DIONISIO, Dannica Joy M.
BSN 3- the artistic and literary talents; Paciano –
A02
Ch. 2: CHILDHOOD YEARS IN
CALAMBA
2.1. Calamba, the Hero’s Town: a
hacienda town which belonged to the
Dominican order; to the South is Mt
Makiling (with Batangas beyond the
mountain), East is Laguna de Bay, North
is Antipolo
2.2. Earliest Childhood Memories: had to
be given the tenderest care by his
parents for being frail, sickly and
undersized; daily Angelus prayer; happy
moonlit nights at the azotea; being
threatened with asuang, nuno, tikbalang
or Bombay if he would not eat his supper
2.3. First Sorrow – death of Concha at 3.
2.4. Devoted Son of the Church – taught
Catholic prayers by Mom; read Spanish
family Bible at 5; admired Filipino priest
Fr. Leoncio Lopez
2.5. Pilgrimage to Antipolo – June 6, 1868
with his father riding in a casco (barge)
2.6. Story of the Moth – fable about
“being obedient to your mother or else
you may get burnt”
2.7. Artistic Talents – sketching and clay
molding (or sculpturing)
2.8. First Poem – “Sa Aking Mga
Kababata” at 8 years old
2.9. First Drama – manuscript bought by
Paete gobernadorcillo for 2 pesos
2.10. Boy Magician – magic-lantern
exhibitions and manipulating
marionettes
2.11. Lakeshore Reveries – Guardia Civil
caning and injuring unarmed villages
2.12. Influences on the hero’s Boyhood:
(1) Hereditary – Malayan (love for
freedom); Chinese (serious nature,
frugality, patience and love for children);
Spanish – elegance of bearing and
gallantry to ladies; (2) Environmental –
scenic beauties of Calamba stimulated
love of freedom; sisters – kindness to
women; Fr.Leoncio Lopez – scholarship
and intellectual honesty; GomBurZa in
1872 – spirit of patriotism; (3) Aid of
Divine Providence – versatile gifts of a
genius, heart to sacrifice for a noble
cause; destiny to be the pride and glory
of his nation
Ch. 3: EARLY EDUCATION IN
CALAMBA & BIÑAN
3.0. Four R’s – reading, writing,
arithmetic and religion
3.1. Hero’s First Teacher: Mother, at 3,
taught alphabet and prayers; employed
private tutors: (1) Maestro Celestino, (2)
Lucas Padua, (3) Leon Monroy – his
father’s former classmate (Spanish &
Latin)
3.2. Jose goes to Biñan: accompanied by
Paciano via carromata; sightseeing with
cousin Leandro
3.3. First Day in Biñan School: tutored by
Justiniano Aquino Cruz; knew by heart
the grammars by Nebrija and Gainza;
tall, thin, long-necked & wearing
sinamay shirt
3.4. First School Brawl: challenged Pedro
to a fight (defeated the bigger boy coz of
his wrestling ability learned from Tio
Manuel); lost to Andres Salandanan in an
arm-wrestling match
3.5. Painting Lessons: tutored by old
painter Juancho; he and Jose Guevarra
became “the favorite painters of the
class”
3.6. Daily Life in Biñan: almost Spartan in
Simplicity: “studied at 4AM & heard
Mass… returned home & went to the
orchard to look for a mabolo to eat”…
took breakfast… went to class …
returned at 10AM… back to school at
2PM and returned home at 5PM…prayed
with some cousins… study time…
supper…”
3.7. Best Student in School: beat all
Biñan boys
3.8. End of Biñan Schooling: before
Christmas of 1870, was instructed by
sister Saturnina to board the steamer
Talim to go to Calamba; prayed in the
town Church and collected pebbles in the
river for souvenirs; left Biñan on Dec. 17,
1870; taken care of by Dad’s friend
Arturo Camps, a French
3.9. Martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za: Cavite
mutiny of 200+ soldiers on Jan. 20,
1872was suppressed and Fathers
Mariano, Jose and Jacinto Zamora were
executed on Feb. 17, 1872 by the order
of Gov. Gen. Rafael de Izquierdo despite
archbishop’s plea for clemency; mourned
by Rizal family and other patriotic
families; Paciano, enraged by the
execution of Burgos, quit his studies at
the College of San Jose; GomBurZa
martyrdom inspired Rizal to fight the
evils of Spanish tyranny; Mariano Ponce
(Paris, Apr.18, 1889): “Without 1872
there would not be now either a Plaridel
or Jaena or Sanciangco, nor would there
exist brave and generous Filipino
colonies in Europe; without 1872 Rizal
would be a Jesuit now and, instead of
writing Noli Me Tangere, would have
written the opposite”
3.10. Injustice to Hero’s Mother: Doña
Teodora and her brother Jose Alberto, a
rich Biñan ilustrado, were charged by the
latter’s evil wife (in connivance of a
Spanish Guardia Civil lieutenant) of
attempting to poison her. There was
hard feeling due to Don Francisco’s
refusal to give him fodder for his horse.
Teodora was arrested and forced to walk
from Calamba to Santa Cruz (50 kms)
and languished in jail for 2&1/2 years
until the Manila Royal Audiencia (SC)
acquitted her after lawyers Francisco de
Marcaida and Manuel Marzan defended
her.
Ch. 4: SCHOLASTIC TRIUMPHS AT
ATENEO DE MANILA (1872-1877)
4.0. Ateneo Municipal, an Escuela Pia
(charity school) for poor boys in 1817,
became Ateneo de Manila in 1859 under
the Jesuits, who were splendid
educators… causing Ateneo de Manila to
become excellent school for boys
4.1. Rizal enters the Ateneo: passed CSJL
entrance; but Francisco decided to send
Rizal to Ateneo; refused admission by Fr.
Magin Ferrando, Registrar, coz (1) late
registrant, and (2) sickly & undersized
for his age… but was eventually
admitted due to the intercession by
Manuel Xerez Burgos; used “Rizal” as
surname coz “Mercado” had come under
suspicion by Spanish authorities
4.2. Jesuit System of Ed: … more
advanced than other colleges; rigid
discipline and religious instruction;
promoted physical culture, humanities
and scientific studies; Mass before daily
class; students in 2 groups: (1) Roman
Empire (internos – boarders) and
Carthaginian Empire (externos – non-
boarders); best – emperor; 2nd best –
tribune; 3rd – decurion; 4th – centurion; 5th
– standard bearer; anybody can become
an emperor (3 mistakes); Romans (red)
& Carthaginian (blue); uniform of “hemp-
fabric trousers” and “striped cotton coat
made of rayadillo”
4.3. First year in Ateneo (1872-73):
heard Mass at college chapel and prayed
fervently to God for guidance and
success; first professor was Fr. Jose
Bech, SJ; became emperor of
Carthaginians at the end of the month
4.4. Summer vacation (1873): didn’t
enjoy it coz mother was in prison
4.5. Second year in Ateneo (1873-74):
received excellent grades in all subjects
and a gold medal; returned to Calamba
in March 1874
4.6. Prophecy of Mother’s Release: TAR
told her son of her dream the previous
night and he interpreted it that she could
be released in two month’s time; it came
true; likened her son to the Biblical
Joseph (the dreamer)
4.7. Teenage Interest in Reading: first
favorite novel was Alexander Dumas’
“The Count of Monte Cristo” (about
Edmond Dantes’ sufferings in prison and
revenge; Cesar Cantu’s Universal History
and Jagor’s Travels in the Philippines
(along with his observation of the defects
of Spanish colonization and that
someday Spain would lose the
Philippines and Amercia would come to
succeed her as colonizer)
4.8. Third year in Ateneo (1874-75):
grades remained excellent but won only
1 medal in Latin
4.9. Fourth year in Ateneo (1875-76):
became an interno on June 16, 1875;
Inspired by Fr. Francisco de Paula
Sanchez, SJ; described Sanchez as
“model of uprightness, earnestness, and
love for the advancement of his pupils”;
won 5 medals
4.10. Last year in Ateneo (1876-77):
excelled in all subjects; most brilliant;
“the pride of the Jesuits”; finished in a
blaze of glory; highest grades in all
subjects – philosophy, physics, biology,
chemistry, languages, mineralogy, etc.;
received B.A. on March 23, 1887 with
highest honors; last day, he prayed to
the Virgin so that “when I should step
into that world, which inspired me with
so much terror, she would protect me”
4.11. Extra-curricular Activities:
“emperor”; member of Marian
Congregation, Academy of Span. Lit.,
Academy of Nat. Sci.
4.12. Sculptural Works in Ateneo: carved
an image of the Virgin Mary on a piece of
batikuling; carved an image of the
Sacred Heart for Fr. Lleonart
4.13. Anecdotes on Rizal, the Atenean:
“has resignation to pain and
forgiveness” (by Felix Ramos… in
Manzano vs. Lesaca); “has predilection
to help the helpless at the risk of his own
life” (by Manuel Xerez Burgos: case of
Julio Meliza from Iloilo)
4.14. Poems written in Ateneo: Mi
Primera Inspiracion (for Mom’s birthday)
in 1874; In 1875, inspired by Fr.
Sanchez, he wrote (1) Felicitacion, (2) El
Embarque: Himno a la Flota de
Magallanes, (3) E Es Español, El Primero
En Dar Vuelta Al Mundo, (4) El Combate:
Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo; in 1876: (1)
Un Recuerdo a Mi Pueblo; (2) Alianza
Intima Entre la Religion y la Buena
Educacion; in 1877: El Heroismo de
Colon
4.14. To the Child Jesus; To the Virgin
Mary
4.15. Dramatic Work: San Eustacio,
Martir
4.16. First romance of Rizal: at 16 years
old (1) Segunda Katigbak, 14, Lipa, made
pencil sketch of her, “from time to time
she looked at me, and I blushed” (but
already engaged to marry Manuel Luz)
Ch. 5: MEDICAL STUDIES AT U.S.T.
(1877-1882)
5.0. Remained loyal to Ateneo even
when he was already a Thomasian
5.1. Mother’s opposition to higher
education: coz of Gom-Bur-Za
experience
5.2. Rizal enters university: April 1877,
first term, took Philosophy and Letters;
2nd term, took Medicine (1) at the advice
of Ateneo’s Rector Fr. Pablo Ramon and
(2) to cure mother’s growing blindness
5.3. Cross-enrolled in Ateneo with title
perito agrimensor (expert surveyor);
Pres. of Span. Lit., Sec. of Nat. Sc. and
Sec of Marian Cong.
5.4. Romances with Other Girls: (1) “Miss
L” – “fair with seductive and attractive
eyes”; (2) Leonor “Orang” Valenzuela –
tall girl with a regal bearing; (3) Leonor
Rivera, daughter of landlord-uncle
Antonio Rivera from Camiling Tarlac and
were engaged; exchanging letters with
Leonor using “Taimis” as pen name
5.5. Victim of Spanish officer’s brutality:
his back was slashed with a sword by the
Guardia Civil lieutenant for failure to
salute; to Blumentritt (March 21, 1887) “I
went to the Captain General but I could
not obtain justice; my wound lasted 2
weeks”.
5.6. A La Juventud Filipino won 1st Prize
in 1879 Liceo Astistico-Literario
5.7. 1880: 4th Centennial of Cervantes
(author of Don Quixote): El Consejo de
los Dioses was #1 over Spanish entries
5.8. Other Literary Works: zarzuela
“Junto al Pasig” (Beside the Pasig);
sonnet “A Filipinas”
5.9. Rizal’s Visit to Pakil and Pagsanjan:
at the house of Manuel Regalado in Pakil,
he was infatuated by Vicenta Ybardolaza
5.10. Champion of Filipino Students:
founded Compañerismo (comradeship)
as a secret society in UST (Companions
of Jehu)
5.11. Unhappy Days at the UST: (1)
Dominican professors were hostile to
him, (2) Filipino students were racially
discriminated against by the Span,(3)
method of instruction was obsolete and
repressive
5.12. Decision to Study Abroad: brothers
and sisters were supportive; did not seek
his parent’s permission and blessings
because he knew that they would
disapprove it; to continue MD studies in
Spain where professors were more
liberal
Ch. 6: IN SUNNY SPAIN (1882-1885)
6.1. Rizal’s Secret Mission: with
Paciano’s approval… “to alleviate the
sufferings of my fellowmen. I realize that
all this means sacrifices, and terrible
ones.. I shall strive with fate, and I shall
win or lose… God’s will be done” (quoted
by Austin Coates); to observe keenly the
life and culture, languages and customs,
industries and commerce, and
governments and laws of European
nations… to prepare to liberate the
oppressed people from Spanish tyranny
6.2. Secret Departure for Spain: Jesuit
priests gave him letters of
recommendation to the Society in
Barcelona; used the name “Jose
Mercado”, a cousin from Biñan; boarded
Spanish steamer Salvadora, May 3, 1882
6.3. Singapore: 16 passengers – the only
Filipino; befriended by ship captain
Donato Lecha of Asturias; saw statue of
Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles (founder of
Singapore)
6.4. From Singapore to Colombo: French
steamer Djemnah left Singapore (with Mr
and Mrs Salazar, Vicente Pardo and Rizal;
reached Point Galle then Colombo
6.5. First Trip through Suez Canal: Cape
of Guardafui, Africa → Aden → Suez Canal
(5 days to traverse) built by Ferdinand
de Lesseps → Port Said
6.6. Naples and Marseilles: June 11,
Naples; June 12, Marseilles; June 16,
Barcelona (the greatest city of Cataluña,
2nd biggest in Spain); people were open-
hearted, hospitable and courageous and
there was atmosphere of freedom &
liberalism; welcomed by Ateneo
schoolmates with a party in Plaza de
Cataluña
6.7. Wrote “Amor Patrio” to Diariong
Tagalog publisher Basilio Teodoro Moran
using pen-name “Laong Laan” … “we
love her (patria) always just as the child
loves its mother in the midst of hunger
and misery”
6.8. Rizal Moves to Madrid: Fall of 1882
at the advice of Paciano
6.9. Life in Madrid: Nov. 3, 1882, enrolled
in UCM Medicine and Philosophy &
Letters, took lessons in French, German
and English; he rigidly budgeted his
money and time; attended Fil reunions at
the house of Paterno brothers and visited
the home of former Manila mayor Don
Pablo Ortiga y Rey on Sat evenings
6.10. Romance with Consuelo Ortiga y
Perez: A la Señorita C. O. y P.
6.11. Joined Circulo Hispano-Filipino in
Madrid and wrote “Me Piden Versos”
(They Ask Me for Verses) on Dec 31,
1882; collected books
6.12. First Visit to Paris (June 17-Aug 20,
1883): visited famous sites: mistaken as
a Japanese; “costliest capital in Europe”
6.13. Rizal As a Mason: met prominent
personalities, e.g., Miguel Morayta, Pi y
Margal, et al; joined Lodge Acacia in
March 1883 “to secure Freemasonry’s
aid in his fight against the friars in the
Philippines”; transferred to Lodge
Solidaridad (Madrid) as Master Mason
on Nov. 15, 1890; also of Le Grand
Orient de France in Paris on Feb. 15,
1892
6.14. Financial Worries: drought and
increased rentals in Calamba
6.15. Rizal’s Salute to Luna and Hidalgo:
1st Prize – Luna’s Spoliarium & 2nd –
Hidalgo’s Christian Virgins Exposed to
the Populace
6.16. Involved in Student
Demonstrations: “Viva Morayta! Down
with Bishops!” – freedom of science and
the teacher
6.17. Studies completed in Spain:
conferred Licentiate in Medicine by UCM
on June 21, 1884; studied Doctor of
Medicine but did not present thesis nor
paid corresponding fees, so no diploma;
finished Licentiate in Philo and Letters on
June 19, 1885 (24th birthday)
Ch. 7: PARIS TO BERLIN (1885-87)
7.1. In Gay Paris (1885-86): to acquire
more knowledge in ophthalmology;
worked as an assistant to Dr. Louis d
Weckert (Nov 1885-Feb 1886); posed as
an Egyptian priest in “The Death of
Cleopatra” and as Sikatuna in “The Blood
Compact” by Luna
7.2. Rizal as Musician: he told Enrique
Lete: “I learned piano and voice culture”;
also played flute; composed “Alin Mang
Lahi” (Any Race)
7.3. In Historic Heidelberg: joined chess
games and beer drinking with Germans;
worked at the University Eye Hospital
under Dr. Otto Becker in Heidelberg
7.4. Spring of 1886 (April 22): wrote a
poem “A Las Flores de Heidelberg”
7.5. Spent vacation at the house of
pastor Dr. Karl Ullmer at Wilhelmsfeld
7.6. July 31, 1886: wrote to Prof.
Ferdinand Blumentritt, Director of the
Ateneo of Leitmeritz, Austria; first
German friend in Austria
7.7. Attended the 5th Centenary of the
Heidelberg University (Aug 6, 1886)
7.8. In Leipzig & Dresden: befriended
Prof. Friedrich Ratzel, historian, and Dr.
Hans Meyer, anthropologist at Leipzig;
translated into Tagalog Schiller’s William
Tell (champion of Swiss Independence);
at Dresden, met Dr. Adolph B. Meyer and
heard Mass in a Catholic Church
7.9. Welcomed in Berlin’s Scientific
Circles: met Dr. Feodor Jagor, author of
Travels in the Philippines, and worked in
the clinic of Dr. Karl Ernest Schweigger;
delivered Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog
Metrical Art) to the Ethnographic Society
of Berlin
7.10. Life in Berlin: (1) to master
ophthalmology, (2) further study
sciences and languages, (3) observe
economic and political conditions, (4)
associate with scientists and scholars,
and (5) publish “Noli”; private lessons on
French idioms under Madame Lucie
Cerdole
7.11. On German Women: “they are
serious, diligent, educated and friendly;
not gossipy, frivolous and quarrelsome
like Spanish women” (letter to Trinidad);
Rizal regretted that “in the Philippines
women are more interested in how they
dress than in how much they know”
7.12. German customs: self-introduction
to strangers in a social gathering
7.13. Darkest winter: 1886 in Berlin, he
was flat broke; had to scrimp, eating
only 1 meal a day… bread and water or
cheap vegetable soup; ravages of the
locusts in Calamba
Ch. 8: NOLI ME TANGERE PUBLISHED
IN BERLIN (1887)
8.0. Noli came off the press in March
1887; Dr. Maximo Viola (from Bulacan)
loaned him the funds to publish
8.1. Idea of Writing on the Philippines:
while at UCM, he read Harriet Beecher
Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin (portrays
brutalities of American slave-owners);
proposed during the reunion at the
Paterno residence and was unanimously
approved; compatriots failed to write
anything, so he did it alone
8.2. Viola, savior of the Noli; deleted the
chapter on “Elias and Salome” to cut
cost
8.3. Rizal suspected as a Frenchy Spy –
coz entered from Paris to Berlin and
visited rural folks

8.4. Printing Finished: March 21, 1887;

sent first copies to Blumentritt, Dr.
Regidor, Lopez Jaena, Ponce & Hidalgo;
Viola – “the first to read and
appreciate…”

8.5. Title of the Novel: “Touch me not”

(John 20:13-17, First Easter)

8.6. Dedicated “to My Fatherland”

8.7. Synopsis… (c/o Another document)

8.8.The “Noli” based on Truth: places,

characters and situations really existed;
Maria Clara – Leonor Rivera (reality:
unfaithful and married an Englishman);
Ibarra and Elias – Rizal; Tasio – Paciano;
Padre Salvi – Fr. Antonio Piernavieja;
Capitan Hilario Sunico; Doña Victorina –
Doña Agustina Medel; Basilio & Crispin –
Crisostomo brothers of Hagonoy; Padre
Damaso – typical arrogant, immoral &
anti-Filipino priest

8.8. Missing Chapter: “Elias and Salome”

– cut cost (cf. Entire story)

8.9. Friends Praise the Noli: “cordial

congratulations” from Blumentritt; “your
work has exceeded my hopes”; London:
exiled Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor was
impressed: reader will “be inspired and
will regard your book as the masterpiece
of a Filipino…”