem?

- He is longing for the good memories in his past that he cherished so much.

To the Flowers of Heidelberg

Comprehension Guide

1. What inspired Rizal to write this poem?

- While Jose Rizal was studying at Germany, He was amazed by the flowers in the
spring in Heidelberg that’s why while he was writing this poem he is feeling a
deep longing for his family and his country.

2. What is the name of the “flower” being mentioned in this poem?

- It was a Primrose.

3. What type of “flower” is the flower mentioned in this poem?

- It has yellow flowers which open at sunset and close during the day, it is a wild
flower and normally occurs in cool lands and mountains.

4. Give the poem’s central idea.

- It’s main idea is about love for his native land, a love which has grown as he
travelled from country to country.
 The Song of Maria Clara
Comprehension Guide

1. What does the poem try to picture out or describe?

- Dr. Jose Rizal signifies that Maria Clara's love for her country is exceptional and
priceless.

2. What was given emphasis in this poem?

- “It is sweet to die in one's own Native Land,
All there is friendly o'er which the sun shines above;
And deathly is the breeze for one without
A country, without a mother and without love”
- Death can only be sweet in the arms of our own motherland that we love.

3. Explain this line in the poem, “Sweet is death for one’s native land.”
- Death brings no discourage and pain if we die for the sake of the motherland but
brings pride and glory to our death.

The Song of the Traveller

Comprehension Guide

1. Explain the meaning of the first stanza, and discuss how it relates to Rizal
- First stanza tells about a traveller who travel alone along under a windy storm
like a falling leaf caused by the tempest. By relating to Jose Rizal, he also
travelled alone to different places with different challenges to overcome.

3. Why did he write this poem?

- Rizal wrot this poem because of having homesickness and by the time hwe was
free, he felt great that he can travel again.

2. Recall the travels of Rizal and discuss how the second stanza would apply to his
political objectives/agenda underlying his travels.
- It means that his fate and fortune will not depend on how the spaniards will stop
him but on how he embark on his journey to achieve personal agendas.
 Hymn to Labor
Comprehension Guide

1. Why is it that the Becerra Law of 1888 was unique and far different from the
other Labor groups?
- Filipino Towns can handle and govern themselves, also they can hold an
elections. The law was quite unique because the person who is in charge of
implementing the reforms have failed to do so.

2. Who were the members of the group that were prepared to join the hymn?
- The members were the men, wives, maidens, and the childrens.

3. State the importance of the following when it comes to labor”

a. Men
- In the men's chorus of the hymn, the group calls for their fellows to go out into
the fields and till the land. The men say that their labor will sustain the
Philippines and that they must overcome all odds, such as the hot rays of the
sun and back-breaking work, in order to do so.

b. Wives
- The women's stanza of the hymn supports and fortifies the men's will to work.
The women's chorus says that the men should "go to work with spirits high"
because the women are at home watching over the house and the children. The
women are tasked with teaching their children to love "virtue, knowledge and
country."

c. Girls
- To support and encourage the young men to give their best for the sake of the
country’s development.

d. Boys
- Patronizing the culture and tradition that is handed down to them from the
previous generation and pass it down again for the future generations.
 Rizal’s Speeches, Essays, and Memoirs
Comprehension Guide

What did Rizal intend to recall in the memoir?

- Jose Rizal intended to recall his childhood days in Calamba and his memories
while he was studying in the Philippines.

To My Beloved Parents, Brother, and Sisters

Comprehension Guide

What is the intention of Rizal to his beloved parents, brother and sisters?

- His intention is to let them know his experiences while on abroad, as well as his
discoveries and new learnings while interacting with different people. He wants
to tell his family how his life became a journey as he travel in different places.

To the Filipinos
Comprehension Guide

What is Rizal’s intention in writing this letter?

- The intention of this letter is to wake up all the Filipinos and fight for our
freedom, also to expose how the filipinos suffered in the hands of the spaniards.
He wants the Filipinos to stand for what is right and have the courage to claim
what is ours.