Chapter 9- Noli Me Tangere, Context and Content

José Rizal's first novel, Noli Me Tangere, is considered one of the most important written outputs by the
national hero at the height of his intellectual endeavors in Europe. In this novel, Rizal mustered his
academic acumens as he tapped his knowledge of various fields and wove a narrative that aimed to
represent, if not expose, the realities of nineteenth century colonial life in the Philippines. Many appreciate
the Noli for its narrative that takes the readers, through the eyes of its characters, on a journey of love and
deception, struggles and triumphs; and in the process, presents pressing questions about power and social
inequalities.
This chapter will explore the context of the publication of the Noli. The novel's major elements will also be
appraised from its main characters and settings and its plot and major conflicts will be tackled.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:
A describe the context of the publication of the Noli Me Tangere;
and A discuss the major elements of the Noli Me Tangere as a novel.

Vocabulary
Novel- a long written story most often about fictional events and
characters
setting (in a novel) – the context in which the events take place; covers geographical areas in particular
periods of time
plot - the flow of the narrative in a story

The Publication of the Noli

As a sojourner in Europe, Rizal participated in the movement of the ilustrados to utilize propaganda to
campaign for reforms in the Philippines. Utilizing their intellectual prowess, the ilustrados released various
written outputs from news bits, to feature articles, and commentaries. They also produced creative
outputs from satirical pieces to world-class paintings. Within this artistic and literary collection, Rizal's
exemplary mastery of words was clearly evident in one of his most celebrated works, his first novel, Noli
Me Tángere.
The idea of publishing a book was not alien to Rizal. In a meeting of the ilustrados in 1884, he proposed to
write a book project to be done collaboratively with his fellow writers. Unfortunately, the project did not
materialize. He eventually decided to write a novel on his own. He started work on the project in 1884 and
completed it in 1887.
Many of his biographers cite several works that influenced Rizal in the writing of the Noli. One of these is
Juan Luna's painting, Spoliarium, which depicted the sufferings faced by humanity in the face of
inequalities. Another is Uncle Tom's Cabin, a novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe that dealt with slavery in
America.
Rizal finished the first half of the novel in Spain, supposedly the other half in France, then completed the
draft in 1886. The novel was published the following year in Germany. Lack of funds delayed the book's
publication until a fellow ilustrado, Maximo Viola, insisted on lending him 300 pesos for the printing of the
first 2,000 copies. By 1887, Rizal was already sending out copies of the Noli to his friends and the book
began to take flight.
Motivations behind Writing the Noli
The title, Noli Me Tángere, had Biblical reference to the Gospel of John in which Jesus appeared to Mary
Magdalene and uttered these words: "Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father." The choice
of title according to Rizal was fitting because he intended to write about themes that were taboo in the
Philippines for centuries; things that people dared not touch.
According to his biographers, Rizal first planned to write his novel in French, considered to be the language
of the intellectuals in Europe at that time. He, however, shifted to Spanish because he intended to reach
out to his countrymen in the Philippines. Rizal explained: "I must wake from its slumber the spirit of my
country... I must first propose to my countrymen an example with which they can struggle against their
bad qualities, and afterwards, when they have reformed, many writers would rise up to present my
country proud to Europe” (qtd. In Schumacher, 1991, p. 93).
In the initial pages of the Noli, the dedication titled "A Mi Patria" clearly articulated Rizal's purpose for
writing the novel:

To my Motherland
In the annals of human adversity, there is etched a cancer, of a breed so malignant that the least contact
exacerbates it, and stirs in it the sharpest of pains. An thus, many times amidst modern cultures I have
wanted to evoke you, sometimes for memories of you to keep me company, other times, to compare you
with other nations—many times your beloved image appears to me afflicted with a social cancer of similar
malignancy. Desiring your well-being, which is our own and searching for the best cure, I will do with you as
the ancients of old did with their afflicted, expose them on the steps of the temple so that each one who
would come to invoke the Divine would propose a cure for them. And to this end, I will attempt to faithfully
reproduce condition without much ado. I will lift part of the shroud that conceals your illness, sacrificing to
the truth everything, even my own self-respect, for, as your son, I also suffer in your defects and failings.
-Jose Rizal, 1886

The project of writing the Noli, as stated, was geared towards exposing the ills of Philippine colonial society
under Spain. Thus, through the passages within the Noli, readers also get glimpses of how Rizal saw his
country.

Plot
The story of the Noli Me Tangere followed the life of Juan Crisostomo Ibarra after he returned to the
Philippines from studying in Europe. The novel opened with Capitan Tiago preparing a homecoming
gathering for the young ilustrado. Throughout the pages of the novel, the characters could be seen
navigating the complex realities of colonial Philippines. Ibarra was shown to be rekindling links with his
betrothed Maria Clara. But not everything was fine and dandy for Ibarra. Upon his return, he learned about
the ills that plagued his town as well as the abuses of the friars to which his late father fell victim to. Ibarra
found an antagonist in Padre Damaso, the former curate of San Diego who ordered that the corpse of his
father be exhumed and reburied in the Chinese cemetery.
Despite these personal travails, Ibarra persevered to fulfill the plan of building a school in San Diego,
staying true to his belief that education was crucial for his nation's progress. Ibarra almost got killed had it
not for Elias, a boatman, who saved him. Elias also previously cautioned Ibarra about his actions that could
anger the friars. After the incident, Ibarra organized a luncheon.
Here, another confrontation occurred between Ibarra and Damaso who attended the luncheon uninvited.
In a fit of anger, Ibarra took a knife against Damaso's neck and threatened to slit his throat as he told
everyone of the abuses committed by Damaso and the desecration he did to Ibarra's father. Maria Clara
calmed Ibarra and prevented him from killing the friar. Damaso, in an act of revenge, persuaded Capitan
Tiago, the father of Maria Clara, to not allow his daughter to marry Ibarra.
After some time, a revolt was blamed on Ibarra, which caused his incarceration. With the help of Elias, he
escaped and went to see Maria Clara who was soon marrying the man her father chose for her. In a
heartbreaking confrontation, Ibarra and Maria Clara exchanged accusations and in the process, it was
revealed that Damaso was the true father of Maria Clara.
As turmoil and confusion engulfed the town, Maria Clara thought Ibarra had been killed. This caused her
endless grief. She asked to be confined to a nunnery lest she take her own life. It was later revealed that
Ibarra was not dead and that Elias was the one fatally shot. In the latter passages, the dying Elias was
waiting for Ibarra but instead, met and talked to the young Basilio. He instructed the orphaned boy (his
mother Sisa, who became insane looking for her young sons, had died) to find the treasure of Ibarra buried
in the cemetery and use it to get an education. He reminded Basilio to never lose hope and if one day,
freedom and progress would come to his country, to not forget those who labored in the night.
Within this general contour of the narrative, Rizal wove a complex story and subplots. Reading through the
novel, different characters and their corresponding stories unfolded as told through the voice of an unseen
narrator. Truly, the pages of the Noli reflected the lives of people living in the complicated world of colonial
Philippines.

Chapter 10- Continuing Relevance

While the Noli Me Tangere triggered social conversations in the late nineteenth century
Philippines, it is important to note how the novel continues to resonate beyond its time. The
success of Rizal's novel also rests on its timelessness in terms of present-day social issues and
political/economic realities. In this chapter, Noli's legacy and continuing relevance will be
explained as a text not only in the field of literature but also in the areas of history and the social
sciences. The chapter will also look at Rizal as a social scientist who espoused early articulations
of a social-scientific manner of understanding and presenting the way of life, in this case, within a
colonial context. The lesson will start with a discussion of the incarnations of the Noli as it was
published after Rizal's time. This will be followed by a section on the study of colonial society.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:

appreciate the importance of Rizal as a thinker; and
relate the issues raised in the novel to the changing landscape of the contemporary world.

VOCABULARY

censorship - the suppression of the release or publication of material deemed inappropriate,

obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security

critique - an evaluation, analysis, or assessment of a literary, philosophical, or scientific work

sociology - the social science dealing with the study of the development, structures, and
functioning of human society.

Noli After Its First Publication

At present, Noli Me Tangere is considered by many as a landmark piece of literature. In his

account of the literary history of the Philippines, scholar Resil Mojares even went to the extent of
naming Rizal as the father of the Filipino novel (Testa-De Ocampo, 2011). As already discussed in
the previous chapter, the themes of the novel revolved around societal issues experienced in the
Philippines under the Spanish colonial rule. As such, the novel did not go unnoticed and became a
subject of discussion and debate.
In the immediate months and years after its release in 1887, the Noli generated reactions from
readers, Filipinos and foreigners alike. Responses ranged from praise to outright ridicule. One
sector that espoused utmost disdain for the novel was the Spanish clergy as well as some
Spanish colonial officials. It is thus understandable that Spanish friars vehemently prohibited the
circulation of the novel in 1887 when Fray Salvador Font, chair of the censorship commission,
outlawed the reading and possession of Rizal's novel. Many other friars assessed and judged the
book as pernicious. They enjoined devout Catholics not to read the novel to avoid committing
capital sins. Not only confined in the Philippines, critiques of the novel coming from Spanish
officials and academics also circulated in Spain. One staunch critic of the novel was the Spanish
academic Vicente Barrantes who wrote several articles in Spanish newspapers ridiculing Rizal as
a "man of contradictions." Barrantes lamented that Rizal's lambasting of the friars and the
Spaniards was reflective of the author and telling more about the Filipinos.
As much as Rizal's critics came from various sectors, his novel also found ardent defenders
among his peers. Many of his colleagues in the Propaganda Movement praised his novel. One
example is Marcelo H. del Pilar who even wrote essays in response to critics of the Noli. Rizal's
friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt, also an academic, also expressed support for the novel.

As the Noli stirred controversy in social circles in nineteenth century Philippines, it is remarkable to
realize that even beyond its time, the novel continued to be a subject of debate and discussion. In
the immediate years after its publication, the Noli was translated into several languages. One of
the earliest translations of the novel was done in French. Many scholars posit that there were early
attempts to translate the novel into German (by Blumentritt) and even Tagalog (by Rizal's brother,
Paciano) but these plans never came to fruition. At the turn of the twentieth century, during the
American colonial period, several other translations and editions of the novel came out. Arguably
the most circulated versions were the English translations of Charles Derbyshire. By the 1930s,
Rizal's Noli had several Spanish editions, translations into English, French, Japanese, and also
into several languages in the Philippines including Tagalog, Cebuano, Waray, Iloko, and Bikol
(Testa-De Ocampo, 2011).
The very controversy that surrounded the passage of the Rizal Law indicated the relevance of the
text in the 1950s and even beyond. In academia, many scholars have also made it a point to
discuss the politics of translation and the nuances of transforming the text in several forms. As
Testa- De Ocampo points out, as much as the novel is elevated in the highest echelons of
Philippine literary history, seldom do we find Filipinos reading it in the original Spanish. Versions
and translations of the Noli also did not go without scrutiny from academics like Benedict
Anderson. Truly, be it about its content, context, or the way it is read or used, the value of Rizal's
novel is definitely felt in the Philippines.

Noli and the Study of a Colonial Society

A remarkable aspect of Rizal's Noli lies in its text which espoused the national hero's articulations
of a social-scientific view of the nineteenth century Philippines he was describing. Sociologist Syed
Fareed Alatas even went as far as describing Rizal as "probably the first systematic social thinker
in Southeast Asia."
Taken together with Rizal's other writings, the Noli makes an important contribution to the
understanding of a colonial society and of the workings of the Spanish empire in the Philippines.
The novel portrayed the lives of the characters of diverse positions from which people in
nineteenth century Philippines thought and acted in relation to others. Many scholars interpret the
Noli as Rizal's diagnosis of the ills of colonial society as he assessed the role played by the
church, the state, and the people. In the Noli, Rizal highlighted some of his ideas on how the
Philippine society could be emancipated from the bondage of colonial rule. He underscored the
importance of education as a powerful tool to achieve progress. However, he also exposed the
complexities and constraints wrought by the colonial condition not only on foreigners, but also on
some misguided Filipinos that contributed to the ills of society. As Rizal exposed the vile realities
of the context he wrote about, he also emphasized the good qualities of the Filipinos, which
needed to be harnessed in order to succeed in the struggle for emancipation.

Chapter 11- Looking at the Filipino Past

During the Spanish colonial period, Philippine history was primarily written by the Spaniards. Early
Spanish historians took note of the native's appearance and way of life. However, many of these
early histories depicted the Filipinos in negative terms and often contained biases against the
colonized people. José Rizal's annotation of Antonio Morga's work, Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas,
was an attempt to redress this biased view of the Filipinos. Although Rizal's annotations have
been "largely disregarded," his work has been credited as the first Philippine history to be written
from the viewpoint of a Filipino.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:

argue the reasons why José Rizal decided to annotate Antonio Morga's work, Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas;
relate how Rizal's annotations conform with the overall aims of the Propaganda Movement; and
create their own annotations of a sample text.
128
THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JOSÉ RIZAL
LOOKING AT THE FILIPINO PAST 129

VOCABULARY

Audiencia - the Royal Audiencia or the royal court of justice in Spain

and its colonies

ecclesiastics - the religious missionaries

secular- having ideas and attitudes not determined by any religious
bias

Antonio Morga was a Spanish administrator who served in the Philippines in the late sixteenth
century. He was born in Seville in 1559 and began working for the government in 1580. He served
as the Lieutenant-Governor-second most powerful position in the colony-of the Philippines in 1593
and then as a judge of the Audiencia in 1598. By 1615, he moved to Mexico where he served as
the president of the Audiencia. He was later investigated for corruption and was found guilty.
Before being sent to the gallows, however, he died in 1636.
Morga's work, Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, was published in 1609 in Mexico and consisted of
eight chapters. The first seven chapters dealt with the terms of the governor-generals who had
served in the Philippines from the time of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565 to Pedro de Acuña in
1606. The last chapter, titled "An account of the Philippine Islands," provided ample descriptions of
early Filipinos upon the arrival of the Spaniards in the sixteenth century.
While at the British Museum in late 1889, Rizal found a copy of the first edition of Antonio Morga's
Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas and began copying the text by hand. He annotated the work along
the way with the intention of creating a critical work on the history of the Philippines. Despite
hopes of getting the work published through the help of Antonio Regidor, Rizal ended up with no
publisher when his annotations were done.
By September 1889, Rizal decided to publish the annotations himself in Garnier Hermanos, a
printing press based in Paris.
Rizal's choice of annotating Morga's work among all other early chronicles written by Spaniards is
not coincidental. Historian Ambeth Ocampo provides five reasons behind Rizal's choice.
The first reason, according to Ocampo, was the fact that Morga's work in its original Spanish
edition was rare. In fact, the original Spanish text had never been reprinted in full until Rizal
published his annotations in 1889. Second, unlike other early Spanish chronicles written by
ecclesiastics, Morga was a civil administrator and therefore provided a secular view of historical
events during the early Spanish colonial period. This second reason relates to Rizal's belief that a
secular account was more credible than those written by religious missionaries, which is the third
reason for his choice. Fourth, it was more sympathetic towards the natives in contrast to the
biased accounts written by the friars. Finally, Morga's work was a fitting choice because he was an
eyewitness to historical events that occurred in the Philippines during the period of early Spanish
colonization.
With the publication of his annotations to Sucesos, Rizal presented an outline of a linear
conception of history. While Noli Me Tangere dealt with the nineteenth century or Rizal's present,
and El Filibusterismo and the essay titled "The Philipines a Century Hence" covered the future, the
annotations of Sucesos tackled the past.
More than an attempt to write the country's history, however, Rizal's annotation of Morga's
Sucesos must also be seen within the context of the Propaganda Movement. At a time when
Filipino propagandists were clamoring for reforms in Spain, presenting a critical narrative of the
country's history might be considered as an endeavor to create a sense of national consciousness
or identity that was anchored on a glorious past. Whereas early Spanish chroniclers ridiculed the
early Filipinos for being barbarians, Rizal's copious notes of Sucesos revealed early Filipino
culture as rich and flourishing. Thus, Rizal's annotations may be considered an effort to assert
Filipino. identity within an oppressive colonial framework.
CHAPTER 12- Indolence or Industry
In the opening scene of Noli Me Tangere, a social gathering in the house of Kapitan Tiago serves
as a venue for guests to mingle and converse. In one such ocassion, Father Damaso explicitly
states his opinion of the indio. While speaking to a young man about the native Filipinos, Damaso
exclaims, “As I believe in the Gospel! The Indian is so indolent!" To this, the young man poses the
question, "Does this indolence actually, naturally, exist among the natives or is there some truth in
what a foreign traveler says that with this indolence we excuse our own, as well as our
backwardness and our colonial system?"
Indolence in the natives was a view commonly held by foreigners who came to the Philippines as
evident in the conversation narrated above. Rizal and the other propagandists, however, felt that
this view was misguided and made efforts for its rectification. One such attempt was through
Rizal's essay, "Sobre la Indolencia de los Filipinos" (On the Indolence of the Filipinos), which will
serve as the topic of this chapter.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:

summarize in their own words Rizal's essay, "On the Indolence of the Filipinos";
explain the factors that cause the indolence of Filipinos; and
defend their personal views on the question of the indolence of the Filipinos.

VOCABULARY

indio - a term used by the Spaniards to refer to the native Filipinos; occasionally used in a
derogatory manner
Moro piracy - a series of raids in several Philippine towns committed by Muslims from Mindanao
during the seventeenth to eighteenth centuries

Filipinos during the period of Spanish colonization were commonly described as lazy. Several
foreigners visiting the Philippines from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries affirmed this
view with their observations.
Gemelli Careri, an Italian traveler who came to the country in the seventeenth century, remarked,
"It is their laziness that makes them appear less ingenious; and they are so entirely addicted to it,
that if in walking they find a thorn run into their foot, they will not stoop to put it out of the way, that
another may not tread on it."
A more scathing portrayal was given by friar Gaspar de San Agustin in 1720. He stated that "their
laziness is such that if they open a door, they never close it; and if they take any implement for any
use, such as a knife, pair of scissors, hammer, etc., they never return it whence they took it, but
drop it there at the foot of the work."
Indolence was also commented upon by the German scholar Feodor Jagor in the nineteenth
century, "Along the river Pasig, somebody might be seen asleep on a heap of coconuts. If the nuts
run ashore, the sleeper rouses himself, pushes off with a long bamboo, and contentedly relapses
into slumber, as his eccentric rafts regains the current of the river." More than simple observations,
the remarks given by these foreigners resulted in a perennial view of the Filipinos as incapable or
inherently lacking in abilities.
Rizal's work, "Sobre la Indolencia de los Filipinos” (On the Indolence of the Filipinos), was an
attempt to rectify this view.
The essay was serialized in six issues of La Solidaridad from July 15 to September 15, 1890. It
addressed the accusations made by foreign observers by establishing through careful
argumentation that indolence was not an inherent trait but was an effect of other conditions
imposed upon the Filipinos.
Rizal's reasoning echoes the ideas laid down earlier by Gregorio Sancianco's El Progreso de las
Filipinas in 1881. Sancianco advocated for reforms in the government's taxation system because
he believed that public revenues were necessary for the overall development of the country. He
also confronted the issue of the laziness of Filipinos by attributing the trait to the poor economic
conditions that rendered the natives lethargic and unmotivated.
Rizal's essay, though, addresses the issue of the Filipino's laziness more directly "inasmuch as the
talk about it has continued, not only by employees who blame it to cover their own stupidity, not
only by friars who consider it necessary for the perpetuation of their pretention that they cannot be
replaced, but also by serious-minded and disinterested persons."
From the outset, Rizal does not deny the existence of indolence in the Filipinos. "The
predisposition exists,” he notes, "[because] the warm climate demands of the individual quietness
and rest, just as cold climate stirs up men to work and to be active." However, he asserts that the
evil does not lie in the existence of indolence, but in the way that it is perpetuated. He points out,
"The evil is found in the fact that indolence in the Philippines is an exaggerated indolence, a
snowball indolence, so to speak, a vice which increases four-fold as time elapses."
The Filipinos were not always lazy, according to Rizal. When one looked back at the precolonial
past, he/she would see the industry, agriculture, and commerce the early Filipinos engaged in.
Rizal cites as one example an account written by Pigafetta who described the flourishing trade of
goods such as cinnamon, pepper, nuts, and other articles. Mining was also practiced by early
Filipinos as evidenced by Pigafetta's descriptions of vessels and utensils made of pure gold.
If early Spanish accounts were in agreement on the industry of the Filipinos, what then brought
about a change in them? Rizal determines that the circumstances that produced a predisposition
towards laziness were the constant wars waged during the early stages of colonization, the Moro
piracies that occurred in the centuries that followed, and the abuses committed by the Spaniards
against the Filipinos. All the death and destruction brought about by these situations, according to
Rizal, took away from the Filipinos their desire to work.
Yet, Rizal also argues that while the previous circumstances made it possible for laziness to take
root in the Filipino's constitution, other factors ensured its maintenance. Rizal points out that while
the government did not provide the economic and moral incentives to encourage industry among
the Filipinos, the Filipinos themselves also had their own flaws. He states that the defect of
education and lack of national sentiment seen in the Filipinos only contributed to maintaining the
Filipino's predisposition towards indolence.
Having explained the reasons why the Filipinos became lazy, Rizal concludes that all attempts to
reform the Filipino would only be successful with education and freedom. With this, Rizal argues
convincingly that indolence in the Filipinos is not an inherent trait, but rather a malady with its own
causes and cures.

SUMMARY

Rizal's essay, "On the Indolence of the Filipinos," provided a compelling argument about the trait
foreigners criticized the Filipinos for-laziness. Rather than accept the view that indolence was an
inherent characteristic among Filipinos, Rizal presented a persuasive view of the circumstances
that brought about the Filipino's indolence and the factors that might have maintained it. In the
end, Rizal contended that the Filipino's predisposition towards laziness was a condition that could
be cured through education and freedom.
Chapter 13- El Filibusterismo: Context and Content

Rizal's second novel, El Filibusterismo, is a story set in twilight years of the Spanish colonial
government in the Philippines. It was first translated into English by Charles Derbyshire in 1912
under the title, The Reign of Greed. The book according to the translator "represents Rizal's more
mature judgment on political and social conditions in the islands, and in its graver and less hopeful
tone reflects the disappointments and discouragements which he had encountered in his efforts to
lead the way to reform."
This chapter will narrate how Rizal was able to write and publish his second novel despite threats
from the Spanish colonial government that regarded his first book, Noli Me Tangere, as
subversive. A brief synopsis of his novel will also be presented for discussion and analysis.

VOCABULARY

filibustero (nineteenth century context) - translated as "subversive"; a patriot who was usually
associated with revolutionary activities
guardia civil - police/military force assigned by the colonial government to maintain peace and
order
cabeza de barangay - head of the barangay

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:

trace the meaning of the term filibustero across time;
explain the historical context in which El Filibusterismo was written;
examine current events through the eyes of the characters; and
A evaluate Rizal as a novelist.

Filibustero: History and Context

Rizal started writing El Filibusterismo as a sequel to the Noli Me Tangere after he returned to
Europe on February 1888 (Lacson-Locsin, 2004). The novel, therefore, was written in the midst of
threats and oppressions he and his family were experiencing because of the Noli and the Calamba
incident.
Rizal continued working on his novel and made some revisions while he was in London in 1888.
He was able to complete the novel after three years when he was in Biarritz, France on March 29,
1891. However, because of financial constraints, it was not until September of the same year that
the book was published with the help of his friend, Valentin Ventura.
In March 1887, after reading the Noli Me Tangere, Blumentritt asked Rizal the meaning of the
word "filibustero" which he did not find in the Spanish language (Aguilar, 2011). To recall, Rizal
replied:
The word filibustero is still very little known in the Philippines; the common people as yet do not
know it. I heard it for the first time in 1872 when the tragic executions took place. I still remember
the terror it aroused. Our father forbade us ever to utter it, as well as the words Cavite, Burgos,
etc. The Manila newspapers and the Spaniards apply this word to one whom they want to render
suspect of revolutionary activities. The educated fear the reach of the word. It does not have the
meaning of freebooter; it rather means a dangerous patriot who will soon be hanged, or a
presumptuous fellow.

In 1890, Wenceslao Retana wrote about the "filibustero" and described the term as "the one who,
eager for the independence of the country, resorts to various extralegal proceedings in order to
reach the objective that he pursues" (Aguilar, 2011). By the end of the nineteenth century, the
Spanish colonial government defined "filibuster" as "someone who works for the separation of our
overseas provinces." With these definitions, one will have an idea about the plot of Rizal's second
novel. It deals with subversion. It pictures the lives of people under an oppressive regime. It
narrates the struggles of every Filipino in fighting for independence.
El Fili is dedicated to Gomburza, the three priests who were accused of being filibusters in 1872.
In his dedication, Rizal expressed his high regard for the priests who became victims of "the evil
that I am trying to fight."

To the Memory of the priests: Don Mariano Gomez (85 years old)
Don Jose Burgos (30 years old) and Don Jacinto Zamora (35 years old)

Executed on the scaffold at Bagumbayan on February 28, 1872

The Church, in refusing to degrade you, has placed in doubt the crime imputed to you; the
Government, in shrouding your cause with mystery and obscurities, creates belief in some error
committed in critical moments, and the whole Philippines, in venerating your memory and calling
you martyrs, in no way acknowledges your guilt.
As long therefore as your participation in the Cavite uprising is not clearly shown, whether or not
you were patriots, whether or not you nourished sentiments of justice and liberty, I have the right
to dedicate my work to you, as to victims of the evil that I am trying to fight. And while we wait for
Spain to reinstate you and make herself jointly culpable for your death, let these pages serve as
belated wreath of dried leaves laid on your unknown graves; and may your blood be upon the
hands of those who, without sufficient proof, assail your memory!
Rizal, however, made mistakes in indicating the age of the three priests and the date they were
executed. The Gomburza were publicly executed by garrote on the early morning of February 17,
1872. Gomez was then 73, Burgos was 35, and Zamora was 37.
In her translation of the novel, Soledad Lacson-Locsin described the book based on the themes
that can be seen in the story: "El Fili begins where the Noli leaves off, where love, romance,
heroism, idealism and tragedy turn to hate, bitterness, anger, disillusionment and vengeance"
(Lacson-Locsin, 2004). Unlike Noli, El Fili burns with passion and ideology. Rizal's biographers
opined that El Fili showed his maturity as a novelist.

Synopsis
The story of El Filibusterismo revolved around the main character, Simoun, who was a rich
jeweler. Simoun was actually Crisostomo Ibarra of the Noli whom everyone thought was killed by
the guardia civil at the Laguna de Bay thirteen years ago. He was able to escape and fled to Cuba.
He became wealthy and was able to establish connections with prominent Spanish officials. Upon
his return to the Philippines, Simoun became very influential being the consultant of the governor-
general.
Simoun came back with his grand plan to exact revenge on Spanish officials and to rescue Maria
Clara who entered the convent after learning the news of Ibarra's death. He planned to launch a
revolution which he started by smuggling arms and recruiting followers, mainly from the exploited
and abused natives. One of his recruits was Basilio, the son of Sisa. With the help of Capitan
Tiago, Basilio was able to study medicine in Manila. Simoun also began to establish an alliance
with Kabesang Tales and his revolutionary group. Kabesang Tales was a former cabeza de
barangay who was maltreated by the friars. Using his position, Simoun encouraged corruption and
more oppressive government policies to enrage the people and thus, provoke them to revolt.
Simoun's plans of revolution failed twice. In his first attempt, he decided not to give the signal for
the outbreak of the uprising upon hearing the news of Maria Clara's death. Basilio and other
students were then arrested for allegedly forming a seditious organization. Simoun arranged the
release of Basilio who became bitter and vengeful. However, he was very grateful to Simoun and
offered his full support for the revolution. The second attempt at starting a revolution entailed the
planting of a bomb at the wedding reception of Paulita Gomez and Juanito Pelaez. Illustrious
guests at the mansion (formerly the house of Capitan Tiago) included Padre Salvi and the
governor-general. In Simoun's plan, the revolution would be triggered by his gift to the couple-a
kerosene lamp with an explosive. When the lamp starts flickering and someone turns the wick,
there would be an explosion, signaling the revolutionaries to attack all government buildings in
Manila.
As planned, Simoun gave the lamp during the reception. Before leaving the venue, he left a note
with a message: "You will die tonight," signed by Crisostomo Ibarra.
Meanwhile, when Basilio saw all the people at the venue, his conscience bothered him. He saw
his friend, Isagani, who
was secretly watching his love, Paulita, celebrating her wedding. Basilio told Isagani about the
explosive and asked him to leave the place.
When Padre Salvi confirmed Ibarra's handwriting, the guests began to panic. The lamp flickered
and Padre Irene tried to turn the wick. But Isagani, wanting to save Paulita, ran into the house,
grabbed the lamp, and threw it into the river where it exploded.
Simoun took refuge in the house of a kind Filipino priest, Padre Florentino. The guardias civiles,
however, learned about the whereabouts of the fugitive, and informed the priest that they would
come in the evening to arrest Simoun.
Instead of surrendering to the authorities, Simoun poisoned himself. As the poison started to take
effect on his body, he confessed to Padre Florentino his true identity and his plans for revenge.
After the long and tedious confession, the priest told Simoun that his plans might have failed
because of the unjust means that were used. He assured Simoun that there was still hope for the
freedom of the country.
The story ended with Padre Florentino throwing Simoun's jewels into the sea so that they would
not be used by the greedy. He also prayed that when the right time comes, the treasure would be
recovered and used for a noble purpose.
Chapter