GEC01: The Life and Works of Rizal
• Jose Rizal was known as the “National Hero of
the Philippines”, although there was no official
declaration.
- General Emilio Aguinaldo decreed December
30 as the anniversary of Jose Rizal's death. It
was designated as "a National Day of Mourning"
for Rizal and other victims of Spanish oppression.
- On the recommendation of Trinidad Pardo de
Tavera, the Taft Commission renamed the district
of Morong into the Province of Rizal through
Act 137 on June 11, 1901. This was one of the
first official steps taken by the Taft Commission
to honor Rizal.
- Rizal acquired the title of “Philippine National
Hero” in 1901 under the first American civil
governor, William Howard Taft.
- On March 28, 1993, President Fidel V. Ramos
issued Executive Order No. 75 entitled “Creating
the National Heroes Committee Under the Office
of the President”. Then, the committee
recommended 9 Filipino historical figures to be
national hero; Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio,
Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, Marcelo
H. Del Pilar, Sultan Kudarat, Juan Luna,
Melchora Aquino, Gabriela Silang.
- Congressman Rene Relampagos filed a bill
(2014) sought to declare Jose Rizal as the sole
Filipino National Hero.
- According to Renato Constantino, the
American government “guided” the Filipino to
choose Rizal. The American rationale was based
on Rizal’s peaceful propaganda and diplomatic
approaches in attaining Philippine freedom and
independence, unlike Bonifacio who chose a
bloody revolution.
• His parents: Francisco Mercado Rizal and
Teodora Alonso Realonda
- Francisco Engracio Rizal Mercado y
Alejandro
- Teodora Alonso Realonda y Quintos
• Full Name: José Protacio Rizal Mercado
y Alonso Realonda
- Jose: chosen by his mother who was a devotee of
the Christian Saint, San Jose
- Protacio: named after Saint Protagius (June 19
feast day of St. Jose and Protacio)
- Rizal: means green field
- Mercado: spanish word for market, middle name
of his father’s
- Alonso: from his mother’s maiden name
- Realonda: from his mother’s also
• Common-law wife: Josephine Bracken
- Marie Josephine Leopoldine Bracken
- They married minutes before Rizal faced the
firing squad, Spanish authorities allowed Rizal to
marry Josephine. He gave her a copy of Fr
Thomas á Kempis's De La Imitacion de Cristo y
Menosprecio del Mundo with the dedication: “To
my dear and unhappy wife, Josephine, December
30th, 1896, Jose Rizal.
- On the evening before his execution on
December 30, 1896, on charges of treason,
rebellion, and sedition by the Spanish colonial
government, the Catholic Church claimed that
Rizal returned to the faith and was married to
Bracken in a religious ceremony officiated by
Father Vicente Balaguer, S.J. sometime
between 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM, an hour before
his scheduled execution at 7:00 AM.
• Author of the 2 great novels: Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo
NOLI ME TANGERE:
- Touch me not
- “The Social Cancer”
- Maximo Viola: the man who helped publish
the Noli
- 63 Chapters (originally 64, Elias and Salome)
- 438 pages
- Characters:
(Main Character)
Juan Crisostomo Ibarra y Magsalin (Ibarra),
Maria Clara, Elias, Captain Tiago (Don
Santiago de los Santos), Father Damaso
Verdolagas, Father Salvi, Don Rafael Ibarra,
Pilosopo Tasyo, Doña Victorina de los Reyes
de Espadaña, Don Tiburcio de Espadaña,
Sisa, Basilio, Crispin, Doña Consolacion
The Ensign (The Alferez), Father Sibyla
(Minor Characters)
Aunt Isabel, Linares, Doña Pia Alba, Lt.
Guevara, The Schoolmaster, Don Filipo, The
Mayor, The Yellow Man, Captain General,
Tarcilo Alasigan, Bruno Alasigan
Lucas, Captain Pablo, Nol Juan, Don Pedro
Eibarrimendia, Don Saturnino, Iday, Sinang,
Andeng, Victoria, Neneng Don Primitivo,
Tinchang, Captain Basilio, Captain Tinong,
and Captain Valentin
- Feb. 21, 1887 at 11:30 pm, Rizal wrote the
last page of the novel.
