Noli Me Tángere Novel (PDF)

WEEK 13 : NOLI ME TANGERE AND INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINOS NOLI ME TANGERE  Noli Me Tangere is a novel by Filipino polymath and national hero José Rizal first published in 1887 in Berlin. Early English translations used titles like An Eagle Flight (1900) and The Social Cancer (1912), but more...

WEEK 13 : NOLI ME TANGERE AND INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINOS NOLI ME TANGERE  Noli Me Tangere is a novel by Filipino polymath and national hero José Rizal first published in 1887 in Berlin. Early English translations used titles like An Eagle Flight (1900) and The Social Cancer (1912), but more recent translations have been published using the original Latin title. Rizal finished the novel on December 1886. At first, according to one of Rizal's biographers, Rizal feared the novel might not be printed, and that it would remain unread. He was struggling with financial constraints at the time and thought it would be hard to pursue printing the novel. A financial aid came from a friend named Máximo Viola which helped him print his book at a fine print media in Berlin named Berliner Buchdruckerei- Actiengesellschaft. Rizal at first, however, hesitated but Viola insisted and ended up lending Rizal P300 for 2,000 copies; Noli was eventually printed in Berlin, Germany. The printing was finished earlier than the estimated five months. Viola arrived in Berlin in December 1886, and by March 21, 1887, Rizal had sent a copy of the novel to his friend Blumentritt. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra y Magsalin, commonly referred to the novel as Ibarra or Crisóstomo, is the protagonist in the story. Son of a Filipino businessman, Don Rafael Ibarra, he studied in Europe for seven years. CHARACTERS IN NOLI María Clara de los Santos y Alba, commonly referred to as María Clara, is Ibarra's fiancée. She was raised by Capitán Tiago, San Diego's cabeza de barangay and is the most beautiful and widely celebrated girl in San Diego. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Don Santiago de los Santos, known by his nickname Tiago and political title Capitán Tiago is a Filipino businessman and the cabeza de barangay or head of barangay of the town of San Diego. He is also the known father of María Clara. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Dámaso Verdolagas, or Padre Dámaso is a Franciscan friar and the former parish curate of San Diego. He is best known as a notorious character that speaks with harsh words and has been a cruel priest during his stay in the town. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Elías is Ibarra's mysterious friend and ally. Elías made his first appearance as a pilot during a picnic of Ibarra and María Clara and her friends. He wants to revolutionize the country and to be freed from Spanish oppression. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Filosofo Tacio, known by his Filipinized name Pilosopo Tasyo is another major character in the story. Seeking for reforms from the government, he expresses his ideals in paper written in a cryptographic alphabet similar from hieroglyphs and Coptic figures hoping "that the future generations may be able to decipher it" and realized the abuse and oppression done by the conquerors. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Doña Victorina, is an ambitious Filipina who classifies herself as Spanish and mimics Spanish ladies by putting on heavy make-up. The novel narrates Doña Victorina's younger days: she had lots of admirers, but she did not choose any of them because nobody was a Spaniard. Later on, she met and married Don Tiburcio de Espadaña, an official of the customs bureau who is about ten years her junior. However, their marriage is childless. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Narcisa or Sisa is the deranged mother of Basilio and Crispín. Described as beautiful and young, although she loves her children very much, she cannot protect them from the beatings of her husband, Pedro. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Basilio is Sisa's 10-year-old son. An acolyte tasked to ring the church bells for the Angelus, he faced the dread of losing his younger brother and the descent of his mother into insanity. At the end of the novel, Elías wished Basilio to bury him by burning in exchange of chest of gold located on his death ground. He will later play a major role in El Filibusterismo. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Crispín is Sisa's 7-year-old son. An altar boy, he was unjustly accused of stealing money from the church. After failing to force Crispín to return the money he allegedly stole, Father Salví and the head sacristan killed him. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Padre Hernando de la Sibyla is a Dominican friar. He is described as short and has fair skin. He is instructed by an old priest in his order to watch Crisóstomo Ibarra. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Padre Bernardo Salví is the Franciscan curate of San Diego, secretly harboring lust for María Clara. He is described to be very thin and sickly. It is also hinted that his last name, "Salvi" is the shorter form of "Salvi" meaning Salvation, or "Salvi" is short for "Salvaje" CHARACTERS IN NOLI Chief of the Guardia Civil; mortal EL ALFÉREZ enemy of the priests for power in OR ALPERES San Diego and husband of Doña Consolacion  CHARACTERS IN NOLI Wife of the Alférez, nicknamed as la musa de los guardias civiles (The DOÑA muse of the Civil Guards) or la CONSOLACÍON Alféreza, was a former laundrywoman who passes herself as a Peninsular; best remembered for her abusive treatment of Sisa.  CHARACTERS IN NOLI Spanish Quack Doctor who is limp and submissive to his wife, Doña DON TIBURCIO Victorina. DE ESPADAÑA CHARACTERS IN NOLI close friend of Don Rafael Ibarra. TENIENTE He reveals to Crisóstomo how Don GUEVARA Rafael Ibarra's death came about. CHARACTERS IN NOLI is a distant nephew of Tiburcio de Espanada, the would-be fiancé of ALFONSO María Clara. Although he LINARES presented himself as a practitioner of law, it was later revealed that he, just like Don Tiburcio, is a fraud. He later died due to given medications of Don Tiburcio. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Capitán Tiago's cousin, who raised TÍA ISABEL Maria Clara. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Unnamed person in the novel, he GOVERNOR is the most powerful official in the GENERAL Philippines. He has great disdain for the friars and corrupt officials, and sympathizes with Ibarra. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Vice mayor of the town of San DON FILIPO Diego, leader of the liberals. LINO CHARACTERS IN NOLI linguist curate of a nearby town PADRE who delivers the sermon during MANUEL San Diego's fiesta. MARTÍN CHARACTERS IN NOLI father of Crisóstomo Ibarra. DON RAFAEL Though he is the richest man in IBARRA San Diego, he is also the most virtuous and generous. CHARACTERS IN NOLI wife of Capitan Tiago and DOÑA PÍA mother of María Clara, she died ALBA giving birth to her daughter. In reality, she was raped by Dámaso so she could bear a child.  CHARACTERS IN NOLI Great-grandfather of DON PEDRO Y Crisóstomo Ibarra who came BARRAMENDIA from the Basque area of Spain. He started the misfortunes of Elias' family. CHARACTERS IN NOLI son of Don Pedro, father of Don Rafael and grandfather of DON Crisóstomo Ibarra. He was the SATURNINO one who developed the town of IBARRA San Diego. He was described as a cruel man but was very clever. CHARACTERS IN NOLI Maria Clara's friend. Because Crisóstomo Ibarra offered half SINANG of the school he was building to Sinang, he gained Capitan Basilio's support. CHARACTERS IN NOLI CAPITÁN Sinang's father, leader of the BASILIO conservatives. CHARACTERS IN NOLI PEDRO abusive husband of Sisa who loves cockfighting. CHARACTERS IN NOLI TANDÁNG leader of the tulisanes (bandits), PABLO whose family was destroyed because of the Spaniards. CHARACTERS IN NOLI SACRISTÁN One who governs the altar boys MAYOR and killed Crispín for his accusation. PLOT SUMMARY Having completed his studies in Europe, young Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra y Magsalin comes back to the Philippines after a 7-year absence. In his honor, Don Santiago de los Santos, a family friend commonly known as Captain Tiago, threw a get- together party, which was attended by friars and other prominent figures. One of the guests, former San Diego curate Fray Dámaso Vardolagas belittled and slandered Ibarra. Ibarra brushed off the insults and took no offense; he instead politely excused himself and left the party because of an allegedly important task. The next day, Ibarra visits María Clara, his betrothed, the beautiful daughter of Captain Tiago and affluent resident of Binondo. Their long-standing love was clearly manifested in this meeting, and María Clara cannot help but reread the letters her sweetheart had written her before he went to Europe. Before Ibarra left for San Diego, Lieutenant Guevara, a Civil Guard, reveals to him the incidents preceding the death of his father, Don Rafael Ibarra, a rich hacendero of the town. According to Guevara, Don Rafael was unjustly accused of being a heretic, in addition to being a subservient — an allegation brought forth by Dámaso because of Don Rafael's non- participation in the Sacraments, such as Confession and Mass. Dámaso's animosity against Ibarra's father is aggravated by another incident when Don Rafael helped out on a fight between a tax collector and a child fighting, and the former's death was blamed on him, although it was not deliberate. Suddenly, all of those who thought ill of him surfaced with additional complaints. He was imprisoned, and just when the matter was almost settled, he died of sickness in jail. Still not content with what he had done, Dámaso arranged for Don Rafael's corpse to be dug up from the Catholic Church and brought to a Chinese cemetery, because he thought it inappropriate to allow a heretic a Catholic burial ground. Unfortunately, it was raining and because of the bothersome weight of the body, the undertakers decide to throw the corpse into a nearby lake. Revenge was not in Ibarra's plans, instead he carried through his father's plan of putting up a school, since he believed that education would pave the way to his country's progress (all over the novel the author refers to both Spain and the Philippines as two different countries as part of a same nation or family, with Spain seen as the mother and the Philippines as the daughter). During the inauguration of the school, Ibarra would have been killed in a sabotage had Elías — a mysterious man who had warned Ibarra earlier of a plot to assassinate him — not saved him. Instead the hired killer met an unfortunate incident and died. The sequence of events proved to be too traumatic for María Clara who got seriously ill but was luckily cured by the medicine Ibarra sent. After the inauguration, Ibarra hosted a luncheon during which Dámaso, gate- crashing the luncheon, again insulted him. Ibarra ignored the priest's insolence, but when the latter slandered the memory of his dead father, he was no longer able to restrain himself and lunged at Dámaso, prepared to stab him for his impudence. As a consequence, Dámaso excommunicated Ibarra, taking this opportunity to persuade the already- hesitant Tiago to forbid his daughter from marrying Ibarra. The friar wished María Clara to marry Linares, a Peninsular who had just arrived from Spain. With the help of the Governor-General, Ibarra's excommunication was nullified and the Archbishop decided to accept him as a member of the Church once again. But, as fate would have it, some incident of which Ibarra had known nothing about was blamed on him, and he is wrongly arrested and imprisoned. The accusation against him was then overruled because during the litigation that followed, nobody could testify that he was indeed involved. Unfortunately, his letter to María Clara somehow got into the hands of the jury and is manipulated such that it then became evidence against him by the parish priest, Fray Salví. With Machiavellian precision, Salví framed Ibarra and ruined his life just so he could stop him from marrying María Clara and making the latter his concubine. Meanwhile, in Capitan Tiago's residence, a party was being held to announce the upcoming wedding of María Clara and Linares. Ibarra, with the help of Elías, took this opportunity to escape from prison. Before leaving, Ibarra spoke to María Clara and accused her of betraying him, thinking that she gave the letter he wrote her to the jury. María Clara explained that she would never conspire against him, but that she was forced to surrender Ibarra's letter to Father Salvi, in exchange for the letters written by her mother even before she, María Clara, was born. The letters were from her mother, Pía Alba, to Dámaso alluding to their unborn child; and that María Clara was therefore not Captain Tiago's biological daughter, but Dámaso's. Afterwards, Ibarra and Elías fled by boat. Elías instructed Ibarra to lie down, covering him with grass to conceal his presence. As luck would have it, they were spotted by their enemies. Elías, thinking he could outsmart them, jumped into the water. The guards rained shots on him, all the while not knowing that they were aiming at the wrong man. It was Christmas Eve when Elías woke up in the forest fatally wounded, as it is here where he instructed Ibarra to meet him. Instead, Elías found the altar boy Basilio cradling his already- dead mother, Sisa. The latter lost her mind when she learned that her two sons, Crispín and Basilio, were chased out of the convent by the sacristan mayor on suspicions of stealing sacred objects. (The truth is that, it was the sacristan mayor who stole the objects and only pinned the blame on the two boys. The said sacristan mayor actually killed Crispín while interrogating him on the supposed location of the sacred objects. It was implied that the body was never found and the incident was covered-up by Salví). Elías, convinced that he would die soon, instructs Basilio to build a funeral pyre and burn his and Sisa's bodies to ashes. He tells Basilio that, if nobody reaches the place, he come back later on and dig for he will find gold. He also tells him (Basilio) to take the gold he finds and go to school. In his dying breath, he instructed Basilio to continue dreaming about freedom for his motherland with the words: “ I shall die without seeing the dawn break upon my homeland. You, who shall see it, salute it! Do not forget those who have fallen during the night. ” Elías died thereafter. In the epilogue, it was explained that Tiago became addicted to opium and was seen to frequent the opium house in Binondo to satiate his addiction. María Clara became a nun where Salví, who has lusted after her from the beginning of the novel, regularly used her to fulfill his lust. One stormy evening, a beautiful crazy woman was seen at the top of the convent crying and cursing the heavens for the fate it has handed her. While the woman was never identified, it is suggested that the said woman was María  SOBRE LA INDOLENCIA DE LOS FILIPINOS SOBRE LA INDOLENCIA DE LOS FILIPINOS Essay Published in La Solidaridad Madrid, Spain (July 15, 1890 –September 15, 1890) INDOLENT Idle Lazy Little love for work Lack of activity Sobre La Indolencia de los Filipinos, more popularly known in its English version, "The Indolence of the Filipinos," is an exploratory essay written by Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, to explain the alleged idleness of his people during the Spanish colonization. The Indolence of the Filipinos is a study of the causes why the people did not, as was said, work hard during the Spanish regime. Rizal pointed out that long before the coming of the Spaniards, the Filipinos were industrious and hardworking.  Causes of decline in economic activities in the Philippines 1. The stablishment of the Galleon Trade cut off all previous associations of the Philippines with other countries in Asia and the Middle East. As a result, business was only conducted with Spain through Mexico. Because of this, the small businesses and handicraft industries that flourished during the pre- Spanish period gradually disappeared.  Causes of decline in economic activities in the Philippines 2. Spain also extinguished the natives’ love of work because of the implementation of forced labor. Because of the wars between Spain and other countries in Europe as well as the Muslims in Mindanao, the Filipinos were compelled to work in shipyards, roads, and other public works, abandoning agriculture, industry, and commerce.  Causes of decline in economic activities in the Philippines 3. Spain did not protect the people against foreign invaders and pirates. With no arms to defend themselves, the natives were killed, their houses burned, and their lands destroyed. As a result of this, the Filipinos were forced to become nomads, lost interest in cultivating their lands or in rebuilding the industries that were shut down, and simply became submissive to the mercy of God.  Causes of decline in economic activities in the Philippines 4. There was a crooked system of education, if it was to be considered an education. What was being taught in the schools were repetitive prayers and other things that could not be used by the students to lead the country to progress. There were no courses in Agriculture, Industry, etc., which were badly needed by the Philippines during those times.  Causes of decline in economic activities in the Philippines 5. The Spanish rulers were a bad example to despise manual labor. The officials reported to work at noon and left early, all the while doing nothing in line with their duties. The women were seen constantly followed by servants who dressed them and fanned them – personal things which they ought to have done for themselves.  Causes of decline in economic activities in the Philippines 6. Gambling was established and widely propagated during those times. Almost every day there were cockfights, and during feast days, the government officials and friars were the first to engage in all sorts of bets and gambles.  Causes of decline in economic activities in the Philippines 7. There was a crooked system of religion. The friars taught the naïve Filipinos that it was easier for a poor man to enter heaven, and so they preferred not to work and remain poor so that they could easily enter heaven after they died.  Causes of decline in economic activities in the Philippines Lastly, the taxes were extremely high, so much so that a huge portion of what they earned went to the government or to the friars. When the object of their labor was removed and they were exploited, they were reduced to inaction. Rizal admitted that the Filipinos did not work so hard because they were wise enough to adjust themselves to the warm, tropical climate. “An hour’s work under that burning sun, in the midst of pernicious influences springing from nature in activity, is equal to a day’s labor in a temperate climate.”  CAUSES OF THE INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINOS  WARS the inhabitants of the Philippines were dragged to maintain the honor of Spain (thousands and thousands of Filipinos were sent but nothing was said if they ever returned to their homes.) great diminution of the natives because the governors got them as crews for the vessels they sent out.  PIRATE ATTACKS Devastation of the terrible pirates Reduced more and more the number of inhabitants of the Philippines Burned down the towns, captured and enslaved men Disarmed and subjected to tributes so that they were left without the means to defend themselves  ATTITUDE OF At that time, the friars advised their THE FRIARS poor parishioners: to stop work in the mines, to abandon their industries, to destroy their looms and pointing them that heaven is their sole hope The friars told them that it is easier for a poor man to enter heaven than for a rich man  LESSENING ENCOURAGEMENT TO LABOR Trade contact or relations between the Borneans, Siamese, Cambodians and Japanese nations were being cut off The coast wide trade which was flourishing before disappeared  MISERLY RETURN FOR ONE’S LABOR Because of selfish, greedy, mean Encomenderos who: reduced many to slavery compelled Filipinos to work for their benefit Made them sell their products at an insignificant price or for nothing or cheated them with false measures Treated them like slaves  GAMBLING The local word sugal (from the Spanish word jugar, means to gamble) indicates that gambling was unknown in the Philippines before the Spaniards arrived Balasa – from the Spanish word barajar, the introduction of playing cards  FIESTAS Gave their contribution to large number of fiestas, lengthy masses, novenae, processions, rosaries Filipinos were much less lazy before the word miracle was introduced into their language  CURTAILMENT OF INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY Curtail means to cut off, to cut short Individual liberty is being cut off Accused of being a filibustero (rebel) or a suspect Lack of confidence in the future Uncertainty of reaping the fruits of their labor  APATHY OF THE GOVERNMENT No encouragement, aid pertaining to commerce or agriculture The products coming from the Philippines were burdened with imposts and duties and have no free entry in the ports of the mother country and the consumption of the products are not encouraged Due to the fraudulent (dishonest, deceitful) manipulations of the Chinese, the Filipino industries were dying.  OWNERSHIP OF THE BIG ESTATES The best estates, the best tracts BY THE FRIARS of land in some provinces were in the hands of the religious corporations The friars have deceived many by making them believe that those estates were prospering because those were under their supervision  LACK OF MORAL SUPPORT Absence of moral support Absence of help from the government Chemist (competitive examination) Young man won a prize in a literary contest Education of the Filipino  DEPRIVATION OF HUMAN DIGNITY The students have to contend with the daily preaching that lowers human dignity, gradually or brutally killing their self-respect Priests who boldly declared that it is evil for the Filipinos to know Castilian, that the Filipinos should not be separated from his carabao, and that he should not have any further ambition.  FEELING OF Constant plucking INFERIORITY (pulling, removing) of the soul Deadens the energy Paralyzes all tendency towards advancement  VICIOUS DRESSING OF THE “You can’t do more than old So and INTELLIGENCE AND WILL So!- Don’t aspire to be greater than the curate! You belong to an inferior race! You haven’t any energy.” They say this to the child; and as it is repeated so often, it has inevitably engraved in his mind and thence it seals and shapes all his actions. Ridicules with cruel sarcasm  LACK OF AN IDEAL FOR A The Filipinos’ spirits were GOOD WORKER transformed according to the taste of the nation that imposed upon them its God and its laws INSTEAD: Ideal and prototype tanned and muscular laborer (who should have brought along with him the useful iron implements and the hoes to till the fields)  LACK OF AN IDEAL FOR A BUT IT WAS AN: GOOD WORKER Aristocratic lord who brought along with him stamped papers, crucifixes, bulls and prayer books AS A RESULT: The imitative people became clerks, devout, prayer-loving, acquired ideas of luxurious and ostentatious living without improving correspondingly their means of subsistence.  LACK OF (expression of emotional ideas, NATIONAL feelings, etc.) SENTIMENT Scarcity of any opposition to the measures that are prejudicial to the people and the absence of any initiative that will redound to their welfare Deprived of the right of association, therefore they were weak and inert (inactive, unmotivated, passive) TOBECONTINUED.... EL FILIBUSTERISMO AND THE PHILIPPINES A CENTURY HENCE