José Rizal, full name José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda, was a patriot,

physician, and writer who inspired the Philippine nationalist movement. He was born on
June 19, 1861, in Calamba, Philippines.
His father's name is Francisco Rizal Mercado y Alejandro, and mother's name
is Teodora Alonso Realonda y Quintos. He had nine sisters and one brother,
namely Saturnina (1850-1913) – the oldest of the Rizal children; nicknamed
Neneng, Paciano (1851-1930) – an older brother and confidant of Jose
Rizal, Narcissa (1852-1939) – pet name: Sisa, Olimpia (185501887) – pet
name: Ypia, Lucia (1857-1919) – married Mariano Herbosa, who died of cholera in
1889 and was denied Christian burial because he was a brother-in-law of Dr.
Rizal, Maria (1859-1945) – nickname: Biang, Concepcion (1862-1865) – pet name:
Concha; she died of sickness at the age of 3; her death was Rizal's first sorrow in
life, Josefa (1865-1945) – pet name: Panggoy; died an old maid at the age of
80, Trinidad (1868-1951) – pet name: Trining; also died an old maid at the age of
83, Soledad (1870-1929) – youngest of the Rizal children; pet name: Choleng.

Rizal was gifted intellectually from a young age. He learned the alphabet from his
mother at three; by age five, he could read and write.

José, known as "Rizal," quickly distinguished himself in poetry writing contests, dazzling
his professors with his knowledge of Castilian and other foreign languages, and later, in
writing essays critical of Spanish historical narratives of pre-colonial Philippine society.
By 1891, the year he completed his second novel El filibusterismo, his second surname
had become so well known that he wrote to another friend, "All my family now carry the
name Rizal instead of Mercado. Because the name Rizal means persecution! Good! I,
too, want to join them and be worthy of this family name."

Jose Rizal's Educational Background

Rizal's first teachers:

1. Dona Teodora
- was his mother. She was patient, conscientious, and understanding
- she discovered that her son had a talent for poetry
- she encouraged him to write poems

2. Private Tutors of Rizal

- Maestro Celestino
- Maestro Lucas
- Leon Monroy

Rizal goes to Binan,Laguna:

- June, 1869 Rizal left for Binan
- Was accompanied by Paciano, his older brother
- Maestro Justiniano taught him
- In academic studies, Rizal beat all Binan boys
- He surpassed them all in Spanish, Latin, and other subjects
Life and Studies in Ateneo
- Ateneo De Municipal was established by the Jesuits
- Rizal entered in 1872
- He belonged to the class composed of Spaniards, mestizos, and Filipinos
- His teacher was Fr. Jose Bech
- He was considered an inferior and was placed at the bottom of the class
- By the end of the month, he became the emperor and received a prize, a religious
picture
- To improve his Spanish, Rizal took private lessons at Santa Isabel College
- During his 4th year in Ateneo, he received five medals and graduated as sobresaliente
- He graduated on March 23, 1877(16 years old)
- Received the degree of bachelor of arts, with highest honors, not a valedictorian

Medical Studies at the University of Sto. Thomas (1877-1882)

- After graduating, he continued his education at UST

- He finished a year in Philosophy and Letters
- He decided to shift to a medical course
- UST was under the Dominicans, a rival of the Jesuits in education
- Remained loyal to Ateneo, participated in extracurricular activities in Ateneo, and
completed a course in surveying
- As a Thomasian, he won more literary laurels
- During his first term in 1877-1878 in UST, he studied Cosmology, Metaphysics,
Theodicy, and History of Philosophy.
- It was during the school term 1878-1879 that Rizal pursued his studies in Medicine

Reasons why Rizal wanted to study Medicine:

- He wanted to be a physician so that he could cure his mother's failing eyesight

- Fr. Pablo Ramon, the Father Rector of Ateneo whom he consulted for a choice of
career, finally answered his letter and recommended Medicine

Pre-Med Course

- Curso de Ampiacion or Advanced course in Physics, Chemistry, and Natural History.

- Out of the 28 young men taking Ampliacion, only four, including Rizal, were granted
the privilege of taking the preparatory course and the first year of Medicine
simultaneously
- Rizal also received his four-year practical training in Medicine at the Hospital de San
Juan de Dios in Intramuros
- During his last year at the University, Rizal obtained the global grade of Notable(Very
Good) in all his subjects. He was the second-best student in a decimated seven class
who passed the medicine course. After which, Rizal decided to study in Spain.
Academic Journey To Spain ( 1882-1885 )
- His departure for Spain was kept secret from Spanish Authorities, friars, and even his
parents, especially his mother because she would not allow him to go
- To avoid detection, he used the name, Jose Mercado
- On May 3, 1882, he boarded Salvadora bound for Singapore, where he was the only
Filipino passenger
- On November 3, 1882, he enrolled in Universidad Central de Madrid, taking up two
courses: Philosophy and Letters and Medicine
- On June 21, 1884, he was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine
- The following academic year, he studied and passed all subjects leading to the degree
of doctor of Medicine
- Unfortunately, he was not able to submit the thesis required for graduation nor pay the
corresponding fees
- With that, he was not awarded his Doctor's Diploma
- Jose Rizal also finished his studies in Philosophy and Letters with higher grades
- He was awarded the Degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters by the
Universidad Central de Madrid on June 19, 1885, with the rating of excellent.

Opthalmology studies and travels in Europe

- Jose Rizal went to Paris and Germany to specialize in ophthalmology. Among all
branches, he chose this specialization because he wanted to cure his mother's failing
eyesight.
- In 1885, after studying at the Universidad Central de Madrid, Rizal, who was then 24
years old, went to Paris to acquire more knowledge in ophthalmology

Rizal friends in Europe:

- Maximo Viola
- Senor Eusebio Corominas
- Don Miguel Morayta
- Dr. Louis de Weckert

- On February 3, 1886, after gathering some experience in ophthalmology, he left Paris

and went to Heidelberg, Germany
- He worked at the University Eye Hospital under the direction of Dr. Otto Becker, a
distinguished German ophthalmologist
- On April 22, 1886, Rizal wrote a poem entitled A Las Flores de Heidelberg (To the
Flowers of Heidelberg) because he was fascinated by the blooming flowers along the
Neckar River; which was the light blue flower called "forget-me-not."
- On August 14, 1886, Rizal arrived in Leipzig. There, he attended some lectures at the
University of Leipzig on history and psychology

Reasons Why Rizal chooses to reside in germane longer:

- to gain further his studies in science and languages
- to observe the economic and political conditions of the German nation
- to associate with the famous scientists and scholars
- lastly published his novel Noli Me Tangere
Jose Rizal earned a Licentiate in Medicine at the Universidad Central de Madrid, where
he also took courses in philosophy and literature. It was in Madrid that he began writing
Noli Me Tangere. He also attended classes at the University of Paris, and, in 1887, he
completed his eye specialization course at the University of Heidelberg. It was also in
that year that Rizal's first novel was published in Berlin.

Most Important Literary Works by Jose Rizal

For Dr. José Rizal, the well-respected national hero of the Philippines, “the pen is
mightier than the sword.” Through his literary masterpieces, he voiced strong opposition
to the abuse of Spaniards and conveyed messages that he hoped would inspire his
fellow countrymen. We round up his best works and uncover the underlying meaning
behind them.

To the Filipino Youth

Rizal wrote this literary poem when he was still studying at the University of Sto. Tomas
(UST). Originally written in Spanish (A la juventud filipina), Rizal submitted this piece for
a poem contest organized for Filipinos by the Manila Lyceum of Art and Literature. At
the age of 18, this work is beaming with strong messages to convince readers, the
youth in particular, that they are the hope of the nation. He also stresses the importance
of education to one’s future. Rizal won the first prize and was rewarded with a feather-
shaped silver pen and a diploma.

Goodbye to Leonor
This literary piece gives an insight into the romantic relationship of Rizal and his
beloved, Leonor Rivera. The two met when in the province of Dagupan when Rivera
was only 13-years-old. Rivera’s parents were not in favor of their relationship and
though distance separated them, the two kept in touch by sending letters and
photographs to each other. Rizal later found out that her lady love would soon tie the
knot with Henry Kipping, and the news definitely disheartened him. The lonely,
heartbreaking feelings he felt, resulted in this melancholic poem.

To the Young Women of Malolos

Addressed to the Filipino women, Rizal’s letter entitled To The Young Women of
Malolos reflects his inheritance and issues reminders to Filipino women. In his letter, he
addresses all kinds of Filipino women – mothers, wives, and even the single women.
Throughout this literary piece, he highlights the qualities that Filipino mothers should
possess, the duties of wives to their husbands and children, and a counsel on how
young women should choose their lifetime partners. The idea behind this letter sparked
after he was impressed by the women of Malolos who won the battle they fought. Rizal
advises women to educate themselves, protect their dignity and honor, and live with
good manners – setting up as a role model.

Kundiman
A kundiman traditionally refers to a love song where a man serenades the woman he
loves. For scholars, this word was derived from the Tagalog phrase “Kung Hindi man” (if
it should not be so) which suggests that people put their faith in a Higher Being who
decides whether or not something is meant for them. But in Rizal’s literary work, he
wrote a kundiman to profess his intense love for his motherland. This piece reflects his
high hopes that one day, the Philippines would be free from treachery and injustice. At
the time, the country faced great threats while he was in Europe. And, through this
work, he voices his hopeful thoughts despite being far away from the country.

Junto Al Pasig
When translated into English, the title of this work means Beside Pasig River. In
response to the Jesuits’ request, Rizal wrote this one-act play in the Spanish language
for the velada – a gala variety program during the principal feast days. The play centers
around Leonido (a young Filipino who has a strong faith in the Virgin) and the
Diwata/Satan, which symbolizes the Spanish oppression towards Filipinos. Its theme
highlights Christianity, good vs. evil, and paganism. The Philippines’ national hero wrote
it in honor of the Our Lady of Peace and Voyage of the UST, and the play was staged
on December 8, 1880.

Noli Me Tángere
One of the most sought-after books in Philippine literature until today, is Rizal’s famous
novel titled Noli Me Tángere (Touch Me Not). Driven by his undying love for his country,
Rizal wrote the novel to expose the ills of Philippine society during the Spanish colonial
era. At the time, the Spaniards prohibited the Filipinos from reading the controversial
book because of the unlawful acts depicted in the novel. Yet they were not able to ban it
completely and as more Filipinos read the book, it opened their eyes to the truth that
they were being manhandled by the friars. In this revolutionary book, you’ll learn the
story of Crisostomo Ibarra, how he dealt with Spanish authorities, and how he prepared
for his revenge, as told in Rizal’s second book, El Filibusterismo.

El Filibusterismo
This is Rizal’s sequel to his first book, Noli Me Tángere. In El Filibusterismo (The Reign
of the Greed), the novel exhibits a dark theme (as opposed to the hopeful atmosphere
in the first novel) in which it depicts the country’s issues and how the protagonist
attempts a reform. The story takes place 13 years after Noli Me Tángere, where
revolutionary protagonist Crisostomo Ibarra is now under the guise of Simoun – a
wealthy jewelry tycoon. Because the novel also portrays the abuse, corruption, and
discrimination of the Spaniards towards Filipinos, it was also banned in the country at
the time. Rizal dedicated his second novel to the GOMBURZA – the Filipino priests
named Mariano Gomez, Jose Apolonio Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora who were
executed on charges of subversion. The two novels of Rizal, now considered as his
literary masterpieces, both indirectly sparked the Philippine Revolution.

Mi último adiós
After being associated with the Katipuneros, Rizal was arrested and later sentenced to
death by firing squad for acts of sedition and rebellion. During his final days in Fort
Santiago of Manila, Rizal bid farewell to his motherland and countrymen through
letters. Mi último adiós or My Last Farewell is one of the few last works that Rizal wrote.
Some historical accounts say he wrote it on the eve before his execution, while others
claim that he wrote the poem a few days before his death in Manila on December 30,
1896. But, because there was no title ascribed to this poem, his good friend and fellow
reformist Mariano Ponce came up with the title.

Today, Rizal’s literary works, specifically his two novels, are alive and continuously
being analyzed by students and professionals. Colleges and universities in the
Philippines even require their students to take a subject which centers around the life
and works of Rizal. Through his work, the country’s national hero is always remembered
and looked upon with high regard for his contribution towards
the Philippine independence.