by

Jose Rizal
 Author’s Background:

Jose Rizal was a Marian devotee and even carved

a statue of the Virgin Mary when he was young boy. “To
the Virgin Mary” is a sonnet that was said to have been
written by Rizal on December 3rd, 1876 while studying
at the Ateneo.
 Poem’s Background: To the Virgin Mary
(English version of
“A La Virgen Maria”)

 When spoken in modern English, the first stanza clearly means
praising the Virgin Mary, whom Rizal says in this verse is the
reason for a prosperous yield, and without the help of whom
no hard working man can prosper. His high regard for the
Virgin Mary is evident in these four lines.

 These next four lines in the second stanza are more straight to
the point. He prays to Mary who sits in what he imagines is her
glorious throne above, and begs her to hear his plea. This
indicates a sense of eagerness and desperation. “My voice that
rises with rapid flight,” signifies a sense of urgency to the
words in his sorrowful cry.
Poem’s Background: To the Virgin Mary

 The last stanza sounds more like a prayer.
It is evident in these verses that even though Rizal was
still at such a young age, he had felt and foreseen that
life to him would be difficult.
 To the Virgin Mary
Mary, sweet peace and dearest consolation
of suffering mortal: you are the fount whence springs
the current of solicitude that brings
unto our soil unceasing fecundation.

From your abode, enthroned on heaven’s height,

in mercy deign to hear my cry of woe
and to the radiance of your mantle draw
my voice that rises with so swift a flight.

You are my mother, Mary, and shall be

my life, my stronghold, my defense most thorough;
and you shall be my guide on this wild sea.

If vice pursues me madly on the morrow,

if death harasses me with agony:
come to my aid and dissipate my sorrow!
Analysis:

 Figurative Language: Personification (1st stanza: The current of
solicitude that brings unto our soil unceasing fecundation.)

 Tone: Religious

 Theme: Talks about why and how we need to honour Mama Mary.

 Title: It is about the poem of Jose P. Rizal that talks about how he
worships and asks for guidance of The Virgin Mary.

 Cultural Implication: Mama Mary is the mother that we see in early

Christianity; she’s the role model for mothers. She also plays an
important role throughout Christian history in providing us with a
female that’s right at the heart of events.
Our Mother

Tongue
by
Jose Rizal
Author’s Background:

 José Rizal, in full José Protasio
Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda,
(born June 19, 1861, Calamba,
Philippines—died December 30,
1896, Manila), patriot, physician, and
man of letters who was an inspiration
to the Philippine nationalist
movement.
 “Our Mother Tongue” is a poem
originally in Tagalog written by Rizal
when he was only eight years old.
Poem’s Background: Our Mother Tongue

 In this first stanza we note that Rizal considers a people's
mother tongue as a gift from heaven.
Growing up in the Catholic faith where language, according to
the Bible, originated from the fall of the Tower of Babel, the poet
must certainly have considered the Filipino language as a
unique blessing to a unique people who, if they only realize the
value of the treasure they hold in the tips of their tongues,
would surely yearn for the freedom to build an identity for
themselves, free from the influence of foreign lands.
Poem’s Background: Our Mother Tongue

 Here in the second stanza, the poet explains why language
is linked to the need for freedom, why language is more than
just a group of words people use to communicate to each
other. It is, according to Rizal, the standard by which
outsiders judge a community, a culture, a civilization.
Poem’s Background: Our Mother Tongue

 In this third stanza we find the origin of Rizal's
well-known proverb, "He who does not love his own
language is worse than an animal and smelly fish.

("Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika, daig pa ang

hayop at malansang isda.") He then further stresses
that a nation's language is a treasure to be valued and
cherished.
Poem’s Background: Our Mother Tongue

 It is only right for Filipinos to consider Tagalog not as a
lower form of language; it is "akin to English, Spanish" and
even to the language of angels. It can be supposed from this
stanza, then, that the regard people have for their native
tongue has a great influence on the regard they have for their
own identity as a nation. Tagalog is a language given by God,
as are Latin, English and Spanish. It is, therefore, not to be
treated as one inferior to other tongues. Filipinos, likewise,
ought not to feel inferior to other nations and should desire
freedom for they, like everyone else, are capable of upholding
their identity themselves.
Poem’s Background: Our Mother Tongue

 Letters unique only to the Filipino language could be traced
back to Baybayin. The origins and disappearance of the use
of this alphabet is a long chapter in history.
 Our Mother Tongue
IF truly a people dearly love THE Tagalog language's
The tongue to them by Heaven sent, akin to Latin,
They'll surely yearn for liberty To English, Spanish,
Like a bird above in the firmament. angelical tongue;
For God who knows how
BECAUSE by its language one can to look after us
judge This language He
A town, a barrio, and kingdom; bestowed us upon.
And like any other created thing
Every human being loves his AS others, our language
freedom. is the same
With alphabet and letters
ONE who doesn't love his native of its own,
tongue, It was lost because a
Is worse than putrid fish and beast; storm did destroy
AND like a truly precious thing On the lake the bangka’
It therefore deserves to be cherished. in years bygone.
Analysis: 
 Figurative Language: Simile, Methaphor and Personification.

 Tone: Nationalistic

 Theme: Talks about the love for the Filipino Language

 Title Implication: “Our Mother Tongue” because his poem is all

about the language that we use and for us to give importance for
the language that is sent to us from our Father in Heaven.

 Cultural Implication: Even up to these days, Rizal’s “Our Mother

Tongue” is remembered and appreciated by many.
Quiz

1. To the Virgin Mary:
• Who is the author?
• What is the message of the story? (3 sentences)

2. Our Mother Tongue:

• What does the author wanted to relay as a message for
the readers? (3 sentences)