REPORT

IN GEM 101:
THE LIFE AND WORKS OF
RIZAL
Chapter 7: Noli Me Tangere

Submitted By:
Emy Fenid
Janice Enrique
Arlyn Miranda

- Bsed 2 Social Studies

Submitted To:
Mrs. Jhenina Porcal Oducado

Rizal's Inspiration and Plan

  Influenced by Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin
 Wanted to publish a book that would impact the Philippines' political history
 Aimed to reveal the society under Spanish colonial rule

The Meeting

 Held at the Paterno residence in January 1884

 Rizal suggested creating a book to achieve his goal

Initial Support for Rizal's Book

Companions initially agreed to contribute papers on various facets of life in the Philippines for the novel.

 Pedro Paterno
 Maximino Paterno
 Antonio Paterno
 Graciano Lopez Jaena
 Valentin Ventura
 Eduardo de Lete
 Evaristo Aguirre
 Julio Llorente

Challenges Faced

 In a letter dated January 2, 1884, Rizal noted that the plan did not materialize.
 There were objections from the group that halted further discussion.
 Rizal observed that his comrades were more interested in:
1. Writing about women

2. Gambling

3. Flirting with Spanish women

Rizal's Decision to Write Alone

 Suspecting lack of support from companions, Rizal decided to write the novel alone in Madrid (latter
part of 1884)
 He finished about half of the novel in Madrid

Progress of Writing in Paris and Berlin

 In 1885, Rizal left for France and wrote 3/4 of the novel in Paris
  From April to June 1886, he wrote the last few chapters of Noli in Berlin, Germany
 The novel was completed in Berlin at the end of 1886 and the beginning of 1887

Final Draft and Publication

 The final draft was ready for publication at the onset of 1887
 Of course, it was not a walk in the park for Rizal. While he was conscientiously finishing the final
draft of the Noli, he had apprehensions that it might not be published.
 For one, he had insufficient money to have it printed. Obviously, he would not ask his companions in
Europe for financial help — after all, he did not get the support that he needed from them in writing
the Noli.
 Fortunately, Rizal’s friend from a rich family of San Miguel, Bulacan arrived in Berlin to invite him
on a Europe Tour. Dr. Maximo Viola wanted Rizal to accompany him on his tour but upon learning
Rizal’s dilemma, he was kind enough to delay the tour and insisted on lending Rizal P300 to publish
the Noli. Rizal even made some adjustments in the novel to save on the printing costs and deleted
Chapter 25 entitled “Elias and Salome”.
 The money that Viola lent to Rizal was then used to print the first 2,000 copies of the Noli. Some
attests say that the novel was officially off the press on March 29, 1887 but there were also accounts
that showed that Rizal was already sending a copy of the novel to Blumentritt on March 21.
 Because of Viola’s generosity, he was dubbed in the Philippine history as the “Savior of the Noli”.
Rizal then gave him, not only the gallery of proofs of the novel rolled around the pen used in writing
the Noli, but also the very first copy of the novel with Rizal’s dedication which described Viola as
the “first to read and appreciate [Rizal’s] work.

Language and Year of Publication

 Written in Spanish
 Published in 1887

Influences and Themes

 Based on Rizal's experiences and the conventions of the 19th-century novel

 Influenced by European liberalism
 Exposed the abuses and inequalities under Spanish colonial rule, particularly by Spanish Catholic
friars and government officials

Structure and Dedication

  Consists of 63 chapters and an epilogue
 Rizal was 26 years old and studying medicine at Universidad Central de Madrid at the time of
publication
 Dedicated to the Philippines, aiming to awaken the people to societal truths and injustices

Meaning of "Noli Me Tangere"

 Latin phrase meaning "touch me not"

 Has biblical connections, specifically spoken by Jesus to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection
(John 20:17)"Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.”
 The first in a trilogy about the history of the Philippines, which is followed by El Filibusterismo and
ends with Makamisa, though it was never finished.

NOLI IN BRIEF

The main character of the Noli Me Tangere, the young and wealthy Filipino Crisostomo Ibarra returned to
his country after some years of studying in Europe. In his honor, Capitan Tiago (Santiago de los Santos)
threw a party at his house in Manila. The gathering was attended by renowned local personalities like Padre
Damaso, a fat Franciscan priest who had been assigned for many years in Ibarra’s native town (San Diego);
Fray Sybila, the young Dominican curate of Binondo; Lieutenant Guevarra of the Guardia Civil; and Doña
Victorina, wife of a fake Spanish physician Tiburcio de Espadaña. Crisosto-mo’s father, Don Rafael Ibarra,
was Capitan Tiago’s friend. Capitan Tiago’s sup-posed daughter, Maria Clara, was Crisostomo’s fiancée.

During the party, Padre Damaso belittled Ibarra and rudely tried to harm his reputation. But the gentleman
Ibarra simply ignored the friar’s affront. When Ibarra left Capitan Tiago’s house, Lieutenant Guevara talked
to him and related the miserable fate of his deceased father in San Diego.

Guevara explained that Don Rafael was unfairly accused by San Diego curate of being a heretic and
filibuster because of his non-participation in mass and confession. One day, Don Rafael saw a Spanish tax
collector and a weak boy fighting. In an attempt to defend the powerless boy, he had accidentally pushed
and killed the brutal Spaniard. Don Rafael was thus imprisoned and died in his cell miserably. Initially
buried in consecrated ground, his body was removed from the Catholic cemetery under the order of his
enemies.

The next day, Crisostomo visited his sweetheart, Maria Clara. After the lovely visit to his girlfriend, Ibarra
went to San Diego to look for his father’s grave. He had known through the grave-digger that his father’s
corpse was dug up by order of the curate to be transferred in the Chinese cemetery. But since it was raining
and the corpse was heavy, the grave-digger just threw Don Rafael’s corpse into the river.
Angered by what he learned, Ibarra suddenly attacked Padre Salvi when he saw this San Diego parish priest.
But, Salvi explained to him that it was Damaso who was the town’s parish priest at the time of Don Rafael’s
death.

When Maria Clara and her family arrived in San Diego, Ibarra gave picnic at the lake. During the picnic,
Ibarra had saved the life of Elias—the boatman who was almost killed by a crocodile trapped in the fish
cage. Later in the picnic, some members of the Guardia Civil also came, pursuing Elias who had previously
assaulted Padre Damaso and the alferez. But Elias had escaped even before the Guardia Civil arrived. Later
on, Ibarra received a notice that his donation of a school in San Diego had been approved by the Spanish
government.

On the day of San Diego town fiesta, Ibarra and Maria Clara attended the morning mass officiated by Padre
Salvi and Padre Damaso. During the mass, Elias silently went near Ibarra and notified him of the plot to kill
him on the ceremony of the laying of the school’s cornerstone. So during the inauguration, when Ibarra was
about to cement the foundation of the schoolhouse, the platform collapsed. Fortunately, the quick Elias had
rescued Ibarra and the man who was paid to harm Ibarra was the one killed in the incident.

Ibarra hosted a banquet later that day. Padre Damaso who attended the feast publicly attacked the dignity of
Ibarra’s dead father. The angered host lunged at the ill-mannered friar and had almost killed Damaso with a
knife were it not for Maria Clara who interfered just in time. Ibarra was consequently excommunicated and
his engagement with Maria Clara was broken as Damaso persuaded Capitan Tiago to prohibit the lady to
marry Ibarra.

One day, Ibarra’s enemies engineered a helpless attack on the station of the Guardia Civil, making the
attackers believe that Ibarra was the brain of the uprising. After the attack failed, Ibarra was incriminated
and arrested.

Elias helped Ibarra escape from prison. Before leaving, they discreetly stopped at Capitan Tiago’s house.
Maria Clara explained that she was blackmailed by Padre Salvi to surrender Ibarra’s letter (which was used
to incriminate him) in exchange for the letters written by her dead mother. From these, she learned that her
real father was Padre Damaso.

Ibarra and Elias then took off by boat. Instructing Ibarra to lie down, Elias covered him with grass to
conceal his presence. As luck would have it, they were spotted by their enemies. Elias, thinking he could
outsmart them, jumped into the water. The guards rained shots on him, all the while not knowing that they
were aiming at the wrong man.

Badly injured, Elias reached the forest where he found the altar boy Basilio who was sobbing over the body
of his dead mother, Sisa. His mother had previously lost her mind upon learning that her two sons, altar boys
Crispin and Basilio, were missing from the convent. Falsely accused of stealing from the convent, Crispin
had been tortured and killed by the wicked and crooked sacristan mayor. Basilio had escaped and the death
of his brother had been covered-up by Salvi.

Knowing that he would eventually die, Elias instructed Basilio to make a funeral pyre and burn his and
Sisa’s bodies to ashes. In his dying breath, Elias mumbled the following hopeful patriotic words:“I shall die
without seeing the dawn break upon my homeland. You, who shall see it, salute it! Do not forget those who
have fallen during the night.”

Epilogue of Noli Me Tangere

Fates of Characters

 Capitan Tiago: became addicted to opium

 Padre Damaso: assigned to a far province, found dead in his bedroom one morning
 Maria Clara: believing Ibarra was shot dead, entered the nunnery
 Padre Salvi: left San Diego parish, became chaplain of the nunnery
 Padre Salvi's hidden desire for Maria Clara: possibly molested her in the nunnery
 The mysterious woman: seen weeping and cursing the heavens on a rainy night at the top of the
convent, assumed to be Maria Clara

THE CHARACTERS OF NOLI

1. Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra y Magsalin (Ibarra)

 Ibarra is a wealthy young mestizo who has just returned to the Philippines after seven years of
studying in Europe.

 He is sophisticated, highly esteemed, and very idealistic.

 He is shocked by his father's demise and seeks to fulfill his father's wishes of putting up a school in
San Diego that will not be influenced by the friars.

2. María Clara

 Maria Clara is a woman of high social standing, adopted by Capitan Tiago, and goddaughter to Fr.
Damaso.

 She is actually the biological daughter of Fr. Damaso, born out of a scandalous relationship between
Fr. Damaso and Capitan Tiago's wife, Pia Alba.

 Her guardians set her up to marry Linares, a wealthy young man of Spanish descent, which she keeps
secret from Ibarra to avoid angering her father, Capitan Tiago.

3. Father Damaso
  He is an old, power-hungry, and shamelessly corrupt Spanish priest

 Has lived among native Filipinos for nearly two decades, but has not developed any sympathy for
them. He also uses his influence to ruin lives over small offenses.

 Masterminded Don Rafael Ibarra's death, taunted Crisostomo Ibarra, and was attacked by him,
leading to his excommunication and the dissolution of his would-be wedding with Maria Clara.

4. Elías

 A mysterious character, Elías is a man on the run from the law, a wandering insurgent who is
resentful of both the Spanish colonial government and the Catholic Church.

 He crosses paths with Crisostomo Ibarra when he bravely saves his life from a marauding crocodile.
He also pledges his life to Ibarra, promising to protect him from his enemies.

5. Don Rafael Ibarra

 Don Rafael Ibarra is a strong supporter of liberal education for all and criticizes the corrupt practices
of the Spanish friars. He accused by Fr. Damaso of sedition and heresy.

 He dies in prison from pneumonia, highlighting the injustices he faced.

 His remains are buried in the Catholic cemetery in San Diego, but Fr. Damaso, out of spite, hires a
gravedigger to disinter the body.

6. Crispín

 Crispín is a young lad studying to be a church caretaker, who, along with his brother Basilio, works
hard to send support money to their beleaguered mother, Sisa.

 He is falsely accused of stealing money from the church coffers by the head sexton and is kept a
virtual prisoner until the debt is paid.

 Crispín reasons with the head sexton, which infuriates him, and he proceeds to drag the young boy
away to beat him.

7. Basilio

 Basilio is the eldest of Sisa's children and, like his younger brother Crispín, is a sexton in training.

 Basilio makes a desperate run for their home the night Crispín is dragged away by the head sexton.

 The following day, the Civil Guard comes looking for him and his brother, prompting Basilio to flee
for his life. He makes a mad dash for the forest, where he goes into hiding and lives with a kind
family until Christmas Eve.
  When he finally locates his mother, Sisa, he learns that she has gone mad from grief and is unable to
identify him.

8. Father Salví

 Father Salví is a younger, more cunning Spanish priest who assumes control over Fr. Damaso's post
as friar curate of San Diego.

 He is considered more dangerous than his predecessor, Fr. Damaso, due to his cunning nature and
strategic thinking.

 Father Salví knows how to leverage the multiple dirty little secrets each of the members of San
Diego's high society circle has, making him a formidable figure.

9. Captain Tiago (Don Santiago de los Santos)

 Captain Tiago is a wealthy native-born Filipino socialite, a rarity in the novel's setting.

 He maintains close ties with high-ranking members of the Catholic Church, despite not having a
genuine affection for them.

 He is quick to abandon his loyalties to Crisostomo Ibarra when the latter is labeled a subversive, as
he prioritizes his social standing and connections. His predilection for advantageous social pairings
leads him to consider Linares as a potential new match for his daughter.

10. The Ensign

 The Ensign is the head of the Civil Guard of the township of San Diego, a man of Spanish descent.

 He is in a constant bitter feud with Fr. Salví, whom he hates for his manipulations.

 He is a drunkard and a braggart, and is actually a cuckolded man married to a fiery, feisty, and foul-
mouthed Filipina, Doña Consolación. The Ensign's actions and behavior reflect his conflict with the
Church, particularly with Fr. Salví, and his own personal struggles and insecurities.

11. Doña Consolación

 Doña Consolación is the pugnacious wife of the Ensign, an older, cantankerous Filipina woman.

 She constantly lectures her husband, and it is an open secret that she, not her husband, makes the
decisions for the organization.

 She is described as an exceptionally vulgar woman and exceedingly ugly, almost bordering on
caricature. The less charitable members of the Civil Guard facetiously call as the muse of Civil
Guard due to her unpleasant nature.
12. Doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña

 Doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña is a Spaniard who was actually a customs officer, dismissed from his
post shortly after arriving in the Philippines.

 Despites having no medical experience or money, he travels to the countryside, posing as a doctor,
and charging extortionate fees for his so-called services.

 He finds his way to San Diego, where Maria Clara falls ill, and he is once called to resume his
duplicitous medical practice.

 Doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña is a fraud and a hustler, taking advantage of people's trust and
vulnerability for his own gain.

13. La Doctora Victorina de los Reyes de Espadaña

 La Doctora Victorina de los Reyes de Espadaña is the spouse of the counterfeit doctor, Tiburcio de
Espadaña, and a brazen and determined Filipina social climber.

 She is well past her prime and relies on garish make-up to carry on a façade of youth.

 She an accomplished hustler herself, devising schemes to advance her social status and that of her
husband.

14. Lt. Guevara

 Lt. Guevara is a morally upright man of Spanish descent. He is the lieutenant of the Civil Guard.

 He is one of the few who openly supported the Ibarra’s and dislike of Fray Damaso’s control.

15. Linares

 Linares is the nephew of Dr. de Espadaña, a respectable young Spanish man. He is quite gifted and
possesses a law degree.

 He is a near polar opposite of his uncle, Dr. de Espadaña, who is a fraud and a hustler. His
respectable nature endears him to his uncle's social-climbing wife, La Doctora Victorina de los
Reyes de Espadaña.

16. The Schoolmaster

 The Schoolmaster is a teacher who was housed by Don Rafael, allowing him to attend to his task of
instructing students.

 He informs Crisostomo Ibarra of the sorry state of education in San Diego since the passing of his
father. The Schoolmaster is grateful to the Ibarra family for their support.
  The friars closely watch the material being taught in the school, forbidding him from teaching
Spanish, despite an edict stating that Spanish must be taught.

17. Don Filipo (Filipo Lino)

 Don Filipo Lino is a representative of the younger, less religiously shackled generation of movers
and shakers in San Diego. He serves as the vice mayor of the town.

 He despises the idea of spending lavish amounts of money on the numerous feast days that mark the
religious calendar, seeing it as both wasteful and burdensome to the citizens. He believes that these
celebrations often put citizens under great financial stress, even leading to debt.

18. Sisa

 Sisa is the long-suffering mother of Crispin and Basilio, two young boys training to be sextons. She
is impoverished and married to a violent drunkard, making her life extremely difficult.

 She goes mad after losing her sons, who were the only source of joy and hope in her life. She
wanders the town, clothes tattered and hair disheveled, calling out for her sons.

 When she finally meets Basilio, she is unable to recognize him due to her madness. However, when
her sanity returns, she dies from the shock and joy of being reunited with her son.

19. Fr. Sibyla

 Fr. Sibyla is a priest serving in the Binondo district in the city of Manila.

 He serves as a foil to the corrupt Fray Dámaso and the perverse Fray Salví, showcasing a more
positive and rational approach to priesthood.

 He attends Ibarra's return party, where he engages in a verbal sparring match with Fr. Dámaso,
highlighting their contrasting personalities and approaches to faith.

20. The Gravedigger

 The Gravedigger is a cemetery worker responsible for exhuming bodies. He exhumes Don Rafael's
remains upon the insistence of Fr. Damaso.

 Moved by a mix of pity and laziness, he decides to dump Don Rafael's body in the lake, seeing it as
a more fitting resting place for a respected man.

 Ibarra grills the Gravedigger, anxious for information about his father's remains and the
circumstances surrounding his death.
SYMBOLISMS IN THE NOLI

 Noli Me Tangere intends to depict the real conditions of the Filipino life under the Spanish rule.

 As Rizal introduced the novel to his friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt, he wrote, “The novel is the first
impartial and bold account of the life of the Tagalogs. The Filipinos will find in it the history of the
last ten years” (Noli Me Tangere, n.d.).

The Schoolhouse

 ■The schoolhouse in Noli Me Tangere represents empowerment and freedom. It symbolizes the
power of education in liberating individuals from the oppressive forces of the Spanish regime.
Through Ibarra's character, Rizal shows that education can make one immune to the threats and
intimidation of the priests, and can ultimately lead to a more enlightened and progressive society.

Crispin and Basilio

 Crispin and Basilio, the two brothers in Noli Me Tangere, represent the struggles and sufferings of
the Filipino people under the Spanish colonial rule. They symbolize the innocence and ignorance of
the masses who have not received education and are therefore vulnerable to the abuses of the church
and its leaders.

Tinola and betel nut parcels served at a fancy, formal gathering

 The serving of tinola and betel nut parcels at Crisostomo Ibarra's welcoming party in Noli Me
Tangere is a symbolic representation of the diverse and contrasting social classes present at the
gathering. These humble, rustic food items, typically associated with rural simplicity, are out of place
in a high-society setting, highlighting the eclectic mix of guests, including social climbers,
sycophants, hustlers, and intellectuals.

Capitan Tiago

 Capitan Tiago, a character in Noli Me Tangere, represents the native Filipino participation in the
civil government during the Spanish colonial era. He embodies the powerlessness and subservience
of the Philippine government to the Spanish authorities, as well as the wealthy Filipinos who
compromised their values to maintain their wealth and political position.

Elias and Ibarra

 Elias and Ibarra, two pivotal characters in Noli Me Tangere, represent two opposing approaches to
achieving political reforms. Elias, the enigmatic insurgent, embodies the path of violent revolution,
while Ibarra, the idealistic and educated protagonist, advocates for reform through civil discourse
and peaceful means.
Maria Clara

 Maria Clara, a central character in Noli Me Tangere, serves as a symbol of the Philippines under
Spanish rule and a critique of the typical Filipino woman of the time. Her character is a product of
the exploitation of a Spanish priest and the failure of her Filipino father to defend his wife's honor,
mirroring the Philippines' birth from Spanish colonial exploitation and the Filipino people's inability
to defend their sovereignty.

Crisostomo Ibarra

 Crisostomo Ibarra, the protagonist of Noli Me Tangere, represents the small but growing number of
Filipinos who had the opportunity to study abroad and were inspired to bring about positive change
in their country. Like Jose Rizal, Ibarra is a symbol of the enlightened Filipino who seeks to improve
the lives of his fellow citizens through education.

Father Damaso

 Father Damaso, a Spanish friar in Noli Me Tangere, embodies the corrupt and immoral clergy of the
time. His character is a scathing critique of the hypocrisy and immorality of some priests who,
despite their sacred vows, engaged in illicit relationships and fathered illegitimate children.

Pilosopo Tasio

 Pilosopo Tasio, a character in Noli Me Tangere, represents individuals with advanced and wise ideas
who are often misunderstood and perceived as eccentric or lunatic by the uneducated. His character
is believed to be patterned after Paciano, Jose Rizal's intelligent brother who also advocated for
reforms.

Sisa and her sons Crispin and Basilio

 Sisa, a character in Noli Me Tangere, represents the suffering and struggles endured by the Filipino
people under Spanish colonial rule. Her character symbolizes the typical Filipino mother who is
deeply concerned about her children's well-being and is willing to defend them at all costs.

Doña Victorina

 Doña Victorina, a character in Noli Me Tangere, represents the ambitious and assimilated Filipinas
who sought to elevate their social status by identifying with the Spanish colonizers. Her character is
a scathing critique of the colonial mentality that pervaded the Philippines during the Spanish colonial
period.
Don Tiburcio

 Doña Victorina’s husband stands for incompetent and unqualified Spaniards

 Who illegally practiced their supposed profession in the Philippines.

Padre Salvi

 Padre Salvi and Don Rafael Ibarra are pivotal characters in Noli Me Tangere, representing two distinct
aspects of society during the Spanish colonial period.

The School Master of San Diego

 He symbolized intellectual disappointment during Rizal’s time. He wanted to

change the teaching methods so that more people will learn.

Don Rafael Ibarra

 As Ibarra’s father, he symbolized a rich landlord with a social conscience. He

was sent to jail after helping a boy from an abusive Spanish tax collector.

REACTIONS TO NOLI

- The publication of Noli Me Tangere sparked a mixed reaction from various groups, with the Spanish
officials and friars condemning the novel, while Rizal's friends and compatriots defended it.

 The Spanish authorities, including Governor General Emilio Terrero and Archbishop Bernardino
Nozaleda, sought to ban the novel, citing its alleged heresy, impiety, and subversive ideas.

 The University of Santo Tomas faculty committee and the Permanent Commission of Censorship also
denounced the novel, labeling it as harmful to the Spanish government and the Catholic Church.

 Various Spanish individuals, including Vicente Barrantes and Jose Rodriguez, wrote scathing attacks on
the novel, accusing Rizal of being anti-Catholic, Protestant, and socialistic.

 Rizal's friends, including Ferdinand Blumentritt and Dr. Miguel Morayta, defended the novel,
recognizing its literary merit and social commentary.

 Filipino theologian and priest Vicente Garcia wrote a series of pamphlets under the penname Justo
Desiderio Magalang, countering the attacks on the novel and defending Rizal's intellectual credentials.

 Rizal's family, including his brother Paciano, also supported the novel, with Paciano later translating it
into Tagalog.
 Rizal faced personal threats and harassment, including a death threat from an anonymous sender who
signed off as "A Friar".

 Despite the backlash, Rizal remained defiant, acknowledging the controversy surrounding the novel but
also recognizing its impact on Philippine society.