El Filibusterismo

It is the second novel written by José Rizal as the sequel to Noli Me Tangere.

▪ Like Noli Me Tangere, it was written in Spanish.

▪ “The Reign of Greed” in English.

▪ Rizal dedicated El Filibusterismo to the three martyred priests of Cavite Mutiny. The execution of the three
priests was significant to the title of the novel.

▪ This novel is a bitter cry of a suffering soul. It has little humor, less idealism, and less romance as what we
find in Noli Me Tangere. It is more revolutionary, more tragic than the first novel.

History of the El Filibusterismo

▪ Rizal began writing El Filibusterismo in October 1887 while he was in Calamba.

▪ In London (1888), he revised the plot and some chapters. Rizal continued to work on his manuscript in Paris.

▪ He later moved to Brussels, Belgium where the cost of living was cheaper and he would be less likely to be
distracted by social events so he could focus on finishing the book.

▪ He finally completed the book on March 29, 1891 in Biarritz, France.

▪ September 18, 1891- the novel was published in Ghent, Belgium partially funded by Rizal’s friend Valentin
Ventura. Rizal immediately sent on this date two printed copies to Hong Kong, one for Basa and other for Sixto
Lopez.

▪ Rizal gratefully donated the original manuscript and an autographed printed copy to Valentin Ventura.

The Characters

▪ Simoun - The continuation of the character of Crisostomo Ibarra disguised as a wealthy jeweler, bent on
starting a revolution. Using his wealth, he encouraged the people who experienced abuse to join him in his
rebellion against the church and the government.

▪ Basilio - Sisa's son and was adopted by Kapitan Tiago, boyfriend of Juli and an aspiring doctor.

▪ Isagani - poet and Basilio's best friend; portrayed as emotional and reactive student leader; Paulita Gómez'
boyfriend before being dumped for fellow student Juanito Pelaez.

▪ Kabesang Tales - a former Cabeza de Barangay (Barangay Head) who was known as a Luzon bandit
Matanglawin.

▪ Don Custodio - a famous "journalist" who was asked by the students about his decision for the Academia de
Castellano. In reality, he was quite an ordinary fellow who married a rich woman in order to be a member of
Manila's high society.

▪ Paulita Gomez - The girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of Doña Victorina, the old India who passing (racial
identity) passes herself off as a Peninsulares. In the end, she and Juanito Peláez were wed, and she dumped
Isagani, believing that she will have no future if she marries him.

▪ Father Florentino - Isagani's godfather, and a secular priest; was engaged to be married but chose to be a
priest after being pressured by his mother, the story hinting at the ambivalence of his decision as he chose an
assignment to a remote place, living in solitude near the sea.

▪ Juli - Juliana de Dios, the girlfriend of Basilio, and the youngest daughter of Kabesang Tales
▪ Ben Zayb - Abraham Ibañez is his real name. He is a journalist who thought he was the "only" one thinking
in the Philippines.

▪ Placido Penitente - a student of the University of Santo Tomas who was very intelligent and wise but did not
want, if not only by his mother's plea, to pursue his studies.

▪ Quiroga - a Chinese businessman who dreamt of being a consul of a "Consulate of China" in the Philippines.
He kept Simoun's weapons inside his house.

▪ Tandang Selo - Father of Kabesang Tales. He raised the sick and young Basilio after his mother Sisa had
died.

▪ Father Fernandez - the priest-friend of Isagani. He promised Isagani that he and the other priests will give in
to the students' demands.

▪ Attorney Pasta - one of the great lawyers of mid-Hispanic Manila.

▪ Captain-General (no specific name) - the powerful highest official in the Philippines.

▪ Padre Sibyla - Hernando de la Sibyla, a Filipino friar and now vice-rector of the University of Santo Tomas

Synopsis of El Filibusterismo

The story in El Filibusterismo revolves around its main character Simoun who is an affluent jeweler. Simoun is
actually Crisostomo Ibarra of the Noli whom everyone thought had been killed by the Guardia Civil at Laguna
de Bay. He had escaped, fled to Cuba, become wealthy, and made connections with influential Spanish
officials. Upon his return to the Philippines after many years, he becomes very influential as the governor
general, who owes so much to him, consults him in making decisions.

In reality however, everything Simoun does is just part of his grand plan to take revenge against the Spanish
officials and rescue Maria Clara from the convent. Planning to stage a revolution, he smuggles arms and looks
for followers, mainly from the exploited and abused natives.

One of his recruits is Basilio, the son of Sisa, who with Capitan Tiago’s help was able to study in Manila.
Simoun also makes an alliance with the revolutionary group of Kabesang Tales, a former ‘cabeza de barangay’
who suffered maltreatments from the hands of the friars. Using his influence, Simoun encourages corruption,
decadence, and more oppressive government policies so that the citizens may become more infuriated.
However, one night, the planned revolt was not carried out because Simoun, upon hearing that Maria Clara
died in the nunnery, decided not to give the signal for the outbreak of the uprising.

Another plan was made some months later. At the venue of the wedding reception of Juanito Pelaez and
Paulita Gomez, Simoun planted many explosives—enough to kill the invited guests, primarily the friars and
government officials. According to the plot, the big explosion shall be started by the gift he would give to the
newlyweds at the reception—a kerosene lamp with an explosive. When the lamp flickers and someone turns
the wick, it will result into a big explosion that will become a signal to the revolutionary troops to
simultaneously attack all the government buildings in Manila.

During the reception, Simoun gives his gift to the newlyweds. Before hurriedly leaving the venue, he leaves a
piece of mysterious paper bearing the message “You will die tonight” signed by Juan Crisostomo Ibarra.

Meanwhile, Isagani, the rejected lover of Paulita, is standing outside the reception. His friend Basilio tells him
to leave the place because the lamp will soon blow up.

When Father Salvi identifies the handwriting in the note and confirms that it was indeed Ibarra’s, the guests
begin to panic. When the lamp flickers, Father Irene tries to turn the wick up. But Isagani, wanting to save
Paulita’s life, rushes into the house, grabs the lamp, and throws it into the river where it explodes.
Simoun’s revolutionary plot was discovered and he’s hunted by the Guardia Civil. He managed to escape but
was seriously wounded. Carrying his jewelry chest, he finds shelter in the home of Padre Florentino. Learning
of his presence in the house of the priest, the lieutenant of the Guardia Civil informs Padre Florentino that he
will come in the evening to arrest Simoun.

Simoun then takes poison that he would not be caught alive. As the poison’s effects start to take toll on his
body, he confesses to Florentino his true identity and his plan of revenge through bloody revolution. After the
emotional and agonizing confession of the dying man, the priest absolves the dying man from his sins, saying:
“God will forgive you Señor Simoun.” He knows that we are fallible. He has seen that you have suffered … He
has frustrated your plans one by one … first by the death of Maria Clara, then by a lack of preparation, then in
some mysterious way. Let us bow to His will and render Him thanks!

The story ends with the priest throwing Simoun’s treasures into the sea so that they would not be used by the
greedy. The priest hopes that when the right time comes, they would be recovered and used only for the
good.

Rizal’s Life and Works

G e c - 9 As mandated by Republic Act No. 1425, this course covers the life and works of the country’s national
hero, Jose Rizal. Among the topics covered are Rizal’s biography and his writings, particularly the novels Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, some of his essays and various correspondences.

THE INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE

Sobre la indolencia de los filipinos

The Indolence of the Filipino People was the longest essay of Jose P. Rizal published in La Solidaridad on July
15, 1890, to defend the Filipinos against the accusation of Mr. Sanciano that the Filipinos are indolent. This is
due to the observation of Sanciano to a Filipino farmer who was having a siesta at nine o'clock in the morning
because he was already done on his work.

The Indolence of the Filipino People

According to Rizal, whenever something goes wrong in the Philippines, there is a tendency to blame the
Filipinos.

Rizal’s thesis in this essay was simple: that Filipinos were not born lazy but had a tendency to become lazy.
Acknowledging the tendency for the Filipinos to become indolent due in part to the tropical climate, Rizal
noted that it was the European, surrounded by servants, who was the paragon of laziness in the tropics.

The Deterioration Of The Industry Of The Filipinos Can Be Attributed To Two Sets Of Factors: Those
Attributable To The Spanish Colonizers; And Those Attributable To The Filipinos’ Own Faults.

1. Wars and Internal disorders that followed Spanish Conquest

2. Piratical Attacks on Coastal Towns and Villages by Muslim Pirates

3. Forced Labor in Shipbuilding

4. Government’s Neglect and Apathy to Agriculture, Industry and Commerce

5. Absence of Material and Moral Incentives to Work Harder

6. The Teaching of the Spanish Missionaries that Heaven is for the Poor

7. Too Much Government Restriction and Red Tape in the Approval of Permit to Transact Business

8. Encouragement and Propagation of Gambling

10.Example Set by the Spaniards in Disdaining Manual Labor

11.Deprivation of Human Dignity

The Indolence of the Filipino People

1. Feeling of Inferiority. The prevalence of a feeling of inferiority among the Filipinos paralyzed all tendencies
towards advancement and developed in them the idea of giving up without fighting or exerting effort.

2. Placing Hopes on Miracles. Nurtured with the stories of anchorites who lead a contemplative and lazy life,
the Filipinos spent their giving money to the Church in the hope of miracles and wonderful things.

3. Lack of Spirit to Pursue Lofty Purposes. As their minds had been conditioned that they belong to an inferior
race and that they should not aspire to be greater than the curate, Filipinos sealed and shaped their actions to
be in conformity with the most pernicious routines not based on reason but imposed and forced.

4. Lack of National Sentiment. The lack of national sentiment breeds another evil, which is the scarcity of any
opposition to the measures that are prejudicial to the people and the absence of any initiative that will
rebound to their welfare.

FILIPINAS DENTRO DE CIEN AÑOS

The Philippines A Century Hence

This essay, published in La Solidaridad starts by analyzing the various causes of the miseries suffered by the
Filipino people. Dr. Rizal wrote this to forecast the future of the country within a hundred years

• This essay starts with an analysis of the causes of the miseries of the people. One of the causes identified in
this article was Spain’s implementation of her military policies.

• A second cause of this misery was deterioration and disappearance of Filipino indigenous culture.

• A third cause of this miserable condition of the people was their passivity and submissiveness to the Spanish
colonizers.

What then had made the people realize their sad situation under Spanish rule?

Could Spain prevent the progress of the Philippines?

If Spain decide to do so, what could she possibly do:

1. Keep the people ignorant?

2. Keep the people in poverty?

3. Exterminate the Filipino race?

Keeping the people ignorant failed. Why?

• Awakening of national consciousness among the people united them. With the spread of enlightenment, the
illustrado class arose.

Recourse to impoverishment also failed. Why?

• Keeping the people in poverty created in the Filipinos the desire to change things.

Extermination of the people as an alternative to hindering progress was an impossibility according to Rizal.
Why?
• The people had survived in spite of the wars they had engaged in and the epidemics that had plagued
society.

Can the divide et impera or divide and rule policy still work to foster enmity between and among the natives?

• To Rizal, this would no longer be effective owing to the ease of movement in the archipelago brought about
by improved means of transportation.

Therefore, Spain has no way of blocking reforms and progress of the Philippines

• Rizal’s essay centered on the reforms and political changes needed for the Philippines to remain under
Spanish rule. Nevertheless, he stressed that reforms have to be initiated by the government for them to be
peaceful and effective.

• These reforms were the following: freedom of the press in the country; representation of the Filipinos in the
Spanish Cortes; granting of Spanish citizenship to the people; filling of government positions through
competitive examinations; and reforms in commerce, agriculture and education; and greater security for the
individual and other reforms.

• Which colonizing power will replace Spain? Will it be a European power or an Asian power?

• If Spain will not be replaced either by a European or an Asian power, which country then will be interested in
what Spain has to give up? To Rizal, this country is none other than the United States of America. What Rizal
envisioned in this essay came true. The Americans entered the Philippines and wrestled from Spain the control
of the Philippines.

The YOUNG WOMEN OF MALOLOS

This letter was written in Tagalog, while Rizal was in London.

December 12, 1888 – a group of twenty women of Malolos petitioned Governor-General Weyler for permission
to open a night school so that they may study Spanish under Teodoro Sandiko.

Father Felipe Garcia objected resulting into the turning down of the petition by the Governor-General.

When the Spaniards came into the Philippines, they brought with them their patriarchal values about women
which eventually diffused into Philippine culture.

There was an idea that men should be the provider of the family and protector of the women.

Filipinos were familiarized to a patriarchal system of education which emphasized the domestic value that
women were the property of men.

But these young women courageously sustained their agitation for the establishment of the school. They
triumphed in the end and were granted permission to their project on the condition that Señorita Guadalupe
Reyes should be their teacher.

The letter Rizal transmitted to the young women of Malolos focused on the following points: the rejection of
the spiritual authority of the friars; the defense of private judgment; qualities Filipino mothers need to
possess; duties and responsibilities of Filipino mothers to their children; duties and responsibilities of a wife to
her husband; and counsel to young women on their choice of a lifetime partner.

Rizal’s ultimate desire was to afford Filipino women with the same opportunities enjoyed by men in education
– an education that will liberate women.

He emphasized the need for maintaining the independence of mind and reason. He urged women to be
vigilant over their rights and not to be docile and passive in their attitude towards the many injustices forced
upon them.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF FILIPINO MOTHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN

It is the mothers who are responsible for the present servitude of our compatriots, owing to the unlimited
trustfulness of their loving hearts, to their ardent desire to elevate their sons.

What then was Rizal trying to put across here?

He was trying to tell the women that whatever the mother is, would be her son becomes. Mothers who can
teach nothing else but kneeling and kissing the hand of the friars should expect children who are not only
stupid but also exploited slaves.

WHAT THEN ARE THE DUTIES OF THE FILIPINO MOTHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN?

• To raise children close to the image of God;

• To awaken and prepare the mind of the child for every good and desirable idea; and

• To teach children to prefer death with honor than life with dishonor

Rizal stressed the need for mothers to educate their children on the following values: love for honor; sincere
and firm character; clear mind; clear conduct; noble action; love for one’s fellowmen; and respect for God

QUALITIES MOTHERS HAVE TO POSSESS

• The Filipino mother has to be a noble wife.

• She has to rear her children in the service of the state. Rizal gives reference to the women of Sparta who
embody this quality.

• A wife has to set the standards of behavior for men around her.

3 basic things a wife must instill in the mind of her husband: activity and industry; noble behavior; and worthy
sentiments

Rizal gave the following advices to a married woman:

• aid her husband;

• share his perils;

• refrain from causing him worry; and

• sweeten his moments of affliction

RIZAL’S ADVICE TO UNMARRIED MEN AND WOMEN

Rizal was directly telling young men that in choosing their lifetime partner, they should not consider physical
beauty nor the sweetness character of a woman, but rather give priority to firmness of character and excellent
ideas.

On the other hand, Rizal counseled young women not to surrender their womanhood to a weak and timid
heart. There are 3 things that a young woman must look for a man she is going to marry: a noble and
honored man; a manly heart; and a high spirit incapable of being slave.

SUMMARY To The Young Women of Malolos

Filipino mothers should teach their children love of God, county and fellowmen.

Filipino mothers should be glad and honored, like Spartan mothers to offer their sons in defense of their
country.
Filipino women should know how to protect their dignity and honor.

Filipino women should educate themselves aside from retaining their good racial values.

Faith is not merely reciting prayers and wearing religious pictures. It is living the real Christian way with good
morals and manners.