The Life and Works of José Rizal - Vocabulary Quiz

Noli Me Tángere: Continuing Relevance

• The novel was circulated in Spain, where it received criticism from Spanish officials and academics, including Vicente Barrantes, who ridiculed Rizal's contradictions.

Critics and Defenders

• Rizal's critics came from various sectors, but he also had ardent defenders among his peers in the Propaganda Movement, such as Marcelo H. del Pilar, who wrote essays in response to critics.
• Ferdinand Blumentritt, Rizal's friend and an academic, also expressed support for the novel.

Translations and Impact

• The Noli was translated into several languages, with one of the earliest translations being in French.
• Scholars believe that there were early attempts to translate the novel into German (by Blumentritt) and Tagalog (by Rizal's brother, Paciano), but these plans never came to fruition.
• The novel continued to be a subject of debate and discussion beyond its initial publication.

Noli Me Tángere: A Landmark Piece of Literature

• The novel is considered a landmark piece of literature, with scholar Resil Mojares naming Rizal as the father of the Filipino novel.
• The novel's themes revolved around societal issues experienced in the Philippines under Spanish colonial rule.
• Reactions to the novel ranged from praise to outright ridicule, with the Spanish clergy and some Spanish colonial officials expressing utmost disdain.

Test your knowledge of key terms related to the life and works of José Rizal with this vocabulary quiz. Explore terms such as censorship, critique, and sociology that are relevant to understanding the context of Rizal's writings.