LEARNING MODULE SURIGAO STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Learning Module in GE Rizal 1- Life and Works of Rizal

I. Title: NOLI ME TANGERE CHARTER OF FILIPINO NATIONALISM

II. Topics:

1. Noli Me Tangere
2. First Reactions to the Noli
3. Synopsis of Noli me Tangere

III. Time Frame: 5hours

IV. Introduction:

Noli Me Tangere is Latin for "touch me not", a reference to the Gospel of St. John
where Jesus says to Mary Magdalene: "Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my
Father". In this modern classic of Filipino literature, Jose P. Rizal exposes "matters...so
delicate that they cannot be touched by anybody", unfolding an epic history of the Philippines
that has made it the most influential political novel in the country in the nineteenth and
twentieth century’s. The popularity of this novel grounded in its reflection of the turbulent times
in which it was written (Locsin, 1997).

In this chapter, the learners are able to engage into the works of Rizal especially his
novel: Noli Me Tangere. Learners are also able to assess how words can destroy an empire
rather than resorting to bloody war.

V. Objectives:

At the end of this module, the students should be able to:

1. Appreciate the great novel of the hero as an instrument for Filipino nationalistic
feelings; and
2. Synthesize on how the power of words can fall an empire.

6. Pre-Test: Give your view on the statement below.

1. Words are sharper than the swords.

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VII. Learning Activities:

1. Noli Me Tangere

John: 20-17 “Jesus say 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 my God and your God”

The novel can be considered a charter of

Filipino nationalism Schumacher, 1977), it
calls on the Filipino to: regain his self-
confidence; appreciate his self-worth; return
to the heritage of his ancestors; asserts
himself as a co-equal of the Spaniards. It
likewise, insists on the need for education,
dedication to the country assimilating the aspects of Western cultures that could enhance
native traditions.

The novel does not only expose the social maladies in the Philippines during Rizal’s time. It
outlines the reform needed in Filipino society then. These reforms include the following:
radical reforms in the armed forces, clergy, and administration of justice, more respect for
human dignity, greater security for the individual; less strength in the constabulary, and less
privileges for organizations prone to abuses and corruption.

The Spanish were furious with Rizal’s novel. They refused it to be imported into Manila. As a
result only a small number of copies of Noli Me Tangere entered in Manila. The friars, whom
Rizal criticized, spoke disparagingly of the book and threatened excommunication to anyone
who read it.

Provided below is an excerpt from the said report of the Permanent Commission on
Censorship of the Philippines;

1. Attacks on the integrity of Spain (State and Religion)

2. Attacks on the administration, the Spanish employees of the government, and the
courts of justice
3. Attacks of the civil guards

Despite the strong objection and condemnation, the Noli became a very significant because of
the impact it had upon developing a nationalistic feeling. It has an important reflection the
Ilustrado political mentality.

2. First Reactions to the Noli

Prior to the publication of the Noli Me Tangere, a number by Filipino writers from 1882 to 1896
were produced. Mention can be said of the following: Paterno’s novel Ninay; published in
Madrid in 1885; Del Pilar’s La Soberania Monacal and Graciano Lopez Jaena’s Discursos y
Articulos Varios published in Barcelona in 1889 and 1891, and Antonio Luna’s Impresiones,
which came out in Madrid in 1893. None of these publications however, evoked such
favorable and unfavorable comments from friends and enemies as did Rizal’s Noli Me
Tangere.

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The attacks on Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere were not only confined in the Philippines but were also
staged in Madrid by some notable persons who unjustly lambasted and criticized in the two
chambers of Spanish Cortes in 1888 and 1889. Another attack on the novel came from
Vicente Barrantes, a Spanish academician, who had spent many years in high posts of
Philippine Legislature. He described 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 the friar. In this
letter, Rizal was labeled an ungrateful man. At the same time, Rizal was challenged to come
out into open if he had a grievance against the religious establishment.

A direct attack on the Noli was launched by Father Jose Rodriguez, by issuing a series of
pamphlets under the tile Cuestiones de Sumo Interes(Agoncillo, 1999). As pointed out by
Schumacher, 1997), Fr. Rodriguez judged the novel on a doctrinal level, when he said that it
should not read by devout Christian as the book is:

“Full of heresies, blasphemies, and the grossest errors, containing as it

does, propositions which are false, rash, offensive to pious ears, injurious to the
sacred hierarchy and to the faithful, impious, foolish erroneous, likely to lead into
errors condemned in Luther and other .heretics, savoring of heresy and
heretical, and likely lead to atheism.”While Rizal’s Noliwas attacked severely by
the establishments, particularly the friars, there were those who tried to prove
the novel and countered the arguments of its attackers.

The greatest defender of the Noli came from a Filipino priest Fr. Vicente Garcia with his pen
name Desiderio Magalang, he refuted Fr. Rodriguez condemnation of the Noli for its
blasphemy and heresy. According to him, the book was a work of literature, and it should be
judged that the way and not on a doctrinal level. And using his knowledge on logic, he said “If
the reading of the Noli is a mortal sin, then, Fr.Rodriguez has also committed a mortal sin.” On
the issue of Rizal’s ignorance, Fr.Garcia Asserted that the former was not an ignorant man,
considering that he was an alumnus of Spanish of Spanish universities and a recipient of
numerous academic honors and awards.

For Blumentritt, Rizal’s novel was a patriotic one. It was a truthful and heartfelt effort to make
Spain realize the need to remedy the social ills plaguing Filipino society, then. Moreover,
Blumentritt stressed the point that the Spanish nationals have to accept these criticisms.

Apparently, the attacks on Rizal and his novel clearly showed the power and influence of friars
who considered their interest of prime importance than that of the interest of the state. Thus,
for Rizal, as the novel Noli Me Tangerehas notyet been judged and cannot be judged rightly
as its effects are still being felt (Guerrero, 1998).

3. Synopsis of the Noli

The Filipinos adored Jose Rizal for the

book Noli Me Tangere, which had
reached the Islands before him and
found eager buyers. People said that all
the characters in the noel were all real
people, as in point of fact they were. It
was a history written with fictitious
names. These who knew Rizal home
well realized that he had seen or heard
of the incidents which he had related,
and that the only the names were new.

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Crisostomo Ibarra, a youth who goes to Europe to study and find out how to bless his country,
is Rizal himself. His father has trouble with friars, is thrown into prison, and dies. This is a
composite of Rizal’s father and mother. Though they were still living when the book was
written, hundreds of other martyred men the part of the story true in the corner of the
archipelago. Maria Clara is Ibarra’s sweetheart and fiancée, but because he was trouble with
the Spanish friars,the girl’sfather,Kapitan Tiago, breaks off the engagement and marries her
daughter to another man, which breaks her heart and results her death. Maria Clara is Leonor
Rivera, Tasyo the philosopher, is Jose’s brother Paciano. The people of Calamba with sure
finger pointed out all the rest of the characters. Fr.Damaso, the cruel Dominican friar, who
claimed of the land about Calamba: poverty-stricken Sisa, the victim of the unjust system,
who does not have enough to eat and goes hungry while her boys have a little food; Civil
guards arrestingSisa or alleged theft- they had seen them all and time again. The book was a
thousand times true. The picture of the Governor General, who requests the archipelago to
cancel the communications, perfectly represents well meaning, Terrero, who was the
Governor General when Rizal reached in Manila. Indeed, as Rizal had said, every incident
as in the book had “actually happened.” Comment [EMPS1]:

Activity 1. Symbolism of characters

(Write at least 5 characters in Noli and present the symbolism of characters)

The Dominican Friars say the principal conclusions of the NOLI ME TANGERE are:

1. The enlightened liberal Filipinos cannot in the Philippines because he and the friars
are congenial. He is persecuted in every way, false conspiracies are invented to
implicate, him and then he is imprisoned, exiled or shot.
2. The country is not for us but for the Spaniards, specially the friars.
3. The Civil Guard is so abusive that it makes more bandits than it captures.
4. The Spaniards in the Philippines have no high ideals, but many of them have
degenerated into ruffians.
5. The Catholic religion has been employed as instruments of domination.
6. The pure Filipinos are condemned to perpetual ignorance
7. The woman cannot marry a Spaniard but gives herself to the friar if her parents oblige
to do so to protect them.
8. With the present had the government, the Filipinos cannot remain united with Spain,
and with all the courtesy we ask for the rights are deserves.
9. The chief cause of insurrection is desperation. When a man loses all he has, he fights.

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Vigilant spies carried Noli Me Tangere to the government and the government appointed a
committee from the University of Sto.Tomas to examine it. The Committee made a thorough
job, and the rector of the University of Sto. Tomas reported to the Archbishop.

The government decree followed at once, excluding the book from the Philippines, requiring a
search for any copies of it that it might be in the Islands, and providing that any Filipino found
with Noli Me Tangerein his possession should be deported and his property confiscated and
given to the persons who should betray him.

VIII. Self-Evaluation: True or False. Write T if the statement is true and F if the statement
is false.

___1. Fr. Garcia was against the novel of Jose Rizal.

___2. Noli Me Tangere is an exposition only of government officials’ corruption.

___3. Blumentritt does not appreciate Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere.

___4. Fr. Rodriguez was in favor of Rizal’s novel since it showed patriotic sense.

___5.Negligence was one of the critics of the Spanish officials to Rizal’s Noli Me
Tangere.

IX. Review of Concepts

Noli Me Tangere outlined the reform needed in Filipino

society then. These reforms include the following: radical
reforms in the armed forces, clergy, and administration of
justice, more respect for human dignity, greater security
for the individual; less strength in the constabulary, and
less privileges for organizations prone to abuses and
corruption.

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

confined in the Philippines but were also staged in Madrid by some notable persons who
unjustly lambasted and criticized in the two chambers of Spanish Cortes in 1888 and 1889.

Fr. Rodriguez judged the novel on a doctrinal level: heretic and

The greatest defender of the Noli came from a Filipino priest Fr. Vicente Garcia with his pen
name Desiderio Magalang.

X. Post-Test: With your knowledge in this chapter, answer the following questions
below.

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1. How does the novel of Rizal help his compatriots from the bondage of the colonizers and
tremor the Spanish political and religious setting?

2. Opposite of the fictitious characters of Rizal’s Noli, write the corresponding real-life
characters on the lines. Conduct a supplemental research as necessary.

Example:
Crisostomo Ibarra Jose Rizal
1. Maria Clara __________________________________
2. Elias __________________________________
3. Kapitan Tiago __________________________________
4. Sisa __________________________________
5. Basilio __________________________________
6. Crispin __________________________________
7. Padre Salvi __________________________________
8. Padre Damaso __________________________________
9. PilosopongTasyo __________________________________
Alferes __________________________________

XI. References:

Zaide, Gregorio et. al (2002). Philippine History & Gov’t5th ed. Quezon City: All Nations
Publishing Co., Inc.

Abeleda, A.S Jr (2003). Philippine History. Manila: Saint Bernadette Pub. Inc.

Borinaga, Rolando O. et al. (2013). The Journal of History. Manila: Philippine National
Historical Society. Vol. LIX,

Santos, delos Santos et.al.(2013). A Review on the Life & Works of the First
Filipino.Malabon City: Jimczcyville Publications;.

Schreurs, P. (2012). Angry Days in Mindanao 4th ed. Manila:National Historical Commission
of the Philippines,

Lubang, J. A. et.al. (). Iba’tIbang Rizal: Halagat at SaysayngDakilang Pilipino. Quezon City:
CJS PUBLISHING 2

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