NOLI ME TANGERE

CHARACTERS
Crisostomo Ibarra
Also known in his full name as Juan Crisostomo Ibarra y Magsalin, a
Filipino who studied in Europe for 7 years, the love interest of Maria Clara
Son of the deceased Don Rafael Ibarra; Crisostomo changes his surname
from Eibarramendia to Ibarra, from his ancestors surname
Maria Clara
Maria Clara de los Santos, Ibarras sweetheart; the illegitimate daughter
of Father Damaso and Pia Alba
Father Damaso
Also known in his fullname as Damaso Verdolagas, Franciscan friar and
Maria Clara biological father
Elias
Ibarras mysterious friend, a master boater, also a fugitive
He was referred to at one point as the pilot
He wants to revolutionize his country
Ibarras grandfather condemned his grandfather of burning a warehouse,
making Elias the fugitive he is
Captain Pablo
The leader of the rebels, whose family was destroyed because of the
Spanish
Tarcilo and Bruno
Brother, whose father was killed by the Spaniards
Sisa
The mother of Basilio and Crispin, who went insane after losing her sons
Crispin
The younger son of Sisa who died from the punishment from the soldiers
from the false accusation of stealing an amount of money
Padre Sibyla
Hernando de la Sibyla, a Filipino friar; he is described as short and has fair
skin
Don Filipo
A close relative of Ibarra and a Filibuster
Kapitan Tiago
Also known in his fullname as Don Santiago de los Santos
The known father of Maria Clara buy not the real one, live in Binondo
Linares
A distant nephew of Don Tiburcio de Espadaa, the would-be finace of
Maria Clara
Padre Salvi
Also known in his fullname as Bernardo Salvi, a secret admirer of Maria
Clara
Captain General (no specific name)
The most powerful official in the Philippines, a hater of secular priests and
corrupt officials, and a friend of Ibarra
Pilosopo Tasio
Also known as Don Anastasio, portrayed in the novel as a pessimist, cynic,
and mad by his neighbors
The Alferez
 Chief of the Guardia Civil; mortal enemy of the priests for the power in
San Diego
Don Tiburcio
Spanish husband of Doa Victorina who is limp and submissive to his wife;
he also pretends to be a doctor
Doa Victorina
Victorina de los Reyes De Espadaa, a woman who passes herself off as a
Peninsular
Doa Consolacion
Wife of the Alferez; another woman who passes herself as a Peninsular;
best remembered for her abusive treatment of Sisa
Old Tasio
An older man who Ibarra seeks advice from; the town thinks him mad, but
in actuality he is quite wise

CHAPTER SUMMARY
Chapter 1: A Social Gathering
On the month of October, Kapitan Tiago (whose whole name is Don Santiago
de los Santos) is organizing a luxurious feast or dinner. It will be held in his
home, which is located in the town of San Diego; more specifically, in
Anloague Street.
The guests arrive that evening, greeted by Tiya Isabel, the cousin of Kapitan
Tiago. Padre Damaso, Padre Salvi, Tenyente Guevarra (captain of the civil
guard), and Laruja (a foreigner with red hair from another country) are some
of the important guests that come to the gathering. There is a heated
discussion amongst them regarding the ethics of the Filipino culture, Tobacco
monopoly, and the Spaniards' harsh insults against the Filipinos. It was also
revealed that Padre Damaso has been serving as a priest of San Diego for 20
years.
Tenyente Guevarra and Padre Damaso gets into an argument, and Padre Salvi
has to calm his fellow priest.
Some other prominent figures arrive, such as Don Tiburcio and his wife,
Donya Victorina.

Chapter 2: Crisostomo Ibarra

Juan Crisostomo Ibarra, who has come from 7 years of studying in Europe,
arrives at the feast wearing clothes that obviously seems like they are for
mourning, accompanied by the party-planner, Kapitan Tiago. Ibarra is
introduced to the other guests of the party as the son of Kapitan Tiago's
deceased friend.
Padre Damaso and Ibarra meets, and immediately Damaso expresses his
dislike for Ibarra. Although Ibarra extends a greeting towards the priest,
thinking Damaso was a friend of his father, the priest ignores Ibarra's
outstretched hand and says that Ibarra's father was no friend of his.
Applying the Western manners he had learned from Europe, Ibarra goes
around and introduces himself to the various party guests.
Kapitan Tinong, one of the guests, approaches Ibarra and invites him to lunch
the next day. Ibarra declines politely, saying that he has errands that he has
to run.
 All the guests are called to have lunch.

Chapter 3: The Dinner

Everyone heads to the lunch table to seat themselves. Padre Damaso and
Sibyla offer each other the head seat by the end of the table with fake
kindness.
Ibarra tells stories of his time spent abroad, where he reveals that he has
been to many countries and has learned a lot of other languages and
cultures. Ibarra realizes the feast was prepared in his honor when he is served
the meatiest part of the tinola (A well-known Filipino dish). This enrages Padre
Damaso even more, and the padre starts to taunt Ibarra with his haughty and
bitter comments, saying that what he has learned from his trips can be
learned even without leaving the country. Ibarra simply remains calm.
A while later, Ibarra stands up to leave. Kapitan Tiago halts him, informing the
young man that the love of his life, Maria Clara, will be arriving soon. Ibarra,
however, takes his leave, but promises to come back again the next day.

Chapter 4: The Heretic and the Filibuster

Ibarra is now walking towards Plaza Binondo in the streets of San Diego when
Tenyente Guevarra catches up with him. The Tenyente warns him to be
careful, or else he will end up like his father. Surprised, Ibarra immediately
questions Tenyente Guevarra about the fate of his father.
The Tenyente goes on to tell Ibarra that although his father Don Rafael was
one of the wealthiest and most respected men in the town, there were many
Spaniards and priests who were angry at Don Rafael. A few months after
Ibarra had left for Europe, Don Rafael and Padre Damaso had a big conflict.
Don Rafael's enemies ganged up on him, accusing him of killing a tax
collector, being a heretic and filibuster, insulting the priests behind their
backs, and many more. The story of the tax collector and Don Rafael is a
Filipino child was making fun of a tax collector. In his fury, the tax collector
started to beat the child severely. Don Rafael, to save the child, hit the tax
collector with a rock, and the tax collector died.
So Don rafael was convicted and placed behind bars. Tenyente Guevarra tried
to help by getting Don Rafael a good lawyer. When Don Rafael was about to
be set free (the lawyer won the case), he died inside his prison cell due to the
sickness he had developed during his captivity.
Tenyente Guevarra ends there, telling Ibarra that Kapitan Tiago will continue
the rest of the story next time. Ibarra rides a kalesa (horse-drawn carriage) to
his temporary residence, Fonda de Lala.
The chapter was entitled Heretic and Filibuster since Don Rafael was convicted of
being heretic (or someone who does not believe in God and the Roman Catholic
Church) because he was accused of reading the controversial book/ subscribing to
the newspaper "El Correo de Ultramar. Don Rafael was also regarded as a
filibuster (or the enemy of the state/government) because he frequently wore a
Barong Tagalog, a formal Filipino suit, which apparently was a sign of rebellion for
the Spaniards.
Subversive- secretly trying to ruin the government

Chapter 5: A Star in the Dark Night

 Ibarra reaches his hotel, Fonda de Lala. He enters his room and sits by the
window sill, looking at the vast sky outside as he ponders about his father's
fate. His thoughts are a jumbled mess of sad and conflicted emotions. He
observes a bright house in the far distance, with music and sounds of
silverware coming from it.
Said house is Kapitan Tiago's house, where Maria Clara, his daughter, has
joined the party. Her beauty is thoroughly described. She is being admired by
everyone in the crowd: Padre Sibyla talks to her animatedly, Donya Victorina
combs her hair, and a certain Franciscan priest named Padre Salvi, the parish
priest of San Diego, cannot take his eyes off of her.
Ibarra, with his heavy thoughts, falls asleep, and wakes up to a new day.

Chapter 6: Captain Tiago

***This chapter simply describes Kapitan Tiago. ***
Kapitan Tiago is one of the richest landowners in Binondo, Pampanga and
Laguna. Aside from this, he also provides zacate, monopolizes the opium
business, and holds a contract for feeding the prisoners in the Bilibid prison.
He is friends with those who have positions in the government, and the
priests as well. He thinks of himself as a true Spaniard, and not a Filipino.
As a child, he was not sent to school by his father. He was a helper of a
Domican priest, who also became his teacher. When his dad and teacher
died, he became a businessman. Donya Pia Alba, a beautiful young woman
from Santa Cruz, became his wife.
The couple also became friends with Don Rafael, the father of Crisostomo
Ibarra.
When Tiago and Pia were married for six years, they couldn't bear any
children. They tried many different superstitious methods until finally Padre
Damaso advised them to go to a holy mass and procession at the town of
Ubando. Pia Alba became pregnant, and they named Maria Clara, in honor of
the Virgin of Salambao and Sta. Clara. Pia died right after Maria Clara was
born because she was already too sickly to begin with. Tiya Isabel, Tiago's
sister, took care of Maria Clara together with Tiago. Padre Damaso also
became Maria Clara's christened godfather.
Maria Clara and Crisostomo Ibarra became childhood friends. Kapitan Tiago
and the late Don Rafael later agree to arrange the marriage of their children.

Chapter 7: Rendezvous on the Terrace (Other Chapter Title: An Idyl on an

Azotea)
Maria Clara and Tiya Isabel attends early morning church, but comes back
home right after.
Maria Clara is sewing when she hears a car outside, followed by the voice of
Ibarra. In a panic, she goes to her room, where Tiya Isabel helps her freshen
up and makes her look presentable before she faces Ibarra.
Ibarra and Maria Clara then has a romantic reunion by the terrace, about the
years that they have not seen each other. Maria Clara asks him if he's
forgotten her because of the many girls he might have met abroad, and
Ibarra answers that he can never forget her, for she is always on his mind.
Ibbara strives to prove his love for Maria Clara by showing her the old leaves
 that had been given by the girl 7 years earlier, while they had gone
swimming with his mother.
Maria Clara then brings out a letter than Ibarra had given her before he left
for Europe. She reads this out loud, and it states Don Rafael's reason for
sending Ibarra to another country: he wanted Ibarra to learn about life from
other places so that he may serve the Philippines one day. After Maria Clara
reads the letter, Ibarra remembers that he has something important to do.

Chapter 8: Recollections
As Ibarra is riding a kalesa passing through the busiest district of Manila, and
what he sees disturbs him. He observes that many things around the town
had not changed, even after he left 7 years ago.
He finds no progress achieved and reforms implemented by the government.
He sees that the roads have not been paved and that the Punete de Barcas
has been destroyed by neglect.
He passes a few Talisay trees that he remembers from the past, and the
street vendors by the streets.
He passes the kalesa of Padre Damaso, who doesn't seem to have noticed
him.
Afterwards, seeing the Arroceros Cigar factory, the Botanical Garden, and the
Bagumbayan bring back fond memories.
Ibarra also passes by the sea, and it is then he recalls that across the vast
sea is Europe, whose countries never stop growing and developing.

Chapter 9: Local Affairs

In front of Kapitan Tiago's house is a kalesa, where Tiya Isabel and Maria
Clara are sitting in, about to leave for the Beaterio. Padre Damaso, who came
to talk to Kapitan Tiago, comes across them before he enters the house to
look for Kapitan Tiago. With a sense of urgency, the Padre and Kapitan Tiago
enter a room, the door firmly shut, in order to be able to talk privately. Padre
Damaso is angry because he found out about the arrange marriage, and he
told Kapitan Tiago to cancel it immediately.
Back to Padre Damaso. He exits the room with Kapitan Tiago, warning Tiago
to never again keep secrets from him, for he is Maria Clara's godfather. When
the Padre exits, Tiago, who looks worried and conflicted, blows out the
candles he had previously lighted, praying for Ibarra's safe journey.
The scene perspective changes to Padre Sibyla who is hastily making his way
to the Dominican convent known as Puerta de Isabel II. He enters the
convent and enters the room of a sickly priest of a much higher rank
compared to him. Sibyla tells the sickly priest of Padre Damaso and Ibarra's
encounter with each other the night before and discuss the dangerous
implication to the country of Crisostomos foreign education. The two talk
more about Ibarra, Maria Clara, and Kapitan Tiago, revealing that Ibarra and
Maria Clara have an arranged marriage with one another, as promised by
Kapitan Tiago and Don Rafael, the couple's parents, a long time ago.

Chapter 10: San Diego

***This chapter describes the town of San Diego.***
 San Diego, a town along the Laguna Lake, has a lot of flat plains and
mountains, making farming its primary business. It produces sugar, rice,
coffee, and fruits. However, because of the Filipino farmers' ignorance, the
products they produce are sold at a very cheap price to the Chinese
merchants.
Like most towns, San Diego has a legend around it. There used to be an old
Spaniard who came to the town and bought the whole mountain area (forest
with old tress and tropical vegetation), using jewelry and clothes to pay for
the land. Later on, he disappeared completely.
One day, some farmers who were tending to their kalabaw (carabao) found
the Spaniard's decaying corpse hanging on a balete tree. Ever since then,
people have been afraid of entering the mountains.
Later on a mestiso arrived in town, saying that he is the son of the one who
died. His name was Saturnino. He occupied the land that the dead man had,
and had a family there. His child was Don Rafael, Crisostomo Ibarra's father.
When Saturnino died, Rafael took over. He made the town flourish, so the
farmers and citizens liked him.
The priest in charge of the town used to be an indio, but when he died, Padre
Damaso replaced him.

Chapter 11: The Rulers

The caciques/rulers of the town are Padre Salvi, the town curate, and Alferez
of the Guardia Civil. Padre Salvi replaced Padre Damaso. Padre Salvi was
different than Padre Damaso. Padre Salvi is described as a thin, sickly, and
silent friar and uses fines as punishment of his subordinates while Padre
Damaso prefers the use of fist and cane as punishment.
The Alferez is the husband of Dona Consolacion. His marriage to the woman
was considered a misfortune. Hence, he takes his revenge by beating his
wife, ordering his men to drill under the sun, and getting too drank.
Chapter 12: All Saints
The cemetery of San Diego is at the west side of the town, in the midst of the
paddy-fields. In the center rises a large wooden cross with the inscription
INRI. At the foot of the cross is a pile of bones and skulls thrown by grave-
diggers.
On the other side of the grave, two gravediggers converse in the San Diego
Cemetery, while digging up a recently buried corpse. One was indifferent
about what they were doing. The other was frightful. The other revealed that
a far friar had ordered the corpse to be dug up and buried in the Chinese
cemetery.
Tasio which is an old man then entered the cemetery and went straight to the
pile of skulls and bones at the foot of the cross. When he did not find what he
was looking for, he turned to the grave digger and offered him to find the
skull of his wife for a silver coin. The grave digger was uninterested and
offered instead, a different skull.
The old man rejected the idea and went away, leaving the grave digger to
complete his task.

Chapter 13: Signs of the Storm

 When Crisostomo Ibarra went to the cemetery with an old slave of Kapitan
Tiago, they could not find his father, Don Rafael Ibarras grave. It turns out,
that the towns curate had earlier ordered his corpse be exhumed and buried
in the Chinese cemetery.
However, the grave-digger revealed that he did not bury Don Rafael Ibarras
where he was instructed to. Instead, he dumped his body into the lake. Upon
learning this, Crisostomo scolded the grave-digger and left. Not far, he met
the new curate, Padre salvi and immediately interrogated him on what he did
to his fathers corpse, thinking that he was the one who gave the instructions
to the grave-digger.
Instead, Father Salvi revealed it was Padre Damaso who ordered to have his
fathers body dug up and buried in the Chinese cemetery. With that,
Crisostomo left him and hurried back to his house.

Chapter 14: Lunatic or Sage

(SAGE very wise ; LUNATIC insane)
Tasio was a former student of philosophy. His mother feared that once he
became learned, he will cease to believe in God, and that was why she made
him stop schooling. Instead, she gave Tasio the choice of leaving college or
entering the priesthood. Tasio instead, left college and got married.
Unfortunately, Tasio lost both his mother and wife within a year. After which,
he devoted his time in his books to free himself from sorrow. So much
addicted to his studies that Tasio neglected the fortune that was left for him.
For some, he is Don Anastasio or Tasio the Sage. For the rest of the town
people, he is known as Tasio the Lunatic.
While the storm is approaching, Tasio is merrily engaging different people
around town. He discussed with the gobernadorcillo about the dangers of
ringing the bell during a storm. Then he turned his attentions to the two
Sacristans and invited them for dinner.
And while walking aimlessly on the street, he was invited by Don Filipio Lino,
the lieutenant-mayor, and his wife, Dona Teodora Vina. The three of them
talked about Crisostomo Ibarra, Don Rafael Ibarras burial, wherein Tasio was
one of the six who accompanied the body. As they continued their discussion,
Tasio shared with him what he knew about the purgatory after saying he does
not believe in it snce neither the Bible nor Jesus Christ mentions it.
Tasio eventually bade the couple goodbye as the storm becomes stronger.

Chapter 15: The Sacristans

(Curate a member of the churchs clergy)
At the height of the storm, the two brothers who Tasio was speaking to were
at the second floor of the church tower. The boys, age seven and 10,
are Crispin and Basilio, sacristans that were ordered by the curate to ring the
bell.
Up there, the two boys were talking about the two stolen gold coins which
were being blamed on Crispin. The two gold coins are worth P32.00, which
are then worth 160 cuartos Crispin imagined that two gold could buy their
mother an umbrella, shoes for their feet, a hat for his head, and clothes for all
of them.
 He then wish he stole them because he can produce what the curate is
demanding, and that even if the curate beat him to death, Basilio and his
mother could have at least some clothes. Basilio is also worried how their
mother would react upon learning but Crispin said he will just show the welts
on his back and torn pockets.
While they were still discussing, the senior sacristan appeared and ordered
Basilio to stay until 10 in the evening while Crispin would not be allowed to go
home until what he allegedly stole was returned. The two beg the senior
sacristan to allow them to leave at eight because their mother is expecting
them and they havent seen her for a week.
The sacristan gave no heed and dragged Crisipin to the stairway and began
beating him. Basilio continued to work on the belfry and after he was done,
the rain gradually stopped pouring and the sky began clearing.

Chapter 16: Sisa

As the people of San Diego sleep peacefully throughout the night, Sisa, the
mother of Crispin and Basilio stays awake waiting for her two children, who
she calls as her angels.
Sisa lives an hours walk from town. She is the wife of a gambler. Everything
she had was taken by her husband to fund her vice. Often times, her husband
beats her. She was attractive once but pain and hunger had caused her
cheeks to hollow.
That night, Sisa decided to cook something delicious for her sons. She bought
some small fishes, picked some tomatoes from her garden, and asked some
wild boars meat and a leg of wild duck from Tasio the Sage. She had even
cooked the whitest of rice. All told, she described the meal as fit for a curate.
Unfortunately, her husband came home and ate almost everything. Sisa, as
though she was the one being eaten, resolved not to eat what was left for
there was not enough for the three of them. Before leaving, her husband
reminded her of leaving a peso for him from Basilios wage.
That night, while waiting for her children, Sisa was deep in thoughts. The dog
that she spotted caused her great fear. While she was deep in thoughts,
Basilio came home and called out to her.

Chapter 17: Basilio

Sisa was shocked to see Basilio bleeding upon reaching home. It turned out
Basilio had run away despite being told to stay until 10 oclock. Upon
reaching town, he was challenged by the soldiers and when he ran, they fired
at him, grazing his forehead. Basilio begged his mother to say he fell from the
tree so that no one would know he was chased.
Crispin was still left at the convent and Basilio had no recourse but to tell Sisa
about the missing two pieces of gold. However, he did not mention of the
torture Crispin suffered. Sisa was broken-hearted upon learning this and said
only the poor have to endure the suffering. She offered what was left of the
meal to Basilio but he only asked for water. Upon learning that their father
came home that afternoon, he instinctively checked his mothers face for he
knew quite well what happens every time their father comes home.
That night, Basilio dreamt Crispin was struck by a rattan cane by the
sacristan mayor and rendered unconscious. His cry was so loud, Sisa had to
 wake him up. He instead told her something different. Basilio also said he did
not wish to be a sacristan any more. Instead, he will ask Crisostomo Ibarra to
hire him to tend his cattle and carabaos. Crispin, on the other hand, can
study with Tasio the Sage.
Sisa was pleased with everything she heard from Basilio. However, she was
saddened by the fact that the boy did not include their father in his dreams.

Chapter 18: Souls in Torment

After Padre Salvi celebrated his last mass, the women commented that he
must be sick for he did not comment or said a word when he took off his
vestments. Several people, led by Sisters Juana and Ruffa began discussing
about plenary indulgences. They tried to outdo each other by having the
most number of indulgences and the best system of obtaining them.
Their discussion was interrupted by the arrival of Sisa. She brought with her
the best vegetables she could picked from her garden. This she put in basket
together with some banana leaves and flowers and even pako which the
curate likes for his salad.
When she asked for the Father from the cook, she was told that hes sick and
that Crispin allegedly stole a lot of things and ran away. The cook was ordered
by Father Salvi to report it to the civil guards. Upon learning about this, Sisa
broke down and wept but sh was forcefully shove down the stairways and out
of the church.

Chapter 19: A Schoolmasters Difficulties

The school teacher and Crisostomo Ibarra were standing by the lake. The
former was showing Crisostomo where his fathers body was dumped. When
Crisostomo thanked him, the school teacher said he need not do that since
he owe Don Rafael Ibarra a lot of favors.
Don Rafael has helped the poor children and Crisostomo wishes to continue
what his father was doing. The education conditions were poor. They hold
classes under the convent by the side of the friars carriage. When the
student read out loud, they were scolded by the friar.
There were times when the school teacher wants to introduce reforms but
was mocked at. He wished to teach the students Spanish but was insulted by
Padre Damso. He was likened to teacher Circuela, who did not know how to
read but had a school.
The school teacher was also scolded for not whipping the children. The
parents even pressured him to whip, saying they were no longer boys but old
men of experience. He instilled what he was told to and felt bad that the
children got discourage in learning. Some even wept.
As a result of the pressure, he got sick. When he recovered and went back,
only a few went back to school. He discovered the town had a new priest. He
was encouraged by this fact and translated some of the works into Spanish.
He also taught agriculture, catechism, and Treaties on Manners by Hortensio
y Feliza.
The new curate, however, ordered him to focus on teaching religion and the
children should first pass an examination to show they had memorize the
doctrines, canticles and catechism, much to his disappointment. Crisostomo
 however said the teniente-mayor might help him when he learn about these
from Ibarra whos going to attend the town meeting.

Chapter 20: The Meeting in the Town Hall

The town hall is where the officials of the town and its dependent villages
gathered for a meeting regarding the upcoming fiesta of San Diego. The
people present are grouped into the old men and the youths.
When the gobernadorcillo arrived to start the meeting, Captain Basilio,
requested that he be given the floor first to propose his plans for the fiesta.
Don Felipe followed him and he suggested the town spend three thousand
five hundred pesos for expenses, which would include erecting a theatre,
troupe of comedians from Tondo, big bombs and rockets for fireworks, and
fried chickens, capons, and roast pigs to be thrown into the lake. His plans
were criticized by both the liberals and the conservatives.
Captain Valentin, the most moderate of the conservatives recommended that
the town invent new shows that are not common nor ordinary, and the
money collected from it be use to give prizes and construct a school house.
Captain Valentins plans were well received by both parties.
However, the gobernadorcillo informed everyone that they have to follow
what the curate wishes: six processions, three sermons, three high masses,
and a comedy from Tondo. Disappointed with it, the group had no choice but
to obey fearing that they might be thrown in jail.

Chapter 21: The Story of a Mother

Sisa ran quickly home, confused. She feared that the civil guards may have
arrested his son Basilio already. When she reached home, she saw the two
civil guards leaving with only her hen. She tried to walk past them but the
civil guards caught her and demanded to know where her sons are.
Sisa begged the guards for mercy, saying she does not know where her sons
are nor does she have the gold coins they are accusing Crispin of stealing.
With no other recourse, the civil guards forcibly brought her back to the
barracks. Sisa, to spare her from humiliation, begged them to at least allow
her some distance between them. The civil guards obliged, giving her a
distance of 20 steps.
They eventually reached the barracks and Sisa was imprisoned. Not wanting
to bother themselves of inquiring about her, no one bothered to report to the
alferez. After two hours, the alferez, rival of the curate, dismissed Padre
Salvis allegations against her and ordered her to be freed.
Sisa hurriedly ran back home once again but did not find Basilio. She ran
to Tasio the Sage but he was not home. Instinctively, she went home and
upon entering the hut, she saw a piece of torn and bloodied cloth from
Basilios shirt. She cried out for her children throughout the night. Come
morning, Sisa can be seen smiling and talking to everyone.