INTRODUCTION

Chapter 6: Noli Me Tangere or Noli Me Legere

In 1887, Jose Rizal's literary fame began with the publication of Noli Me Tangere.
Noli Me Tangere by José Rizal. First Published in Berlin, Germany 1887. Noli Me Tangere is a novel by Filipino
polymath José Rizal and first published in 1887 in Berlin, Germany.

Historian Jose S. Arcilla called it “ the gospel of Philippine nationalism”

As gospels of Philippine nationalism, Rizal's novels convey the essence of his nationalism that was to resound
in the hearts of the people. He identified this essence in his letters as his aspiration to alleviate the sufferings
of the masses, to make men worthy, to avenge one day the many victims of cruelty and injustice, to erect a
monument to the native tongue and to educate his people.

Noli Me Tangere
Noli me Tangere is the first novel written by Filipino patriot and national hero Dr. José P. Rizal in 1887 and
published in Germany. The story line goes detailed with the society of the Philippines during Spanish colonial
period and features aristocracy behind poverty and abuse of colonialists.

Noli Me Tangere Plot

Noli Me Legere

The Spanish were furious with Rizal for his novel. They did not allow the book to be imported in Manila.

Only a small number of copies were able to enter the Philippines.

The Friars threatened excommunication to anyone who is caught reading it.

Friar Jose Rodriguez wrote a small pamphlet entitled “Caingat Cayo” to warn the people not to read the
novel
In 1889, Fr. Jose Rodriguez published several pamphlets in Spanish CUETIONES DE SUMO INTERES, and in
Tagalog CAINGAT CAYO (Beware). the pamphlet warned that possession and reading of “evil” books was
amount to commiting a mortal sin.

An excerpt of the report of the permanent commission on Censorship of the Philippines

On December 28, 1887, Fray Salvador Font, the cura of Tondo and chairman of the Permanent Commission of
Censorship composed of laymen and ordered that the circulation of this pernicious book" be absolutely
prohibited.

A synthesis of the result of the analytical censure summarizes its findings into articles whose respective
titles are:
Attacks on the religion of the State
During the Spanish colonialism, Rizal was targeting the cruel and unfair Spanish friars because he himself
suffers from this kind of abuse.

Attacks on the administration, the Spanish employees of the government, and thecourts of justice
The author of Noli Me Tangere thinks, and affirms every time an opportunityoffer, that in the Philippines
bribery is the rule and that every official, absolutelywithout exception, from the Governor-General to the
lowest 5th-class employee,is venal and corruptible, and that equally venal and corrupt are all from
theMinister of Ultramar to the lowest court functionary. All peninsular Spaniardsare included in this general
condemnation.

Attacks on the Civil Guard

According to Rizal, the meritorious Civil Guard is worse than a gang of ruffians. Its men are cruel, heartless
and without mercy, a greater calamity forthe Islands than the tulisanes(robbers) themselves, those wild
beasts of theforest who bring desolation and mourning to the families and pillage and burnthe towns of the
archipelago. The tulisan, according to the author, would bequite humane, sympathetic and a law-abiding
citizen if it were not for the CivilGuard, the foremost factor in bandolerismo(banditry) and
filibusterismo(agitation for a better government).

Attacks on the integrity of Spain

The most important part of Noli Me Tangereis that which refers to theseparatist liberty and independence of
the country, the point toward which allthe thoughts and poisoned reflections of the author converge. The
author takesas the chief character in his work a young man of great heart and high patrioticsentiments who
was educated abroad. The father of this youth, who is namedIbarra, died wretchedly, persecuted by the
Spanish authorities according to thestory.
Rizal called the Noli the bridge between the Propaganda movement and the Revolution of 1896.
The Noli is called the bridge between the Propaganda movement and the Revolution of 1896. The world had
known through Rizal’s novels the conditions that the Filipino faced at home. The novel inspired the indios to
become more critical of the Spanish domination in the Philippines and to create a strong sense of a new
democratic feeling.