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José Rizal, in full José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda, (born June 19, 1861, Calamba, Philippines—
died December 30, 1896, Manila), patriot, physician, and man of letters who was an inspiration to the Philippine nationalist movement.
He founded a nonviolent-reform society, the Liga Filipina, in Manila, and was deported to Dapitan in northwest Mindanao. Rizal has become a symbol of the Philippine struggle for independence, and he is known there as the national hero. One of the last stanzas of "Ultimo Adios" (Final Farewell) shows his selfless devotion to his country, his loyalty to his family, his deep spirituality despite criticism of the church, and his artistic grace. The Greatest Contributions of Rizal is his Poem entitled A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth) which states even in the young age anyone can serve his/her Country and desire the best for it. His novels awakened Philippine nationalism for him, “the pen was mightier than the sword.” And through his writings, he exposed the corruption and wrongdoings of government officials as well as the Spanish friars. As part of his reforms, he even called for the inclusion of the Philippines to become a province of Spain. Jose Rizal became the Philippine national hero because he fought for freedom in a silent but powerful way. He expressed his love for the Philippines through his novels, essays and articles rather than through the use of force or aggression. He was a very amazing person at his time.
What are the factors that contributed to Rizal’s nationalism?
Factors in the Early Development of Rizal’s Nationalism
He emphasized the importance of the Tagalog language and its impact upon the Philippines. He was openly criticized of the friars. He defended Filipino civil rights. He discovered the power of the pen. He conceived a form of gradual nationalism.
