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Thoughts Mga isipan l l l I was always intimidated by Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere. I grew up as an inglisera, someone in the Philippines who spoke English instead of Filipino languages most of the time, and the thought of reading the novel that brought the country freedom scared me a bit. Once I left the Philippines to pursue tertiary education in the United States, especially at this time of socio-cultural upheaval, I was spurred to think about my relationship with Filipino literature and the Noli, the country’s term of endearment for this masterpiece. During the summer after my first year in America, I read Nick Joaquin’s collection of short stories. Over Christmas, I finished F.H. Batacan’s “Smaller and Smaller Circles.” I read these books trying to fill in the gaps I, purposefully yet ignorantly, placed between myself and Filipino literature. And yet, I’m too scared to read the Noli. Even though I did not get past the first few chapters, I could still feel the effects this book has on contemporary Filipino culture. The term “Maria Clara” is often tossed around. “Damaso” often refers to religious and Western figures of power. And my parents have admonished me for being “pilosopo”. It’s amazing to see how a story from a hundred years ago takes on new forms while retaining original intentions. I think that speaks volumes about the power of the Noli and how much (or little) Filipino society changed. In this small project, I aim to gather more information about the Noli, its cast of characters, and its significance without reading it. I interviewed people, went online, and used my own limited information about Rizal’s masterpiece.
What's the book about? Tungkol saan ang libro 'to?
OMG! To cut the long story short: as a piece of fiction, I didn’t see Noli Me Tangere as a really good book. It had a lot of good moments, but half the time, it was kind of dragging. There were a lot of chapters where nothing really happened except the people were talking about what just happened in the previous chapter — gossiping characters, which is actually a very Filipino trait, but it felt like fodder in the story. The main characters were a little one-dimensional, and I wonder why I actually liked reading about Crisostomo Ibarra back then when he can be so…boring. Maria Clara was far from the strong female character that I liked reading in my books, and in fact, I liked her best friend, Sinang, more. There was some kind of hope in Padre Damaso, who showed a bit more depth in his character, but it wasn’t until the very end.
Totally forgot about it! It is about friars and Ibarra.
Saying these makes me feel like I’m a bad Filipino, eep. :| Taken from a forum "Noli Me Tangere" written by Tina from OneMorePage.TinaMats.com
It’s a story about how Filipinos stood up to Spanish colonisers with a Spanish priest called Damaso and a Filipino woman called Maria Clara who goes insane in the end.
About the Filipino subtle uprising against the cruelty of the Spanish Friars.
It’s about the abuses of the Catholic Church during Spanish colonial time, which effected silent uprising among the Filipino elite ( ilustrado/illustrates). The created heroes but uprising was not successful. Philippines was turn over to the Americans ( negotiated trade) instead of to the Filipino people.
abuses
The two most astonishing features of Noli Me Tangere are its scale and its style. Its characters come from every stratum of late colonial society, from the liberal-minded peninsular Captain-General down through the racial tiers of colonial society – creoles, mestizos, chinos (‘pure’ Chinese) to the illiterate indio masses. Its pages are crowded with Dominicans, shady lawyers, abused acolytes, corrupt policemen, Jesuits, smalltown caciques, mestiza schoolgirls, ignorant peninsular carpetbaggers, hired thugs, despairing intellectuals, social-climbing dévotes, dishonest journalists, actresses, nuns, gravediggers, artisans, gamblers, peasants, market-women and so on. (Rizal never fails to give even his most sinister villains their moments of tenderness and anguish.) Yet the geographical space of the novel is strictly confined to the immediate environs of the colonial capital, Manila. Taken from "First Filipino", written by Benedict Anderson Published on London Review of Books
Who are the characters in the Noli? Sino ba ang mga tauhan sa Noli?
Ibarra English proficiency, on an individual and national level, is seen as the ticket out of poverty.
Taken from "Confessions of an Inglisera", written by Ina Barrameda Published on Buzzfeed Philippines
The fiancĂŠ of Maria Clara who is the son of a rich businessman. He was educated in Europe.
The pen name of Jose Rizal. He's everything. The hero there. Is the story written in his perspective? I think he's the main character of the novel. Isn't he engaged to Maria Clara?
The cover of Miguel Syjuco's novel, "Ilustrado". The term itself literally translates to "the enlightened" and refers to Filipinos who have received their education abroad, usually in Europe or the United States. Jose Rizal was often dubbed as such.
Taken from "Confessions of an Inglisera", written by Ina Barrameda Published on Buzzfeed Philippines
War and education were two sides of the same coin, two forms of oppression that would bring a lasting effect on the Filipino psyche. The Spanish friar who is the biological dad of Maria Clara. He used his position to abuse his congregation. He's the bad guy. I don't know for what exactly. All I know is that he's a symbol of Spanish and religious oppression in the Philippines.
Abusive head of church assigned to Christianise Philippines. Abusive womaniser and a drunk. Not to vmention appetite for power and money. Remember , during medieval and colonial times the church played a big role in governance . Separation of church and stare doesn’t exist yet during those times...
An image of Carlos Celdran, a Filipino performance artist, activist, and tour guide, holding up a poster that reads "DAMASO" in Mass, against the Church's involvement in the RH Bill. Celdran was eventually arrested and was in jail for a few days.
She's the typical Filipina standard: conservative, shy, naive. She's the girlfriend of Ibarra. She's an iconic figure. People say: "you're like Maria Clara" when you have old school values. The quintessential Filipina at the time. She also goes insane in the end. The beautiful fiancee of Ibarra who is the love child of Padre Damaso.
An old photograph of a woman wearing a traditional Filipino dress, more commonly known as "Maria Clara".
An image of a Filipino congressional assembly with a large Filipino flag in the background.
Kapitan Tiago I don't remember, sorry. He owns the house in the beginning of the story. The rich dad of Maria Clara who is kind and well liked by everyone.
Pilosopo Tasyo Haha, I don't remember but I'm familiar with the names! No clue. The wiseman of the town
Ang salitang "pilosopo" ay noun. Kung nabasa niyo ang Noli me Tangere, nandiyan si Pilosopo Tasyo. Kung iinglisin natin ito, siya si Philosopher Tacio. Therefore, ang Ingles ng pilosopo ay "Philosopher". Ginawang adjective ang pilosopo dahil inihahalintulad ang mga namimilosopo kay Pilosopo Tasyo.
An image of the late Filipino senator, Miriam Defensor Santiago, making a funny face to the camera.
the closest word is smart@ss Taken from a forum "ano sa ingles ng pilosopo?" from PinoyExchange.com
A photograph taken of a Filipino punk for the magazine Dazed. These punks are currently rebelling against the Duterte administration and the war on drugs.
The friend of Ibarra who thinks that revolution is the only way to gain respect from the country. I don't know this one. I remember an Elias but I don't remember what he does...
She's like a crazy woman. Victim of abuse. I think the child died. She had a breakdown then went coocoo. I remember! I only remember the famous ones. When they call a girl "Sisa", that means she's crazy!
I've never heard of her.
The mother of Basilio and Crispin who was driven to insanity because of her husband’s neglect, abuses of the civil guards and death of her son Crispin.
Sisa One of BenCab's (Benedict Cabrero) "Sabel" paintings. "Sabel" is a mentally disturbed woman who the artist often depicts.
Padre Salvi Nope, I really don't recall. Never heard of him. I thought that Damaso was the only priest in the novel! Replaced Padre Damaso as the parish curate of the town. He secretly like Maria Clara.
A cover of the Philippine Tatler magazine.
I remember them all except for Victorina
No, that I really don't remember that character. Not even the name. Never heard of her.
The ability to speak in English with no “barok� accent is an instant boost in status. Taken from "Confessions of an Inglisera", written by Ina Barrameda Published on Buzzfeed Philippines
Why is the Noli important? Bakit importante ang Noli?
For cultural appreciation, right? Just for appreciation only. That's it. Rizal never liberated Manila even though he was against Spain. It was very courageous of him, but he did not liberate the Philippines. It's like social media. Is that good enough?
You gotta speak up when you're offended, but you can't do it in a violent way. “We make Rizal in our own image and likeness. Our image of Rizal is usually formed or deformed in school through numerous biographies with flattering titles.�
It's part of history and reflects the different part of FIlipino society which are still present today.
Essentially, reading “Noli Me Tangere” had made the Filipinos to rightly possess a unifying element of national identity, as many of those ancient natives were able to establish a unique identity through regionalism. Also, it had taken the course of an overall, systematic and a totally irretraceable caricature of a colonial Philippine society. Taken from "Noli Me Tangere: The Catalyst of Social Awakening Among Filipinos", Published on Driftwood Journeys
Filipino clasSsic literature
It's part of the Filipino classic literature. It tells about how Filipinos opened their eyes and fought against the Spanish friars. That's it.
In most respects, [the new translation] is a huge advance over previous translations, handsomely laid out and with enough footnotes to be helpful without being pettifogging. But the barbarous American influence is still there, to say nothing of the basic transformation of consciousness that created, for the first time, within a year or so of Rizal’s execution, a national idea of ‘the’ Filipino.
Filipinos are not a reading people, and despite the compulsory course on the life and works of Rizal today, from the elementary to the university levels, it is accepted that the 'Noli me Tangere' and 'El Filibusterismo' are highly regarded but seldom read (if not totally ignored).
Therefore one asks, how can unread novels exert any influence?
Ambeth R. Ocampo, Rizal Without His Overcoat
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