Chapter 8

Idea of Writing a Novel on Philippines

His reading of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s
Cabin, which portray the brutalities of American salve and
pathetic conditions of the unfortunate Negro slaves,
inspires Dr. Jose Rizal to prepare a novel that would depict
the miseries of his people under the last of Spanish
tyrants. In the reunion of Filipinos in the Paterno
residence in Madrid on January 2, 1884, Rizal propose the
writing of novel about the Philippines by a group of
Filipinos. His proposal was unanimously approved by
those present, among whom were the Paternos (Pedro,
Maximo, and Antonio), Graciano Lopez Jaena, Evaresto
Aguirre, Eduardo de Lete, Julio Llorente, Meleciano
Figueroa, and Valentin Ventura. Unfortunately, Rizal
project did not materialize. Those compatriots who were
expected to collaborate on novel did not write anything.
The novel was designed to cover all phrases of Philippine
life. However, almost disgusted to see that his
companions, instead of working seriously on the novel,
wasted their time gambling or flirting with Spanish
senoritas. Undaunted by his friends indifference, he
determine to write a novel alone.

The writing of Noli

Toward the end of 1884, Rizal began writing the
novel in Madrid and finished about one-half of it. After
completing his studies in Cental University of Madrid, he
continued writing the novel finishing one-half of the
second half. He finished the last fourth of the novel in
Germany. He wrote the last few chapters of Noli in
Wilhelmsfeld in April-June 1886. In Berlin during the
winter days of February 1886. Rizal made final revisions
on the manuscript of Noli. Sick and penniless, he saw no
hope of having it published, so that in a momentary fit of
desperation, he almost hurled it into flames.

Viola, the savior of Noli

Rizal received a telegram from Dr. Maximo Viola who
was coming to Berlin. When Viola arrived in Berlin, he was
shocked to find Rizal living in poverty and deplorably
sickly due to lack of proper nourishment. Viola gladly
agreed to finance the printing cost of the novel. He also
loaned Rizal some money. for living expenses. Rizal and
Viola celebrated Christmas together. After Christmas
season, Rizal put the finishing touches on his novel. To
save printing expenses, he deleted certain passages in
his manuscript, including a whole chapter- Elias and
Salome.
On February 21, 1887, the Noli was finally finished
and ready for printing. Voila went to different printing
shops in Berlin to survey the cost of printing. After a few
days, they found a printing shop—Berlin Buchdrukrei-
Action-Gesselschaft which charged the lowest rate of 300
pesos for 2,000 copies of novel.

Rizal Suspected as French Spy

During the printing of Noli, a rare incident happened
to Rizal. During the printing of Noli, the chief of police
Berlin visit Rizal’s boarding house and requested to see
his passport, unfortunately, that time travel with or
without passports is possible. The police chief then told
him to produce a passport after 4 days. Immediately Viola
accompanied Rizal in the Spanish Ambassador, the Court
of Benomar, who promised to attend to the matter. But
the ambassador failed to keep his promise, but it turns
out that he had no power to issue the requested passport.
The 4-day ultimatum expired. Rizal himself apologize to
the chief police, while villages, thereby pronouncing him
as a French Spy. Rizal in fluent German explained to the
police, that he was a Filipino ethnologist, who visits rural
areas to observe customs and lifestyles of their simple
inhabitants. The chief impressed and fascinated on Rizal’s
explanation, allowed him to stay freely in Germany.

Printing of Noli Finished

On March 21, 1887, the Noli Me Tangere came off the
press. Rizal sent the first copies of the printed novel to his
intimate friends, including Bluementritt, Dr. Antonio
Regidor, G. Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce and Felix R.
Hidalgo.
On March 29, 1887, in token of his appreciation and
gratitude, gave Viola the gallery proof of Noli carefully
rolled around around the pen that he used in writing it.

The Title of the Novel

The title Noli is a Latin phrase which means “Touch
Me Not”. It is not originally conceived by Rizal, for he
admitted taking it from the bible. Rizal dedicated his Noli
Me Tangere to the Philippines- “To my Fatherland”.
Synopsis of Noli
(Search a Video)

The Noli Based on Truth

The Noli Me Tangere, unlike many works of fictional
literature, was a true story of Philippine conditions during
the last decades of Spanish rule. The places, the
characters, and the situations really existed. “The facts I
narrate there,” said Rizal, “are all true and have
happened: I can prove them.”
The characters Ibarra, Maria Clara, Elias, Tasio, Capitan
Tiago, Padre Damaso, Padre Salvi, etc.—were drawn by
Rizal from persons who actually existed during his times.
Maria Clara was Leonor Rivera, although in real life she
became unfaithful, unlike the heroine of the novel, and
married an Englishman. Ibarra and Elias represented Rizal
himself. Tasio the philosopher was his elder brother
Paciano. Padre Salvi was identified by Rizalists as Padre
Antonio Piernaviaja, the hated Augustinian friar in Cavite
who was killed by the patriots during the revolution.
Capitan Tiago was Capitan Hilario Sunico of San Nicolas.
Dona Victorina was Dona Agustina Medel. The two
brothers Basilio and Crispin were the Crisostomo Brothers
of Hagonoy. Padre Damaso was typical of a domineering
friar during the days of Rizal, who was arrogant, immoral,
and anti-Filipino.
The missing chapter of the Noli is Elias and Salome
It was intended to follow Chapter 24, “In the woods”.
It relates of Elias’ escape from the picnic when the
guardia civil came to arrest him and his sad parting with
his sweetheart Salome, who was a pretty orphan girl. It
was remove to save some money for the printing.

Rizal’s Friend Praise the Noli

The friends of Rizal hailed the novel, praising it in
glowing colors. As expected, Rizal’s enemies condemned
it. Rizal anticipated the vitriolic attacks of his enemies,
who were sore to be be told the truth of their evil ways.
As he Blumentritt: “the government and the friars will
probably attack the works, refuting my statements, but I
trust in God of truth and in the persons who have actually
seen our sufferings” of the numerous congratulatory
letters received by Rizal from his friends about the Noli,
that from Blumentritt was significant, “First of all” wrote
Blumentritt “accept my cordial congratulations for your
beautiful novel about customs which interest me
extraordinarily, Your work, as we Germans say, has been
written with blood of the heart, and so the heart also
speaks. I continue reading it with much interest, I shall
beg to ask you now and then for an explanation when I
find words unknown to me; for instance, the word
filibuster must have certain meaning in the Philippines
that I do not find in the Spanish of the Peninsular nor in
the that of the Spanish peoples of America”. Blumentritt
knew that Rizal is a man of extraordinary talent and he is
happy to have been honored with Rizal’s friendship. In
London, Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, Filipino patriot and
lawyer who had been exiled due to his complicity in
Cavite Mutiny of 1872, read avidly the Noli and was very
much impressed by its author. On May 3, 1887, he
felicitated Rizal, saying: If the Quixote immortalizes its
author because it exposes to the world ailments of Spain,
your Noli Me Tangere will bring you an equal glory. With
your modesty and your voracious and able appraisal, you
have dealt a mortal blow to that old tree full of blemishes
and decay. Every Filipino patriot will read you book with
avity and upon discovering in every line a veracious idea
and in every word a fitting advice, he will be inspired and
he will regard your book as the masterpiece of a Filipino
and the proof that those who thought us incapable of
producing great intellects are mistaken or lying.”