Escobar, Austin Christian M.

BSN 1

1.) Rizal's higher education in UST and in Madrid

- When Rizal is 16 years old, Rizal enter UST in the year of April 1877 taking
the course of Philosophy and Letters. The reason of why he took it; because
it his father’s choice and he was still undecided on what career he should
follow. But on 1878 to 1879 with the advise of Pablo Ramon (His former
Professor in Ateneo) also due to the failing eyesight of his mother, he decided
to pursue on the career of medicine. As a student of UST he had a great
privileges, he was exempt from polos y servicios, from taxes like the
samboangan or the tax used to pay for the maintenance of the forts and
military installations. Other than that, Rizal has a rare privilege, According to
Fr. Fidel Villaroel, O.P Rizal was permitted to take the two courses because
he was allowed by none other than the Governador General Domingo
Moriones of the Philippines, because this practice is not allowed.

In Madrid, his departure for Spain was kept secret from Spanish Authorities,
friars and even his parents especially his mother because she would not
allow him to go to avoid detection he used the name Jose Mercado. He
enrolled in Universidad Central de Madrid taking up two courses: Philosophy
an Letters and Medicine on November 3, 1882. He conferred the degree of
Licentiate in Medicine on June 21, 1884.The Following academic year , he
studied and passed all subjects leading to the degree of doctor of medicine,
unfortunately,he was not able to submit the thesis required for graduation nor
paid the corresponding fees with that he was not awarded his Doctor’s
Diploma Jose Rizal also finished his studies in Philosophy and Letters with
higher grades ,He was awarded the Degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and
Letters by the Universidad Central de Madrid June 19, 1885 with the rating of
excellent.

2.) Rizal's life (Europe) abroad until he finished medicine and the writings of
the Noli
- Rizal lived a simple life in Madrid and knew that he came to Spain to study
and prepare himself for the service of his fatherland. He budgets his money
and time and never wasted a peseta for gambling, wine and women. On
Saturday evening, he visits the home of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey who lived
with his son and daughter. Don Pablo has been city mayor of Manila. Rizal
then had a love affair with Consuelo Ortiga y Perez, the daughter of Don
Pablo. Rizal, being a lonely man in a foreign country and far from his natal
land, was attracted by Consuelo’s beauty and vivacity. Their love did not
flourish because he was still engaged to Leonor Rivera and a friend of Rizal
is also in-love with Consuelo. 
Rizal left Madrid to visit Paris on June 1883, In Spain, he became close with
prominent Spanish liberal and republican Spaniards, who were mostly
Masons. Rizal was impressed by the way the Spanish Masons openly and
freely criticized the government policies and lambasted the friars. In March
1883, he joined the Masonic lodge called Acacia in Madrid. His reason for
joining was to secure Freemasonry’s aid in his fight against the friars in the
Philippines. Later he was transferred to Lodge Solidaridad where he became
a Master Mason on November 15, 1890. Still later, he was awarded the
diploma as Master Mason by Le Grand Orient de France in Paris. 

After completing his studies in Spain, Rizal went to Paris and Germany for his
specialization in ophthalmology. He chose this course of medicine because
he wanted to cure his mother’s growing eye ailment. He still hasn’t forgotten
his ‘secret mission’—to observe the customs and lifestyle of the Europeans
so that someday he will render service to his fatherland. In 1885, after
completing his studies at Central University of Madrid, he went to Paris in
order to acquire more knowledge in ophthalmology. He was 24 then. He
stopped over at Barcelona, on his way to Paris, to visit his friend Maximo
Viola who is also a medical student and a member of a rich family in Bulacan.
And on the November of that year, Rizal was living in Paris where he
sojourned for about four months. He worked as an apprentice of Dr. Louis de
Weckert, who is a then, a leading French ophthalmologist. And with his
master, his knowledge in ophthalmology improved. While not working at Dr.
Weckert’s clinic, Rizal visited his friends, such as the family of Pardo de
Taveras, Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion, Hidalgo. Rizal spent many
happy hours in the studio of Luna. Luna discussed with Rizal various
problems on art and improved his own painting technique. Rizal posed to
some painting of Luna. He was one of the Egyptian priests in Luna’s painting
“The Death of Cleopatra”. 

On February 1, 1886 Rizal left Paris, after acquiring enough experience in the
clinic of Dr. Weckert. He was set to go to Germany. The German students
found out that Rizal was a good chess player and made him a member of the
Chess Player’s Club. After a few days, he was transferred to a boarding
house which was near University of Heidelberg. He worked at the University
Eye Hospital under the direction of Dr. Otto Becker and attended the lectures
of Doctor Becker and Prof. Wilhelm Kuehne at the university. On April 22,
1886, spring on Heidelberg, he wrote a poem to the beautiful blooming
flowers at the Neckar River. Among those was his favorite flower—the forget-
me-not.

On August 9, 1886, three days after the fifth centenary of the University of the
Heidelberg, Rizal left the city. He boarded a train and visited various cities of
Germany until arriving in Leipzig on August 14, 1886. He attended some
lectures in the University of Leipzig and befriended Professor Friedrich
Ratzel, a famous German historian, and Dr. Hans Meyer, German
anthropologist. Rizal translated William Tell from German to Filipino so that
Filipinos might know the story of that champion of Swiss independence. He
also translated into Filipino Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales. Cost of
living in Leipzig is the cheapest in Europe so he stayed there for two months
and a half. During his stay, he corrected some chapters in his second novel
and also had time for exercise. He also worked as a proof-reader in a
publishing firm and earning some money. 

Rizal left Leipzig to set course on Dresden on October 29, 1886. At Dresden,
Rizal met Dr. Adolph Meyer, the director of the Anthropological and
Ethnological Museum. He stayed only two days in the city. He heard the Holy
Mass in a Catholic church which greatly impressed him, for he wrote “Truly I
have never in my life heard a Mass whose music had greater sublimity and
intonation”. Morning of November 1, Rizal left Dresden by train reaching
Berlin in the evening.

here he met Dr. Feodor Jagor author of Travels in the Philippines, a book that
Rizal admired because of its keen observances in the Philippine setting. Dr.
Jagor in turn, introduced Rizal to Dr. Rudolf Virchow, a famous anthropologist
and to his son, Dr. Hans Virchow, professor of Descriptive Anatomy. Rizal
worked in the clinic of Dr. Karl Ernest Schweigger, a famous German
ophthalmologist. Rizal was the first Asian to be accorded with honors for
being a member of the Anthropological Society, the Ethnological Society, and
the Geographical Society of Berlin. Dr. Virchow recognized Rizal’s genius,
invited him to give a lecture before the Ethnographic Society of Berlin. Rizal
wrote a scholarly paper entitled Taglische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art)
which elicited favorable comments from all scientific quarters. He worked as
an assistant by day, and attended lectures at night. He kept himself physically
fit by daily exercises and speaking German, French and Italian. Rizal took
private lessons in the French language under Madame Lucie Cerdole in order
to master the French language. Not all the experiences of Rizal in Germany
were good, there is this one winter time wherein he lived in poverty because
no money arrived from Calamba and he was flat broke. During that time, he
only eats one meal a day and had to wash his clothes himself because he
could not afford to pay the laundry. On Calamba, Paciano tried to raise
money but crops have failed due to locusts and the sugar market collapsed. 

Noli Me Tangere during Rizal’s stay in Berlin was unable to be published. But
with the help of Maximo Viola, who gave him the necessary funds to publish
the novel, Noli Me Tangere was published. Viola loaned Rizal money for
publishing and for Rizal’s living expenses. With that, Rizal and Viola happily
celebrated the Christmas of 1886 in Berlin. During the printing of the Noli, the
chief of police Berlin paid a sudden visit to Rizal’s boarding house. The chief
asked for Rizal’s passport, but Rizal couldn’t show any. The chief told him to
secure a passport within four days, otherwise he would be deported. Rizal
failed in obtaining his passport and presented himself at the German police
office, politely apologizing for his failure. The police then told him that Rizal
was suspected as a French spy because he came fro Paris and knew the
language of the French people so well. Rizal explained in German to the
police that he was not a French spy, but a Filipino physician and scientist.
With that, he was allowed to stay freely in Germany. On March 21, 1887, the
Noli Me Tangere came off the printing press. 

After the publication of Noli, Rizal planned to visit the important places in
Europe. Rizal received his money from Paciano worth 1,000 pesos. He
immediately paid viola the sum of 300 pesos from his kind loan. At dawn of
May 11, 1887, Rizal and Viola left Berlin by train. Spring was in the air and
Europe is blooming with flowers. Their destination was Dresden, “One of the
best cities in Germany”. 

During his tour in Europe, Rizal received sad news from his friends in Madrid
of the deplorable conditions of primitive Igorots who were exhibited in this
expositions, some of whom died and whose clothing are inappropriate for the
climate of Madrid, and crude weapons were objects of mockery and laughter
by the Spanish people and press. Rizal being a champion of human dignity
was outrageous. 

Rizal went to Italy. He visited Turin, Milan, Venice and Florence. On June 27,
1887, he reached Rome. He was thrilled by the sights and memories of the
Eternal City—Rome. On June 29th, Rizal visited for the first time the Vatican,
the “City of the Popes” and the capital Christendom. He was impressed by
the magnificent edifices, particularly of St. Peter’s Church which was also his
feast day during that time. Every night, after sightseeing the whole day, Rizal
returned to his hotel, very tired. “I am tired as a dog,” he wrote to Blumentritt,
“but I will sleep as a god”. After a week of staying in Rome, he prepared to
return to the Philippines. He had already written to his father that he was
coming home.

3.) Rizal first home coming

- On August 1887, Rizal decided to go home. In this time Rizal priority is to
cure the eye of his mother, due to his intensive study and experiences as an
ophthalmologist Rizal successfully remove the double cataract of his mother.
He then provided a lot for the community by opening a gymnasium for them,
shared his knowledge about European sports and taught them to the young
folks, he even practiced as a physician during his stay in Calamba. Governor
General Terrero, who had given Rizal a lieutenant named Jose Taviel de
Andrade of the Civil Guard as a bodyguard, found it difficult to protect him
and, after six months, advised him to leave. In the interview the governor
general spoke of having been interested in reading the extracts from "Noli Me
Tangere" quoted by the censor in the petition for the book's prohibition, and
requested a copy. His betrothed, Leonor Rivera, whom he idealized in the
"Maria Clara" of "Noli Me Tangere," through the withholding of Rizal's letters
and by representations that he no longer thought of her, had been persuaded
to marry a young English engineer.

4.The impact of the Noli to the friars.

- The friars hated the works of Rizal so much that it was burned at the publics
squares, the government in Manila was forced by the friars to forbid the
circulation of any of his writings. After four years of exile Rizal saw plainly that
the hostility of the friars would make it impossible for him to live in his native
land. Additionally The attacks on Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere were not only
confined in the Philippines but were also staged in Madrid. (Ocampo, 1961)

+ Senator Fernando Luis Vida - He became very critical of the Noli

(Retana,1907), describing Rizal as a native, with a doctor of Medicine
degree. The aforementioned Spanish legislators condemned the novel as
anti-Catholic, Protestant, and Socialist in orientation and learning.

+ Vicente Barrantes - He attacked Rizal in 1889 by describing Rizal as a man

of contradiction, whose criticisms of the friars and the Spanish Regime were
actually an insult to the Filipinos themselves. The First attack on the Noli in
the Philippines came from an anonymous letter signed by a friar. In this letter,
Rizal was labeled an ungrateful man.

+ Fr. Salvador Font - Issued the official censure of the Noli. His report on the
Noli consisted of four parts: 1. Attacks on the religion of the state 2. Attacks
on the administration, the government employees, and the courts 3. Attacks
on the civil guards 4. Attacks on the territorial integrity of the Spanish
Kingdom

+ A direct attack on the Noli was Launched by Fr, Jose Rodriguez by issuing
pamphlets under the title Cuestiones de Sumo Interes (Zaide & Zaide, 1999).
Rizal replied to these attacks by Fr. Rodriguez through the satirical pamphlet
entitled La Vision del Fray Rodriguez. The satire ends with Fr. Rodriguez
condemned writing garbage articles for him to forever be a laughingstock to
the world. In response to Fr. Font’s critique, Rizal wrote a satirical essay
entitled Por Telefono.

5.) Make a Reflection Paper

- Love our Motherland the same way we love our Parents. The life of Jose
Rizal inspire many people not just in patriotism but also in academically,
some people ask why did Jose Rizal became our National Hero. Did he die in
the battlefield? Did he lead the Filipino to wage war against the Spaniards?
Did Jose Rizal Fight the Spaniards? Honestly speaking he did not die in the
battlefield but he fight the Spaniards using just a pen, Jose Rizal expose the
abuse of the friars. He love our country more than the beautiful lady that he
met, He love our country more than himself that is why he sacrifices himself
for the sake of freeing our country from the abusive hands of the friars.

Dr. Jose Rizal traveled across the world to observe and to learn. For me,
being a polymath is a greatest or not a greatest but rather the highest level of
human can achieve. Dr. Jose Rizal master everything that he can to be
knowledgeable, he is an inspiration to many students that you can be
limitless in academics and in life. But nothing can prevail upon his love for our
country, nothing can stop him upon his urge to free our country from the
hands of abusers, and nothing can stop him even death himself is on his way.

The life of Rizal and all his hard works may be serve as inspiration to all
Filipino men and women, we should always unite as one and never ever
bring others down. Because just like what General Luna said in the movie
“Mga Kapatid mayroon tayong mas malaking kaaway kaysa mga Amerikano.
Ang ating sarili.”

6.) Watch the movie Rizal (Cesar Montano) make a reflection paper.
- I just want to make this short and concise, the movie shows how influential
of Rizal works to the Filipino where his novel ignite the Filipino men and
women to start a revolution against the Spaniards. He challenge the
Spaniards just by using a novel where Taviel it seems for him is biased.
Because being a writer is telling the truth but little he did know that Jose Rizal
is telling the truth. There is a scene in the movie about the professor being a
racist to the Filipino that the Spaniards are far more superior that the
Filipino’s due to their height. But Rizal answers back, “If height shows the
superiority of the Spaniards, why does Spain lost their colonies to the natives
who are shorter?”

There is a lot of lesson you can see in this movie, there is a lot of life lesson
that you can apply in life only if you open you heart and you open your eyes
to the truth.