The Writing of the Noli Me Tangere

Cross: sufferings Pomelo Blossoms and

Laurel Leaves: honor and fidelity Silhouette of a Filipina: Maria Clara

Burning Torch: range & passion

Sunflowers: enlightenment

Man with Hairy Feet: priest using religion in dirty way

Helmet of the Guardia Civil: Whips: cruelties

Bamboo Stalks: resilience

Rizal started writing the Noli Me Tangere in 1884, while he was studying in Europe. He completed one half of the novel in Madrid. One-fourth of the novel was written when he was at Paris, while the remaining one-fourth was completed in Berlin, Germany on February 21, 1887. The novel came off the press on March 21, 1877, with the financial assistance of Maximo Viola.

The novel was untitled. Later on, he decided to call his first literary masterpiece Noli Me Tangere.(Capino et al, 1977). The title can be translated into English as “Touch Me Not”.

Why Rizal finally wrote the Noli Me Tangere can be gleaned from the dedication of his novel, which runs as follows “ To My Father Land”.

In his letter, Rizal pointed out his reason for writing the Noli to Hidalgo.

In the complementary copy Rizal sent Ferdinand Blumentritt, he again stated his reasonfor coming up with the Noli

He even revealed his purpose in writing the novel in his letter to Marcelo del Pilar

Notable among his purpose for writing this novel were the following:

1. to picture the past and the realities in the Philippines;2. to reply to insults heaped on the Filipinos and their country;3. to unmask the hypocrisy that have impoverished and brutalized the Filipino people; and 4. to stir the patriotism of the Filipino people.

The Plot of the Novel

Juan Crisostomo Ibarra Don Rafael Ibarra Father Damaso

Capitan Tiago Maria Clara Lieutenant Guevara

Elias

Father Salvi Doña Pia

Linares

Pasig River toward the Laguna Bay

The Characters in the Noli Me Tangere

Although the novel is a work of fiction, he novel can be considered a true story of Spanish rule. The characters used by Rizal in Noli were persons who actually existed during those times.

Maria Clara Leonor Rivera

Tasyo Paciano

Padre Salvi Fr. Antonio Piernavieja

Kapitan Tiago Hilario

Dona Victorina Dona Agustina Mendel

Father Damaso

was the typical abusive friars during Rizal’s time.

Juan Chrisostomo Ibarra

The main Character in the novel

Represented as affluent and liberal European- educated Filipino.

Desire to have education for people

EliasRepresented as the

Filipino masses in the novel.

Mouthpiece of Rizal’s contradictory thoughts and purposes.

Don Rafael Ibarra Crisostomo’s fatherHe was jailed for helping

a young boy being harmed by an ignorant Spanish tax collector

Rizal used Don Rafael in the Noli to symbolize an affluent landlord with a social conscience.

Sisa and her two sons Basilio and Crispin

Sisa symbolized a lot of things in Filipino society during Rizal’s time.

She was also used by Rizal in the Noli to illustrate the typical characteristics of Filipino mothers- fully cognizant; and willing to defend them from all forms of injustice or accusations.

Dona PatrocinioAs the mistress of the

Alferez, she was noted imprudent, vulgar, cruel, and quarrelsome.

She symbolized as the mentality of the Guardia Civil.

She did everything to pretend that she was really religious by showing off to the public what she could contribute for the church.