Second

Novel
CHAPTER 19
Annuela Malilay & Lawrence
Leviste
 Timeline

El Filibusterismo

October 1887 1888 March 29,

He begun writing El In London, he made
1891
He finished the
Filibusterismo. some changes in the manuscript in Biarritz.
book.

2
 1

Privations in
Ghent
 July 5, 1891

His reasons for

moving to Ghent
Reason #1 Reason #2

The cost of printing in Ghent was To escape from the enticing

cheaper than in Brussels attraction of Petite Suzanne

4
 ONE OF HIS TWO COMPATRIOTS

Jose
Alenjandro
He is from pampanga and the
room-mate of Rizal in the
Boarding house. He became a
General during the Filipino-
American War of 1899-1902 and
an engineer.

5
He recounted in his
memoirs their hard life in
Ghent
• Reduce the rent if without breakfast
• He bought tea, sugar, alcohol and a box of biscuits
• 30 days
• Personal Pride til the 2nd day
• Rizal told me that I may borrow for tomorrow’s share
• 15 days

6
 2

The Printing of
El Filibusterismo
 F. MEYER-VAN LOO
PRESS

No. 66 Viaanderen Street—— who was willing to print his book on

instalment basis.
 Printing the El
Filibusterismo
• Rizal became desperate because of his lowering funds
• He had received money from Basa and 200 pesos from Rodriguez Arias
• July 1891, Rizal wrote to Basa from Ghent
• August 6, the printing had to be suspended
• Rizal’s Cavalry in connection with the printing of Noli was repeated in the
Fili’s printing.
• Rizal told Basa if the money which he expect does not arrive by the next email,
he will give up the book.
• Valentin Ventura, Savior of the Fili
9
 3

The Fili Comes

Off the Press
September 18, 1891
He sent copies
to:
• Basa and Sixto Lopez in Hong Kong
• Valentin Ventura in Paris
• Blumentritt
• Mariano Ponce
• G. Lopez Jaena
• T.H. Pardo de Tavera
• Antonio and Juan de Luna
• Other friends
 Filipino patriots in foreign land
and in Philippines
They praise the novel to skies. They even published a tribute in La
Publicidad, Barcelona Newspaper, Eulogizing the novel’s original style, and
a well be offered as a model and precious jewel in decadent literature of
spain.

Liberal Madrid Newspaper and El

Nuevo Regimen
Serialized the novel in its issue of October 1891

First edition of El Filibusterismo

(Ghent copies)
They were placed in wooden boxes and shipped to Hong Kong, but almost
all the boxes were confiscated and the books were lost.
Dedicated
to Gom-
Bur-za
Rizal in all the years of his studies,
travels, and labors in foreign lands, had
not forgotten the martyrdom of Father
Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora.
 4

The Manuscript
and the Book
Original
manuscript
• Preserved in Filipino Division
of the Bureau of Public
Libraries, Manila
• Acquired from Valentin
Ventura
• The author's correction are
seen through the manuscript
• The Foreword and Warning
did not appear in the printed 15
book.
WARNING Inscription on Title Page

16
 5

Sypnosis of El
Filibusterismo

Sequel to Noli
• The hero of El Filibusterismo is Simoun
• He is a powerful figure because he is a good friend and adviser of the governor
general.
• Outwardly, Simoun is a friend of Spain. However, deep inside he is not.
• His two magnificent obsessions are:

Obsession #1 Obsession #2
To rescue Maria Clara from nunnery To foment a revolution against the
of Santa Clarai hated Spanish masters.

• It begins on board the clumsy roundish shaped steamer Tabo.

• Among the passenger are Simoun, Doña Victoria, Tiburcio de Espadaña,
Paulita Gomez, Ben-Zayb, Padre Sibyla, Padre Camorra, Don Custodio, Padre
Salvi,Padre Irene, Padre Florentino, Isa and Basilio.
18
• Simoun is called “Brown Cardinal” or the “Black Eminence”
• He encourages corruption in the government, promotes the oppression of the
masses, and hastens the moral degradation of the country.
• He smuggles arms into the country with the help of a rich Chinese merchant
• His first attempt to begin armed uprising did not materialize.
• After a long time of illness, Simon perfects his plan to overthrow the
government.
• He gave a beautiful lamp as gift for the wedding of Paulita Gomez and Juanito
Pelaez
• Only he and his confidential associate knows the plan in the wedding.
• The poet Isagani, who has been rejected by Paulita is standing outside the
house watching sorrowfully.
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• Basilio warns him to go away.
• Isagani rushes into the house, seize the lighted lamp, and hurl it into the river.
• The revolutionary plot was thus discovered and Simoun escaped from the
soldiers.
• The Spanish learns his presence and Lieutenant Perez informs the priest by
letter.
• Simoun eluded arrest by taking poison. As he is dying, he confessed to Padre
Florentino.
• It was night when Padre Florentino rises and begins to meditate.
• Watching Simoun die peacefully with a clear conscience and at peace with
God, Padre Florentino murmurs:
20
• Padre Florention falls upon his
knees and prays for the dead
jeweller.
• He takes the treasure chest and
throws it into the sea and he
invokes:

22
 Other Characters
Cabesang Tales Juli Macaraig
Dispossessed of his land Sweetheart of Basilio and A rich student and leader
in Tiani. unfortunately, she kills of the Filipino Student in
herself. their movement.

Padre Millon Placido Penitente Señor Pasta

Teaches physics at the Becomes discontented Old Filipino lawyer
University of Santo with the poor method of
Tomas. instruction in the
University. 23
 Other Characters
Tandang Selo Mr. American Sandoval
Grandfather of Juli and Impressario A spanish student who
Father of Cabesang Owned the sideshow at supports the cause of
Tales. the feria of Quiapo Filipino students.

Pecson Cabesana Andang Pepay

Tone of the Filipinoe The mother of Placido The pretty dancer and
students who agitates for Penitente mistress of Don
teaching Spanish. Custodio.

24
 Other Characters
Padre Fernandez Don Timoteo Tano
A good Dominican friar The father of Juanito A\The son of Cabesang
and friend of Isagani Pelaez Tales and brother of Juli

Chicay
The silversmith who
made the bridal earrings
for Paulita Gomez

25
 6

“Noli” and “Fili”

Compared
 NOL EL
I FILI

A romantic novel; it is a “work of the heart”— a It is a political novel; it is a work of the head” —
“book of feeling” a “book of the thought”

• The original intention of Rizal was to make the Fili longer than the Noli.
• 38 chapters against the 64 chapter.
• Noli superior to the Fili as a novel thereby agreeing with M.H. del Pilar and
Retana.
• Blumentritt, Graciano Lopez Jaena, and Dr Rafael Palma are opposite of M.H.
del Pilar and Retana.
October 2. 1891

Lopez Jaena wrote a letter to

Rizal regarding that El
Filibusterismo is superior than
Noli Me Tangere. However he
was not satisfied fully with the
Fili as a political novel.

28
 Similarities of
the Novels
The issue of which is superior novel — the Noli or the Fili — is purely
academic. Both are good novels from the point of view of history, it
depict with realistic colours with actual days of Spanish rule; Both are
instrumental in awakening the spirit of Filipino nationalism and
responsible in paving the ground for the Philippine Revolution that
brought about the downfall of Spain.

29
 7

Rizal’s
Unfinished Third
Novel
• On September 22 1891, four days after the Fili came off the press, Rizal wrote a
letter to Blumentritt.
• On October 18, 1891, Rizal boarded the streamer Melbourne in Marseilles bound
for Hong Kong.
• The unfinished novel has no title.
• It begins with the burial of Prince Tagulima, son of Sultan Zaide of Ternate on
Mapalad na Bato.
• They were taken as prisoners during the wards in Moluccas and brought to
Manila
• The old sultan, his children, and followers were promised good treatment.
• Fortunate not to finished the novel since it would create a greater scandal.
31
 8

Rizal’s Other
Unfinished
Novel
• Makamisa, a novel in Tagalog.
• Dapitan, written in ironic Spanish.
• A novel in Spanish about the life in Pili.
• Cristobal, a youthful Filipino student who has returned from
Europe.
• The beginnings of another novel are contained in two notebooks
— written in Spanish.

33
Thank you!