Noli Me Tangere free essay sample

Major Characters of Noli Me Tangere Juan Crisostomo Ibarra y Magsalin, commonly referred to the novel as Ibarra or Crisostomo, is the protagonist in the story. Son of a Filipino business man, Don Rafael Ibarra, he studied in Europe for seven years. [5] Ibarra is also Maria Claras fiance. Maria Clara de los Santos y Alba, commonly referred to as Maria Clara, is Ibarras fiancee. He was raised by Capitan Tiago, San Diegos cabeza de barangay and is the most beautiful and widely celebrated girl in San Diego. In the later parts of the novel, Maria Claras identity was revealed as an illegitimate daughter of Father Damaso, former parish curate of the town, and Dona Pia Alba, wife of Capitan Tiago. In the end she entered local covenant for nuns Beaterio de Santa Clara. In the epilogue dealing with the fate of the characters, Rizal stated that it is unknown if Maria Clara is still living within the walls of the covenant or she is already dead. We will write a custom essay sample on Noli Me Tangere or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Don Santiago de los Santos, known by his nickname Tiago and political title Capitan 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 Maria Clara. In the novel, it is said that Capitan Tiago is the richest man in the region of Binondo and he possessed real properties in Pampanga and Laguna de Bay. He is also said to be a good Catholic, friend of the Spanish government and was considered as a Spanish by colonialists. Capitan Tiago never attended school, so he became a domestic helper of a Dominican friar who taught him informal education. He married Pia Alba from Santa Cruz. Damaso Verdolagas, or Padre Damaso is a Franciscan friar and former parish curate of San Diego. He is best known as a notorious character that speaks with harsh words and has been a cruel priest during his stay in the town. He is the real father of Maria Clara and an enemy of Crisostomos father, Rafael Ibarra. Later on, he and Maria Clara had bitter arguments whether she marry Alfonso Linares or go to covenant. At the end of the novel, he again re-assigned into a distant town and was found dead one day. In popular culture, when a priest was said to be like Padre Damaso, it means that he is a cruel but respectable individual. When one says a child is anak ni Padre Damaso (child of Padre Damaso), it means that the childs fathers identity is unknown. Filosofo Tacio, known by his Filipinized name Pilosopong 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[13] hoping that the future generations may be able to decipher it and realized the abuse and oppression done by the conquerors. His full name is only known as Don Anastacio. The educated inhabitants of San Diego labeled him as Filosofo Tacio (Tacio the Philosopher) while others called him as Tacio el Loco (Insane Tacio) due to his exceptional talent for reasoning. Elias, is an important character in the story and was once Ibarras mysterious friend. Elias made his first appearance as a pilot during a picnic of Ibarra and Maria Clara and her friends. [15] He wants to revolutionize the country and to be freed from Spanish oppression. The 50th chapter of the novel explores the past of Elias and history of his family. In the past, Ibarras grandfather condemned Elias grandfather of burning a warehouse which lead into the misfortune of Elias family. His father was refused to be married by his mother because his fathers past and family lineage was discovered by his mothers family. In the long run, Elias and his twin sister was raised by their maternal grandfather. When they were teenagers, their distant relatives called them hijo 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 anti-government. Dona Victorina de Espadana, commonly known as Dona Victorina, is an ambitious Filipino woman who classifies herself as a Spanish and mimicking Spanish ladies by putting on heavy make-ups. The novel narrates Dona Victorinas younger days: she had lots of admirers but she never choose one of them because nobody was a Spaniard. Later on, she met Don Tiburcio de Espadana, an official to the customs bureau, which is about ten years junior than her. [18] Even though she got married, they never had a child. Her husband assumes the title as medical doctor even though Tiburcio never attended medical school. Using fake documents and certificates, Tiburcio is practicing illegal medicine. The usage of Tiburcio of the title Dr. also made Victorina to assume the title Dra. (doctora, female doctor). [18] Apparently, she uses the whole name Dona Victorina de los Reyes de de Espadana, with double de to emphasize her marriage surname. 2. Noli Me Tangere and Spanish Period in the Philippines Noli Me Tangere was Rizals first novel. He was 26 years old at the time of ts publication. The work was has been historically significant and was instrumental in the establishing of the Filipino sense of national identity. The book indirectly influenced a revolution although the author actually advocated direct representation to the Spanish government and larger role of the Philippines within Spains political affairs. The novel was written in Spanish, the official language of the colony that was understood by j ust about everyone thanks to the free public education system established by the Spanish government more than two decades before. The novel created so much controversy that only a few days after his arrival, Governor-General Emilio Terrero summoned Rizal to the Malacanang Palace and told him of the charges saying that Noli Me Tangere contained subversive statements. After a discussion, the liberal[citation needed] Governor General was appeased, but mentioned that he was unable to offer resistance against the pressure of the Church to take action against the book. The persecution can be discerned from Rizals letter to Leitmeritz: My book made a lot of noise; everywhere, I am asked about it. They wanted to anathematize me [to excommunicate me] because of it I am considered a German spy, an agent of Bismarck, they say I am a Protestant, a freemason, a sorcerer, a damned soul and evil. It is whispered that I want to draw plans, that I have a foreign passport and that I wander through the streets by night Rizal depiction of nationality by emphasizing the qualities of Filipinos: devotion of a Filipina and her influence to a mans life, the deep sense of gratitude, and the solid common sense of the Filipinos under the Spanish regime. The book was instrumental in creating a unified Filipino national identity and consciousness, as many Filipinos previously identified with their respective regions to the advantage of the Spanish authorities. It lampooned, caricatured and exposed various elements in colonial society. 3. Rizal’s Reasons for Coming Back to the Philippines During his five years absence from the Philippines Rizal had been receiving many letters from his brother Paciano, from his sisters Olimpia, Narcisa, Josefa, Maria, Saturnina, Lucia and her husband Mariano Herbosa, from his mother, and from friends in the Philippines. Hardly had he reached Spain when his friends wrote that a terrible epidemic of cholera was sweeping away thousands of victims in and near Manila. As letters concerning this scourge reached Rizal, they made his sensitive heart yearn to go to their relief. Joses father did not write any letters, but he sent word at every opportunity to say how proud he was of his sons achievements. And his mother, Paciano told him, burst into tears as she read his letters. Jose had taken Pacianos advice and written them only the news that would make them happy. What made Rizal most heartsick was to read how his father was having trouble with the Dominican friars who claimed his land, while the price of sugar was so low that the family nearly faced ruin. The third year Jose was strongly inclined to return, at least as far as Hong Kong, but Paciano urged him to stay away; and his friend Felipe Zamora told him never to come back until he had changed his nationality to German, English, or American, then the Spanish government would not dare to touch him. (01) After Noli Me Tangere had been printed and smuggled into the Philippines, Jose M. Cecilio (02) begged Rizal not to come back to the Islands for at least a year. We will wait and see what effect your book will produce. We are not now going to lose all the good of your brilliant career. We are doing all we can to make your book known; all who have read it are enthusiastic. But you stay there. I will write when you ought to come, as you believe, on account of your mother. He referred to the cataracts in Rizals mothers eyes; he had been preparing ever since 1882 five long years to save her sight. Another cause for many a heartache was the fact that after 1884 he did not receive letters from Leonor Rivera, (who always signed herself Faimis) but he did receive alarming news about her. In March of that year he learned from his friend Jose M. Cecilio that Leonors mother was opposed to her marrying Rizal. In truth, dear namesake, wrote Cecilio, this girl week by week is sick with fever, and it is, as you well know, the result of the ardent passion she feels for you. 4. Propagandas Against Noli Me Tangere Criticism and attacks against the Noli and its author came from all quarters. An anonymous letter signed A Friar and sent to Rizal, dated February 15, 1888, says in part: How ungrateful you are†¦ If you, or for that matter all your men, think you have a grievance, then challenge us and we shall pick up the gauntlet, for we are not cowards like you, which is not to say that a hidden hand will not put an end to your life. A special committee of the faculty of the University of Santo Tomas, at the request of the Archbishop Pedro Payo, found and condemned the novel as heretical, impious, and scandalous in its religious aspect, and unpatriotic, subversive of public order and harmful to the Spanish government and its administration of theses islands in its political aspect. On December 28, 1887, Fray Salvador Font, the cura of Tondo and chairman of the Permanent Commission of Censorship composed of laymen and ordered that the circulation of this pernicious book be absolutely prohibited. Not content, Font caused the circulation of copies of the prohibition, an act which brought an effect contrary to what he desired. Instead of what he expected, the negative publicity awakened more the curiosity of the people who managed to get copies of the book. Assisting Father Font in his aim to discredit the Noli was an Augustinian friar by the name of Jose Rodriguez. In a pamphlet entitled Caiingat Cayo (Beware). Fr. Rodriguez warned the people that in reading the book they commit mortal sin, considering that it was full of heresy. As far as Madrid, there was furor over the Noli, as evidenced by an article which bitterly criticized the novel published in a Madrid newspaper in January, 1890, and written by one Vicente Barrantes. In like manner, a member of the Senate in the Spanish Cortes assailed the novel as anti-Catholic, Protestant, socialistic. It is well to note that not detractors alone visibly reacted to the effects of the Noli. For if there were bitter critics, another group composed of staunch defenders found every reason to justify its publication and circulation to the greatest number of Filipinos. For instance, Marcelo H. Del Pilar, cleverly writing under an assumed name Dolores Manapat, successfully circulated a publication that negated the effect of Father Rodriguez’ Caiingat Cayo, Del Pilar’s piece was entitled Caiigat Cayo (Be Slippery as an Eel). Deceiving similar in format to Rodriguez’ Caiingat Cayo, the people were readily misled into getting not a copy o Rodriguez’ piece but Del Pillar’s. The Noli Me Tangere found another staunch defender in the person of a Catholic theologian of the Manila Cathedral, in Father Vicente Garcia. Under the pen-name Justo Desiderio Magalang. Father Garcia wrote a very scholarly defense of the Noli, claiming among other things that Rizal cannot be an ignorant man, being the product of Spanish officials and corrupt friars; he himself who had warned the people of committing mortal sin if they read the novel had therefore committed such sin for he has read the novel. Consequently, realizing how much the Noli had awakened his countrymen, to the point of defending his novel, Rizal said: Now I die content. Fittingly, Rizal found it a timely and effective gesture to dedicate his novel to the country of his people whose experiences and sufferings he wrote about, sufferings which he brought to light in an effort to awaken his countrymen to the truths that had long remained unspoken, although not totally unheard of. 5. Out of the Country†¦Again. On February 28, 1888, a year after the publication of Noli Me Tangere, and six months after his arrival in the Philippines, Jose Rizal sailed from Manila again, by advice of the government. The letters he wrote back home show how his heart ached at going, yet his judgment told him that it was best for him to go. The phenomenal effect of Noli Me Tangere made it clear that Rizal could wield a mighty influence through his pen, but to write the truth he would have to go to some country where he would be free from spies or plots. The spot he chose was the Library of the British Museum, the greatest library in the world.