Roselle May Advincula

 Rizal’s Written Revolution: Noli Me Tangere During the Spanish Colonial Period, a man named Juan Crisostomo Ibarra returned to the Philippines after studying in Europe for seven years. A reformist in heart, Ibarra desired to make significant contributions in his community. More specifically by making education available to more people. He was greeted with festivities and gossips here and there, and were first surrounded by friends who belonged in the upper class. His return was made even sweeter, as he can finally be together again with childhood sweetheart and fiancé, Maria Clara. But things took a viscious turn when Ibarra became the subject of the friars’ ire, particularly Padre Damaso who had a bitter conflict with Ibarra’s late father, and Padre Salvi who secretly lusts over Maria Clara. The former insults Ibarra and the memory of his father at any chance he gets, and the latter plotted against Ibarra’s life, twice. His name was implicated in an uprising he had no involvement in and was imprisoned. Ibarra escaped with the help of Elias, a man he previously saved. Distraught and disillusioned, Ibarra’s once bright vision of the future becomes bleak. That’s the rough summary of Jose Rizal’s first novel, Noli Me Tangere. But within its 64 chapters lies a whole series of dangerous schemes, oppression and tragedy that reflected the ill situation of the Philippines under the Spanish leadership. How the novel started A novel about the Philippines was initially proposed by Rizal himself in January 1884, during a reunion at a friend’s house, Pedro A. Paterno, in Madrid. His idea was to publish a novel written by a group of Filipino writers. The Filipinos present at the party agreed at Rizal’s proposal. Among them were Pedro, Maximino and Antonio Paterno, Graciano López Jaena, Evaristo Aguirre, Eduardo de Lete, Julio Llorente and Valentin Ventura. However, this plan didn’t happen because the people who were supposed to help Rizal write the story didn’t deliver. Rizal, still wanting to write a novel about his country, started writing Noli Me Tangere. It was first published in Berlin in 1887 with the help of Maximo Viola. He lent Rizal Php 300—something that would just amount to two orders of milk tea nowadays—but back then, enabled them to print 2,000 copies of the novel. On that same year, Rizal returned to the Philippines but his novel, due to its theme that seemingly condemns the church and the Spanish government and their corruptions, was deemed as a work of propaganda that promotes subversion. The novel also heavily implied the context of sexual misconduct committed by friars. It was banned in the country but copies were smuggled and distributed in secret. It was only officially released in 1899, three years after the hero’s death. Why Noli Me Tangere? Rizal drew the title Noli Me Tangere from the Gospel of John, chapter 20. The phrase “touch me not”, which is the literal translation of the novel’s Latin title, can be found in verse 17: “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”  The English translations of the novel, however, adapted the title The Social Cancer. A very fitting label since Rizal’s purpose in writing the novel was to expose the “societal cancer” that slowly kills his country. Rizal’s Inspiration In the account of American Austin Craig, one of the early biographers of Jose Rizal, the national hero and novelist wrote in his diary about a book titled The Wandering Jew. It’s a French novel written by Eugene Sue in 1844. Rizal was extremely affected by what he read. According to Craig, it caused him “a tremendous sympathy for the unfortunates that made him willing to risk everything in their behalf.” Rizal thought that a work as such, paralleled with the Philippines’ state at the time, would encourage the Spanish to make a reform; though he made no mention then of writing a book like The Wandering Jew. In some history accounts, it is reported that Rizal’s inspiration came from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin- a political novel that discusses slavery in America. It’s also important to note that in his letter to La Solidaridad, pertaining to the execution of GomBurZa in 1872, Rizal wrote the following, implying that his decision to write the novel were in a way inspired by tragic event: “Without 1872, there would have been no Plaridel, Jaena or Sanciongco; nor would the brave and generous Filipino colonies in Europe have existed. Without 1872, Rizal would now have been a Jesuit and instead of writing ‘Noli Me Tangere,’ would have written the opposite. Observing those injustices and cruelties fired my young imagination and I pledge to dedicate myself and to avenge some day those victims. With this idea, I have studied and this can be discerned in all my works and writings. God will give me the opportunity someday to keep my vow.” Character comparisons and context in post-colonial Philippines Ibarra and Elias: The character of Crisostomo Ibarra and Elias are often compared and analysed side by side. While both are reformists, their ideals and ways to achieve the change they were fighting for contrast each other. Ibarra initially chose a more peaceful reformation. He was an idealist who came back to his country with a hope that he can improve it without any violence involved. Elias, on the other hand, believes that change can only be achieved through a revolution. To him, violence was inevitable. Some people see the contrast between the two characters are very similar to the one between Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio. Both are heroes and played a huge part in the Philippine’s independence, but like the two characters in Rizal’s novel, each believed in different means. Rizal was more like Ibarra. He opted to express his cries for freedom through his written works. He believed in the value of education and hoped for it to be accessible to his fellow countrymen—mirroring Ibarra’s desire to field a secular school in Noli Me Tangere. Then there’s Andres Bonifacio who earned the title of Father of Philippine Revolution and led the KKK movement. Like a real-life Elias. Maria Clara and Sisa: If there are names in Noli Me Tangere that could almost be considered as official adjectives in the Filipino language, it would be Maria Clara and Sisa. The names of these characters have been commonly used in casual Filipino conversations since early days. Many have probably heard or used them way before they can even read about the two ladies in the novel. In Rizal’s novel, Maria Clara is the embodiment of what the society deems as an ideal Filipina: reserved, prim and proper, loving and unwavering. She was a well-celebrated lady with beauty and status. Sisa, sadly isn’t as lucky in the novel or even in the context that her names suggest in post-colonial Philippines. Her family is poor and she was trapped in an abusive marriage. To make her situation worse, one of her beloved children disappeared. Due to the long period of violence she experienced from her husband and the sudden death of her son, Sisa lost her sanity and later dies. Thus, when used in conversation, the name Sisa suggests that someone is being crazy. The Missing Chapter If the original chapter 25 of Noli Me Tangere has been published, we would’ve witnessed Elias’ love story, even though it’s just as sad as Ibarra and Maria Clara’s. In the chapter, Salome was waiting for Elias for their usual afternoon meet-ups. They talked about the feast hosted by Captain Tiago to celebrate Ibarra’s return. When asked about the women in the party, Elias casually mentioned that one woman named Maria Clara is beautiful and kind-hearted. In the course of their conversation, Salome expressed her sadness about her impending departure. She is ought to live with her relatives in Mindoro. Elias, however, encouraged her but not without expressing regret and a drop of bitterness about how his life turned out, resulting to his decision to let go of Salome. In his remorse, he admitted that if the situation was a little better, he would’ve married Salome already and build a family with her. It ends with Elias bidding farewell to Salome. According to historians, the chapter was deleted simply because of cost-cutting. They wanted to cut the publication fees without ruining the flow of the story, and this chapter, in their perspective, held little significance in the plot’s development.