Plot Summary of Noli Me Tangere

Juan Crisostomo Ibarra is a mestizo and a mixed-race heir of a well-to-do clan. He is the sweetheart of
Maria Clara, the unica hija of the wealthy Don Santiago de los Santos, known to be Capitan Tiago. Ibarra
endeavors for some reform for education to improve the lives of his countrymen and to eradicate
poverty. He returns home from Europe to search for his affluent father, Don Rafael. The old Ibarra died
in prison after accidentally killing a Spanish tax collector and has been falsely accused of other
delinquencies by Padre Damaso, a longtime parish curate of San Diego, Juan Crisostomo Ibarra's
hometown.

As the young Ibarra arrives home, Capitan Tiago, his friend, hosts a dinner party that has been attended
by prominent people from the society which include Padre Damaso. At first the young Ibarra thought
that Padre Damaso and his father are friends. Yet, the former is surprised because the latter humiliates
him. As a response, Juan Crisostomo Ibarra holds back from being disrespectful at the friar and leaves
the party.

On his way home, a family friend, Señor Guevara, tells him how Ibarra's father was thrown in prison and
accused of heresy. He also explains. that by the time Don Rafael, Juan Crisostomo's father, was proven
innocent, Don Rafael has already died in prison. The younger Ibarra is horrified. He realizes that Catholic
friars in the Philippines has greatly increased their influence since he left for Europe.

Juan Crisostomo tries to follow the footsteps of his father of being openhanded philanthropist. He
designs a school to help the people in his hometown. In doing so, he is warned by the schoolmaster by
telling him that Padre Damaso intervenes with the educational system. Knowing about this, Ibarra tells
his ideas to the town officials, the religious leaders, and appears that he wants to work with them. For
this, the officials agree with him putting up a school.

The influential town leaders, together with Crisostomo Ibarra decide to celebrate the new school. The
church officials plan to bless the school building (despite the fact that it is not yet complete) during San
Diego's festivities. However, on that day a certain Elias warns Juan Crisostomo that there is a plan to kill
him. Elias explained to Juan Crisostomo the details of the plot yet he ignores them. Juan Crisostomo
escapes the harm and danger that time because of Elias' swift action. At that point, Ibarra realizes that
he has adversaries.
In that same day of celebration during dinner hosted by Ibarra, Father Damaso arrives uninvited. During
that moment, the Spanish friar insults the new school and gives racial rudeness to Indios. He also makes
negative remarks especially about the deceased father of Juan Crisostomo. This leads to Ibarra's
enragement. He punches and pins Padre Damaso down, but before he kills the friar, Maria Clara stops
him. Ibarra is debarred for this scandalous event. Capitan Tiago, Maria Clara's father is then enforced to
break the engagement of Maria Clara with Crisostomo. Father Salvi, who secretly loves Maria Clara and
the successor of Padre Damaso, plots with Lucas, brother of the deceased man who meant to kill Ibarra
during the blessing of the new school, to frame Ibarra. Crisostomo is then arrested, imprisoned and
found guilty.

Later in the story, Maria Clara discovers that her real father is Father Damaso and not Capitan Tiago. She
did not tell this to Ibarra to keep the family's secret and to honor her deceased mother. However, when
Ibarra escapes from prison with the help of Elias, he finds time to talk with Maria Clara and at that
moment everything is clarified. She apologizes and explains that she gives Father Salvi a letter for Ibarra
that eventually inflicts him to jail because she is threatened. She expresses her undying love for Ibarra
and after they talk, he says goodbye to her. When she learns about the reported death of Ibarra when
he escaped, Maria Clara enters the nunnery.

In the novel, Rizal brilliantly describes the Philippine society and explains the type of disease that the
Filipinos could not bear. He creates memorable characters whose lives and experiences manifest the
toxic effects of religious and colonial oppression.

Characters:

Crisostomo Ibarra. He is a Filipino who studied in Europe for seven years and the son of Don Rafael
Ibarra. He is Maria Clara's sweetheart and love interest.

Elias. He is Ibarra's mysterious friend. He is a master boater who helps Ibarra to escape; he is also a
fugitive.

Maria Clara. She is Ibarra's sweetheart and the beautiful daughter of Capitan Tiago. She is the
illegitimate daughter of Father Damaso and Pia Alba.
Father Damaso. His full name as Damaso Verdolagas; the Franciscan friar and Maria Clara's biological
father.

Don Filipo. He is a close relative of Ibarra, and a Filibuster.

Linares. He is a nephew of Don Tiburcio de Espadana. He is the would-be fiance of Maria Clara.

Captain General (no specific name). He is the most powerful official in the Philippines; a hater of secular
priests and corrupt officials; and a friend of Ibarra.

Captain Pablo. He is a rebel leader whose family is destroyed because of the

Spaniards. Tarcilo and Bruno. They are brothers, whose father is killed by the Spaniards.

Sisa. The mother of Basilio and Crispin. She becomes insane after losing her sons.

Basilio. The elder son of Sisa.

Crispin. The younger son of Sisa who dies after getting the punishment from the soldiers. He receives
false accusation of stealing an amount of money.

Padre Sibyla. His full name is Hernando de la Sibyla, a Filipino friar and is described as short and fair
skinned.

Capitan Tiago. He is known in his fullname as Don Santiago de los Santos the known father of Maria
Clara but not the real one.

Padri Salvi. He is known in his full name as Bernardo Salvi. He is in love with Maria Clara.
Pilosopo Tasyo. He is known as Don Anastasio; an older man whom Ibarra seeks advice from. The town
thinks him mad, but in actuality he is quite wise.

The Alferez. He is the chief of the Guardia Civil and a mortal enemy of the priests for the power in San
Diego.

Don Tiburcio. He is the Spanish husband of Donya Victorina who is limp and

submissive to is wife. He also pretends to be a doctor.

Doña Victorina. She is known as Victorina de los Reyes de De Espadaña. She is a woman who passes
herself off as a Peninsular.

Doña Consolacion. She is the wife of the Alferez. She is another woman who passes herself as a
Peninsular and best remembered for her abusive treatment of Sisa.

Pedro. He is the abusive husband of Sisa who loves cockfighting.

Source: Derbyshire, C. E. (1912). The social cancer a complete english version of Noli Me Tangere from
the Spanish of José Rizal. Manila: Philippine Education Company New York: World Book