Noli Me Tangere

Published in Berlin
(1887)
 Idea of Writing the Novel
Harriet Beecher Stowe “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”
January 2, 1882- proposed the writing of Novel
Paternos (Pedro, Maximo and Antonio), Graciano Lopez Jaena, Evaristo Aguiree, de Lete,
Julio Llorente, Melecio Figueroa, and Valentin Ventura

The Writing of the Noli

End of 1884- began the writing of novel
1885- went to Paris
Germany- finished the last 4th of the novel in Germany
April-June 1886- last few chapters of the novel in Wilhelmsfeld
February 1886- final revisions of the manuscript of the novel
Fernando Canon
 The Writing of the
Noli
“I did not believe the Noli Me Tangere would ever be published when I was in Berlin,
broken-hearted, weakened, and discouraged from hunger and deprivation. I was on the point
of throwing my work into the fire as a thing accursed and fit only to die”
- Jose Rizal

Viola, Savior of the

Noli
Received a telegram from Dr. Maximo Viola who was coming to Berlin
Viola- a scion of a rich family of San Miguel, Bulacan
Arrived shortly before Christmas Day of 1887
Gladly agreed to finance the printing cost of Noli and loaned to Rizal for living expenses
After Christmas season- put the finishing touches on his novel
February 21, 1887- finally finished and ready for publishing.
 Rizal Suspected as Frenchy Spy

The chief of police Berlin paid a sudden visit to Rizal’s boarding house and requested to
see the latter’s passport.
Immediately, Rizal, accompanied by Viola went to the Spanish embassy to seek the help
of the Spanish ambassador.
The police chief informed him that he had received intelligence reports that he had made
frequent visits to the villages and little towns in the rural areas.
Rizal, in fluent German language, explained to the police chief he was not a French spy,
but was a Filipino physician and scientist, particularly an ethnologist.
The police chief allowed him to stay freely in Germany.
 Printing of the Noli Finished
On March 21, 1887, the Noli Me Tangere came off the press.
On March 29, 1887, Rizal, in token of his appreciation and gratitude, gave Viola the
galley proofs of the Noli carefully rolled around the pen that he used in writing it and a
complimentary with the following inscription: “To my dear friend, Maximo Viola, the first to
read and appreciate my work --- Jose Rizal.”

The Title of the Novel

The title Noli Me Tangere is a Latin phrase which means “Touch Me Not.” It is originally
conceived by rizal, for he admitted taking it from the bible.

“Noli Me Tangere, words taken from the Gospel of Saint Luke, signifies “do not touch me”

According to Saint John, the First Easter Sunday, St. Mary Magdalene visited the Holy
Sepulcher, and to her Our Lord Jesus, just arisen from the dead, said:

“Touch me not; I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren, and say
unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God and your God.
 The Author’s Dedication
Rizal dedicated his Noli Me Tangere to the Philippines --- “To My Fatherland

Recorded in the history of human sufferings is a cancer so malignant a character that the
least touch irritates it and awakens in it the sharpest pains. Thus how many times, when in the
midst of modern civilizations I have wished to call thee before me, now to accompany me in
memories, now to compare thee with other countries, hath thy dear image presented itself
showing a social cancer like to that other!
Desiring thy welfare which is our own, and seeking the best treatment, I will do with thee
what the ancients did with their sick, exposing them on the steps of the temple so that every
one who came to invoke the Divinity might offer them a remedy.
And to this end, I will strive to reproduce thy condition faithfully, without discriminations; I
will raise a part of the veil that covers the evil, sacrificing to truth everything, even vanity itself,
since, as thy son I am conscious that I also suffer from thy defects and weaknesses.
 Synopsis of the Noli
It begins with a reception given by Capitan Tiago in honor of Crisostomo Ibarra
*Capitan Tiago(Santiago de los Santos)
a good friend of Don Rafael
a father of Maria Clara
Guests:
*Padre Damaso *Don Tiburcio de Espadaña
a fat franciscan friar a spanish physician
a parish priest of San Diego for 20 years *Several Ladies
*Padre Sybila
a young dominican priest of Binondo
*Señor Guevarra
an elderly and kind lieutenant of the Guardia Civil
 Synopsis of the Noli

"The sad story of his Father's Death"

By: Señor Guevarra (lieutenant GC)

"Ibarra visit his Father's grave & the grave-digger story"

*Padre Salvi
franciscan parish priest of San Diego(present)
 Synopsis of the Noli
"Tasio the Philosopher"
Taiso is a wise old man
whose ideas were too advance for his times
a progressive school teacher
also being called as "Tasio the Lunatic“

"Tale of Sisa"
Basilio and Crispin
The two boys of Sisa
They're both Sacristanes
 Synopsis of the Noli
"The picnic at the Lake"
*Maria Clara & her four girl friend
the merry siñang, the grave Victoria, the beautiful Iday and thoughtful Neneng
*Aunt Isabel - the chaperon of Maria clara
*Capitana Tika- Mother of Siñang
*Andeng - sister of Maria clara
*Albino - the ex theological student
who was also in love with Siñang
*Ibarra and his friend
*Elias- a strong and silent peasant youth
 Synopsis of the Noli

"Ibarra visited Old Tasio"

Ibarra visited old tasio to consult him on the pet project about the schoolhouse.
Hieroglyphics
are symbols in the form of picture which are used in some writing system

"The annual fiesta of San Diego“

Padre silva officiated a High Mass, while Padre Damaso gave the long sermon.
The Suspicious killing plot of Ibarra
 Synopsis of the Noli

Nor Juan- supervisor of the architect

Tiburcio de Espedaña- quack Spanish physician and husband of Doña Victorina
Doña Victorina De los Reyes de Espedaña- a vain and vulgar native woman who
frequently visits Kapitan Tiago
Don Alfonso Linares de Espedaña- cousin of Don Tiburcio and godson of Padre Damaso’s
brother-in-law – a fortune hunter who came to the Philippines in search of a rich Filipino
heiress
Doña Consolacion- the vulgar mistress of the Alvarez
 The “Noli” based on
truth
“The facts I narrate there are all true and have happened; I can prove them”- Jose Rizal
o Elias and Ibarra was Rizal
o Maria Clara was Leonor Rivera
o Tasio, was his elder brother, Paciano
o Padre Salvi was Padre Antonio Piernavieja
o Kapitan Tiyago was Kapitan Hilario Sunico
o Donya Victorina was Donya Agustina Medel
o Basilio and Crispin were the Crisostomo brothers of Hagonoy
o Padre Damaso was a typical domineering friar during the days of Rizal, who was arrogant
and anti-Filipino
 Missing Chapter of the Noli

o “Elias and Salome”- 25th chapter of the Noli

o It follows the chapter of 24th entitled “Into the Woods”
 Summary
Salome waits desperately for Elias, thinking that he would pass by the water any time soon.
Elias, however, is nowhere to be seen because he is in fact hiding from the authorities who are
currently patrolling the lake. When the two finally get to meet, Salome tells the yout of her plan
to move to Mindoro and live with her. Elias, however, refuses her offer because he does not
want her to be entangled with the tragedies and troubles in the past. He tells the lady that she
must marry an honourable and respectable man, one whom she truly deserves and who can
make her happy.
 Why Rizal deletes the
chapter?
o In the woods particular chapter on Elias and Salome was deleted by Rizal. His reason
was definitely economic.
o He was in dire financial situation in Berlin during the days when he was putting the
finishing touches to the Noli
o He knew that the cost of printing is in proportion with the number of pages of the
manuscript
 Rizal's Friends Praise the Noli

❑ The friends of Rizal hailed the novel, praising it in glowing colors. As to be expected Rizal's
enemies condemned it. Rizal anticipated the vitriole attacks of his enemies. As he told
Blumentritt that the government and the friars will probably attack his work, refuting his
statement.
❑ Rizal received numerous congratulatory letters from his friends about the Noli, that from
blumetritt was significant.
❑ Blumentrit congratulates rizal for his beautiful novel that he continues to read it with much
interest and seek explanation to words unknown to him.
❑ He believes that rizal is a man with extraordinary talent that he can become one of those
great men who will exert a definite influence on the spiritual development of his people.
 Rizal's Friends Praise the Noli

❑ Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor a Filipino patriot and lawyer who had been exciled due to his
complicity in the Cavite Mutiny of 1872, read avidly the Noli and was very impressed by its
author
❑ On may 3, 1887, he congratulated rizal, saying: "That your Noli Me Tangere will bring you
equal glory. Every Filipino patriot will read your book with avity and upon discovering in
every line a veracious idea and in every word a fitting advice, he will be inspired and he will
regard your book as the masterpiece of a filipino and the proof that those who thought us
incapable of producing great intellects are mistaken or lying."
 Rizals Grand Tour of Europe with viola:
(1887)
After the publication of Noli, Rizal planned to visit the important places in Europe. Dr. Maximo
Viol agreed to be hi traveling companion.
Rizal and Viola visited Potsdam, a city near Berlin, which Frederick the great made famous.

The Tour begins. At dawn of May 11, 1887, Rizal and Viola, two brown-skinned doctors on a
roaming spree, left Berlin by train. It was an ideal season for travel.
Their destination was Dresden which is one of the best cities in Germany.

Dresden. Rizal and Viola tarried for some time in Dresden.

Their visit coincided with floral exposition.
They visited Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, who was overjoyed to see them. They also visited Museum
of Art in which Rizal was deeply impressed by a painting of "Prometheus Bound" and recalled
seeing a representation of the same idea in an art gallery in Paris.
 Rizals Grand Tour of Europe with viola:
(1887)
While strolling at the scene of the Floral exposition, they met Dr. Jagor. Dr. Jagor
advised them to wire Blumentritt of their coming as he hear their plan to visit Leitmetriz.
Teschen was their next stopover after leaving Dresden. Rizal and Viola sent wire to
blumentritt, as per suggestion of Dr. Jagor

First Meeting with Blumentritt. At 1:30 p.m. of May 13, 1887, the train with Rizal and Viola on
board, arrived at the railroad station of Leitmeritz. Bohemia.
Professor Blumentritt was at the station, he was carrying a pencil sketch of Rizal which
the latter had previously sent him, so that he could identify his Filipino friend. He warmly
received Rizal and Viola.
For the first time, the two great scholars Rizal and Blumentritt who came to know each
other by correspondence, met in person. Blumentritt was a kind-hearted, old Austrian professor.
 Rizals Grand Tour of Europe with viola:
(1887)
Upon seeing rizal for the first time, he immediately took him into heart, loving him as a
son.
Professor Blumentritt, the geni host, helped Rizal and Viola get a room at Hotel Kerbs,
after which he bring them to his home and introduced his wife and family.
Rizal and Viola stayed in Leitmeritz from May 13 to May 16, 1887.
 Rizals Grand Tour of Europe with viola:
Beautiful Memories of Leitmeritz (1887)

Rizal had beautiful memories of his visit to Leitmeritz

He meet the family of Prof. Blumentritt
Blumentritt proved to be a great tourist guide as well as a hospitable host
Rizal spoke German fluently that amazed Blumentritt friends and other people from
Leitmeritz
Rizal painted a picture of Blumentritt and gave it to him as a gift which Blumentritt was
very pleased
On their last night, Rizal and Viola, to reciprocate Blumentritt’s hospitality, both
tendered a banquest feast- a farewell dinner- in his honor at their hotel
 Rizals Grand Tour of Europe with viola:
Letter to Blumentritt
(1887)
Written in Brunn, Austria on May 19, 1887 three days after leaving Leitmeritz

“I shall make my good friends of leitmeritz the objects of my thoughts and I shall say of myself:
You are not alone, Rizal; In small corner of Bohemia there are good, noble and friendly souls,
who like you: think of them: reconsider them as if they’re with you; as if they saw you; they will
rejoice over your joys, and will weep over you, suffering… Please kiss the children for me to
express my greetings to your wife, and to your good father and friends in leitmeritz. I am at
heart an inhibitant of Leitmeritz as you yourself are a Filipino in sentiments. I believe Austria will
always live in my heart.” – Jose Rizal

In the same letter, Rizal told Blumentritt that he forgot his diamond stickpin at his
room in Hotel Krebs
 Rizals Grand Tour of Europe with viola:
Prague (1887)
Rizal and Viola visited the historic city of Prague
They carried letters of recommendation from Blementritt to Dr. Willkomm
They visited various and random places there, but according to Viola “nothing of
importance happened” in this city

Vienna

May 20- the two arrived in the beautiful city, Vienna, the capital of Austria-Hungary
They even said Vienna was truly the “Queen of Danube”
Rizal and Viola met Norfenfals
The great Austrian novelist was favourably impressed by Rizal
 Rizals Grand Tour of Europe with viola:
Danubian Voyage to Lintz
May 24, 1887
(1887)
Rizal and Vienna left Vienna on a river boat to see the beautiful sights of Danube River.
Rizal observed keenly the river sights.
They particularly noticed that passengers on the boat were using paper napkins during
meals.

From Lintz to Rheinfall

They traveled overland to Salzburg, and from there to Munich.
•Munich beer•
From Munich, they went to Nuremberg.
•horrible torture machines used by Inquisition•
After Munich, they visited Ulm.
• Cathedral -“largest and tallest in all Germany”•
 Rizals Grand Tour of Europe with viola:
(1887)
Then they went to Sttugart, Baden, and then Rheinfall.
• Waterfall - "most beautiful waterfall in Europe"•

Crossing the Frontier to Switzerland

Cross the frontier to Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
Continued their tour to Basel (Bale)to Bern to Lausanne.

Rizal resents the exhibition of Igorots in 1887 at Madrid Exposition

Exposition of the Philippines was held in Madrid, Spain.
Upon reaching Geneva (Switzerland)
Deplorable conditions of the primative Igorots who were exhibited in the Exposition.
Rizal was outraged by this degradation of his fellow countrymen the Igorots of Northern
Luzon.