Noli Me Tangere and El

Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal

Introduction to Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere
 Written in Spanish and published in 1887, José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere played a crucial
role in the political history of the Philippines. Drawing from experience, the conventions
of the nineteenth-century novel, and the ideals of European liberalism, Rizal offered up a
devastating critique of a society under Spanish colonial rule.
 The plot revolves around Crisostomo Ibarra, mixed-race heir of a wealthy clan, returning
home after seven years in Europe and filled with ideas on how to better the lot of his
countrymen. Striving for reforms, he is confronted by an abusive ecclesiastical hierarchy
and a Spanish civil administration by turns indifferent and cruel. The novel suggests,
through plot developments, that meaningful change in this context is exceedingly difficult,
if not impossible.
 Finished in 1887, the novel was quickly banned by Spanish authorities in the Philippines,
but it was smuggled into the country often. In the more-than-a-century since its original
publication, Noli Me Tángere has become a classic. In 1956, the Philippines’ Congress
passed a law known as the Rizal Law, which requires all schools in the Philippines to teach
the novel.
NOLI ME TANGERE: SUMMARY
 The young and idealistic Juan Crisostomo Ibarra returns home after seven years in Europe.
The wealthy meztizo, like his father Don Rafael endeavors for reform primarily in the area
of education in order to eliminate poverty and improve the lives of his countrymen. Upon
learning about his father’s demise and the denial of a Catholic burial for his father Ibarra
was provoked to hit Padre Damaso which eventually lead to his excommunication. The
excommunication was later rescinded upon the intervention of the Governor General.
 Padre Salvi, Ibarra’s mortal enemy accused Ibarra of insurrection. Ibarra’s letter to his
beloved Maria Clara was used against him. Later in the story, Maria Clara will tell Ibarra
that she did not conspire to indict him. She was compelled to give Ibarra’s letter in
exchange for the letters of her mother before she was born. Maria Clara found out that the
letters of her mother were addressed to Padre Damaso about their unborn child which
means that she is the biological daughter of the priest and not of her father, Capitan Tiago.
 Meanwhile, Ibarra was able to escape the prison with Elias, who also experienced injustice
with the authorities. Ibarra was able to speak with Maria Clara about the letters and
thereafter forgave her. Ibarra and Elias flee to the lake and were chased by the Guardia
Civil. One was shot and the other survives. Upon hearing the news, Maria Clara believed
that Ibarra was dead; she entered the nunnery instead of marrying Alfonso Linares.
 The fatally wounded Elias found the child Basilio and his dead mother Sisa. The latter was
driven to insanity when she learned that her children were implicated for theft by the
sacristan mayor. Elias instructed Basilio to dig for his and Sisa’s graves and there is a
buried treasure which he can use for his education.
 Noli Me Tangere brilliantly described Philippine society with its memorable characters.
The melancholic fate of Maria Clara and the insanity of Sisa characterized the country’s
pitiful state, which was once beautiful, turned miserable. Reading Noli Me Tangere will
open one’s mind about oppression and tyranny.
EL FILIBUSTERISMO: SUMMARY
 This novel is a sequel to the Noli. It has a little humor, less idealism, and less romance than
the Noli Me Tangere. It is more revolutionary and more tragic than the first novel.
 The hero of El Filibusterismo is a rich jeweler named Simoun. He was Crisostomo Ibarra
of the Noli, who, with Elias’ help, escaped from the pursuing soldiers at Laguna de Bay,
dug up his buried treasure, and fled to Cuba where he became rich and befriended many
Spanish officials. After many years he returned to the Philippines, where he freely moved
around. He is a powerful figure not only because he is a rich jeweler but also because he is
a good friend and adviser of the governor general.
 Outwardly, Simoun is a friend of Spain. However deep in his heart, he is secretly
cherishing a terrible revenge against the Spanish authorities. His two magnificent
obsessions are to rescue Maria Clara from the nunnery of Santa Clara and to foment a
revolution against the hated Spanish masters.
 The story of El Filibusterismo begins on board the clumsy, roundish shaped steamer Tabo,
so appropriately named. This steamer is sailing upstream the Pasig from Manila to Laguna
de Bay. Among the passengers are Simoun, the rich jeweler; Doña Victorina, the
ridiculously 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.
 Simoun, a man of wealth and mystery, 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 wants very
much 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, watching sorrowfully 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 was
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 was thus discovered. Simoun was cornered by the soldiers, but he
escaped. Mortally wounded, and carrying his treasure chest, he sought 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 would come at
eight o’clock that night to arrest Simoun.
 Simoun eluded 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. He takes the treasure chest
and throws it into the sea; as the waves close over the sinking chest.
REFLECTION:
 Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) is not merely an attack on the Spanish colonial regime.
It is a charter nationalism. It calls on the Filipino to recover his self-confidence, to
appreciate his own worth, to return to the heritage of his ancestors, to assert himself as the
equal of the Spaniard. It is a romantic novel, book of feeling, work of the heart, and
contains freshness, color, humor, lightness and wit despite that it depicts the sufferings of
the Filipino people under the Spanish rule.
 El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed) was written in dedication of the three martyred
priests namely Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora popularly known as
GOMBURZA, whose tragic execution left unforgettable imprint in his mind. It is a
political novel, book of the thought, work of the head and comprise bitterness, hatred, pain,
sorrow and violence. Like Noli Me Tangere, El Fili aims at enlightening the society, and at
bringing the Filipinos closer to the truth. In this novel, the society is urged to open its eyes
to reality and rebel against the Spanish government for its oppression and abuse.
 These two novels helped awaken the Filipinos to fought for their freedom and stand with
their right. It had made me realized that war does not necessarily have to end through
means of violence, it could always be ended peacefully, through words and maybe even
forgiveness. Words are far stronger than any gun. Vengeance is not ours, it’s God. Evilness
is at every corner but thou shall not fear because good will always prevail. 👊
Questions:
 1. In what year did Noli Me Tangere was published?
 2. The main hero of the novel El Filibusterismo is ________.
 3. In what year did the Philippines’ Congress passed a law known as Rizal law?
 4. Who is the father of Crisostomo Ibarra?
 5. Who helped Ibarra escaped from the pursuing soldiers at Laguna de Bay?
 6. What is the main reason why Maria Clara entered the nunnery?
 7-8. Name the children of Sisa.
 9. One of the passengers of Simoun who is going to Laguna in search of her husband.
 10. The Chinese merchant who helps Simoun smuggles arms into the country.
 11. What is Simoun’s wedding gift to Paulita Gomez and Juanito Pelaez?
 12. Who came and saved Paulita in danger?
 13. At whom did Simoun confesses his true identity?
 14. What does the title “Noli Me Tangere” mean?
 15. The title “El Filibusterismo” means _______.