CHAPTER 1

ADVENT OF A NATIONAL HERO

Dr. Jose Rizal- is a unique of a many-splended genius who became the greatest hero of a nation.

The birth of a hero – Jose Rizal was born on the moonlit night of Wednesday, June 19, 1861, in the
lakeshore town of Calamba, Laguna Province , Philippines. His mother died during the delivery because
of his big head.

 As he recounted many years later in his student memoirs,” I was born in Calamba on 19 June,
1861 , between eleven and midnight, a few days before full moon .It was Wednesday and
coming out in this vale of tears would have lost my mother her life had she not vowed to the
virgin of Antipolo to take me to her sanctuary by way of pilgrimage.
 He was baptized in Catholic church of his town on June 22, aged three days old by, the parish
priest .
 It is name “Jose” was choose by his mother who was a devote of the Christian saint San Jose
(St.Joseph). died in Manila on January 5, 1898, at the age of 80.
 Doña Teodora ( 1826- 1911)- The hero’s mother, was born in Manila on November 8, 1826 and
was educated at the college of Santa Rosa, a well known college for girls in the city.
 She was remarkable woman , possessing refined culture, literacy talent, business ability, and
fortitude of Spartan women.
 Doña Teodora died in Manila on August 16, 1911, at the age of 85.

The Rizal Children – God blessed the marriage of Francisco Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonso Realonda
with eleven children. Two boys and nine girls.

1. Saturnina (1850-1913)- Oldest of the Rizal Children, nicknamed Neneng; She married: Manuel
T. Hidalgo of Tanawam, Batangas
2. Paciano (1851-1930)- Older brother and confidant of Jose Rizal ; after his younger’s brother’s
execution. He died on April 13, 1930 an old bachelor aged 79. He had two children by his
mistress (severena Decena) a boy and a girl.
3. Narcisa (1852-1939) – Her pet name was Sisa and she married Antonio Lopez ( nephew of
father Leoncio Lopez), a school teacher of Morong .
4. Olimpia ( 1855-1887)- Ypia was her pet name ; she married silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph
operator from Manila.
5. Lucia ( 1857- 1919)- She married Mariano her boss of Calamba, who was a nephew of father
Casanas. Herbosa died of cholera in 1889 and was denied Christian burial because he was a
brother -in – law of Dr. Rizal.
6. Maria ( 1859-1945)- Bjang was her nickname, she married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan ,
Laguna.
7. Jose ( 1861- 1896)- The greatest Filipino hero and peerless genius, his nickname was Pepe; Rizal
named him “ Francisco” after his father and buried him in Dapita
8. Concepcion (1862-1865)- Her pet name was concha; she died of sickness at the age of 3; her
death was Rizal first sorrow in life.
9. Josefa (1865- 1945) - Her pet name was Panggoy; she died an old maid at the age of 80.
10. Trinidad ( 1868-1951)- Trining was her pet name; she died also an old maid in1951 aged 83.
11. Soledad ( 1870- 1929)- Youngest of the Rizal Children; her pet name was Choleng, she married
Pantaleon Quinteto of Calamba.

 Sibling relationship among the Rizal Children was affectionately cordial.

 Rizal used to play games with his sisters
 Years later when he grew to manhood, he always called them Doña or Señor ( if married)
and Seniorita (if single).
  Rizals relation with his only brother Paciano, who was ten years his senior, was more than
that of younger to older brother.
 He immortalized him in his first Novel Noli Metangere as the wise pilosopo Radio.

Rizal’s Ancestry – As a typical Filipino, Rizal was a product of the mixture of races.

 Rizal’s great – great grandfather on his father side was Domingo Lamio, a Chinese
immigrant from the Fukien city of Changchow, who arrived in Manila about 1690.
 The surname Mercado which was appropriate for him because he was merchant.
 At the age of eight, Francisco Mercado lost his father and grew up to manhood under
the care of his mother.

The surname Rizal- The real surname of the Rizal family was Mercado which was adopted in 1731 by
Domingo Lamco who was a full blooded Chinese. A second surname Rizal- was given by a Spanish
Alcalde Mayor .

The Rizal Home- The houses of the Rizal family, where the hero was born, was one of the distinguished
store houses in Calamba during Spanish time. It was two storey building rectangular in shape, built of
adobe stones and hard- woods. It describe by Dr. Rafael Palma, one of Rizal’s prestigious biographer. It
was a happy home where parental affection and children’s laughter reigned.

 It humbed with the noises of children

 It echoed with the dulcet notes of family prayers

A Good and middle- class Family- The rizal’s family belonged to the principalia a town aristocracy in
Spanish Philippines.

 It was one of the distinguished families in Calamba.

 As evidence of their affluences , Rizal’s parents were able to build a large stone house
which was situated near the town church and to by another one.

Home life of the Rizals- The Rizal family had a simple, contented and happy life.

Chapter 2
Childhood years in Calamba

Calamba, the heroes Town- Calamba was a haciendas town which belonged to the Dominican order,
which also owned all the lands around it.

 Rizal loved Calamba with all his heart and soul

 He wrote a poem Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo ( in Memory of my Town)

Earliest Childhood memories – The first memory of Rizal, in his infancy, was his happy dags in the family
garden when he was three years old. Because he was a frail, sickly and undersized child, he was given
the tenderest care by his parents.
Another childhood memory was the daily Angelus prayer.

Another memory of his infancy was the nocturnal walk in the town, especially when there was a moon.

The story of the Moth- The story told by Doña Teodora to her favorite son, Jose , that of the young
moth made the profoundest impression on him.

Artistic Talents- Since early childhood Rizal revealed his God given Talent for art. At the age of five he
began to make sketched with his pencil and to mould in clay wax objects which attracted his fancy.

First poem by Rizal- A side from his sketching and sculpturing talent, Rizal possedsed a God given gift for
literature.

Since early boyhood he had scrubbled verses on loose sheets of paper and on textbooks of his sisters. At
the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first poem in the native language entitled Sa aking Mga kabanata (To
my fellow children).

Rizal as Boy Magician- Since early manhood Rizal had been interested in magic. With his dexterous
hands, he learned various tricks, such as making a coin appear or disappear in his fingers and making a
handkerchief vanish in thin air.

Lakeshore Reveries – During the twilight hours of summer time Rizal, accompanied by his pet dog use to
meditate at the shore of Laguna De Bay on the sad condition of his oppressed people.

Influence of the Hero’s Boyhood – on the night Jose Rizal was born, other children were born in
Calamba and hundreds of other children were also born all over the Philippines

The influence were the following 1.Heridetary 2. Environmental influence 3. Aid of Divine Providence

1. Hereditary Influence – According to biological science, there are inherent qualities which a
person inherits from his ancestors and parents
2. Environmental Influence – According to psychologist, environment, as well as heredity, affects
the nature of a person.
3. Aid of Divine Providence- Greater than heredity and environment in the fate of man is the aid
of Divine Providence.
- A person may have everything in life brains, wealth , and power – but, without the aid of
Divine Providence, he cannot attain greatness in the annals of the nation.

Chapter 3

Early Education In Calamba and Biñan

The Hero’s first teacher- The first teacher of Rizal was his Mother, who’s was a remarkable woman of
good character and fine culture. On her lap, he learned at the age of three the alphabet and prayers. The
first tutor of Rizal was Maestro Celestino and Second; Maestro Lucas Padua.

Jose Goes to Biñan- One Sunday afternoon in June, 1869 Jose after kissing the hands of his parents and
tearful parting from his sisters, left Calamba for Biñan. He was accompanied by Paciano, who acted as
his second father.

First day in Biñan School- The next morning Paciano brought his younger brother to the school of
Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz.

- The school was in the house of the teacher, which was a small nipa hut about 30 meters
from the home of Jose’s aunt.
First School Brawl- In the afternoon of his first day in school, when the teacher was having his siesta,
Jose met the bully, Pedro. He was angry at this bully for making fun of him during his conversation with
the teacher in the morning. Jose challenge Pedro to a fight.

- The two boys wrestled furiously in the classroom, much to the glee of their classmates,
Jose , having learned the art of wrestling from his athletic Tio Manuel, defeated the
bigger boy.

Painting Lessons in Biñan – Near you the school was the house of an old painter, called Juancho, who
was the father -in- law of the school teacher. Old Juancho freely gave him lessons in drawing and
painting

Daily life in Biñan- Jose led a methodical life in Biñan, almost Spartan in simpliciting. It strengthened his
body and soul.

Best student in School – In academic studies, Jose best all Biñan boys. He surpassed them all on Spanish,
Latin, and other Subjects.

End of Biñan schooling- Before the Christmas season in 1870 Jose received a letter from his sister
Saturnina, informing him of the arrival of the steamer Talim which would take him from Biñan to
Calamba He left Biñan on Saturday afternoon, December 17, 1870, after one year and a half of
schooling in that town.

Martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za

 On the night of January 20, 1872 about 200 Filipino soldiers and workmen of
the cavity arsenal under the leadership of Lamadrid , Filipino sergeant, rose
inviolent mutiny because of the abolition of their usual privileges.
 Cavite mutiny was suppressed two days later by troop reinforcements from
Manila.
 According to Gom- Bur- Za, despite the archbishop’s plea for clemency because
of their innocence, were executed at sunrise, February 17, 1872 by order of
Governor General Izquierdo.

Injustice to Hero’s Mother- Before of June 1872, tragedy struck the Rizal family Doña Teodora was
suddenly arrested on a malicious charge that she and her brother, Jose Alberto, tried to poison the
latter’s perfidious wife

 After arresting Doña Teodora, the sadistic Spanish Lieutenant forced her to walk from Calamba
to Santa Cruz.