CHAPTER 13- NOLI

AND FILI: RIZAL’S

IMMORTAL NOVEL
 NOLI ME TANGERE(SOCIAL
CANCER)

• Came into being because Rizal was deeply

touched by reading Harriet Stowe’s “Uncle
Tom’s Cabin” which portrayed the
brutalities of American slave-owners and
pathetic conditions of the unfortunate
Negro slaves
• Noli me Tangere- pacifist, choosing
peaceful reforms through education of
the youth
• Noli me Tangere did not advocate for full
independence but only alternative if the
Filipino cries were heard
• Noli was dedicated “To My Country” for
the Filipino people-his countrymen
• Pacifist- person believes war and violence
are unjustifiable, peacemaker
• He hoped to bring improvement in the
relation between the rulers and the ruled
• The novel presented Spain an opportunity
to introduced fundamental reforms
before it was to late
• The book exposed some Filipino
weakness as well as friars wickedness
• Rizal advocate that “there would no
tyrants if there were no slaves”
• He believed that youth is the hope of
fatherland and they need education to
attain reforms through peaceful methods
• Noli me Tangere is a Latin phrase;
translated in English means “Touch Me
Not”
 SYMPOSIS OF NOLI ME TANGERE

• A classical novel that described the true

Philippine socio-political conditions during
the last decades of the Spanish rule
• The places, characters and incidents were
real
• The novel begins with a dinner given by
Capitan Tiago in honor of Crisostomo
Ibarra, young and wealthy Filipino who
returned after several years of successful
study in Europe
• Ibarra was the only son of Don Rafael
Ibarra and fiancé of beautiful Maria Clara,
whose supposed father was Capitan Tiago,
Don Rafael’s friend
• Guest on the occasion
1. Padre Damaso- Franciscan parish priest
of San Diego
2. Padre Sibilya- a Dominican priest
3. Señor Guevara- a Lieutenant of the
Guardia Civil
4. Don Tiburcio de Espadaña- a pseudo
Spanish physician,lame with physical
deformity
5. Doña Victoria- full of hallucinations and
pretending to be pure-blooded Castillan
• Ibarra was introduced before the guest
and all impressed by his gentle manners
and winsome personality
• His successful studies and various travel
abroad was the centerpiece of the
conversation especially to young ladies
except
Padre Damaso who seemed not
interested at all and was sulking like a child
because he was displeased with the bony
neck of chicken tinola he got during dinner
• When the dinner was over, Ibarra politely
left the house accompanied by Lieutenant
Guevara who narrate to him the sad and
tragic story of the death of his father
while defending a
Boy who was pushed by an abusive
Spanish tax collector and accidentally
killing him. He was thrown in jail without
due process where he died later
• He become sad and upset because of that
story. Determined to find the truth, he
went to San Diego to look for his father’s
grave
• At the cemetery, the sepulterero told
Ibarra that the corpse of Don Rafael was
removed upon the order of the parish
priest to be buried in Chinese cemetery.
Because of heavy rains, gusty winds with
lightning and thunder and heavy corpse,
they throw the dead body into the lake
• Ibarra become furious by the story and
immediately left the cemetery. On his way,
he met Padre Salvi, the parish priest of
San Diego. Ibarra narrate to him the
grave-digger’s story. Padre Salvi told he
had nothing to do with it since he is not
the parish priest of the town that time of
his father’s death but Padre Damaso
• One fine Sunday morning an interesting
incident was the picnic in the lake were
Ibarra and his friends gave to Capitan
Tiago, Maria Clara family members and
close friends. When everybody was
enjoying the lake’s serenity, an almost
tragic incident happened when the big
banca they were riding almost capsized
Because of the huge waved created by a
big crocodile.
• The dreadful episode that almost spoiled
the picnic was the saving of the life of
Elias, boatman when he bravely grappled
the crocodile in the lake
• Ibarra sensing Elias life was in danger
immediately jumped into the water
• With a dagger, he gave hard thrash on
crocodile’s belly that kill him
• People of San Diego were busy preparing
for the fiesta. One of the highlights is the
laying of the cornerstone of the school
building construction
• During the ceremony in the presence of
the huge crowd when
Everybody’s attention was focus on the
laying of the marker, Ibarra went down
into the trench when suddenly a
mysterious man attacked and attempted
to kill him. Fortunately Elias, the man he
saved in the picnic in the lake save his life
• In the evening of the same day, a
sumptuous dinner was attended by the
townspeople at the plaza.
• Padre Damaso kept on insulting the
memory of Ibarra’s father in the presence
of guest. Beclouded with passion and
obfuscation, Ibarra almost killed the ill-
manner friar. The timely intervention of
Maria Clara prevent the tragic incident
• After that, he was excommunicated and
engagement to Maria Clara was broken
• Later he was pardoned
• Maria Clara could not bear the pain in the
incident, cannot get over so she became ill
• When the fiesta was over, a young boastful,
self-conceited and jobless Spaniard, Don
Alfonso Linares de Espadaña, cousin of Don
Tiburcio de Espadaña visit the Philippines to
look for a wife
• Doña Victorina and Padre Damaso
introduced Linares to Maria Clara. The
introduction was planned to have positive
result but Maria Clara did not respond
because of Ibarra
• Sisa is formerly a rich girl who married a
gambler and a good for nothing husband.
Because of mental agony and loss of her 2
sons- Basilio and Crispin, she
Become mentally imbalance. These 2
young boys were working as sacristan.
• Crispin, the younger one was accused by
the sacristan mayor stealing the church
money. He was brutally tortured and died
while Basilio escaped. When the 2 boys
failed to return for supper, Sisa full of
anxiety and fear look
For them everywhere
• The terrifying impossibility to see his sons
makes her insane
• Elias detailed his life to Ibarra. His
grandfather who works in commercial
establishment in Manila was accused of
setting fire in the warehouse. His
punishment was severe beating that he
almost died. His wife was pregnant and
After giving birth become a prostitute to
survive and support her sick husband and
sons
• Years later, the elder son become dreaded
tulisan. His activity ended when he was
caught by the authorities. His head was
cut off and hanged on a branch of tree
near the river while his headless body
was buried
• When her mother saw her son’s head,
she fainted and died
• The younger brother left and become
helper of a wealthy man. He fell in love
with the rich man’s daughter. When the
girl’s father knew it, he become furious
and investigated his past. The unfortunate
lover who impregnated his daughter was
Elias father
• Because his master was well-to-do, he
was force to leave the place leaving her
daughter who gave birth to twins- a boy
Elias and a girl
• The wealthy grandfather had illicit affairs
with their mother reared them as rich
children while keeping the secrecy
• Since no one can deny the truth, their
biological relationship was discovered. They
know that the poor ignored abused old
servant of the family was their real father
• Elias and her sister left the place to go to
another town to conceal their shame-full-
past
• One day, his sister disappeared and no
where to found
• Elias look for her until in late afternoon,
people of San Diego found a dead girl in the
beach and confirmed it was Elias sister
• Elias, alone, helpless, hopeless and desperate
live a vagabond life wandering from one place
to another without direction and purpose
until he met Ibarra
• The enemies of Ibarra were determined to
destroy his life
• When Elias learned the impending arrest of
Ibarra, he burned all the papers and evidences
that would incriminate his friend. He went ot
the prison where Ibarra was incarcerated and
helped him escaped by riding a banca full of
zacate ( grass for horses)
• Ibarra stopped at the house of Capitan Tiago
to see and bid goodbye to Maria Clara
• Maria Clara told Ibarra that he gave his
letter to Spanish authorities in exchange
of the letters of her late mother, Pia Alba
which Padre Salvi kept. From the letter
Padre Salvi gave, she found that her real
father was Padre Damaso
• After clasping Maria Clara’s hand, he went
to the banca where
Elias was waiting. Elias told Ibarra to lay
down in the banca and covered him with
grass while he paddled the banca along
Pasig River toward Manila Bay
A police boat with Guardia Civil pursue
them until they reach the bay. When the
police boat was about to overtake their
banca, Elias jumped into the water and
swam
Toward the shore diverting the attention of
Guardia Civil and giving Ibarra the chance to
escape
• Elias was hit and sank with the rapid and
successive fire of Guardia Civil. The water
turned red because of the blood-indication he
was wounded
• Thinking Ibarra was killed, soldiers stop firing.
They spread that Ibarra is dead
• Elias was seriously wounded reach the
shore, crawled slowly and hid to forest.
Feeling weak and dizzy because of blood
loss, he met Basilio
• Elias catching his breath told Basilio to set
fire on his mother’s dead body and his
body (Elias) to be burned to ashes. Basilio
prepared pyre- a pile of dried wood and
leaves for her mother’s
Corpse and Elias
• On the dark night, Elias said “I die without
seeing the dawn”
• Maria Clara enter the monastery for
peace of mind
• Ibarra went to another place which
nobody know because everybody thought
he was dead
 EL FILIBUSTERISMO

• Known as The Reign of Greed

• Revenge to sufferings of his family and
countrymen resulting from bitter and
traumatic experiences
• A political novel, dramatized bitterness,
hatred, pain, sorrow and greed
• Dedicated to Filipino priest- Mariano
Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora
who were executed in Bagongbayan on
February 28,1872
• Novel bore irresistible urge to revolution
while promising nothing from it
 SYNOPSIS OF EL FILIBUSTERISMO

• The novel begins on board a streamer Tabo

sailing the Pasig River towards Manila Bay
• Among the passengers were Simoun, rich
jeweler (principal character) who was also
Crisostomo Ibarra in Noli, Doña Victorina,
Don Tiburcio de Espadaña
• Paulita Gomez-beautiful but haughty niece of
Don Tiburcio
• Isagani- ardent lover of Paulita
• Padre Florentino- humane
• Basilio- son of Sisa
• Ibarra with the help of Elias elude the Guardia
Civil. He dug the buried treasure and went to
Cuba
• In Cuba, he befriended high
Ranking officials of the government and
become powerful. He returned to Philippines
after 13 years as Simoun- man of wealth,
strong, mysterious, powerful, close friend and
adviser of Spanish Gov. Gen
• Nobody knew that Simoun was Ibarra who
decided to come to Philippines to carry his
plan to overthrow the government
Through revolution and save Maria Clara in
monastery
• Accidentally Basilio discover the true identity
of Simoun when they met at the grave of Elias
and Sisa
• Simoun planned to kill Basilio for fear that his
identity might be disclosed but realized he
has also avenge the brutal death of his
brother that caused his mother’s insanity
• He told Basilio his reason why he came
back to the Philippines and designs how
he would carry his plan
• Simoun used his wealth and political
influence to encourage corruption and
illegal activities in government. He
promoted oppression and total disregard
to human dignity of the people so
They will hate the government. He even
support Chinese traders to smuggle arms in
country
• Simoun attempt twice to launch an armed
attack to overthrow government but failed
• First attempt failed because of the sad news
that Maria Clara died in monastery. In this
agonizing moment, he can’t give signal to
Start the revolution
• Second attempt was a dismal failure. It
happen on the wedding of Juanito Pelaez
and Paulita Gomez where he gave a
beautiful lighted lamp as gift. The lamp has
a hidden time bomb place in a small
compartment that will explode in the
house that will kill guest including Gov.
Gen, friars
And other high ranking officials. The
explosion will serve as signal to blow all
government buildings and important
installations in Manila by Simoun followers
• Basilio saw Isagani, nephew of Padre
Florentino and jilted lover of Paulita, he
warned him to leave the place because in
few minutes the lamp will explode
• Upon hearing the secret, Isagani who still
love Paulita hurriedly rushed in the house,
grabbed the lamp and throw it in the river
where it explode
• The revolutionary plot was discovered by
Spanish authorities that Simoun was the
brain and was also Ibarra. With a cordon
of soldiers in the place, Simoun
Managed to escape but the soldiers
subdued him. He was mortally wounded.
Carrying his treasure chest full of money,
jewelry and valuable things he sought
refuge in the house of Padre Florentino
near the sea
• He confess to Padre Florentino his true
identity, mean and cowardly plan to use
his wealth to avenge
Himself of the pain and to destroy his
enemies and friends for personal selfish
ambition
• Spanish authorities learned that he was
on the house of Padre Florentino so
Lieutenant Perez of the Guardia Civil
informed the priest that they will arrest
Simoun but before they arrest Simoun he
died by taking poison
• Padre Florention made a sign of the cross
on Simoun’s forehead and said “ God with
his infinite mercy will forgive you. He
knows that we are all mortal”
• Padre Florentino look at the lifeless body
of Simoun and took the treasure-chest
and throw it in the sea. As the chest sank
into the sea, he quietly invoked God’s
mercy
 OTHER CHARACTERS OF EL
FILIBUSTERISMO

• Cabesang Tales- evicted from his piece of land by

Spanish friars, become desperate and banditry
• Jule- innocent-looking and unaffected, daughter
of Cabesang Tales and sweetheart of Basilio took
her own life as she value chastity rather than
succumb to
Mundane desire of Padre Camorra
• Makaraig- student leader with a vision
• Padre Million- Dominican friar, dogmatic
and arrogant teaches at UST
• Placido Penitente- UST student became
disgusted and disillusioned on the
methods of teaching in university
• Senior Pasta- Filipino lawyer, insensitive to
the needs of Filipino students seeking his
legal advice for educational reforms
• Tandang Delo- father of Cabesang Tales
and grandfather of Jule
• Sandoval- Spanish student, supportive to
Filipino students for educational reforms
• Pecson- Filipino students agitates Spanish
teaching
• Cabesana Andana- haggard-look, mother
of Placido Penitente
• Pepay-pretty dancer, mistress of Don
Custodio
• Padre Fernandez- humane Dominican
friar and friend of Isagani
• Don Timoteo- gray haired and frank,
father of Juanito Pelaez
• Tano jolly and care-free- son of Cabesang
Tales and brother of Jule
• Chichoy- creative and skillful silversmith
who fashioned bridal earrings for Paulita
Gomez