GE9 – Group 1

Rizal’s Life: Higher Education and Life Abroad

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

1. Explain the principle of assimilation advocated by the Propaganda Movement.
2. Appraise Rizal’s relationship with other Propagandists.
3. Analyze Rizal’s growth as a Propagandist and disavowal of assimilation.

Topics that we will going to discuss:

SA PILIPINAS MUNA

AT ATENEO DE MANILA
Ateneo was known to be the most prestigious college for boys because of its great teachings.
From 1872-1877, under the supervision of the Jesuit priests Rizal studied in Ateneo de Manila.
Rizal went to Ateneo Municipal, formerly known as Escuela Pia. In search for Rizal’s formal
knowledge as a high school student, his father wanted to send Rizal to Letran but decided to
have him enrolled at the latter instead.
STA. ISABEL COLLEGE
Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel College to be proficient in Spanish and develop his
skills in poetry writing more. But before he took up lessons, he was guided by Father Francisco
Paula de Sanchez in developing his skills in poetry. Through his poetry he was able to finish
poems about religion, education, and childhood experiences. It also gave him the opportunity to
develop more mature emotions, patriotic sentiments and exquisite sensitivity.
LITERATURE FOR RIZAL
The first poem that Rizal wrote as a student was entitled Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First
Inspiration). This poem was dedicated to his mother during her birthday, but according to
some, this was a work of his cousin.
When he was a student at Ateneo, he wrote another poem entitled Un Recuerdo de Mi Pueblo
(In Memory of My Town). Written in 1876, this poem was his way of giving tribute to his
hometown, Calamba. The content of the poem shows how Rizal appreciates the beauty of his
place, which made him love nature and to strengthen his faith and beliefs in God.
AT UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
After completion of Bachiller en Artes at Ateneo, Rizal was admitted to higher studies at a
university. Doña Teodora was against Rizal’s decision to pursue a higher education because of
her fear of what might happen to her son due to the martyrdom of Gomburza. However, Don
Francisco sent Rizal to UST, the Dominican University of the Philippines.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AT UST
Rizal’s performance in UST was not as good as his accomplishment in Ateneo, where he
excelled in all his subjects. On the contrary, some of Rizal’s grades in UST were still excellent
but he had lower grades in other subjects. This might have been because Rizal was not actually
happy while in UST .Three contributing factors explain this: The attitude of Dominican
professors towards Rizal; there was racial discrimination against Filipino students; and he was
disgusted at the primitive method used in UST.

LITERARY WORKS AS A UNIVERSITY STUDENT:

A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA/ TO THE FILIPINO YOUTH This literary work is
considered as one of the best work of Rizal. The English translation of this poem is seen on the
next page, which Rizal wrote when he was 18. Rizal expressed that he wanted to contribute to
Spanish-Philippine society, but instead of being famous to have the prize for excellence in the
arts, it was rejected.
EL CONSEJO DE LOS DIOS
This is one of Rizal’s entry in the literary contest of 1880. The poem was announced as the best
entry in the competition that year. However, the jury knew that its author was a Filipino so they
decided to confer the grand prize to a Spaniard. Even though Rizal did not receive the best
award, he had proven that Filipinos can compete with other races in a fair play irrespective of
the superiority of the Spaniards.
JUNTO AL PASIG
At the request of the Jesuits, Rizal wrote a one-act play and was staged at Ateneo in celebration
of the Feast Day of Immaculate Conception on December 8. The play was essentially
considered as continuation of Rizal’s appeal to the Filipino youth to rebuke foreign individuals
for causing them misery.
A FILIPINAS/ TO THE PHILIPPINES
In February 1880, Rizal wrote a sonnet dedicated to the Philippines that aimed at encouraging
Filipino artists to thank the country through their art works. This is the most passionate poem
about the Philippines written by Rizal.
ACTIVISM AT UST
Rizal stood as a leader in student activism when he was studying philosophy and medicine in
UST. The Spanish and mestizo students called the Filipinos indio or chongo. In return, Rizal
and his peers retaliated by calling them Kastila or bangus. As a result, student fights in the
university campus and even in the streets of Manila became common. Rizal, being the front-
runner, was recognized for winning the brawls because of his determination and skills in
fencing and wrestling. In fact, there was also a time that Rizal was wounded due to a fight with
the Spanish students of Escolta, Manila.
Rizal then created a secret group of Filipino students called “Compañerismo.” The members
were called Companions of Jehu, the patriot general of the Jews. Rizal automatically became
the president of this secret society and Galiciano Apacible was the secretary. Rizal’s activism
was also expressed in his disapproval of the faulty and outmoded system of education in the
university during his time.
EXPERIENCING SPANISH BRUTALITY
Rizal first experienced Spanish brutality during his first summer vacation at Calamba after his
freshman year in UST. While walking past the streets, he did not notice the man passing by
because of the darkness of the night. This man happened to be a lieutenant of the Guardia Civil.
But since Rizal did not pay respect to the lieutenant by saluting or greeting him, the lieutenant
whipped him with his sword and slashed it at Rizal’s back causing him to be wounded. Of
course, everybody was expected to bow down for the Guardia Civil during that time.
Consequently, Rizal wrote a complaint letter to Governor-General Primo de Rivera but the
response, as foreseen, was nothing as good, considering that he was an indio. The incident left
Rizal a bad impression of the unfair and unjust acts of the Spaniards towards the Filipinos.

RIZAL’S LIFE ABROAD

BARCELONA
Rizal did not continue his studies in the Philippines, instead, he went to Europe to widen his
learning and to acquire knowledge about a cure for his mother’s worsening eye condition. He
left Calamba on May 1, 1882 and was able to reach Manila in ten hours. He left Manila on May
3, 1882, with his brother Paciano and Uncle Antonio Rivera’s blessing. He decided to go abroad
after completing his fourth year in the medical course. But he did not seek his parents’
permission because clearly, they will not approve of Rizal’s plan. Bringing with him his
disappointments during his days as a student, he left the Philippines for Europe.
MADRID
On September 1882, Rizal moved to the capital city of Spain to continue his studies. Rizal
enrolled at the Universidad Central de Madrid on November 3, 1882 he took up Philosophy and
Letters in Medicine. While studying in the university, he also enrolled at the Academy of San
Carlos taking up painting and sculpture, and languages in French, German and English. He also
took up shooting and fencing at the Hall of Sanz and Carbonell. He also showed great interest in
taking the examination in Roman law. Rizal passed the medical examination which he took
from June 5 to 26. He was given the degree of Licentiate in Medicine for this and continued his
doctorate degree in medicine. However, he was not able to accomplish the diploma because he
failed to present the thesis required for graduation. He was allowed to practice medicine but
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lOMoARcPSD|12384417 medicine. Rizal was saddened by this decision and thought that the
education system in Madrid had no difference with that in Manila. He then finished his course
in Philosophy and Letters and gained the degree Licenciado en Filosofia y Letras. During this
time, Rizal was halfway done with his novel, the Noli Me Tangere.

RIZAL’S LIFE IN OTHER COUNTRIES

PARIS
Rizal arrived in Paris on November 1885. At that time, he was 24 years old and a full-pledged
surgeon. He decided to migrate to Paris to specialize in Ophthalmology, but prior to doing so,
he went to visit Maximo Viola, a friend from San Miguel, Bulacan. Rizal also worked as an
assistant to Dr. Louis de Weckert’s eye clinic for four months. During his stay, Rizal knew how
to conduct the operation of the eye, its ailments, and the different techniques of eye operation.
He spent his past time with his fellow Filipinos in the city, something that contributed much to
learning how to speak French fluently. His friends were Felix Hidalgo, Juan Luna and Pardo de
Tavera. For the duration of his stay with Juan Luna, Rizal became a model and posed for two
historical paintings of Luna: The Blood Compact (as Sikatuna) and Death of Cleopatra (as a
Priest). It was also in Paris that he finished some part of his Noli.
GERMANY
Due to high cost of living, Rizal left Paris for Germany on February 1886. He arrived at an old
university town in Heidelberg. He worked as an assistant of Dr. Otto Becker at the University
Eye Hospital. It is where Rizal mastered the techniques of diagnosing eye ailments, which he
learned from Dr. Louis de Wecker. But before transferring to the university, Rizal resided in a
German boarding house where he became friends with a number of German law students.
JOSE RIZAL RETURNED TO CALAMBA
Rizal lived five years of his life abroad and away from his loved ones. He left Rome and rode
the train going to Marseilles, France on July 3,1887. He then boarded the Djemnah, the vessel
that ferried him to Saigon, and from Saigon, he transferred to the steamer Haiphong in Vietnam
and reached Manila on August 5,1887. He stayed in Manila for three days and tried to visit and
call Isabelo de los Reyes twice but unfortunately, he was unable to reach him. Later on, he
visited Ateneo wherein the Jesuits attempted to get Rizal back to his old faith. Rizal was able to
talked to Padre Faura, the priest who showed him the Sacred Heart of Jesus that he carved
during his student days. Then, Padre Faura told Rizal all the wrong points that he said in his
novel, Noili Me Tangere. But for Rizal, everything he wrote was the truth