11/28/2012

GRACE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE

EL FILIBUSTERISMO

RIzal | Shalom Elishiah Anne C. Wenceslao 2008-0020

To better understand the El Filibusterismo, a recap of Noli Me Tangere is needed. Crisostomo Ibarra was engaged to Maria Clara, supposed daughter of Capitan Tiago, that after returning from his study in Europe, found out after his return in the Philippines that his father had died in prison as a result of a quarrel with a friar named Padre Damaso. Starting then, Ibarra had developed a hatred with the friars, not only for the reason why his innocent father landed in the prison first, but also the friars abused their power and influence. Driven by his fear of the friars, Capitan Tiago ended the engagement of Ibarra and Maria Clara when Ibarra was excommunicated as a result of almost killing Father Damasco when the friar provoked Ibarra by insulting his dead father. In exchange of Ibarra, Capitan Tiago engaged Maria Clara to a Spanish with the endorsement of Father Damasco . But Crisostomo Ibarra and Maria still love each other and were secretly seeing each other. Ibarra was imprisoned when he was accused of causing an outbreak. But Rizal escaped the prison and went to see Maria Clara who confesses that she was not a daughter of Capitan Tiago but of Padre Damasco. It was learned by Padre Salvi and the friar used this knowledge to intimidate and manipulate Maria Clara making Maria Clara choose to marry the Spaniard in return of saving the name and honor of her mother and Capitan Tiago's. But on the day of Christmas eve, Ibarra was warned by Elias, a friend of Ibarra and was an outlaw. Ibarra managed to escape the Civil Guard with the help of his friend, Elias, by making the Civil guards assumed he was Ibarra and make them draw conclusion that he drowned in Pasig River.. Crisostomo , on Christmas Eve, found a boy named Basilio beside the dead body of the boy's mother. Ibarra and Elias helped bury the boy's mother. With the reported death of Crisostomo Ibarra, Maria Clara became so depressed and begged to Friar Damasco to put her in nunnery, and the friar relents. El Filibustersimo was a continuation of the first novel written by Jose Rizal entitled Noli Me Tangere. This second book of Jose Rizal's novels of the Philippine life, is a story of the last days of the Spanish regime in the Philippines. (Rizal, 2005) Jose Rizal dedicated this book to the three martyred priests namely Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, whose death left a unforgettable mark in our national hero's mind. Like with the first novel, El Filibusterismo aims to enlighten the people of the Philippines of the truth by encouraging the Filipinos to ask and aspire for change and liberation from the Spanish rule, however with this novel, the Filipinos were urged to open its eyes to reality and rebel against the Spanish government for its oppression and abuse. (El Filibusterismo)

After thirteen years, Crisostomo Ibarra came back as Simoun as a mysterious and powerful jeweler who was now in full revenge against the Spaniard regime in the Philippines. He plotted a coup d' etat against the Spanish government with Captain General. He secretly helped the abuses committed against the Filipinos in the hope of making them rise against the Spanish government. He encourages corruption, using his immense wealth to stir up injustice and provoke massive unrest. Simoun enlist Filipinos who believes in his cause and his first recruit was Basilio, one of the few who knew his secret. Basilio has grown up with his adoptive father, Capitan Tiago, who was the supposed father of Maria Clara. Basilio was about to graduate as a doctor of medicine and then marry his childhood sweetheart, Huli, the daughter of Kabesang Tales who had turned outlaw when his lands was dispossessed by the friars. Other victims of injustice had enlisted as well to the cause of Simoun including Kabesang Tales. Another student, Isagani, dreams of a progressive future for his country but his fiance, Paulita, who shares his aunt Dona Victorinas prejudices against the natives, is not interested in them. Simouns plot is aborted when he learns that Maria Clara had died at the convent. Student leaders who have been advocating the opening of an academy for the teaching of the Spanish language hold a party where they lampoon the friars. The next day, posters are found encouraging sedition, and those suspected of involvement are arrested, including Basilio. His foster father having died, nobody intercedes for him, while the rich and influential are released. Meanwhile, Huli is killed in the church after she had sought the help of the parish priest for the release of Basilio. Due to this tragedy, her grandfather, Tandang Selo, joins the outlaws. Embittered by Maria Claras death, Simoun plans another coup to be staged at the wedding reception for Paulita, who has been engaged to another man: top government officials including the Captain general who are to attend would be blown away, the house being planted with explosives which will be detonated by a a device hidden in the lamp given as gift by Simoun to the newlyweds. Basilio, who has been released and now wants to take revenge is ordered by Simoun to lead in the uprising. At the appointed hour, the guests are terrified upon reading a note signed by Juan Crisostomo Ibarra; his signature is recognized by Father Salvi, the friar who lusted after Maria Clara. Before the lamp could explode, Isagani, who has been warned by Basilio about the plot, barges in and throws the lamp into the river. Isagani escapes. The uprising again fails to take off, and the armed followers of Simoun, deprived of leadership or devoid of vision, resort to banditry. The lawlessness that reigns in the country sides leads to harsh measures by the government in its efforts to show it is

in control. The plot at the wedding is finally traced to Simoun who escapes into a house near the ocean. After taking poison, he confesses to father Florentino, a Filipino priest, who tells him: What is the use of independence if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow? After the death of Simoun, Father Florentino throws his treasure into the sea. (KamaongBato)

In Noli Me Tangere, there is aspiration, beauty, romance, and mercy. In El Filibusterismo, all the reader will feel is bitterness, hatred, and antipathy. The romance and aspirations are gone. Even the characters' personalities seem to have undergone radical change. This is how different Rizal's second novel is. Considering that both were written by the same author, the plots are poles apart. Outright scorn and bitterness may already be felt at the beginning of the story, where Simoun promotes abuse and tyranny in the Spanish government, in the hope that the people will reach the limits of their endurance and declare a revolution. Simoun, who is actually Noli's Ibarra in disguise, conveys an entirely different personality in El Filibusterismo. While Ibarra is trusting, aspiring, and loving, Simoun is now cunningly careful in his dealings, distrusting, and extremely bitter. Something changed in Rizal; and this is reflected in the personalities he gave his El Filibusterismo characters. (El Filibusterismo)

Bibliography
El Filibusterismo. (n.d.). Retrieved Novermber 28, 2012, from Carlo Joe 5: http://carlojoe5.tripod.com/elfilibusterismo.html KamaongBato. (n.d.). El Filibusterismo. Retrieved November 28, 2012, from SHVOONG: http://www.shvoong.com/humanities/1745792-el-filibusterismo/ Rizal, J. (2005, October 10). The Reign of Greed. Retrieved November 27, 2012, from Scribd.: http://es.scribd.com/doc/16918324/Reign-of-Greed-El-Filibusterismo-English-Version