El Filibusterismo

Also known by its alternative English title

The Reign of Greed

is the second

novel

written by

Philippine

national hero

Jose Rizal

. It is the sequel to

Noli Me Tangere

and, like the first book, was written in

Spanish

. It was first published in 1891 in

Ghent

. The greatest contributionof Jose Protacio Rizal E Realonda was when he wrote his two greatest works El
Filibusterismoand Nole Me Tangere to wake the sleeping or the ignorance of Filipinos in abuses of
Spanish andto fight against friars. He is the greatest Filipino hero because he was a doctor, an artist, a
poet anovelist and more. His two novels inspired the movement which eventually gathered his
fellowmen to rise up and put into action their long desire led from to be free from shackles of
Spanishconquest, tyranny and enslavement. He was the hero to other Filipino heroes. Rizal's
masterpieceEl Filibusterismo, the message of the novel is clear the present system of governing
thePhilippines through corrupt and self-seeking officials, dominated by the friars and beingsubmissive to
their interest in one fashion or another, can only lead to disaster for Spain.The novel centers on the

Noli-El fili

duology's main character Crisóstomo Ibarra, now returningfor vengeance as "Simoun". The novel's dark
theme departs dramatically from the previousnovel's hopeful and romantic atmosphere, signifying
Ibarra's resort to solving his country's issuesthrough violent means, after his previous attempt in
reforming the country's system made noeffect and seemed impossible with the corrupt attitude of the
Spaniards toward the Filipinos.The author Of this novel is Jose Rizal the national hero of the Philippines.
He wrote this in aSpanish genre novel/fiction, the publisher of this is F.Meyer van Loo Press in Ghent
Belgium.The publication date 1891; media type Print (Hardback and paperback) preceded by
Noli MeTangere and followed by Makamisa.I believe that his greatest legacies were to novels entitled
“Noli Me Tangere and ElFilibusterismo”. Through these writings, he inspired Filipinos to fight for our
independence, togain freedom especially from the Spaniards because of the atrocities and slavery
committed tothem. Jose Rizal was executed on December 30, 1896 by the Spanish colonial government.
Rizalis different from other Filipino heroes because Jose Rizal, in the annals of heroism, an
anomaly.He was a man of science, a scholar and a writer and to many young Filipinos is idealized as
amodel son and something of a ladies man. Unlike other national heroes, he did not bear arms orlead an
army. Jose Rizal's El Filibusterismo famously depicts the difficulties faced by theadherents of scientific
thought in the Philippines during late 19 century. It argues that in ElFilibusterismo these complex are
somewhat helpful but at the same time dismiss able asirrelevant in the context.

Summary:

Crisostomo Ibarra is back as Simoun. During the period in between the story line of Noli MeTangere and
El Filibusterismo which is 13 years, Ibarra left the Philippines and became wealthy jeweler. He came back
to the Philippines as Senior Simoun, disguised with a beard. Heseems to have long abandoned his once
vision of ending the despotism of Spain with words and peace. He become hunger for vengeance for all
the misfortune our country has suffered under thetyranny of the Spaniards. And near the end of the
novel, when he discovered that his lover, MariaClara, died in the convent, he becomes all the more
furious. Simoun is a confidant of theCaptian-General. He encourages the government to make bad
decisions and to abuse their power so that it would spark’s revolution among the masses.Basilio, now all
grown up, is at first reluctant to join in on Simoun’s idea but end up being partof the plan.Simoun started
planning uprising and stashed guns in the shop of an ally. At the weddingreception of newlyweds (the
bride being the ex-girlfriend of one of his friends of Basilio-Isagani), Simoun tells Basilio that his plan was
to conceal an explosive which containsnitroglycerin inside a pomegranate-style kerosene lamp that
Simoun will give to the newlywedsas a gift during the wedding reception. The reception will take place
at the former home of theCaptain Tiago, which was now filled with explosives planted by Simoun.
According to Simoun,the lamp will stay lighted for 20 minutes before it flickers, if someone attempts to
turn the wick,it will explode and kill everyone-important members of civil society and the Church
hierarchyinside the house.

Simoun leaves the reception early and leaves a note with the words: “MeneThecel Phares" which means
“the future I’d predetermined” and is generally implied that a badevent is ongoing to happen. Simoun
signed it with his real name “Juan Crisistomo Ibarra". The people at the reception were shocked because
Ibarra is supposedly dead. One of the priest whoknew Ibarra before the ending of Noli Me Tangere
confirmed to the people that it was thewriting of Ibarra. The lamp started to dim… Outside the
house, Basilio was about to walk away because he knew the lamp was going to explode anytime soon
when he saw Isagani, the stillheart broken ex-boyfriend of the bride whose reception was still on going in
the house of CaptainTiago. Isagani said that he just wanted to congratulate the newly-weds. Basilio who
then fearedfor the safety of his friend told him about the plan of Simoun. Isagani ran to the house. A
priestwas about to fix the lamp but once Isagani got in, he found the lamp and threw it out the
windowinto the river outside the residence. Since the guards were chasing Isagani, he himself
jumpedout of the window into river as well. There was an uprising planned by Simoun during the timeof
the reception. The band got caught and confessed that Simoun lead them. Ibarra was nowwanted both
as himself and as Simoun. Days passed and a good priest found. Simoun walkingalong the shore,
wounded and weak. The noble priest tended to Simoun while the latterexplained that he is Ibarra and
that he was greatly saddened and angry due to the failure of therevolution and that he was questioning
God as to why he was the one who is suffering and notthe ones who have forsaken the people of the
Philippines. The priest explains that all punishments will come in due time. Ibarra died as he weakly held
the hand of the priest. Thelatter blessed the former and threw away all the remaining jewels of Ibarra in
the hopes that theymay always be used for good.

Indeed, the Fili shows how Rizal was considerably talented at imagining grounded-in-realityfrights.
Simoun agrees that science or rather scientism, seems to be an ideal dominant ideology; both he and
Basilio would likely agree that is can invalidate any socially constructeddifferentiation of humans through
the scientific method. However, Simoun believes that there arenecessary conditions to bring about the
nationless word-state the Basilio envision violent revolt,fueled by love of country. Must first happen in
countries victimized by oppressors nations; manymust die on the stakes so as the horrify the conscience
of society to grant freedom to theconscience of the individual (Lacson-locsin 55-56; chapter 7). Simoun is
thus saying thatnationalism can lead to transformatic anarchy that the only way for the younger man to
achievehis aims is to become on of Simoun’s men. Basilio initially declines Simoun's offer.
Basilioeventually agrees to become one of Simoun’s lieutenants, another recruit in the anarchist
ofintellectuals, joining the ranks of the teacher-pyrotechist and Mr. Leeds. Basilio’s time behind bars, the
death of Juli and the failure of his efforts to make the colonial masters realize that theirslaves must be
liberated, have made him lust for the same chaos that Simoun ardently desires.Simoun assigned Basilio
to lead a revolt by bandits-headed by Matanglawin-as soon as the bombexplodes.With advanced
armaments an army of disgruntled bandits and reserves of intellectual resources,could Simoun’s
nefarious campaigns fail?As the novel shows, of course they can. In this first attempt to launch a revolt
(without Basilio'swilling assistance). Simoun effectively calls the action off after he learns that Maria
Clara isdead; the news plunges him into inactivity. His bomb plot also fails because of a fortuitous
event.The event which Simoun seeks to abruptly conclude with mass murder is the celebration of
awedding.

A university students who shares Basilio’s belief (through he is more willing todirectly engage authorities
to achieve his desires as can be seen in chapter 27, “The Friar and theFilipino”). Isagani later learns
about the revolt he hated causing him to regret his rashness. Inshort, the failures, of Simoun's schemes
are attributable to men's desires to be with or protecttheir beloved.Rizal's desire to use El Filibusterismo
to present the various sectors and aspects of the society ofhis time more than to weave a coherent
fictional narrative reflecting the society of his timemakes his novel suffer. As a reader I feel like I’m
reading isolated short stories about peoplefrom different walks of life instead of one coherent fictional
narrative. The titles of the chapterare inspired because they contain nonsense of mystery. For me, “The
Merry Christmas” chapteris interesting because it is ironic. The chapter actually talks not about a happy
Christmas but asad one.Therefore, I conclude that El Filibusterismo also shares the theme that “violence
is not theanswer" with Noli Me Tangere. When he asked father Florentino about this, the friar
answeredwith, “Perhaps he [God] saw there was no justice in the way you wanted it done. The
enduringgreatness of Rizal lies in the richness of his ideas and the nobility of his examples. The validity
and teaching is his legacy to humanity. The applicability of his deathless example is his heritageof his
people. The main point of El Filibusterismo was written in dedication to the three martyred priest
Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora whose deaths left an indelible mark inhis mind. Like
Noli Me Tangere, Fili aims at enlightening the society at bringing the Filipinoscloser to the truth.In terms
of moral lessons, El Filibusterismo is what I’d choose over Noli MeTangere. ElFilibusterismo showed us
how anger and vengeance can take over a person being. Both of Rizal'snovel had a profound effect on
Philippines society in terms of views about national identity, thecatholic faith and its influence on
the Filipinos choice and the government’s issue in corruptionand on a larger scale.