Jose Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda
- Born June 19 1861, Calamba, between 11 and
midnight, wednesday
- Parents: Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonzo
- 11 children
- Rizal is 7th in the order
- 9 sisters 1 brother
- Baptized by parish priest: Father Rufino Collantes on
june 22, aged 3,
- Godfather: Father Pedro Casanas
- “Jose” – Saint Joseph
The Rizal Children
1. Saturnina – oldest ; “Neneng”
2. Paciano – joined the phil. Revolution ; confident of
jose
3. Narcisa – “Sisa”
4. Olimpia –“Ypia”
5. Lucia
6. Maria – “Biang”
7. JOSE – “Pepe”
8. Conception – “concha”; died at age 3; rizal’s first
sorrow in life
9. Josefa – “ Panggoy”
10. Trinidad – “Trining”
11. Soledad – youngest; “Choleng”
- Doña Teodora said to be descended from lakandula
(the last native king of tondo)
- Real surname of the rizal family is Mercado; second
surname is rizal
- “Rizal” in Spanish means: a field where wheat, cut
while still green, sprouts again
- Jose: first of his family to adopt the “Rizal” surname
CHILDHOOD YEARS
- 1876, aged 15 years, wrote a poem: “Recuerdo a mi
pueblo” (In memory of my town)
- First memory of rizal in his infancy: happy days in the
family garden at aged 3
- First sorrow: death of sister concha
- Age 3: began taking part in family prayers; Age 5:
able to read Spanish bible
- Father Leoncio Lopez: the one he esteemed and
respected; inspiration; employs rizal character
- The story of the moth told by his mother Teodora,
left a deep impress on rizal’s mind
- Began sketching, mould in clay & wax, at aged 5
- First Poem of Rizal: “To My fellow Children”, at
aged 8
- Also inclined to magic and tricks
Influences on the Hero
- Paciano: instilled to him love for freedom & justice
- 3 uncles: (1) Tio Jose Alberto: studied in british
school in calcutta, india; traveled europe to develop
artistic ability (2) Tio Manuel: an athletic man,
inspired jose to develop body thru exercise (3)Tio
Gregorio: a book lover
- Father Leoncio Lopez: fostered rizal’s love for
scholarship and intellectual honesty
- Death of concha; Imprisonment of Dona Teodora :
strengthen his character
- Spanish abuses
- Execution of the GomBurZa
EARLY EDUCATION
- Four R’s: reading, writing, arithmetic and religion
- Learned alphabet at aged 3
- Learned to read and write at aged 5
- First Teacher: was his mother who was a remarkable
woman of good character and fine culture
- Private Tutors: (1) Maestro Celestino (2) Maestro
Lucas Padua (3) Leon Monroy
- June, 1869: Rizal left Calamba for Biñan to study in a
private school
- First day in Binan school: school of Maestro
Justiniano Aquino Cruz (teacher)
- First school Brawl: jose challenge pedro(the bully)
because of laughing at him with convo he had w/ the
teacher
- Juancho: an old painter; gave free lessons and
impressed by the talent of jose
- Best student in school: jose beat and surpassed all
boys in Spanish, latin and other subjects
- End of Binan schooling: left on December 17, 1870
Martyrdom of GomBurZa
- January 20, 1872: about 200 Filipino soldiers and
workmen rose in violent mutiny because of the
abolition of their usual priviledges
- February 17, 1872: Gom-Bur-Za were executed
order by Gov. General Izquerdo
- Gomburza death inspired rizal to fight the Spanish
tyranny
- 1891: he decided his second novel, El Filibusterismo
dedicated to Gom-Bur-Za
Injustice to hero’s mother
- June of 1872: Doña Teodora was arrested on a
malicious charge that she tried to poison his
brother’s wife; imprisoned for 2 ½ years
SCHOLASTIC TRIUMPHS AT ATENEO DE MANILA
- Aged 11: Rizal entered the Ateneo Municipal de
Manila; formerly Escuela Pia (charity school) school
for poor boys
- June 10, 1872: Rizal went to manila accompanied by
Paciano
- Upon return in manila, Father Magin Fernando:
college registrar, refused to admit him for two
reasons: (1) rizal late for registration (2) He was
sickly and undersized for his age
- Students were divided into two groups: (1) Roman
Empire: consisting of the internos (boarders)
(2)Carthaginians Empire: composed of the externos
(non-boarders)
First year in Ateneo
- June 1872: first day in class
- Father Jose Bech: first professor of Rizal
- Placed at the bottom of the class, was an externo
thus assigned in carthagians
- Brightest pupil in class; awarded/won his first prize:
a religious picture
- Took private lessons in Santa Isabel College during
noon break for Spanish lessons
- All grades marked “Excellent”
Second Year
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas:
first favorite novel of Rizal
Fourth Year
- June 16, 1875: Rizal became an interno in the
Ateneo
- Father Francisco de Paula Sanchez : one of his
professors, a great educator and scholar, inspired
rizal to study harder and write poetry; rizal
considered him the best professor in Ateneo;
became admirer and friend of Rizal; favorite teacher
- Won five medals at the end of school term
Last Year in Ateneo
- most brilliant Atenean of his time, was truly “the
pride of the Jesuits”
- obtained highest grades in all subjects
- March 23, 1877: Commencement day, Rizal, age 16,
received from Ateneo Municipal, the degree of
Bachelor of Arts with highest honors.
Rizal was Active in Extra Curricular Activities
1. An “emperor” inside the classroom.
2. A campus leader outside
3. Active member, later, secretary of a religious society,
the Marian Congregation
4. He was accepted as member of his sodality.
5. He was also a member of the academy of Spanish
Literature and Academy of natural sciences.
- Father Jose Villaclara: another professor, advised
him to stop communing with the muses and pay
more attention to more practical studies
- Agustin Saez : rizal studied painting under famous
Spanish painter
- and; Romualdo de Jesus: Filipino sculptor
- Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration):
dedicated to his mother’s bday; rizal’s first poem
wrote during his days in ateneo
Romances of Rizal
1. Segunda Katigbak: 14 year old girl
o Age 16: experienced his first romance
2. Miss L: second romance of Rizal; Young woman in
Calamba; romance died a natural death
3. Leonor Valenzuela: “orang”; the daughter of the
next door neighbor where he boarded during at UST
4. Leonor Rivera: rizal’s cousin at Camiling; became
engaged; fourth romance of Rizal
5. Consuelo Ortiga y Perez: fifth romance of Rizal; Don
Pablo’s Daughter
6. Nellie Bousted: met in Biarritz; real Filipina; rizal
proposed marriage to her
7. Josephine Bracken: irish girl of sweet 18, born in
HongKong, adopted by Mr George Taufer, who later
became blind; rizal and Josephine had a projected
marriage; had a son but hours later he died, named
“Francisco” after his father
MEDICAL STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO
TOMAS
- April 1877: age 16; entered University of Santo
Tomas, took up Philosophy and letters; 2 reasons:
(1) his father liked it (2) still uncertain as to what
career to pursue
- Father Pablo Ramon: Rector of the Ateneo,been
good to him during college days; rizal asked for
advice on choice of career
- Also studied in ateneo, took vocational course to the
title of Perito agrimensor (expert surveyor)
o Passed final exam at age 17
o Title issued to him on Nov. 25, 1881
- Freshman med student, rizal experienced first taste
of Spanish officer’s brutality; slashed him in his back
due to did not salute/courteous greeting to the
officer; wound lasted for 2 weeks
- “A La Juventad Filipina” (To My Filipino Youth): age
18; prize-winning poem (first place)
 - Unhappy days at UST: found the atmosphere
suffocating; Dominican profs are hostile; racially
discriminated
- After finishing 4year of med course, rizal decided to
study in spain in order to finish his med studies
IN SUNNY SPAIN
- Rizal’s Secret Missions: To observe life and culture,
languages and customs, industries and commerce,
government and laws of the European nations in
order to prepare in the mighty task of liberating his
oppressed people from Spanish tyranny
- Secret departure for spain: only paciano and tio
manuel, sisters neneng and lucia, Valenzuela family
and etc knew of his departure (his parents knew
nothing)
OTHER POINTS: (kay tamad na ko mag-isa2 sa libro)
- The words Noli Me Tangere was transcribed from
the Bible verses John 20: 13-17.
- 22 languages
- Wenceslao Emilio Retana: was a "onetime
adversary" of Philippine national hero José Rizal who
later became an "admirer" who wrote the first
biographical account of the life of Rizal
- El filibusterismo : (lit. Spanish for "filibustering"; The
Subversive or Subversion) also known by its English
alternative title The Reign of Greed
- Maximo Viola: The man who helped publish the Noli
Me Tangere; a good friend of rizal; he gave Rizal
P300 which financed the printing of the first 2,000
copies of the novel
- 700: amount given by Paciano to Rizal
- Laong Laan: pen name of Dr. Jose Rizal when he was
a contributor of poems and articles for the Spanish
newspaper “La Solidaridad”
- Plaridel: pen name of marcelo del pilar
- 64 chapters: Noli me Tangere
- 38 chapter: El filibusterismo
Chronological Event after UST (starting from spain)
o 1882, May 3. Age 21.—Secretly left Manila, with
passport of a cousin, taking at Singapore a French
mail steamer for Marseilles and entering Spain at
Port Bou by railroad. Money furnished. by his
brother, Paciano Mercado.
o June.—Absence noted at Sto. Tomás University,
which owned Kalamba estate. Rizal’s father was
compelled to prove that he had had no knowledge of
his son’s plan in order to hold the land on which he
was the University’s tenant.
o July–Nov.—A student in Barcelona.
o Nov. 3.—Began studies in Madrid.
o 1885, June 19. Age 24—Received degree of
Licentiate in Medicine with honors from Central
University of Madrid.
o 1886, June. Age 25—Received degree of Licentiate in
Philosophy, with honors and special mention in
Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, from Central University of
Madrid.
o Clinical assistant to Dr. L. de Weckert, a Paris
oculist.
o Visited Universities of Heidelberg, Leipzig, and Berlin.
o 1887, Feb. 21. Age 26—Finished novel Noli Me
Tangere in Berlin.
o Travelled in Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
o July 3.—Sailed from Marseilles.
o Aug. 5.—Arrived in Manila. Travelled in nearby
provinces with a Spanish lieutenant, detailed by the
Governor-General, as escort.
o 1888, Feb.—Sailed for Japan via Hongkong.
o Feb. 28.–Apr. 13. Age 27—A guest at Spanish
Legation, Tokyo, and travelling in Japan.
o April–May.—Travelling in the United States.
o May 24.—In London, studying in the British Museum
to edit Morga’s 1609 Philippine History.
o 1889, March. Age 28.—In Paris, publishing Morga’s
History. Published “The Philippines A Century Hence”
in La Solidaridad, a Filipino fortnightly review, first of
Barcelona and later of Madrid.
o 1890, Feb.–July. Age 29.—In Belgium and Holland,
finishing El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed),
which is the sequel to Noli Me Tangere.
o Published “The Indolence of the Filipino” in La
Solidaridad.
o Aug. 4.—Returned to Madrid to confer with
countrymen on the Philippine situation, then
constantly growing worse.
o 1891, Jan. 27.—Left Madrid for France.
o Nov. Age 30.—Arranging for a Filipino agricultural
colony in British North Borneo.
o Practiced medicine in Hongkong.
o 1892, June 26. Age 31—Returned to Manila under
Governor-General Despujol’s safe conduct.
o Organized mutual aid economic society Liga Filipina.
o July 6.—Ordered deported to Dapitan, but the
decree and charges were kept secret from him.
o Taught school and conducted a hospital during exile,
patients coming from China coast ports for
treatment. Fees thus earned were used to beautify
the town. Arranged a water system and had the
plaza lighted.[112]
o 1896, Aug. 1. Age 35—Left Dapitan en route to Spain
as a volunteer surgeon for the Cuban yellow fever
 hospitals. Carried letters of recommendation from
Governor-General Blanco.
o Aug. 7.–Sept. 3.—On Spanish cruiser Castilla in
Manila Bay.
o Sailed for Spain on Spanish mail steamer and just
after leaving Port Said was confined to cabin as a
prisoner on cabled order from Manila. (Governor-
General Blanco’s promotion had been purchased by
Rizal’s enemies to secure appointment of a
governor-general subservient to them, the servile
Polavieja.)
o Oct. 5.—Placed in Montjuich Castle dungeon on
arrival in Barcelona [113]and the same day re-
embarked for Manila. Friends and countrymen in
London by cable made an unsuccessful effort for a
Habeas Corpus writ at Singapore. On arrival in
Manila was placed in Fort Santiago dungeon.
o Dec. 3.—Charged with treason, sedition and forming
illegal societies, the prosecution arguing that he was
responsible for the deeds of those who read his
writings.
o Dec. 12.—Wrote poem “My Last Farewell” and
concealed it in an alcohol cooking lamp, after
appearing in a courtroom where the judges made no
effort to check those who cried out for his death.
o Dec. 15.—Wrote an address to insurgent Filipinos to
lay down their arms because their insurrection was
at that time hopeless. Address not made public but
added to the charges against him.
o Dec. 26.—Formally condemned to death by Spanish
court martial.
o Pi y Margall, who had been president of the Spanish
Republic, pleaded with the Prime Minister for Rizal’s
life, but the Queen Regent could not forgive his
having referred in one of his writings to the murder
by, and suicide of, her relative, Crown Prince
Rudolph of Austria.[116]
o Dec. 30.—Married in Fort Santiago death cell to
Josephine Bracken, Irish, the adopted daughter of a
blind American who came to Dapitan for treatment.
o Age 35 years, 6 months, 11 days. Shot on the
Luneta, Manila, at 7:30 a. m., and buried in a secret
grave in Paco Cemetery. (Entry of death made on
back flyleaf of Paco Church Register, among
suicides.)
o 1897, Jan.—Commemorated by Spanish Freemasons
who dedicated a tablet to his memory, in their Grand
Lodge hall in Madrid, as a martyr to Liberty.
o 1898, Aug.—Grave sought, immediately after the
American capture [117]of Manila, by Filipinos who
placed over it, in Paco cemetery, a cross inscribed
simply “December 30, 1896.” Since his death his
name had never been spoken by his countrymen,
but all references had been to “The Dead” (El
Difunto).
o Dec. 30.—Memorial services held by Filipinos, and
American soldiers on duty carried their arms
reversed.
o 1911, June 19.—Birth semi-centennial observed in
all public schools by act of Philippine Legisl9pature.
o 1912, Dec. 30.—Ashes transferred to the Rizal
Mausoleum on the Luneta with impressive public
ceremonies.
Rizal’s Writings
Novels
o Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not)
o El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed)
o Unfinished: Makamisa (After Mass)
Plays
o El Consejo de los Dioses (The Council of the Gods)
o Junta Al Pasig (Along the Pasig)
o San Euistaquio, Mártyr (Saint Eustache, the martyr)
o Por Telefono (By Phone)
Poems
o "Farewell to 1883"
o "Por la Educación Recibe Lustre la Patria" (Through
Education Is the Nation Glorified)
o "Sa Aking mga Kabata" (To My Fellow Youth)
o "Mi último adiós" (My Last Farewell)
o "Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo"
o "Felicitation"
o "Flower Among Flowers"
o "Goodbye to Leonor"
o "Himno Al Trabajo" (Dalit sa Paggawa; Hymn to
Labor)
o "Himno Al Talisay" (Hymn to Talisay)
o "Kundiman"
o "Mi Retiro"
o "El Canto del Viajero" (The Song of the Wanderer)
o "To the Child Jesus"
o "To the Virgin Mary"
o "Agua y Fiego" (Water and Fire)
o "Me Piden Versos" (They Asked Me for Verses)
Musical Compositions
o Kundiman ni Rizal
o Alin Mang Lahi
o Leonor
Speeches and Petitions
o In honor of two Filipino painters, Rizal's toast to Luna
and Hidalgo
o Rizal's speech delivered at Cafe Habanero
o Petition of the town of Calamba
o Order of the Marquis of Malinta
Letters and Petitions
o Tribute to Blumentritt (written on the day of Rizal's
execution)
o Sa Mga Kababaihang Taga Malolos (To the Young
Women of Malolos)
o A los Filipinos (To the Filipinos)
Articles and Essays
o "El Amor Patrio" (The Love of Country)
o "Come se gobiernan las Filipinas" (Governing the
Philippine islands)
o "Revista De Madrid" (Review of Madrid)
o "Los Viajes" (Travels)
o "La Verdad Para Todos" (The Truth for All)
o "Unfortunate Philippines"
o "Pensamientos De Un Filipino" (Reflections of a
Filipino)
o "Note on the Maremagnum"
o "Los Agricultores Filipinos" (Filipino Farmers)
o "Sa Mga Kababayan" (To My Countrymen)
o "Una Visita A La Victoria Gaol" (A Visit to Victoria
Gaol)
o "A La Defensa" (To La Defensa)
o "How to Deceive the Native Land"
o "To Barrantes on the Tagalog Theater"
o "Una Profanacion" (A Desecration/A Profanation)
o "Verdades Nuevas" (New Facts/New Truths)
o "Crueldad" (Cruelty)
o "Diferencias" (Differences)
o "Inconsequencias" (Inconsequences)
o "Llanto Y Risas" (Tears and Laughter
o "Ingratitudes" (Ingratitude)
o "Cosas de Filipinas" (Things About the Philippines)
o "Sobre La Nueva Ortografia De La Lengua Tagala"
(On The New Orthography of The Tagalog Language)
o "A La Nacion Espanola" (To the Spanish Nation)
o "Defensa Del Noli" (Reply to Barrantes' Criticism of
the Noli Me Tangere)
o "Nameless"
o "Let Us be Just"
o "Philippine Affairs"
o "More on the Negros Affair"
o "Cowardly Revenge"
o "A Reply to Mr. Isabelo de los Reyes' Las Luchas de
Nuestros Dias"
o "How the Philippines is Governed"
o "On the Calamba Incidents"
o "Ang Mga Karapatan Ng Tao" (The Rights Of Man)
o "Executives of the town of Calamba"
o "Colonisation Du British North Borneo, Par De
Familles De Iles Philippines" (Colonization Of British
North Borneo By Families From The Philippine
Islands)
o "Proyecto De Colonization Del British North Borneo
Por Los Filipinos" (Project Of The Colonization Of
British North Borneo By The Filipinos)
o "La Instruccion" (The Town Schools in the
Philippines)
o "La Mano Roja" (The Red Hand)
o "Pobres Frailes" (Poor Friars)
o "By-laws of the Association of Dapitan Farmers"
o "Date for My Defense"
o "Additions to My Defense"
o "Manifesto to some Filipinos"
o "The Philippines as a Spanish Colony"
o "Notes on Melanesia, Malaysia, and Polynesia"
o "Constitution of La Liga Filipina"
o "La Vision Del Fray Rodriguez" (The Vision of Fr.
Rodriguez)
o "Estado de religiosidad de los pueblos en Filipinas"
(The Religiosity of the Filipino People)
Characters and their Symbolism
NOLI ME TANGERE
1. Crisostomo Ibarra: exemplified the vision that Jose
Rizal had aimed for the youth of the Philippines
during his time; Ibarra as Rizal’s reflection of himself
2. Maria Clara: purity and innocence; related to Leonor
rivera (childhood sweetheart of rizal)
3. Padre Damaso: arrogant; anti-filipino
4. Elias: represents common Filipino; personification of
andres bonifacio
5. Kapitan Tiago: compulsive desire for power; rich
Filipinos who oppress their fellow countrymen
6. Doña Victorina: ambitious Filipina; those who have
distorted view of their identity
7. Don Tiburcio de Espadaña: ignorant Spaniards
whose foolishness the other Spaniards tolerated
8. Pia Alba: very spiritual woman; represents women
who have been abused by the clergy
9. Gobernador General: represents typical governor
generals in the phil. who would often disdain the
power that the friars had
10. Alfonso Linares: young Spaniards who came to the
phil hoping for better life than their motherland
11. Alferez: state officials who had power struggles with
church officials
12. Pilosopo Tasyo: pessimist; relate to his brother
Paciano; symbolizes learned Filipinos
13. Padre Sibyla: liberal friar; all he cares is getting his
congregation in power
14. Padre Salvi: manipulates people to get what he
wants
15. Sisa: personified the suffering of the motherland
16. Basilio: innocent who were wrongly accused
17. Dona Consolacion: those who are ashamed of their
own race and nationality

EL FILIBUSTERISMO

1. Simoun: Crisóstomo Ibarra reincarnated as a wealthy

jeweler, bent on starting a revolution
2. Isagani: portrayed as emotional and reactive
3. Kabesang Tales: symbolizes the natives and farmers
whose lands were seized by the friars
4. Ben Zayb: a journalist who thinks he is the only one
thinking in the Philippines
5. Placido Penitente: always miserable, and therefore
controls his temper

Quotations (Noli me Tangere)

o “I have to believe much in God because I have

lost my faith in man.”
o “Cowardice rightly understood begins with
selfishness and ends with shame.”
o "Quite the contrary. Even if my country does
seem to have forgotten me, I have always
thought about it.”
o “To be happy does not mean to indulge in
foolishness!”
o “It is not the criminals who arouse the hatred of
others, but the men who are honest.”
o “The people do not complain because they have
no voice; do not move because they are
lethargic, and you say that they do not suffer
because you have not seen their hearts bleed.”
o “I have observed that the prosperity or misery of
each people is in direct proportion to its liberties
or its prejudices and, accordingly, to the
sacrifices or the selfishness of its forefathers.
-Juan Crisostomo Ibarra”

Quotations (El Filibusterismo)

o “Walang mang-aalipin kung walang paaalipin.”

o “Why independence, if the slaves of today will
be the tyrants of tomorrow?”
o “A lie among the stars Is a comfortable lie.”