11.

Noli Metangere: A Diagnosis of Filipino Society

a. A Proposal on Writing a Novel About the Philippines
During Rizal’s stay in various cities in Europe, he noticed that
Filipinos were practically unknown. According to Leon Ma. Guererro,
Filipinos were mistaken for Chinese in Spain and Japanese in Paris. Thus
during the Paris Exposition in 1889 Rizal picked seven Filipinos
including Juan Luna to be part of a society called Indio’s Bravos
in order to uphold the dignity of the Filipinos and to have a
sense of national identity. Realizing the need for the Filipinos to be
known in Europe, Rizal presented a proposal on writing a novel about the
Philippines to the members of the Circulo-Hispano Filipino on January 2,
1884. The members generally approved his idea. But unfortunately, the
project did not materialize because those who are expected to work with
him did not write anything on the subject instead most of his fellow
expatriates are interested to write about women. Sadly the project died
out; on the other hand Rizal became more determined to write his
own novel about the Philippines.

Rizal was inspired to numerous ideas on writing his first novel

from the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, which
portrayed the brutalities committed by the American (Whites) against the
Negro slaves up to the Wandering Jew by Eugene Sue. He was even
motivated by Luna’s Spoliarium. For Rizal, Luna’s canvass conveyed the
predicament of the defeated and the wretched agony of the human race.
The Spoliarium was a reflection of the spirit of the social,
moral and political life of Rizal’s time because it showed the
Filipinos under the hardship and injustices in the hand of the tyrants.
Indeed these inspirations provided Rizal the springboard to write a
novel that will serve as an antidote to the stern illness of
the society. Noli Me Tangere according to Schumacher can be cons
idered as a charter of Filipinonationalism. It calls on the Filipino
to return to the heritage of their ancestors; affirm equal rights to the
Spaniards, regain his self-confidence and value his self-worth. It
pushes the importance of education, dedication to the country and
assimilating the aspects of Western culture that could enhance native
traditions. The novel exposes the social maladies in the country during
Rizal’s time and changes needed in the various sector in our society.
Some of the reforms that Rizal cited in the novel were justice for the
unfortunate, more respect for human dignity and greater security for the
individual, less power in the constabulary and less privileges for the
groups prone to abuses and corruptions. Though the novel is a work of
fiction, it can be considered a true story of the Philippines during the
last decades of the Spanish regime. The characters used by Rizal were
inspired by persons who actually existed during that time. Elias and
Crisostomo Ibarra became the mouthpiece of Rizal. Elias cited the
solutions for the needed reforms in the society. For Elias, revolution
was the key for the change they wanted while Ibarraon the other hand
believed that it is not yet time nor the Filipinos are ready enough to
launch a revolution.

Rizal’s connection to the revolution is indeed controversial; to

some he may be regarded as hero because he serves as an inspiration
while to others he is an anti-hero for the reason that he
himself is against to this kind of uprising. Again Guererro
mentioned that Noli Me Tangere presented the problem, the need for
change in the country during that period. On the contrary it did
not offer any solution to address the issues presented.
Nonetheless, the novel was a major turning points in the life
our national hero. It became an eye opener to the society being
corrupted by the oppressors while the common tao became blind of their
rights and privileges. The lessons and values presented in the novel are
inspirations for all of us. Rizal stresses the following: the devotion
and humility of the Filipino woman, the hospitality of Filipino family,
the respect and affection of parents to their children and the deep
sense of gratitude to common people. And though he may not able to see
the realization of all his dreams and visions for our motherland his
efforts were not in vain. As we commemorate another year on the
heroism of Jose Rizal, may we instill in our minds and hearts the many
things he had done for the Filipinos and for our nation. In the end,
Rizal said in his speech at the banquet of the Filipino students held at
the Café de Madrid on December 31, 1883 “in my heart I have suppressed
all loves, except that of my native land; in my mind I have progress;
and my lips have forgotten the names of the native races in the
Philippines in order not to say more than Filipinos”.

b. Ideas on Writing a Novel About The Philippines

 Spoliarium by Juan Luna is a reflection of the spirit of the

social, moral, and political life of his time because it clearly
showed mankind under severe ordeal, mankind unredeemed, andreason
and aspiration in an open struggle with fanaticism and injustice.
 Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, portrays the
brutalities committed byAmerican slave-owners and the pathetic
conditions of the unfortunate Negro slaves.
 The Wandering Jew by Eugene Sue, an anti-clerical novel.

c. The Writing of Noli Me Tangere

Rizal completed the first half of the novel in Madrid.One fourth

at Paris. Then he finished the novel on February 12, 1887 in
Berlin, Germany, with the financial assistance of Maximo Viola. Noli
Me Tangere, Latin phrase which means “Touch Me Not”, A phrase
which Rizal got from the bible.
d. The Plot of the Novel

The first of two canonical 19th-century novels, Noli Me

Tangere revolves around Crisostomo Ibarra who, after a seven-
year stay in Europe to study, comes home to his town of San
Diego, brimming with the desire to contribute to the development
of the townspeople. More specifically, as a reformist, he aims
to make education accessible to more people. His idealism,
however, cannot bear fruit because of insidious forces bent on
destroying him. Ibarra learns that his father, Don Rafael, had
been embroiled in a conflict with Padre Damaso, who eventually
causes his humiliation and death. It is not
only political power that the friar wields; he has also used
power to seduce the mother of Maria Clara, Ibarra's
sweetheart. Ibarra has another enemy in the person of Padre
Salvi, who lusts after Maria Clara. It is also Padre Salvi who
almost causes Ibarra ' s death at the ground breaking ceremonies
for the school. Things come to a head when Ibarra is implicated
in a failed uprising instigated by Padre Salvi. The young man
is imprisoned but is eventually rescued by Elias,
whose life Ibarra has saved in the past. As the novel ends, the
thoroughly disillusioned Ibarra sees a bleak future.

e. The Characters in Noli Me Tangere

The characters of the novel were drawn by Rizal from persons who
actually existed duringhis time.
 Juan Crisostomo Ibarra
- the protagonist
- Represented the affluent and liberal European educated Filipino
(Ilustrado)
– Desired the education of the people
 Elias
- represented the Filipino masses
- Wanted to liberate the people from the injustices suffered from
the Spaniards.
 Maria Clara
- The object of Ibarra’s love and affection.
- Trained in a convent and immersed in education that is religious
in orientation.
 Salome
- Elias’ girlfriend
- Same with Maria Clara epitomizes womanhood in their fidelity,
shyness andmodesty.
 Padre Damaso
- the main antagonist in the novel.
- A typical domineering friar during Rizal’s time.
f. The Filipino Society Pictured in Noli

1. • The novel uncompromisingly exposes Spaniards in the

Philippines. • The government was administered by self-
seekers, motivated by the desire to enrich themselves at
the expense of the people. • Honest and sincere officials
were quite few. • Corruption became so rampant, as a
consequence. • Banditry became a way of life for many due
to the corruption and brutality of the Guardia Civil. •
Friars used the Catholic Church amass wealth and to
perpetuate themselves into power.
2. • Filipinos were not spared in his criticism of Filipino
society. • Rizal criticized his fellowmen for their: •
Blind • Religious fanaticism • Corruption • Passion for
gambling • Subservience of the wealthy Filipino towards the
friars and government officials • Ridiculous efforts to
distance themselves for the common people
3. • To balance Rizal’s portrait of Filipino society, the
virtues and good qualities of the Filipino people were
highlighted in the novel. • The virtues and values
emphasized by Rizal in the Noli: • Modesty and devotion of
the Filipino women • Open-handed hospitality of the
Filipino family • Devotion of the parents to their children
and children to their parents • Deep sense of gratitude of
the Filipino peasants.

g. Rizal’s Diagnosis of Filipino Society

• Friars – were the enemies of reforms, progress and justice

in the Philippines.
– Agrarian problem in Calamba between the Dominicans and
the tenants like his family, while he was in Europe.
– The influence of the Spanish friars against
secularization of the parishes.
– Rizal’s over-all assessment of the Philippine
political situation in 1886 and 1872.
• Abuses of the friars were evident (forced labor,
tax collection, school inspection, intelligence
officers)
h. Noli Me Tangere as Character of Nationalism

José Rizal, a Filipino nationalist and medical doctor,

conceived the idea of writing a novel that would expose the ills
of Philippine society after reading Harriet Beecher
Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. He preferred that the prospective
novel express the way Filipino culture was backward, anti-
progress, anti-intellectual, and not conducive to the ideals of
the Age of Enlightenment. He was then a student of medicine in
the Universidad Central de Madrid.

In a reunion of Filipinos at the house of his friend Pedro

A. Paterno in Madrid on 2 January 1884, Rizal proposed the
writing of a novel about the Philippines written by a group of
Filipinos. His proposal was unanimously approved by the
Filipinos present at the party, among whom
were Pedro, Maximino and Antonio Paterno, Graciano López
Jaena, Evaristo Aguirre, Eduardo de Lete, Julio
Llorente and Valentin Ventura. However, this project did not
materialize. The people who agreed to help Rizal with the novel
did not write anything. Initially, the novel was planned to
cover and describe all phases of Filipino life, but almost
everybody wanted to write about women. Rizal even saw his
companions spend more time gambling and flirting with Spanish
women. Because of this, he pulled out of the plan of co-writing
with others and decided to draft the novel alone.

j. Attacks and Defense of Noli Me Tangere

1. Prior to the publication of the Noli Me Tangere, a

number of works by Filipino writer from 1882 to 1896 were
produced.  Paterno’s novel “Ninay” published in Madrid
(1885)  Del Pilar’s La Soberania Monacal Barcelona (1889) 
Graciano Lopez Jaena’s Discursos y Articulos Varios
Barcelona (1891)  Antonio Luna’s Impresiones Madrid (1893)

2. Antonio Regidor  One of those who congratulated Rizal

for writing and publishing the novel.  He said that “the
book is superior” and if Don Quijote has made its author
immortal because he exposed to the world the sufferings of
Spain, your Noli Me Tangere will bring you equal glory.
Ferdinand Blumentritt  Became Rizal’s friend thru
correspondence  Praised Rizal by saying ”your work, as we
Germans say, has been written with blood and heart… your
work has exceeded my hopes and I consider myself fortunate
and happy to have been honored with your friendship.  Not
only but your country, may feel happy having you, a
patriotic and loyal son. If you continue so, you will be to
your people one of those great men who will exercise a
determinative influence over the progress of their
spiritual life.
3. Filipinos became eager to read the book, but only very
few copies were available. Nonetheless, not only Filipinos
took time to find copy of the novel and read its content.
Archbishop Payo  He was able to have a copy of the Noli and
sent the same to the rector of UST for examination on
August 18, 1887.  The examination conducted by the
committee constituted by rector submitted its report to the
archbishop of Manila on August 30, 1887  It found that the
book is heretical, impious and scandalous in its religious
aspect: unpatriotic, subversive of public order, and
offensive to the government of Spain.

4. Emilio Terero  Liberal minded government executive or

governor general.  He summoned and informed Rizal of the
unfavorable reports about his novel.  He even asked Rizal
for a copy of the novel. Fr. Salvador Font  An Augustinian
priest.  He submitted a report on December 29, 1892 that
recommends the prohibition of the importation,
reproduction, and circulation of the pernicious books in
the Philippines (Palma, 1949) Nonetheless, the novel was
not banned in the country, notwithstanding the
recommendation made by the Permanent Commission.

5. The attacks on Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere were not only

confined in the Philippines but were also staged in Madrid.
(Ocampo, 1961) Senator Fernando Luis Vida and Prime
Minister Praxedes Mateo Sagasta Senator Fernando Luis Vida 
He became very critical of the Noli (Retana, 1907),
describing Rizal as a native, with a doctor of Medicine
degree. The aforementioned Spanish legislators condemned
the vovel as anti-Catholic, Protestanst, and Socialist in
orientation and learning.

6. Vicente Barrantes  He attacked Rizal in 1889 by

describing Rizal as a man of contradiction, whose
criticisms of the friars and the Spanish Regime were
actually an insult to the Filipinos themselves. The First
attack on the Noli in the Philippines came from an
anonymous letter signed by a friar. In this letter, Rizal
was labeled an ungrateful man.

7. Fr. Salvador Font  Issued the official censure of the

Noli.  His report on the Noli consisted of four parts: 1.
Attacks on the religion of the state 2. Attacks on the
administration, the government employees, and the courts 3.
Attacks on the civil guards 4. Attacks on the territorial
integrity of the Spanish Kingdom

8. A direct attack on the Noli was Launched by Fr, Jose

Rodriguez by issuing pamphlets under the title Cuestiones
de Sumo Interes (Zaide & Zaide, 1999). Rizal replied to
these attacks by Fr. Rodriguez through the satirical
pamphlet entitled La Vision del Fray Rodriguez. The satire
ends with Fr. Rodriguez condemned writing garbage articles
for him to forever be a laughingstock to the world. In
response to Fr. Font’s critique, Rizal wrote a satirical
essay entitled Por Telefono.

9. The greatest defense of the Noli came from a Filipino

priest. This priest is Fr. Vicente Garcia.  According to
Fr. Garcia, since the book is a work of literature, it
should be judged that way and not in a doctrinal level.  He
also said that “if reading the Noli is a mortal sin, then
Fr. Rodriguez had also committed a mortal sin.” Marcelo H.
Del Pilar  Another defender of Rizal’s Noli.  He wrote a
pamphlet entitled Caiingat Cayo ( Beware or Be Slippery as
an Eel) The novel Noli Me Tangere has not yet been judged
rightly as its effects are still being felt. (Guererro,
1998)