HISTORY 10: MODULE 7

“I do not write for this generation. I am writing for other ages. If this could read
me, they would burn my books, the work of my whole life. On the other hand,
the generation which interprets these writings will be an educated generation;
they will understand me and say: Not all were asleep in the nighttime of our
grandparents”. ― Jose Rizal

OBJECTIVES
At the end of this module, you are able to:

1. Explain the significance of Noli Me Tangere to the Filipinos and why the
Spanish Colonizers were interested in it.
2. Examine the present Philippine history through the past Philippine
situation presented in the Noli Me Tangere.

INTRODUCTION
In this lesson, you will learn about the writing of Rizal’s first novel, Noli Me
Tangere, and this will answer the following questions: What are Rizal's objectives
in writing this novel? What led Rizal to write this novel? What are the problems and
conditions of Philippine society in the 19th century? When and where the story was
published? And who are the significant people involved that helped Rizal in publishing
the book? Aside from that, you will also encounter later on the main characters in the
story and what they represent.

ANALYSIS
Activity 1

Directions: If you are to draw a symbol that would best represent one
current problem of the Philippines (be it political, social, economic, etc.), what
would it be? Identify this problem and illustrate a symbol for it in the box below.
Then, write a brief explanation about your symbol on the space provided

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
MODULE 7 | 52
GUIDE QUESTIONS:

1. What is the meaning of Noli Me Tangere?

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

2. How does the novel affect the mindset of the Filipino during the Spanish
regime?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

3. What are the greatest contribution of the novel to our history?

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

4. In your own understanding, why does Rizal publish this novel? Does it
affects the personal identity of Rizal?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

MODULE 7 | 53
 Lesson 1 Noli Me Tangere

ABSTRACTION

Jose Rizal’s first novel, Noli Me Tangere, is considered one of the most
important written outputs by the national hero at the height of his intellectual
endeavors in Europe. In this novel, Rizal mustered his academic acumens as he
tapped his knowledge of various fields and wove a narrative that aimed to
represent, if not expose, the realities of the nineteenth century colonial life in the
Philippines. Many appreciate the Noli for its narrative that takes the readers,
through the eyes of its characters, on a journey of love and deception, struggles
and triumphs; and in process, presents pressing questions about power and social
inequality. Greatly influenced by Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Rizal
wanted to publish a book that would play a crucial role in the political history of
the country. He planned on revealing the kind of society that the Philippines had
under the Spanish colonial rule.

THE PUBLICATION OF THE NOLI

As a sojourner in Europe, Rizal participated in the movement of the
ilustrados to utilize propaganda to campaign from reforms in the Philippines.
Utilizing their intellectual prowess, the ilustrados released various written outputs
from news bits, to feature articles, and commentaries. They also produced
creative outputs from satirical pieces to world-class paintings. Within this artistic
and literary collection, Rizal’s exemplary mastery of words are clearly evident in
one of his most celebrated works, his first novel, Noli Me Tangere. The idea of
publishing a book was not alien to Rizal. In a meeting of the illustrados in 1884, he
proposed to write a book project to be done collaboratively with his fellow writers.

Unfortunately, the project did not materialize. He eventually decided to

write a novel on his own. He started ti work on the project in 1884 and completed
in 1887.Many of his biographers cite several works that influenced Rizal in the
writing of the Noli. One of these is Juan Luna’s painting, Spolarium, which
depicted the sufferings faced by the humanity in the face of inequalities. Another
is Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe that dealt with slavery in
America. Rizal finished the first half of the novel in Spain, supposedly the other half
in France, then completed the draft in 1886. The novel was published the
following year in Germany. Lack of funds delayed the book’s publication until a
fellow illustrado, Maximo Viola, insisted on lending him 300 pesos for the printing
of the first 2,000 copies. By 1887, Rizal was already sending out copies of the Noli
to his friends and the book began to take flight.

MODULE 7 | 54
 THE WRITING PROCESS

Writing his works in 3 years, Rizal wrote his novel during his travels from
Madrid and Paris before finally finishing it for publication in Berlin, Germany. During
the writing of the manuscript in 1885, Rizal also completed his studies at the
Central University of Madrid while completing half of the second part of the novel.
He then continued the last few chapters in 1886 in Wilhelmsfeld. But during the
final revision of the book in Berlin, at the bleak winter of 1886, Rizal was afflicted
with sickness and out of money. Hungry, sick, and penniless, Rizal thought he
would not be able to print the novel

Máximo Viola, however, came into his rescue when he arrived in Berlin
before the day of Christmas of 1886 and lent him money. With Viola’s help, the
Noli Me Tangere was finished on February 21, 1887, with the exclusion of certain
passages, including the chapter of “Elias at Salome” and was ready for printing.
On March 21, 1887, the novel came off with a P300.00 cost of printing for 2,000
copies printed at Berliner Buchdruckerei-Aktiengesellschaft, the cheapest printing
shop in Berlin.

RIZAL’S OBJECTIVES

In a letter Rizal sent to Ferdinand Blumentritt, he described his expectations

from the novel once it was in circulation. He pointed out his primary objectives
which are:

a. to defend Filipino people from foreign accusations of foolishness and

lack of knowledge;
b. to show how the Filipino people live during the Spanish colonial
period and the cries and woes of his countrymen against abusive
officials;
c. to discuss what religion and belief can do to everyday lives; and
d. to expose the cruelties, graft, and corruption of the false government
to honestly show the wrongdoings of Filipinos that led to further failure

MAIN CHARACTERS AND WHAT THEY REPRESENT

Along with the plot, setting, and events in the book, Noli Me Tangere also
provides the biggest symbolism of the Filipinos and other significant people in the
Philippines during the 19th century through its characters. In this section, we will
review these important characters and their representation in the novel.

NAME REPRESENTATION/ROLE
As the main character of the novel, many claimed that
CRISOSTOMO IBARRA Crisostomo Ibarra represents Jose Rizal himself. He has a
liberal mind, outspoken and idealistic, and a patient and
serious man. Throughout the story, it can be seen that
Ibarra symbolizes the idealism of the privileged youth.

MODULE 7 | 55
 She is Ibarra’s fiancé and the most beautiful and widely
celebrated girl in San Diego. Throughout the story, Maria
Clara was portrayed as a religious woman, a faithful
MARIA CLARA DELOS
sweetheart, a good friend, and an obedient daughter. She
SANTOS Y ALBA OR
had childish simplicity. She gets easily nervous. Her
“MARIA CLARA”
character is related to Rizal’s childhood sweetheart,
Leonor Rivera. She symbolizes the purity and innocence of
a sheltered native woman.
PADRE DÁMASO He is a Franciscan friar and the former parish curate of San
DÁMASO Diego. He is notorious for speaking with harsh words,
VERDOLAGAS, OR highhandedness, and cruelty during his ministry in the town.
“PADRE DÁMASO” He symbolizes the Spanish friars of Rizal’s time
She is the wife of the Alferez of San Diego, who pretends
not to know Tagalog and often uses Spanish words even if
DOÑA CONSOLACION she does not understand the meaning. She symbolizes the
Filipinos in our society who are ashamed of their race and
nationality.
DOÑA VICTORINA DE She is an ambitious Filipina who classifies herself as Spanish
LOS REYES DE and mimics Spanish ladies by putting on heavy make-up.
ESPADAÑA, An ambitious Filipina. She symbolizes those who have a
COMMONLY KNOWN distorted view of their identity.
AS “DOÑA
VICTORINA”
Or also called “Tacio de Loco” (Tacio the Insane), he is a
DON ANASTACIO, pessimist who sought for reforms from the government and
ALSO KNOWN BY HIS hoped for the future generations to realize the abuse and
NAME “PILOSOPO oppression done by the conquerors. Rizal relates this
TASYO” character to his oldest brother, Paciano Rizal. He
symbolizes the learned Filipinos.
The mother of Maria Clara. She was once a young, healthy,
and beautiful woman. By nature, she was a very merry
woman but became melancholic when repeatedly
PIA ALBA
raped. Pia Alba represents the women who had been
abused by the clergy and had been silenced by their
shame.
SISA, CRISPÍN, AND This family represents the Filipino family persecuted by the
BASILIO Spanish authorities.
Sisa, named after Rizal’s older sister, is the deranged
NARCISA OR “SISA” mother of Basilio and Crispín. She personified the suffering
of the motherland.
They are Sisa’s 7-year-old and 10-year-old sons that are
tasked to ring the church bells for Angelus as an acolyte. In
the story, Crispin was unjustly accused of stealing money
from the church and was killed after not admitting to his
crimes. Basilio, on the other hand, faced the dreadful
CRISPÍN AND BASILIO
death of his young brother as well as the descent of his
mother into insanity.
They represented the innocent who was wrongly accused
of crimes they did not commit. Their story was based on the
true tale of the Crisostomo brothers of Hagonoy
Elías is Ibarra's mysterious friend and ally. Intending to
ELÍAS revolutionize the country and be free from the Spanish
oppression because of the horrible experiences his family
MODULE 7 | 56
 had, Elías distrusts human judgment and prefers God’s
justice instead. He prefers a revolution over the reforms. He
represents the common Filipino. He is said to be the
personification of Andres Bonifacio.
As Ibarra’s father, he symbolized a rich landlord with a
social conscience. He was sent to jail after helping a boy
DON RAFAEL IBARRA from an abusive Spanish tax collector. Indeed, the novel’s
characters represent the various kinds of people inhabiting
the country during the period of Rizal’s life.

NOLI ME TANGERE, CONTINUING RELEVANCE

While the Noli Me Tangere triggered social conversations in the late

nineteenth century Philippines, it is important to note how the novel continues to
resonate beyond its time. The success of Rizal’s novel also rests on its timelessness
in terms of present-day social issues and political/economic realities. In this
chapter, Noli’s legacy and continuing relevance will be explained as a text not
only in the field of literature but also in the areas of history and the social sciences.
The chapter will also look at Rizal as a social scientist who espoused early
articulations of a social-scientific manner of understanding and presenting the
way of life, in this case, within a colonial context. The lesson will start with a
discussion of the incarnations of the Noli as it was published after Rizal’s time. This
will be followed by a section on the study of colonial society.

NOLI AND THE STUDY OF A COLONIAL SOCIETY

A remarkable aspect of Rizal’s Noli lies in its text which espoused the
national hero's articulations of a social-scientific view of the nineteenth century
Philippines he was describing. Sociologist Syed Fareed Alatas even went as far as
describing Rizal as "probably the first systematic social thinker in Southeast Asia.

"Taken together with Rizal's other writings, the Noli makes an important
contribution to the understanding of a colonial society and of the workings of the
Spanish empire in the Philippines. The novel portrayed the lives of the characters
of diverse positions from which people in nineteenth century Philippines thought
and acted in relation to others. Many scholars interpret the Noli as Rizal’s diagnosis
of the ills of colonial society as he assessed the role played by the church, the
state, and the people. In the Noli, Rizal highlighted some of his ideas or: how-the
Philippine society could be emancipated from the bondage of colonial rule. He
underscored the importance of education as a powerful tool to achieve progress.
However, heal so exposed the complexities and constraints wrought by the
colonial condition not only on the foreigners, but also on some misguided Filipinos
that contributed to the ills of society. As Rizal exposed the vile realities of the
context he wrote about, he also emphasized the good qualities of the Filipinos,
which needed to be harnessed in order to succeed in the struggle for
emancipation.

MODULE 7 | 57
 APPLICATION
Activity 2

Direction: Answer the following questions below.

1. What are the three most salient problems that Philippine society?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

2. What factors contribute to the persistence of these problems?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

3. What should be done to address these problems?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

MODULE 7 | 58