NOLI ME TANGERE

OUTLINE
1. BACKGROUND
Berlin, (March, 1887)
smuggled into the Philippines
Dedicated to the Filipino people
political novel
2. OBJECTIVES:
1. Awaken the Filipinos
2. Expose the problems of the Philippines to the world as in Greek practice
(REFER TO NOLI'S DEDICATION)
3. Warn the Spaniards that if no reforms will be granted, a revolution might break out.
Written in Spanish because of wide audience in mind.
Title: Touch Me Not
Social Cancer - so grave it cannot be touched for it causes so much pain
he was writing about an "untouchable" subject during the 19th C.
Style: Satirical, allegorical
Setting = San Diego
= somewhere in the Lake area
= the Philippines in Miniature
= microcosm of Philippine Society
= 1880s contemporary time of Rizal
Main Plot= transformation of Ibarra
Juan Crisostomo Ibarra y Magsalin means to transform
early 20s
mestizo, scion of Don Rafael Ibarra and indio wife
San Diego, a town practically built by the forefathers of Ibarra
at age 14, he was sent to Europe by his father to be educated
Homecoming: after 7 years in Europe
cause:
death of father, the circumstances of which he was not aware of
initial conflict: Fr. Salvi and Fr. Damaso, upon learning about how
his father died and the desecration of his grave.
Project: School building to improve facilities of education
to uplift the standard of the people.
Conflict: opposition of the Parish authorities
Marriage: Maria Clara; daughter of Capitan Tiago and Pia Alba;
childhood sweetheart; engaged before he left for Europe;
educated and brought in the nunnery of St. Clare;
Fr. Damaso - godfather; over-protective; made important
decisions in the life of Maria Clara; conflict: opposed the marriage
of Ibarra with Maria Clara
FRIAR CONTROLLED EDUCATION
FR. DAMASO: the Friars concerned about the spiritual salvation

of the Filipinos which they perceived was threatened by liberal education

FR. SALVI: the Friars who wanted to remain in power so they can
continue to control, dominate, abuse and exploit the Filipinos for their selfish ends

MAJOR THEMES:
1. FRAILOCRACIA = Hypocritical religious despotism;
Friars dominated Phil. society; religion as an instrument of enrichment
2. "There are no tyrants, where there are no slaves."
Natives suffered partly because of their ignorance,
cowardice, negligence, & apathy.
SUB-THEMES:
1. COLONIAL MENTALITY OF THE FILIPINOS (VICTORINA, TIAGO)
2. RELIGIOUS FANATICISM & SUPERSTITIONS (TERTIARY SISTERS)
3. LAVISHNESS OF THE FILIPINOS (TIAGO)
4. PARTISAN POLITICS (LIBERALS VS. CONSERVATIVES)
5. CONFLICT BETWEEN CHURCH & STATE (CURATE VS. LIEUTENANT)
6. PROLIFERATION OF SPANISH OUTCASTS (TIBURCIO, LINARES)
7. PROLIFERATION OF SOCIAL BANDITRY (ELIAS, CAPITAN PABLO)
8. PENCHANT FOR HONORS & TITLES (DON, DONA, ETC)
9. HYPOCRISY OF BOTH NATIVES & SPANIARDS
10. VICES (GAMBLING & OPIUM-SMOKING)
11. POLICE BRUTALITY (GUARDIA CIVIL)
12. ABUSES AGAINST WOMEN & CHILDREN (SISA, CRISPIN)

Having completed his studies in Europe, young Juan Crisstomo Ibarra y Magsalin came back to the Philippines after a
7-year absence. In his honor, Don Santiago de los Santos, also known as "Captain Tiago", a family friend, threw a
welcome home party, attended by friars and other prominent figures. One of the guests, former San Diego curate Fray
Dmaso Vardolagas, belittled and slandered Ibarra.
The next day, Ibarra visits Mara 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 Mara Clara cannot help but reread
the letters her sweetheart had written her before he went to Europe. Before Ibarra left for San Diego in time for the
town fiesta, 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 subversive an
allegation brought forth by Dmaso because of Don Rafael's non-participation in the Sacraments, such
as Confession and Mass. Fr. Dmaso's animosity towards Ibarra's father is aggravated by another incident when Don
Rafael helped out in a fight between a tax collector and a child, with the former's death being blamed on him, although
it was not deliberate. Suddenly, all 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. His remains, formerly interred at
the local cemetery, were removed as per Fray Dmaso's orders a few years past.
Revenge was not in Ibarra's plans, instead he carried through his father's plan of putting up a school, since he believed
education would pave the way to his country's progress (all throughout the novel, the author refers to both Spain and
the Philippines as two different countries but part of the 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
Elas 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.
After the inauguration, Ibarra hosted a luncheon during which Fr. Dmaso, 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 he lunged at Dmaso, prepared to stab him for his impudence. Consequently,
Dmasoexcommunicated Ibarra, taking this opportunity to persuade the already-hesitant Tiago to forbid his daughter
from marrying Ibarra. The friar wanted Mara Clara to marry Linares, aPeninsular who 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.
Soon, a revolt happened and the Spanish officials and friars implicated Ibarra as its mastermind. Thus, he was arrested
and detained. As a result, he was disdained by those who became his friends.
Meanwhile, in Capitn Tiago's residence, a party was being held to announce the upcoming wedding of Mara Clara
and Linares. Ibarra, with the help of Elas, took this opportunity to escape from prison. Before leaving, Ibarra spoke to
Mara Clara and accused her of betraying him, thinking she gave the letter he wrote her to the jury. Mara 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, Mara Clara, was born.
Mara Clara, thinking Ibarra had been killed in the shooting incident, was greatly overcome with grief. Robbed of hope
and severely disillusioned, she asked Dmaso to confine her to a nunnery. Dmaso reluctantly agreed when she

threatened to take her own life, demanding, "the nunnery or death!" [2] Unbeknownst to her, Ibarra was still alive and
able to escape. It was Elas who had taken the shots.
It was Christmas Eve when Elas woke up in the forest fatally wounded. It is here where he instructed Ibarra to meet
him. Instead, Elas found the altar boy Basilio cradling his already-dead mother, Sisa. The latter lost her mind when she
learned that her two sons, Crispn and Basilio, were chased out of the convent by the sacristan mayor on suspicions of
stealing sacred objects.
Elas, convinced 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 was to return later and dig as he would find gold. Elas further tells
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.

Elas 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. Mara Clara became a nun and Salv, who had lusted after her from the beginning of
the novel, regularly used her to fulfill his lust. One stormy evening, a beautiful insane woman was seen at the top of the
convent crying and cursing the heavens for the fate it had handed her. While the woman was never identified, it is
insinuated that the said woman was Mara Clara.
Crisstomo Ibarra[edit]
Juan Crisstomo Ibarramedia y Magsalin, commonly referred to the novel as Ibarra or Crisstomo, is the protagonist in the story.
Son of a Filipino businessman, Don Rafael Ibarra, he studied in Europe for seven years.[6] Ibarra is also Mara Clara's fianc. Several
sources claim that Ibarra is also Rizal's reflection: both studied in Europe and both persons believe in the same ideas. Upon his return,
Ibarra requested the local government of San Diego to construct a public school to promote education in the town. [7]
Mara Clara[edit]
A crayon sketch of Leonor RiveraKipping by Rizal.
Mara Clara de los Santos y Alba, commonly referred to as Mara Clara, is Ibarra's fiance. She was raised by Capitn Tiago, San
Diego'scabeza de barangay and is the most beautiful and widely celebrated girl in San Diego. [8] In the later parts of the novel, Mara
Clara's identity was revealed as an illegitimate daughter of Father Dmaso, former parish curate of the town, and Doa Pa Alba, wife
of Capitn Tiago.[9] In the end she entered local convent for nuns Beaterio de Santa Clara. In the epilogue dealing with the fate of the
characters, Rizal stated that it is unknown if Mara Clara is still living within the walls of the convent or she is already dead. [10]
Kapitn Tiago[edit]
Don Santiago de los Santos, known by his nickname Tiago and political title Capitn 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 Mara Clara.[8]
In the novel, it is said that Kapitn Tiago is the richest man in the region of Binondo and he possessed real properties
in Pampanga andLaguna de Bay. He is also said to be a good Catholic, friend of the Spanish government and was considered as a
Spanish by colonialists. Capitn Tiago never attended school, so he became a domestic helper of a Dominican friar who taught him
informal education. He married Pa Alba from Santa Cruz.[8]
Padre Dmaso[edit]

Main article: Father Dmaso

Dmaso Verdolagas, or Padre Dmaso is a Franciscan friar and the former parish curate of San Diego. He is best known as a
notorious character who speaks with harsh words and has been a cruel priest during his stay in the town. [11] He is revealed to be the
real father of Mara Clara and an enemy of Crisstomo's father, Rafael Ibarra. [9] Later, he and Mara Clara had bitter arguments
whether she would marry Alfonso Linares or go to a convent. [12] At the end of the novel, he is again reassigned to a distant town and is
found dead one day.[10]
Elas[edit]
Elas is Ibarra's mysterious friend and ally. Elas made his first appearance as a pilot during a picnic of Ibarra and Mara Clara and her
friends.[13] He wants to revolutionize the country and to be freed from Spanish oppression. [14]
The 50th chapter of the novel explores the past of Elas and history of his family. In the past, Ibarra's great-grandfather condemned
Elas' grandfather of burning a warehouse which led into misfortune for Elas' family. His father was refused to be married by her
mother because his father's past and family lineage was discovered by his mother's family. In the long run, Elas and his twin sister
were raised by their maternal grandfather. When they were teenagers, their distant relatives called them hijos de bastardo or
illegitimate children. One day, his sister disappeared which led him to search for her. His search led him into different places, and
finally, he became a fugitive and subversive.[15]
Pilosopo Tacio[edit]
Filosofo Tacio, known by his Tagalized language 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[16] hoping "that the future generations may be able to decipher it" and realized the abuse and oppression done by the
conquerors.[17]
His full name is only known as Don Anastasio. The educated inhabitants of San Diego labeled him as Filosofo Tacio (Tacio the Sage)
while others called him as Tacio el Loco(Tacio the Insane) due to his exceptional talent for reasoning.
Doa Victorina[edit]
Doa Victorina de los Reyes de Espadaa, commonly known as Doa Victorina, is an ambitious Filipina who classifies herself as a
Spanish and mimics Spanish ladies by putting on heavy make-up.[11] The novel narrates Doa 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
Espadaa, an official of the customs bureau who is about ten years her junior.[18] However, their marriage is childless.
Her husband assumes the title of medical doctor even though he never attended medical school; using fake documents and certificates,
Tiburcio practices illegal medicine. Tiburcio's usage of the title Dr. consequently makes Victorina assume the title Dra. (doctora,
female doctor).[18] Apparently, she uses the whole name Doa Victorina de los Reyes de de Espadaa, with double de to emphasize
her marriage surname.[18] She seems to feel that this awkward titling makes her more "sophisticated."
Sisa, Crispn, and Basilio[edit]
Sisa, Crispn, and Basilio represent a Filipino family persecuted by the Spanish authorities:

Narcisa or Sisa is the deranged mother of Basilio and Crispn. Described as beautiful and young, although she loves her
children very much, she can not protect them from the beatings of her husband, Pedro.

Crispn is Sisa's 7-year-old son. An altar boy, he was unjustly accused of stealing money from the church. After failing to
force Crispn to return the money he allegedly stole, Father Salv and the head sacristan killed him. It is not directly stated that
he was killed, but the dream of Basilio suggests that Crispn died during his encounter with Padre Salvi and his minion.

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, Elas wished Basilio to bury him by burning
in exchange for a chest of gold located on his death ground. He will later play a major role in El Filibusterismo.

Due to their tragic but endearing story, these characters are often parodied in modern Filipino popular culture.
Other characters[edit]
There are a number of secondary and minor characters in Noli Me Tngere. Items indicated inside the parenthesis are the
standard Filipinization of the Spanish names in the novel.

Padre Hernando de la Sibyla a Dominican friar. He is described as short and has fair skin. He is instructed by an old
priest in his order to watch Crisstomo Ibarra.

Padre Bernardo Salv the Franciscan curate of San Diego, secretly harboring lust for Mara 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" meaning bad hinting to the fact that he is willing to kill an innocent child, Crispin, just to get his money back,
though there was not enough evidence that it was Crispin who has stolen his 2 onzas.

El Alfrez or Alperes chief of the Guardia Civil. Mortal enemy of the priests for power in San Diego and husband of
Doa Consolacion.

Doa Consolacon wife of the Alfrez, nicknamed as la musa de los guardias civiles (The muse of the Civil Guards)
or la Alfreza, was a former laundrywoman who passes herself as a Peninsular; best remembered for her abusive treatment of
Sisa.

Don Tiburcio de Espadaa Spanish Quack Doctor who is limp and submissive to his wife, Doa Victorina.

Teniente Guevara - a close friend of Don Rafael Ibarra. He reveals to Crisstomo how Don Rafael Ibarra's death came
about.

Alfonso Linares A distant nephew of Tiburcio de Espanada, the would-be fianc of Mara Clara. Although he 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.

Ta Isabel - Capitn Tiago's cousin, who raised Maria Clara.

Governor General (Gobernador Heneral) Unnamed person in the novel, he is the most powerful official in the
Philippines. He has great disdain for the friars and corrupt officials, and sympathizes with Ibarra.

Don Filipo Lino vice mayor of the town of San Diego, leader of the liberals.

Padre Manuel Martn - he is the linguist curate of a nearby town who delivers the sermon during San Diego's fiesta.

Don Rafael Ibarra - father of Crisstomo Ibarra. Though he is the richest man in San Diego, he is also the most virtuous
and generous.

Dona Pa Alba - wife of Capitan Tiago and mother of Mara Clara, she died giving birth to her daughter. In reality, she was

raped by Dmaso so she could bear a child.

Non-recurring characters[edit]

These characters were as mentioned in the novel, appeared once, mentioned many times or have no major contribution to the storyline.

Don Pedro Eibarramendia - the great-grandfather of Crisstomo Ibarra who came from the Basque area of Spain. He
started the misfortunes of Elias' family. His descendants abbreviated their surname to Ibarra. He died of unknown reasons, but
was seen as a decaying corpse on a Balete tree.

Don Saturnino Ibarra - the son of Don Pedro, father of Don Rafael and grandfather of Crisstomo Ibarra. He was the one
who developed the town of San Diego. He was described as a cruel man but was very clever.

Salom - Elas' sweetheart. She lives in a little house by the lake, and though Elas would like to marry her, he tells her that
it would do her or their children no good to be related to a fugitive like himself. In the original publication of Noli, the chapter
that explores the identity of Elas and Salom was omitted, classifying her as a total non-existing character. This chapter,
entitled Elas y Salom was probably the 25th chapter of the novel. However, recent editions and translations of Noli provides
the inclusion of this chapter, either on the appendix or renamed as Chapter X (Ex).

Sinang - Maria Clara's friend. Petite, cheerful, lively. Because Crisstomo Ibarra offered half of the school he was building
to Sinang, he gained Capitan Basilio's support.

Andeng - Maria Clara's childhood friend. She is like a sister to Maria Clara since they shared the same wet nurse. She has
a clear, cheerful look and a reputation for being a good cook. Her name is a diminutive form from the name "Miranda" and the
Tagalog participle "ng".

Iday, Neneng and Victoria - Maria Clara's other friends.

Capitn Basilio - Sinang's father, leader of the conservatives.

Pedro the abusive husband of Sisa who loves cockfighting.

Tandng Pablo the leader of the tulisanes (bandits), whose family was destroyed because of the Spaniards.

El hombre amarillo (apparently means "yellowish person," named as Taong Madilaw) - one of Crisostomo Ibarra's wouldbe assassins. He is not named in the novel, and only described as such. In the novel, he carved the cornerstone for Ibarra's
school. Instead of killing Ibarra, he was killed by his cornerstone.

Lucas - the brother of the taong madilaw. He planned a revolution against the government with Ibarra as the leader after he
was turned down by Ibarra. He was said to have a scar on his left cheek. He would later be killed by the Sakristan Mayor.

Bruno and Tarsilo a pair of brothers whose father was killed by the Spaniards.

or Juan (ol Juan) - appointed as foreman of the school to be built by Ibarra

Capitana Tika (Rustica) - Sinang's mother and wife of Capitan Basilio.

Albino - a former seminarian who joined the picnic with Ibarra and Mara Clara. He was later captured during the
revolution.

Capitana Mara Elena - a nationalist woman who defends Ibarra of the memory of his father.

Capitn Tinong and Capitn Valentn - other known people from the town of San Diego.

Sacristn Mayor - the one who governs the altar boys and killed Crispn for his accusation.