Some of Rizal's Cultural Observation During The Travel:: By-Jose-Rizal-Los-Viajes
Some of Rizal's Cultural Observation During The Travel:: By-Jose-Rizal-Los-Viajes
Some of Rizal's Cultural Observation During The Travel:: By-Jose-Rizal-Los-Viajes
Module 3 Status
Topic 1: Why Rizal the National Hero His status might have an impact to his being a
hero. He belongs to the Media Clase /
Introduction (Principalia)
In this topic we will try to answer the question - Rizal was a man with nobility and dignity
“Why Rizal is the national hero?”. There are
- He was considered as a Filipino pride because
of his intellect, talents and skills 3.2: The Retraction
- He is a man with multiple professions Is there really a retraction? We will be dealing
with this question on this topic. Retraction is a
Impact big issue and it will be crucial in Rizal’s being a
- Impact of Rizal even after death hero.
- His impact to the events in history
“The newspapers, magazines, & other The retraction of Jose Rizal is the most intriguing
periodicals throughout the civilized world – in among all the controversies in his life and in his
Germany, Austria, France, Holland, London, the being a hero. If he really retracted the history
US, Japan, Hong Kong & Macao, Singapore, will not be the same. But the question remains.
Switzerland, & in Latin American countries— Can this retraction erase everything that he does
published accounts of Rizal’s martyrdom in for the sake of our freedom? This topic might
order to render homage to his greatness.” help us in dealing with these issues.
This video clip gives us a good overview of the
retraction of Jose Rizal. This will also suggest
Died for the country some concerns for us to decide to our concern
Ultimately – A hero is the one who will die for of "Whether or not"
his country
Dr. Jose Rizal Mercado y Alonso, or simply Jose Today we are considered as a Catholic country.
Rizal (1861-1896), is unquestionably the greatest Take note that Rizal was not against Catholicism
hero & martyr of our nation. The day of his birth but only against the abuses of the friars and the
& the day of his execution are fittingly leaders of government at that time.
commemorated by all classes of our people Who or what are the "Friars" at this time? Who
throughout the length & breadth of this country or what is the Rizal of today?
& even by Filipinos & their friends abroad. His
name is a byword in every Filipino home while We can now view the presentation about Rizal's
his picture adorns the postage stamp & paper retraction:
money of widest circulation. No other Filipino 3.2: The Retraction
hero can surpass Rizal – Esteban de Ocampo
Module 3 Topic 2: The Retraction?
American-sponsored hero?
Refer to Ambeth Ocampo’s article Introduction
https://philippinereporter.com/index.php/2019/ Is there really a retraction? We will be dealing
06/14/was-rizal-an-american-sponsored-hero/ with this question in this topic. Retraction is a
big issue and it will be crucial in Rizal’s being a
3.1.1. Nominate Someone hero.
Please watch this video clip. You will find here
that there is no official declaration in so far as The signature
legality is concerned that Jose Rizal is the This is a question of authenticity of the
national hero. retraction document and signature of Rizal.
Among the controversies in his life, which up to
Since Rizal is not yet declared as the national now continue to be discussed, is his retraction of
hero, can you please nominate someone. masonry which the Jesuits accepted as fact. They
Please include the best qualifications of your have the retraction to buttress their position.
nominee. The historian, Ambeth Ocampo, agrees with the
2-3 sentences only Jesuits, and I sometimes tend to believe that
Rizal did write that retraction if only to save his The first text was published in La Voz Española
life. But the English writer, Austin Coates, who and Diaro de Manila on the very day of Rizal’s
wrote the best biography of Rizal says, there was execution, Dec. 30, 1896. The second text
no such retraction, that the document was a appeared in Barcelona, Spain, on February 14,
forgery. He said it was contrary to Rizal’s 1897, in the fortnightly magazine in La Juventud;
character. F. Sionil Jose it came from an anonymous writer who revealed
himself fourteen years later as Fr. Balaguer. The
The text "original" text was discovered in the
I declare myself a catholic and in this Religion in archdiocesan archives on May 18, 1935, after it
which I was born and educated I wish to live and disappeared for thirty-nine years from the
die. I retract with all my heart whatever in my afternoon of the day when Rizal was shot.
words, writings, publications and conduct has
been contrary to my character as son of the Fr. Balaguer
Catholic Church. I believe and I confess whatever How did Fr. Balaguer obtain his copy of Rizal’s
she teaches and I submit to whatever she retraction? Fr. Balaguer never alluded to having
demands. I abominate Masonry, as the enemy himself made a copy of the retraction although
which is of the Church, and as a Society he claimed that the Archbishop prepared a long
prohibited by the Church. The Diocesan Prelate formula of the retraction and Fr. Pi a short
may, as the Superior Ecclesiastical Authority, formula. In Fr. Balaguer’s earliest account, it is
make public this spontaneous manifestation of not yet clear whether Fr. Balaguer was using the
mine in order to repair the scandal which my long formula of nor no formula in dictating to
acts may have caused and so that God and Rizal what to write. According to Fr. Pi, in his
people may pardon me. own account of Rizal’s conversion in 1909, Fr.
Manila Balaguer dictated from Fr. Pi’s short formula
29 of December of 1896 previously approved by the Archbishop. In his
Jose Rizal letter to Fr. Pi in 1910, Fr. Balaguer admitted
that he dictated to Rizal the short formula
The Story prepared by Fr. Pi; however; he contradicts
It was supposed to have been signed by Jose himself when he revealed that the "exact" copy
Rizal moments before his death. There were came from the Archbishop. The only copy, which
many witnesses, most of them Jesuits. The Fr. Balaguer wrote, is the one that appeared on
document only surfaced for public viewing on his earliest account of Rizal’s retraction.
May 13, 1935. It was found by Fr. Manuel A.
Gracia at the Catholic hierarchy’s archive in Conclusion
Manila. But the original document was never The retraction of Rizal remains a controversy
shown to the public, only reproductions of it. since there is no clear proof of whether he
However, Fr. Pio Pi, a Spanish Jesuit, reported retracted or not? Whatever the answer to this
that as early as 1907, the retraction of Rizal was question is, it cannot override the many things
copied verbatim and published in Spain, and that Rizal did and contributed for the liberation
reprinted in Manila. Fr. Gracia, who found the of our country.
original document, also copied it verbatim. In
both reproductions, there were conflicting Rizal remains a living and burning issue among us
versions of the text. Add to this the date of the
signing was very clear in the original Spanish Part 2
document which Rizal supposedly signed. The First word
IT was hoped by the ecclesiastical and civil authorities
date was “December 29, 1890.”
that Rizal’s life would end with his death in
Bagumbayan. But from the day of his execution to
The first text this day, Rizal has been in this country a living issue
and often a burning one – the soul of contention
between Catholics and freethinkers, a bone for the Rizal himself believed that there was a strong
tug of war between church and state in the control of likelihood of fraud after his death, and that the prime
education, and the subject of bitter debate over the mover in this would be the friar archbishop. It was
authenticity or fraudulence of his supposed retraction the friars who were zealously seeking his retraction.
of his words and deeds. They even came up with several retraction formulas
for him to sign.
It is sickening that so selfless and splendid a death as
Rizal’s was followed by so much falsehood and Rizal’s intuition of fraud was not misplaced; what
controversy. But this has been Rizal’s peculiar fate, played him false was the involvement of his mentors,
and perhaps finally his triumph. He was so formidable the Jesuits, who took part in the effort to make him
opponents had to lie about him, even when he was retract and return to the Catholic faith.
already dead and buried.
Jesuit vouches for Rizal’s retraction
An ecclesiastical fraud It was solely one Jesuit priest, Vicente Balaguer,S.J,
The morning after the execution of Jose Rizal, the who laid the basis for the story that Rizal retracted
newspapers of Manila and Madrid recorded the his words and deeds. It was also he who made the
event, and announced that on the eve of his death claim that he married Jose Rizal and Josephine
Rizal retracted his religious errors, abjured Bracken at 6.15 a.m. on December 30, just minutes
freemasonry, and in the last hours of his life had before Rizal was executed.
married Josephine Bracken.
In the final chapters of his biography of Rizal, Austin
In most newspapers the text of a letter of retraction Coates totally demolishes the veracity of Balaguer’s
supposedly written by Rizal was printed in full. The claims, which were made the basis of the
government sent the announcement to Spanish archbishop’s announcement of a retraction, and
consulates abroad with the request to obtain for it which were also contained in a letter from Balaguer
the widest possible publicity. to his Jesuit superior, Fr. Pio Pi.
Those who had read Rizal’s books or who knew him Balaguer’s retraction claim was not corroborated by
closely and admired him, both in the country and the two Jesuits who were present at Rizal’s execution.
abroad, took one look at the announcement and If Rizal had indeed retracted, they would surely have
declared it “an ecclesiastical fraud.” given Rizal a Catholic burial. How would he have been
deprived of even a coffin, as in fact happened.
In a letter to Ferdinand Blumentritt shortly after the
execution, Fredrich Stahl, a Manila pharmacist, Balaguer himself was not present at the execution.
wrote: “On the day of the execution, the Spaniards Josephine Bracken was also absent during Rizal’s final
published an article in all the local papers, according moments.
to which, Rizal, in a written declaration made by him
on the day of his death, retracted all his writings and Killing Rizal’s influence on the future
deeds and proclaims himself to be a repentant sinner The lie in Rizal’s retraction is soundly thrashed by
and a loyal Spaniard. But nobody here believes this, Austin Coates. He wrote:
as the Spaniards publish the same thing about “A man of whom there is no record that he ever told a
everyone who is shot. Besides, nobody has ever seen lie can scarcely be considered as having chosen a
his written declaration…It is in the hands of the solemn moment to tell his first one….
archbishop.” “The Jesuits who had visited him knew how unlikely it
was that Rizal would retract….
Was there a plot among the higher ecclesiastical “While one might kill the man, his writings remained,
authorities to perpetrate a fraud? and these were a danger, needing to be sterilized, lest
There was certainly no signed letter of retraction, a they poison the mind of future generations with anti-
contradiction in itself for a man so strong in clerical views. If he could be made to admit his errors
conviction as Rizal. There was also no marriage with against religion and retract them, it would blunt the
Josephine Bracken, although they did live together point of everything that he had written….
during his exile in Dapitan.
“The Jesuits’ two attempts to make Rizal retract had For all these contradictions and falsehoods in
different motives. The first was undertaken for what Balaguer’s story, the church nevertheless adopted the
the Jesuits sincerely believed to be his own good, and lie. And some Filipinos, including Rizal’s biographer
possibly their own as well. The second was Leon Maria Guerrero, believed that Rizal had
undertaken with the main purpose of sterilizing his retracted.
influence on the future.”
I find the words of Rafael Palma, who witnessed the
Could Rizal have retracted in order to receive the execution and saw Rizal turn away from the Jesuit
sacraments of the faith. It is part of Balaguer’s holding out a crucifix to him, most persuasive:
elaborate fraud to suggest that Rizal feared for his
soul during his final hours. Palma wrote:
“Of the version circulated by ecclesiastical authorities
He reported Rizal as saying to him: “Father, since of that time, the part which refers to Rizal’s
faith is God’s grace, I promise that thetime of life abjuration of masonry and to his conversion to
remaining to me1 shall spend asking God for the Catholicism at the last hour was not considered
grace of faith.” satisfactory and truthful by Filipino public opinion.”
In his account, Balaguer was totally unaware that Can you please put yourself in the shoes of Jose
Rizal had written “Mi Último Adiós” on the eve of his Rizal. What will you do if you lived during his
execution. Balaguer allowed no time for Rizal to write time? What will you do now in your time?
the poem. The poem in its third stanza carries the
exact date and time when it was written.
Thank you. You may now proceed with the
In his claim of having performed the canonical viewing of presentation:
marriage of Rizal and Josephine, Balaguer said he 3.3: Jose Rizal and the Philippine Nationalism
performed it in front of one of Rizal’s sisters between
6 and 6:25 a.m. on December 30. But none of Rizal’s Module 3
sisters went to the fort that morning. Topic 3: Jose Rizal and the Philippine
Nationalism
Introduction raised him so many altars that the image of Rizal
In this topic we are going to explore on some has undergone as many sacrilegious
proofs manifesting Rizal’s nationalism. His manipulations as there have been literary priests
nationalism was his main weapon for him to be officiating at his rites. - Claro Recto
qualified as a hero. This nationalism is also the
main objective why we are studying Rizal’s life From Majul, UP Professor
and works. Prof. Majul points out that according to Rizal the
Philippines of his time was not yet a nation but
From a historian simply a people held together as a community
The place of Jose Rizal in the formation of by Spanish rule and the Christian religion. What
Filipino nationalism is secure. His propaganda Rizal wanted it to become was a national
activity in Europe, crystallized in his two novels, community united not by these two existing
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterism earned him bonds but by a principle of nationality distinct
the wrath of the Spanish government in Manila from either. He intended the formation of the
and the respect of his fellow- countrymen. - Liga Filipina to be a preparatory stage in this
Austin Coates development. Once the national bond emerged
it would inevitably take the place of the artificial
His letter to Blumentritt unity which Spain had imposed from without. -
I have received your letters as well as your Cesar Adib Majul
manuscripts. They are for the Philippine youth
like the admonition of an old and wise friend, for From Dr. Frank C. Laubach, American
we are here fighting for our native country biographer of Rizal
entirely without protection. You alone lend us His consuming life purpose was the secret of his
strength and courage and you also admonish us moral courage. Physical courage, it is true, was
when we depart from the path. - Jose Rizal one of his inherited traits. But that high courage
to die loving his murderers, w/c he at last
Travels – when he was in Germany achieved--that cannot be inherited. It must be
In my heart I have suppressed all loves except forged out in the fires of suffering & temptation.
that of my motherland; in my mind I have erased As we read through his life, we can see how the
all ideas which do not signify her progress and moral sinew & fiber grew year by year as he
my lips have forgotten the names of the native faced new perils & was forced to make fearful
races in the Philippines in order not to say more decisions. It required courage to write his 2
than Filipinos. - Jose Rizal great novels telling nothing that no other man
has ventured to say before, standing almost
Rizal in Noli alone against the powerful interests in the
The surprising thing about these peoples, when country & in Spain, & knowing full well that
you set aside everyone‘s national pride... before despotism would strike back…. Laubach
visiting a country I tried to study its history... In
every instance I noted that a people‘s prosperity Jose Rizal, the first Filipino nationalist
or misery lay in direct proportion to its freedoms
or inhibitions.. – Ibarra Jose Rizal spent the early morning hours of Dec. 30,
1896 prepaing for his martyrdom. At around three
o’clock in the morning, he heard mass and received
From Claro M. Recto
Communion. At half past five, he had breakfast with
Rizal’s life and writings have become the texts some officers.
for violently opposed theories, programs and
appeals. He is cited and quoted by rival camps. He then wrote a farewell letter to his family but
Everyone makes his own Rizal, in his own image. included a short message to his father. He wrote a
Patriotic veneration and partisan interest have short note to his mother which simply said, “To my
much beloved mother, Sra. Da. Teodora Alonso, at six Aside from being a nationalist, Rizal was also a world-
o’clock in the morning 30th of December 1896.” class genius and is recognized as such by many
international historians.
Josephine Bracken then arrived, accompanied by
Trinidad. Rizal and Josephine were married in a Dr. Felipe Fernandez-Armesto is the author of 12
ceremony officiated by Balaguer in the presence of books including CIVILIZATION: Culture, Ambition and
the prison commanding officer. At around 6:30 a.m Transformation of Nature published by Simon and
the military detachment that was to escort Rizal to Schuster in 2001. In the book, he talks of how the
the site of the execution fell in. Shortly after, the ideas of the Renaissance Age blended with native
march began. traditions; and, in its modified forms spread and
influenced many countries outside Europe. His
He wanted to be shot in front , but his executioners principal examples were Rammohun Roy of India and
refused. But he refused to be blindfolded and to jose Rizal of the Philippines. This is what he said of
kneel. Jose Rizal’s martyrdom has left the Filipino Rizal:
people many legacies. “Jose Rizal, the hero of Filipino nationalism, can best
be represented as a product of the last European
Among the many biographies of Rizal one of my renaissance. He was an Asian of European
favorites is The First Filipino written by Leon Ma. education, the best student of Greek in Madrid
Guerrero and published in 1962. According to the University in his day. He was a Renaissance man an
author, previously the term Philippines was largely a “ uomo universale” who triumphed in almost every
geographical expression and loyalty to the Philippines skill he tried: poetry and prose, sculpture and surgery,
was he instinctive affection for the land of one’s birth, education and revolution, antiquarianism and anti-
one’s “native land” rather than for a nation. colonialism.
It was Rizal who taught his countrymen that they He crammed his great novel Noli Me Tangere with
could be something else –Filipinos – who were classical allussions.On the title page, he managed to
members of a Filipino nation. He was the first who fit references to Homer, Caesar, Greek tragedies,
sought to unite the whole archipelago and envisioned Schiller and Shakespeare: a parade of highlights
a “compact and homogenous community” of all the from the tradition to which he was self ascribed. His
old tribal communities from Batanes to Sulu, based researches into the grammar of native languages of
on common interests. the Philippines were in the Renaissance humanist
tradition reminiscent indeed of the efforts of some of
There have been many studies on the life and legacies early Spanish friar-scholars in the islands.
of our national hero. One constant theme was Rizal’s
role as the first nationalist, the principal reason he is He anticipated a “pleiad” of Filipino writers waiting to
considered the national hero of his people. succeed him. The apostrophications that spring to
mind in efforts to explain him are often drawn from
A Rev. H.S. Bigelow delivered an address on Rizal on the Renaissance world. He is the Cervantes of Asia or
Feb. 12, 1899 in Cincinnati, Ohio where he said: the Tagalog Shakespeare.
“Rizal was a profound student of anthropology and
ethnology. He was inclined to master these studies by That is not, of course, the whole truth of Rizal. He
the behaviour of the Spaniards, who treated the also searched for inspiration in the indigenous
native ‘Indios’ as though they were by nature inferior. traditions to which he felt himself heir. He heard
As a schoolboy, he was often cut to the quick by their Tagalog poetry before he could speak Spanish. His
arrogance toward his people.He could not annotations to one of the earliest Spanish chronicles
understand why he should be considered inferior of Filipino history were part of a search for a Filipino
simply because his skin color was brown and his hair golden age uncorrupted by the colonial experience.
straight. He took delight in standing at the head of During Rizal’s last months of exile in Mindanao,
his class just to prove that the Spaniards were no removed from metropolitan and cosmopolitan
better than his own people.” environments in which he had spent most of his life,
his roots seemed to have deepened in what he came
to see as part of his own country’s soil. When he
returned to Manila to face death by firing squad for
his involvement in revolutionary nationalism, he will explore not only the content of the novels
questioned his designation as a “Chinese mestizo” on that ignited the hearts of the readers but also
his own death warrant insisting that he was a “pure we can determine the personality of Jose Rizal
bred native.” throughout his writings.
Tomorrow, we commemorate the 123rd anniversary
of the martyrdom of Jose Rizal. It is a testimony to his Please watch this video as an introduction to his
greatness that the ideals and principles he wrote and novels. This will give you an overview of the
died for still provide inspiration to our people. importance of the novels written by Jose Rizal.
He was truly the first Filipino nationalist.
The hard work of Rizal did not end into a waste.
3.3.1. Favorite Quote It really had an impact not only in the Philippines
" Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika, daig pa but also in other places in the world.
ang hayop ant malansang isda"
This is one of my favorite quotes from Rizal. In the present time, can you think that this kind
of strategy will still be effective? Can a single
What's yours? novel change even just a bigger part of the
Explain the reason society?
This topic deals with the novels of Jose Rizal. In - completed writing Noli Me Tangere in
actuality, Rizal had three novels. The very known December 1886.
Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo and the - foreseen the novelmight not be printed.
unfinished novel entitled Makamisa. This topic
- Thru Máximo Viola’s monetarial assistance, the is Sisa's 7-year-old son. An altar boy, he was
novel is printed in Berliner Buchdruckerei- unjustly accused of stealing money from the
Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin, Germany church. After failing to force Crispín to return the
money he allegedly stole, Father Salví and the
Primary Characters in Noli Me Tangere head sacristan killed him. It is not directly stated
1. Crisostomo Ibarra that he was killed, but the dream of Basilio
Son of a Filipino businessman, Don Rafael Ibarra, suggests that Crispín died during his encounter
he studied in Europe for seven years and also with Padre Salvi and his minion.
María Clara's fiancé.
10. Basilio
2. Maria Clara is Sisa's 10-year-old son. An acolyte tasked to
-raised and treated by Capitán Tiago as his only ring the church bells for the Angelus, he faced
daughter girl the dread of losing his younger brother and the
-.an illegitimate daughter of Father Dámaso. descent of his mother into insanity. At the end
of the novel, Elías wished Basilio to bury him by
3. Capitan Tiago burning in exchange of chest of gold located on
-real name is Santiago de los Santos and his his death ground. He will later play a major role
nickname Tiago and the poblacion chieftain or in El Filibusterismo.
cabeza de barangay or San Diego.
-Maria Clara’s de facto father El Filibusterismo is a sequel of Noli Me Tangere
Rizal had to define the word filibustero to his
4. Padre Damaso German friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt, who did
5. Elias not understand his use of the word in Noli Me
- Ibarra's mysterious savior and friend Tangere. In a letter, Rizal explained:
- dreamed of liberating the society from Spanish “The word filibustero is little known in the
tyrannical governance using violence. Philippines. The masses do not know it yet. I
heard it for the first time in 1872 when the
6. Don Anastacio tragic executions took place. “
-same with Elias ‘ dream of liberating the “The Filipinos belonging to the educated
country from the tyrannical reign via non violent classfear the reach of the word. It does not
way- using a cryptographic alphabet that have the meaning of freebooters; it rather
someday generation in the future can uncover means a dangerous patriot who will soon be
the meanings. A bit similar to Rizal in the use of hanged or well, a presumptuous man.”
pen to awaken the sleeping minds of the people The El Filibusterismo is dedicated to the three
to the oppression by the colonial government. martyred priest execution on the year 1872.
They were wrongly implicated as having
7. Doña Victorina de los Reyes de Espadaña involved in the planning and execution of the
Filipina trying to upgrade herself as a Spanish in mutiny in Cavite in 1872.They were Father
almost in many ways such as clothings, dialects Mariano Gomez, (85 years old ), Father Jose
and make-up on her face Burgos(30 years old and father Jacinto
Zamora(35 years old).
8. Narcisa or Sisa They were executed at the Bagumbayan field
-mother of Crispin and Basilio who became on February 28, 1872. Gregorio F Zaide and
mentally ill out of intense thinking of serious Sonia Zaide: Jose Rizal: Life, Works and
problems Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and
National Hero. All-Natons Publishing Co. Inc,
9. Crispín 2007
Some points Comparison and Differences of him. Some are written while he was in the
between Noli and El Filibusterismo Philipines and others were when he was abroad.
1. Noli is a social novel, while El Fili is a political
novel It is the aim of this topic to recognize Rizal not
2. Noli is inspired by the heart, while El Fili is only on the ground of his famous novels but also
propelled by the head through his other political writings.
3. Noli injects color and freshness, while it
provokes hatred and bitterness The Katipunan has plans for revolution but this
4. Noli is composed of 63 chapters, while El Fili was ignited by the works of Jose Rizal. This video
has 39 chapters clip will show the passion of Katipuneros to start
5. Noli is printed in Berlin,Germany while El Fili is the revolution because they don't want to put
printed in Ghent, Belgium into waste the efforts of Rizal:
5 characters present in both Noli Me Tangere &
El Filibusterismo Because of the revolution, Rizal was convicted of
1. Ibarra, turned Simoun treason and rebellion even though he really
2. Basilio doesn't have a direct relation to the Katipunan.
3. Padre Salvi But even if it was not the case, he will still be
4. Padre Sibyla convicted because the Spaniards really want to
5. Capitan Tiago get rid of him. Anyway, the Spaniards can do
anything because equality before the law is non-
Worth pointing is the seemingly analogous of existent during that time.
what Rizal mentioned in one of the verses in the Is there equality now in our country? In so far as
Mi Ultimo Adios: “ I am to die just when I see the the law is concerned?
dawn break “ and that of the one of last
statements uttered by the dying Elias in the Noli Module 4 Works (Major)
novel- “ You, who have it to see, welcome it, R. De Los Reyes
forget not those who have fallen during the 2. Rizal’s important literary works
night I die without seeing the dawn brighten
over my native land! This part will bring some of the remarkable
“(Zaide,Jose Rizal:Life,Works and Writings of a poems, essays and short stories reflecting Rizal’s
Genius Writer, Scientist,and National Hero) idea of nationalism. This also brings the reason
why literature is being connected to politics.
Upon completing El Filibusterismo Rizal wrote to
Blumentritt: "I have not written in it any idea of Rizal’s important literary works
vengeance against my enemies, but only for the The Most Important Literary Works by Jose Rizal
good of those who suffer, for the rights of -To the Filipino Youth
Tagalogs....“ Gregorio F Zaide and Sonia Zaide: -Goodbye to Leonor
Jose Rizal: Life, Works and Writings of a Genius, -To the Young Women of Malolos
Writer, Scientist and National Hero. All-Nations -Kundiman
Publishing Co. Inc, 2007 -Junto Al Pasig
-Noli Me Tángere
4.2: Rizal’s Important Literary Works -El Filibusterismo
It is a fact that Rizal was known because of Noli -Mi último adios
and Fili. But aside from those novels, we have to
remember that he has other works that are To The Filipino Youth. People(Garcia.et al. Rizal
equally aiming for reform in the Philippines. In and the Development of Filipino Nationalism)
this topic, we are to explore those literary works
-written by Rizal as an entry to the 1879 literary - thematic message of the poem is his intense
contest sponsored by the Liceo Arstistico love of his love of country and inculcation to his
Literario de Manila and garnered the grand prize fellowmen to love their country
-is a classic in the Philippine Literature, being the
first remarkable poem written in Spanish by a Letter to the young women of Malolos
Filipino radiating the tenets of nationalism -request of Marcelo del Pilar to honor the
-under that poem Rizal was the first to call the women Malolos in their fight for their right to
country his motherland self-improvement
-objectives of the letter are: rejection of the
El Consejo de los Dioses spiritual dominancy of the friars, qualities of
-Rizal’s entry in the literary contest held on 1880 Filipino mothers need to possess including their
-an allegory in praise of Cervantes as co-equal of duties and responsibilities to their children,
both Homer and Virgil husbands and young women in the selection of
-a proof contradicting the superiority of the their future husbands.
Spanish over the Filipinos in this field
Through Education The Country Receives Light
Junto Al Pasig and The Intimate Alliance Between Religion
-a one act play composed by Rizal in response to And Education People(Garcia.et al. Rizal and the
the request of the Jesuits to be performed Development of Filipino Nationalism)
during the celebration of the Feast Day of -two poems of Rizal dealing with his concepts of
Immaculate Conception. education
-according to Guerrero this play can be -the first poem makes education analogous to
understood as a prophecy of continuing lighthouse that can guide people in the courses
revolution, or continuation of Rizal’s pleading of action, can tragic the youth to the attainment
before the Filipino youth to child foreigner for of rectitude and virtue and can transform the
bringing misery in life or a religious allegory country into progress
-the second poem, highlighted Rizal belief at
Mi Ultimo Adios that time that education not Godcentered is not
-titleless, last poem poem made by Rizal on true education .
June 29, 1896.
-Primary messages of the poem are: farewell The Indolence of the Filipino People (Garcia.et
address, last will of Rizal, pleading of Rizal for al. Rizal and the Development of Filipino
Filipinos not to forget him and his proposal or Nationalism)
wish in the interest of the motherland and -longest written essay by Rizal.
timeline of Rizal’s life a. Cause of Filipino indolence imputed to
Spanish colonizers
Goodbye to Leonor 1. wars and internal orders resulting from
- A melancholic poem written by Rizal for his conquest
childhood sweetheart, Leonor Rivera, who 2. Pirates’s attacks on the lives and properties of
married Henry Kipping, a British railway the inhabitants
engineer. 3. Policy of force-labor
- Rizal was only 13 years old when they met in 4. Missionaries’ doctrine of the poor getting
Dagupan easier access to heaven
5. Friars landed estate
A Las Flores de Heidelberg 6. No support system in agriculture and other
- Written thru the inspiration of different commercial industries
beautiful sceneries of Heidelberg by Rizal on 7. Bureaucratic policies
April 12, 1886 8. Human dignity is not respected
-Blumentritt made the preface of the
b. Cause of Indolence attributed to the Filipinos annotation.
themselves -consisted of eight chapters.
1. Bahala na mentality -reasons for annotating Morgas’s Successos de
2. Inferiority syndrome within the Filipinos las Islas filipinas
3. Lack of self-confidence 1. to awaken the consciousness of the Filipinos’
4. Lack of sense of nationalism culture
2. to rectify the distorted and falsified
4.3: Rizal’s Annotation description of Pre-Spanish Filipinos’ culture like
" To prove his point and refute the accusations that of stereotyping natives as very uncivilized.
of prejudiced Spanish writers against his race, 3. to show proof that filipinos were civilized
Rizal annotated the book, Sucesos de las Islas prior to entry Spanish conquestadores(Gregorio
Filipinas, written by the Spaniard Antonio F Zaide and Sonia Zaide: Jose Rizal: Life, Works
Morga. The book was an unbiased presentation and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and
of 16th century Filipino culture. Rizal through his National Hero. All-Naions Publshing Co. Inc,
annotation showed that Filipinos had developed 2007)
culture even before the coming of the
Spaniards." > http://www.joserizal.ph/pr01.html - Other reason is: To reconnect this annotation
(Links to an external site.) to his two novels, Noli and Fili. Morgas’
In this topic, we shall explore the impact of this annotation may be constructed as the past or
important work of Rizal. This annotation of Rizal pre-colonial period, Noli as the present colonial
was considered as a form of introducing to the era and Fili as the future or post colonial era
world the Philippines and who are the Filipinos.
This also serves as a preview before he wrote his -he received criticisms from Blumentritt of his
novels annotation of Successos de l as Islas Filipinas
1. appraising events against the present
Module 4 3. Rizal’s Annotation standards
2. attacks on the church are unfair and
Rizal’s Annotation unjustified
This part will present annotations by Rizal of the -he dedicated the annotation to the Filipino
history book written by a Deputy Governor- people in order that they may know their
General Dr Antonio de Morga assigned in the glorious past
Philippine archipelago. It is published on the -It was printed on 1890. Other alleged, it came
year 1609 at Mexico. of the press as early as 1889.
Rizal’s Annotation of Succesos de las Islas Rizal’s tripartite view of the country ‘s conditions
Filipinas in his annotation
-he made a prior survey of historical account 1. Pre-Spanish period or pre-conquest past,
about the Philippines archipelago by Pigafetta, where the country experienced progress
Chirino and other Spanish chroniclers and 2. Spanish period or the colonial stage , where
historian the progress in the Pre-Spanish era began to
-he made a conclusion is a non-biased historical collapse or stop
account of the history of Philippine archipelago 3. Rebirth of Progress, which can be traced to
and the culture of the native therein the beginning of the Filipinos’ consciousness of
-it took four solid months of both research and nationalism.
writing and one year to have the manuscript of It can be further explored that the annotation of
this annotation printed. Morgas’ Successos may refer to the past state of
the archipelago, the Noli is the present state of
the nation and the Fili is the future state of the Rizal’s other Works with great impact
nation. This part will highlight works other than
publications by Rizal which in one way or
Rizal wanted to show the world that the another reflected his intense degree of
Philippines was having an advanced civilization nationalism.
before the coming of the Spaniards. This is also
to say that the country can stand even without 1. Proposed Educational Measures
the presence of the colonizers. Rizal seconded to the ideals of the society
advanced by Plato that mass education is
If the annotation is a preview for Noli and Fili, important to its advancement as embedded in
after the Noli and Fili what are the reforms Rizal the part Noli Me Tangere which says “ The
is asking? There might be a conflict with his school is the basis of society. The school is the
philosophy while he writing on Morga's. book in which it is written the future of the
nation. Show us the schools of the people and
Before leaving this topic, please find time to we shall tell you what people are.” In particular
read this nice article: the pressing educational reforms Rizal presented
during his exile at Dapitan is the establishment
4.4: Rizal’s other Works with Great Impact of a school of arts and trade in every given
provincial capital which has more than 16,000
Aside from the novels and literary works, Rizal residents.
had other works and establish a great impact. In Rizal advocated for a balanced-curriculum with
this topic, we will look at some of them and try end of producing enlightened, patriotic, civic-
to see their contribution to Rizal's goal of minded, and law-abiding citizens Rizal pointed
seeking freedom for his people. the inefficiency of the colonial system of
Rizal once said: "Ignorance is servitude, because education in terms of the ff:
as a man thinks, so he is; a man who does not 1. mass and popular education
think for himself and allowed himself to be 2. religion-centered as to the contents
guided by the thought of another is like the 3.absence of economic freedom(Guerrero, LM :
beast led by a halter." The first Filipino, Pasig City:Anvil Publishing Inc,
Let us not be ignorant, let us learn from Rizal's 1998)
words.
2. Rizal’s Economic perspectives
is livelihood of the people in industry or
I hope this will motivate you. Please watch this economic activities where the nation will fit into.
video clip. This will the value of works of Jose He moved for the building of trade or craft
Rizal not only in terms of impact but also in schools to train residents in order to engaged
terms of money: themselves in a gainful employment. He had
already foreseen that economic policy of
Rizal is really talented and smart. He used these inclusive growth of both domestic industries
characters very well and he was able to including agricultural plantation and the workers
create obra maestras. Today people are busy therein. Included thereto is Rizal’s prescription
with digital things. Can there be another obra of support system via incentives provided both
maestra that can save the Filipinos at this point to businesses and their workers and curbing of
in time? Or nothing will be relevant. bureaucratic practices in the government among
others.( Guerrero, LM : The first Filipino, Pasig
Module 4 Works (Major) City:Anvil Publishing Inc, 1998)
Rizal’s other Works with great impact
3. Rizal’s Political Perspectives
-he believed the basic purpose of the future. Rizal won the first prize and was rewarded
government is to serve for the general welfare with a feather-shaped silver pen and a diploma.
of the people -he supported those freedom,
liberty and freedom enshrined in the bill of Goodbye to Leonor
This literary piece gives an insight into the romantic
rights -he believed the assimilation policy of the
relationship of Rizal and his beloved, Leonor Rivera.
colonial government -he was revolutionary in The two met when in the province of Dagupan when
thought or ideas -he was an anti-imperialist Rivera was only 13-years-old. Rivera’s parents were
zealot -he saw the globalization processes not in favor of their relationship and though distance
coming in the future -he prescribed re- separated them, the two kept in touch by sending
organization of the administrative letters and photographs to each other. Rizal later
instrumentalities -he advocated for religious found out that her lady love would soon tie the knot
freedom & separation of church & with Henry Kipping, and the news definitely
state(Guerrero, LM : The first Filipino, Pasig disheartened him. The lonely, heartbreaking feelings
he felt, resulted in this melancholic poem.
City:Anvil Publishing Inc, 1998)
To the Young Women of Malolos
Rizal’s other historical commentaries are: Addressed to the Filipino women, Rizal’s letter
1. Ma-yi , written on December 6, 1888 entitled To The Young Women of Malolos reflects his
2. Tawalisi of Ibn Batuta, written on January 7, inheritance and issues reminders to Filipino women.
1889 In his letter, he addresses all kinds of Filipino women
3. The Philippines within a century, published in – mothers, wives, and even the single women.
La Solidaridad in 1889-1890 Throughout this literary piece, he highlights the
4. The Indolence of the Filipino People, qualities that Filipino mothers should possess, the
published in la Solidaridad in 1890 duties of wives to their husbands and children, and a
counsel on how young women should choose their
5. La Politica Colonial on Filipinas
lifetime partners. The idea behind this letter sparked
6. Manila in the month of December
after he was impressed by the women of Malolos
7. History of the Rizal Family of Calamba who won the battle they fought. Rizal advises women
8. The people of the Indian to educate themselves, protect their dignity and
archipelago(Guerrero, LM : The first Filipino, honor, and live with good manners – setting up as a
Pasig City:Anvil Publishing Inc, 1998) role model.
El Filibusterismo
This is Rizal’s sequel to his first book, Noli Me
Tángere. In El Filibusterismo (The Reign of the
Greed), the novel exhibits a dark theme (as opposed
to the hopeful atmosphere in the first novel) in which
it depicts the country’s issues and how the
protagonist attempts a reform. The story takes place
13 years after Noli Me Tángere, where revolutionary
protagonist Crisostomo Ibarra is now under the guise
of Simoun – a wealthy jewelry tycoon. Because the
novel also portrays the abuse, corruption, and
discrimination of the Spaniards towards Filipinos, it
was also banned in the country at the time. Rizal
dedicated his second novel to the GOMBURZA – the
Filipino priests named Mariano Gomez, Jose Apolonio
Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora who were executed on
charges of subversion. The two novels of Rizal, now
considered as his literary masterpieces, both
indirectly sparked the Philippine Revolution.
Mi último adiós
After being associated with the Katipuneros, Rizal
was arrested and later sentenced to death by firing
squad for acts of sedition and rebellion. During his
final days in Fort Santiago of Manila, Rizal bid
farewell to his motherland and countrymen through