Rizal's Life and Works (Week 4) in Sunny Spain (1882-1885) PDF

RIZAL LIFE AND WORKS (WEEK 4) IN SUNNY SPAIN (1882-1885) I. RIZAL’S SECRET MISSION After finishing his four-year medical course, Rizal couldn’t take anymore the hostility and discrimination of the Dominican Professors to the Filipino students. He decided to continu...

RIZAL LIFE AND WORKS (WEEK 4) IN SUNNY SPAIN (1882-1885) I. RIZAL’S SECRET MISSION After finishing his four-year medical course, Rizal couldn’t take anymore the hostility and discrimination of the Dominican Professors to the Filipino students. He decided to continue his studies in Spain to observe the following: Life and Culture in Europe, Language and Customs, Industries and Commerce, and Governments and the Laws of the European nations For the goal of liberating the Filipino people from the Spanish tyranny. Rizal’s departure was kept a secret from the Spanish authorities, friars, and even to his parents. Only a few people know about his plan including his brother Paciano, his sisters Saturnina and Lucia, the Valenzuela family, Pedro Paterno, Mateo Evangelista, the Ateneo Jesuit fathers, and some intimate friends. II. RIZAL’S TRIP TO SPAIN (MAY 01 – JUNE 16, 1882) RIZAL’S DEPARTURE (MAY 01, 1882) Rizal left Calamba via a carromata and took 10 hours to reach Manila. He stayed in Manila for two days before his trip to Singapore. RIZAL’S DEPARTURE from Pasig (MAY 03, 1882) Rizal boarded a ship (Salvadora) bound to Singapore with a passport (obtain by his uncle Antonio Rivera) given by his brother Paciano having a name of “Jose Mercado” which is a name of his cousin in Calamba. He was also given some letters of recommendation to the members of the Society in Barcelona by the Jesuit priest. SINGAPORE (MAY 09, 1882) The Salvadora docked in Singapore. Rizal stayed at the Hotel de la Paz and spent two days sightseeing in the city. He saw the famous Botanical Garden, the beautiful Buddhist Temples, the busy shopping district, and the statue of Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles (Fonder of Singapore). During the trip, Rizal was befriended by the captain of the ship, have experienced seasick, and played chess with some of the passengers. DEPARTURE FROM SINGAPORE (MAY 11, 1882) After his sightseeing, he boarded a ship (Djamnah) which is a bigger ship than Salvadora bound to France. POINT GALLE, CEYLON (MAY 17, 1882) The Djemnah reach Point Galle which is a seacoast town in southern Ceylon (Sri Lanka now). Rizal find the city quiet and lonely. COLOMBO, CEYLON (MAY 18, 1882) The ship docked at Colombo (capital of Ceylon). Rizal said that Colombo is beautiful, smart, and elegant than Point Galle, Singapore, and Manila.  NAPOLI (JUNE 11, 1882) The ship arrived at Napoli (Naples, Italy). Passengers were allowed to explore the place and so Rizal didn’t waste the opportunity sightseeing at his first European territory. The ship later proceeds to Maseilles. MARSEILLES (JUNE 12, 1882) The ship arrived at the French Harbor. Rizal visited the famous Château d’If, where Edmond Dantes (Hero of the count of Monte Cristo) was imprisoned. DEPARTURE FROM MARSEILLES (JUNE 15, 1882) Rizal left Marseiles by a train bound to Barcelona. BARCELONA, SPAIN (JUNE 16, 1882) Rizal arrived in Barcelona at noon and boarded at the Fonda de España. III. PLACES WHERE HE STAYS DURING HIS TIME IN SPAIN Calle Amor de Dios First of Rizal's place of residence from September 12, 1882-May 1883 with a limited allowance of 50 pesos per month that was reduced to 35 pesos when the Rizal farm was affected by a bad harvest. He lived with his old friend from Ateneo de Manila, Vicente Gonzalez and a guy he called Marques de Pagong. This place was near the University and the atelier in which his interest in art was developed greatly. Calle Visitación (Calle Fernández y González) His next place of residence from May 1883-June 17, 1883, which is close to the Plaza Sta. Ana and is right behind the Teatro Español. He lived here with Eduardo de Lete and Ceferino de Leon. They agreed to not allow gambling in their quarters. Calle Baño (Calle Ventura de la Vega) This is where Rizal boarded next which is the residence of D. Pablo Ortiga y Rey, the vice president of the Consejo de Filipinas and headquarters of Circulo Hispano Filipino (CHF). Rizal mentioned of boarded here on a temporary basis 1883 (autumn) to August 1884. Calle San Miguel (Calle Gran Via) Rizal stayed here, a pension, starting from September 6, 1883, and was paying a daily rent of four pesetas (roughly around 0.4 pesos). He said that this amount did not include the kerosene which he had to buy to be able to study and read at night. He later moved to a new place with a Filipino student. Calle Barquillo This was only temporary since in his letters he asked for the letters to be addressed to this place. He experience financial difficulties here as in one of his letters he mentioned his high grades in medicine, his victory in Greek contests and exam in Historia Universal but said that he had to pawn the ring of Saturnina that was given to him. Calle Pizzaro On August 29, 1884, in a letter given to his parents, he informed them of living here with Ceferino de Leon and Julio Llorente. The place was very close to the Facultad de Filosofia y Letras at calle Bernando where he was to finish in a year his degress in philosophy and letters. This was also the place where Rizal secretly started his novel Noli Me Tangere. Calle Cedaceros His last place of recidence from October 1-15, 1885 where he lived with Ceferino de Leon, and Eduardo de Lete. Rizal told his parents that he will go to Paris and Berlin to study ophthalmology under the best professors at that time. Although he wanted to  return home to treat her mother's eyesight that has gotten worse but was advised by his brother to stay in Hong Kong instead, since a lot of Spaniards want to punish him due to his speech in Hotel Ingles honoring Juan Luno and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo. IV. WHERE RIZAL STUDIED SPAIN FACULTATED DE MEDICINA, UNIVERSIDAD DE MADRID, CALLE ATOCHA The corridor of the Colegio de Medicina (Hospital de San Carlos) has a marker indicating that it was here where Rizal studied medicine. He began his medical studies on October 2, 1882, and finished it two years later in June 1884. One of his professors was the then famous Marquez de Busto. The other professors he had mentioned were Drs. Mariani, Polo and Stocker. He apparently spent his residency at the Hospital de la Princesa where, as he had written to his family, he performed two operations on detached ligatures. But as time went on, Rizal’s heart was not in medicine as shown by his enrolment in other courses. His medical interest was animated more by a desire to remove cataracts on his mother’s eyes; she was then close to being blind. Already losing her eyesight, Rizal’s mother could write to him only with the assistance of one of her daughters. Rizal would have to go to Paris to specialize in ophthalmology. ESCUELA de BELLAS ARTES de SAN FERNANDO, CALLE ALCALÁ At the same time that Rizal was taking courses in medicine, he went to the nearby Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Fernando and took five hours of painting lessons under Carlos de Haes. He likewise enrolled at the Facultad de Derechos, (UCM) but his brother dissuaded him from continuing the course. Rizal’s interest in law was in line with the desire for political autonomy in the Philippines. But his interest in the humanities overtook all other interests. He transferred to the Facultad de Filosofia y Letras, and worked towards a humanities course which he finished in June 1885. This faculty was then located at c/ Bernardo, the building housing it then is now occupied by the Ministerio del Justicia. ATENEO DE MADRID, CALLE PRADO, 21 Although not an educational institution but an exclusive club for men of letters and science, the Ateneo contributed to the professional development of Rizal. It was here where he regularly attended theatrical presentations, music and poetry recitals and book launchings. He was in attendance when Ramon de Compoamor delivered his best poetry in 1884. It was also at the Ateneo where he studied English under the tutelage of Sr. Schüts. At one time, Rizal was presented to the Principe de Baviera, then presiding over the meeting. Even now, the ambience of the Ateneo is one of quiet, civility and seriousness, with people spending their time in high-ceilinged rooms and galleries. The theatre has retained the classical stage reminiscent of a place for Greek plays. On the hallway are portraits of its most prominent members. Rizal’s portrait used to hang at the end of the hallway. V. NEXT DESTINATION During Rizal’s studies in Spain, his mother’s eye condition got worst. He decided to travel to Paris to specialize in Ophthalmology.