José Rizal: Life, Works & Education

• José Rizal, a Filipino nationalist, writer, and polymath, is considered a national hero of the Philippines
• Born on June 19, 1861, in Calamba, Laguna
• Executed by firing squad on December 30, 1896, in Manila
• His execution fueled the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonizers

Educational Background

• Rizal received his early education from his mother, Teodora Alonso
• He studied at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree
• He then studied medicine at the University of Santo Tomas
• Rizal continued his studies in Spain at the Universidad Central de Madrid, where he obtained degrees in medicine and philosophy and letters
• He also studied ophthalmology in Paris and Heidelberg
• Rizal was proficient in multiple languages, including Spanish, French, German, English, and several Philippine languages

Major Works

• Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) is a novel published in 1887 that exposes the abuses and corruption of the Spanish colonial regime in the Philippines
• El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed) is a sequel to Noli Me Tangere, published in 1891
• It portrays a more revolutionary and tragic perspective on the Philippine situation
• Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell) is a poem written by Rizal on the eve of his execution and is considered a masterpiece of Philippine literature
• Annotations to Antonio de Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas provide a historical perspective on pre-colonial Philippine culture

Lovers

• Leonor Rivera was Rizal's cousin and is often considered his greatest love
• Their relationship was primarily through letters
• The character of Maria Clara in Noli Me Tangere is said to be based on her
• Josephine Bracken became Rizal's wife shortly before his execution
• Other significant women in Rizal's life include:
  • Segunda Katigbak, his first love
  • Leonor Valenzuela, whom he courted through invisible ink
  • Consuelo Ortiga y Rey, a woman he met in Madrid

Exile in Dapitan

• Rizal was exiled to Dapitan, Mindanao, from 1892 to 1896
• He practiced medicine and surgery, served the community, and pursued scientific studies
• He established a school, water system, and other community projects
• Rizal collected specimens of plants and animals
• He continued writing and corresponded with scholars and friends during his exile

Arrest and Execution

• Rizal was arrested on his way to Cuba to serve as a doctor in the Spanish colonial army
• He was charged with rebellion, sedition, and conspiracy
• After a brief trial, he was convicted and sentenced to death
• Rizal was executed by firing squad on December 30, 1896, at Bagumbayan (now Rizal Park) in Manila
• His death galvanized the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule

Legacy

• Rizal's writings and actions inspired the Philippine Revolution and contributed to the development of Filipino nationalism
• He advocated for reforms through peaceful means before advocating for revolution
• His novels continue to be studied and analyzed for their social and political relevance
• Rizal is commemorated in the Philippines through monuments, holidays, and the naming of places and institutions after him
• He remains a symbol of Filipino patriotism, intellectual excellence, and resistance against oppression