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Noli Me Tangere: A Lesson from the Past

Jose Rizal’s novel, “Noli Me Tangere”, which means “touch me not”, is a masterpiece

which portrays the Philippine society during the Spanish colonial rule. Although “Noli Me

Tangere” explores the history of the Philippines under the Spanish regime, it was worth noting

that reading the novel offers the Filipinos important lessons from the past. At the time that Rizal

wrote the novel, no one dared to talk about the social conditions of the Filipinos during those

times. Rizal’s objective in writing the novel is to expose the atrocities and cruelties that the

Filipinos suffered under the Spanish regime. Through the novel, Rizal hoped to show the world

how the Spaniards cloaked oppression in the guise of Catholicism. He wanted the Filipino

people to open their eyes to what was really happening during those times. Rizal, through the

character of Crisostomo Ibarra expressed his rage against the Spaniards when he stated, “I will

call out these ignorant people, I will make them see their misery. I will teach them to think not of

brotherhood but only that they are wolves for devouring. I will urge them to rise against this

oppression and proclaim the eternal right of man to win his freedom!” (476). Not only did Rizal

exposed the grievances of the Filipinos against the Spaniards, he also unmasked the weaknesses

and faults of the Filipinos; thus, allowing themselves to be victims of the ruthless Spanish rule at

that time. Through the novel, Rizal was able to show to the world the resistance that the

Filipinos felt against the Spanish rule.

Some historians attribute the uprising of the Filipinos against the Spaniard to the novel by

Rizal. They believe that “Noli Me Tangere” is the spark that ignited the revolution against the

Spaniards.

There is much value in preserving history. As the old saying goes, “History repeats

itself” and often history teaches its people lessons which they can apply in the future. In the case
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of the Philippines, the injustices suffered by the Filipinos under the Spaniards may not be

experienced again by the Filipinos but they may go through similar experiences in the future.

It is essential to remember the past but not to delve on the mistakes committed; but rather to

learn from the lessons of the past.

Forgetting the country’s past would also mean forgetting the people who fought for

freedom, forgetting the heroic deeds and sacrifices of individuals who have contributed to what

the country has become now. Rizal through Elias, a rebel character in his novel, emphasized the

importance of the youth’s learning of his past and not forgetting it, when he stated, "I die without

seeing the dawn brighten over my native land. You who have it to see, welcome it--and forget

not those who have fallen during the night!” (492). Moreover, if the youth of today do not know

their motherland’s history, then their sense of identity will also be lost. They will not have an

idea of who their ancestors are and how they lived and survived in the past. They will not be

able to acquire the wisdom that can be learned from the past. Rizal called on the youth in his

novel saying, “Where are the youth who will consecrate their budding years, their idealism and

enthusiasm to the welfare of their country? Where are the youth who will generously pour out

their blood to wash away so much shame, so much crime, so much abomination? . . . Where are

you, youth, who will embody in yourselves the vigor of life . . . the purity of ideas that has been

contaminated [sic!] in our hearts? We await you, O youth! Come, for we await you!" (448).

How can the youth possibly respond to Rizal’s calling if they know nothing of their past? The

Philippine government in response to Rizal’s plea to the youth in his novel therefore requires all

schools to include in the curricula of high school students the study of the “Noli Me Tangere”

and “El Filibusterismo”, which are both works of Rizal.

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Rizal mentions about the topic of forgetting the past in several instances in “Noli Me

Tangere”. In Chapter 49, Ibarra questions Elias’ suggestions on reforms in the priesthood by

asking, “Has the Philippines forgotten what she owes to those orders? Has she forgotten the

immense debt of gratitude that is due from her to those who snatched her from error to give her

the true faith, to those who have protected her against the tyrannical acts of the civil power? This

is the evil result of not knowing the history of our native land!” (381). Through these statements,

Rizal illustrates the consequence of not knowing the history of one’s own land, that is, the loss of

gratitude to those who have protected the land.

History has a way of reshaping whatever the future holds for a country. Others may see it

as irrelevant to the present situation, but for Rizal he deems it necessary to determine the destiny

of a nation. This is evidenced in one of Rizal’s quotes inscribed in Fort Santiago, a historical

spot of the Philippines, when he stated, “To foretell the destiny of a nation, it is necessary to

open the book that tells of her past” [ CITATION Hub12 \l 1033 ].

Works Cited

HubPages, Inc. "Quotes from Dr. Jose Rizal." 22 May 2012. mmdelrosario.hubpages.com. 5

October 2012. <http://mmdelrosario.hubpages.com/hub/jose-rizal-quotes>.

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Rizal, Jose. Noli Me Tangere. Trans. Charles Derbyshire. 2007. Web. 5 October 2012.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/6737/6737-h/6737-h.htm#d0e8742