Chapter 19El Filibusterismo
(The Subversive)Published in Ghent,
Belgium (1891)
October, 1887 Rizal begun writing the manuscript of El Filibusterismo, while
practicing medicine in Calamba .
October, 1888 (London) made some changes in the plot and corrected
some chapters.
He wrote more chapters in Paris and Madrid.
March 29, 1891 He finished the manuscript in
Biarritz.
He took Three years to write his 2nd Novel.
Privations in Ghent
July 5, 1891 Rizal left Brussels for Ghent, a famous University City
in Belgium.
RIZAL’s REASONS for moving to GHENT: The cost of printing in Ghent was cheaper
than Brussels. to escape from the enticing attraction of
Petite Suzanne.
Jose Alejandro (from Pampanga) and Edilberto Evangelista (from Manila) he met two compatriots, both studying engineering in University of Ghent.
The Printing of El Filibusterismo
F. MEYER-VAN LOO PRESS, No. 66 Viaanderen Street
A publisher, who was willing to print his book on installment basis.
He pawned his jewels in order to pay the down payment and the early partial payments.
People who helped Rizal in terms of funding: Basa – he received some money. Rodriguez Arias – P200 for the copies of
Morga’sSucesos sold in Manila.
August 6 the printing had to be suspended, as Rizal feared, because he could no longer give the necessary funds to the Printer.
He wrote to Basa in Hongkong:“As you will see I the enclosed clipping, the printing of the
second part (sequel of the Noli-Z.) is advanced, and I am now on page 112. because no money is forthcoming and I owe
everybody and I am broke, I will have to suspend the publication and leave the work half-finished”.
Ventura, Savior of the novel El Filibusterismo
His funds ran out in Ghent, a similar scenario that he experienced in Berlin in the winter of 1886.
He almost hurled the manuscript of the Fili into the flames, jus as he almost did in Noli in Berlin.
Unexpected source
Valentin Ventura (Paris) learned of Rizal’s predicament and immediately sent him
the necessary funds. With his financial aid, the printing of Fili was resumed.
The Fili comes off the Press
September 18, 1891 El Filibusterismo came off the press.
He sent printed copies of the novels to:
Hongkong Basa Sixto Lopez
ParisValentin Ventura, who generously loaned him the
funds needed to finish the printing of the novel, Rizal gratefully donated the original manuscript and an autographed printed copy.
Complimentary copies to: Blumentritt Mariano Ponce Graciano Lopez Jaena T.H. Pardo de Tavera Anotino Luna Juan Luna And his other friends
La Publicidad, a Barcelona newspaper, eulogizing the novel’s original style which “is comparable only to the sublime ALEXANDER DUMAS (was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world.
Famous novels: The Count of Monte Cristo.)” and may well be offered as “a model and a precious jewel in the now decadent literature of Spain”.
El Nuevo Regimen the liberal Madrid newspaper, serialized the novel in its issues of October, 1891.
El Filibusterismo that were placed in the wooden boxes and shipped to Hongkong were all confiscated and the books were lost.
400 pesetas per copy, was the rate of the book because it became rare and only few was left in Ghent so they sold it in very high prices.
Dedicated to Gom-Bur-Za
He dedicated El Filibusterismo to Father Gomez, father Burgos and Father Zamora. His dedication reads as follows:
To the memory of the priests, Don Mariano Gomez (85 years old), Don Jose Burgos (35 years old), and Don Jacinto Zamora (35 years old). Executed in Bagumbayan Field on the 28th of February, 1872.
We must rectify Rizal’s inaccuracies in his dedicatory note. The martyrdom of Gomez, Burgos and Zamora occurred on February 17, 1872- not 28th. secondly, Father Gomez was 73 years old-not 85, Father Burgos was 35 years old- not 30, and Father Zamora was 37 years old- not 35.
The manuscript and
the book
The original manuscript of El Filibusterismo in Rizal’s own writing is now preserved in the Filipiniana Division of the Bureau of Public Libraries, Manila.
Two features in the manuscript do not appear in the printed book, namely: The FOREWORD and the WARNING. These were not put into print, evidently, to save printing cost.
the FOREWORD appears just before the dedicatory page in the manuscript.
the WARNING is found on the other side of the dedication.
Inscription on the Title PageThe title page of El Filibusterismo contains an inscription written by Ferdinand Blumentritt.
It can easily be supposed that a rebel (filibustero) has secretly bewitched the league of friar-zealots and retrogades so that, unwittingly following his incitements, they should favor and foment that policy
which pursues one sole end; to spread ideas of rebellion throughout the length and breadth of land, and to convince every Filipino that there is no salvation except through separation from Mother Country.
Ferdinand Blumentritt
Synopsis of El Filibusterismo
El Fili is a sequel to the Noli. It is more revolutionary, more tragic than the first novel.
The hero of El Filibusterismo is a jeweler named Simoun, who was Crisostomo Ibarra of the Noli .
Simoun is a powerful figure not only because he is a jeweler, but he is a good friend and adviser of the Governor General.
His to magnificent obsessions:1. To Rescue Maria Clara from the nunnery of
Santa Clara.2. To foment a revolution against the hated
Spanish masters.
Simoun rich jeweler.
Doña Victorina the ridiculously pro-Spanish native woman who is going to Laguna in search of her henpecked husband.
Tiburcio de Espedaña who has deserted her.
Paulita Gomez Doña Victorina’s beautiful niece.
Ben-Zayb (anagram of Ibañez) a Spanish Journalist who writes silly articles about Filipinos.
Padre Sibyla Vice Rector of university of Santo Tomas
Padre Camorra the parish priest of the town Tiani
Don Custodio a pro-spanish Filipino holding a high position in the government
Padre Salvi thin franciscan friar and former cura of San Diego.
Characters of El Fili:
Padre Irene a kind friar who was a friend of the Filipino students.
Padre Florentino a retired scholarly and patriotic Filipino Priest
Isagani a poet-nephew of Padre Florentino and a lover of Paulita. Basilio son of Sisa and promising medical student, whose
medical education is financed by his patron, Capitan Tiago.
Cabesang Tales who is dispossessed of his land in Tiani by the Friars like that of Rizal’s Father. He becomes a bandit chieftain named Matanglawin.
Juli sweetheart of Basilio (Sisa’s Son), kills herself rather than be dishonored by Padre Camorra.
Macaraig a rich student and leader of the Filipino students in movement to have an academy where they could learn Spanish.
Padre Millon bigoted Dominican friar, who teaches physics in the University of Santo Tomas without scientific experiments.
Placido Penitente from Batangas, discontented with the poor method of instruction in the University.
Señor Pasta the old Filipino lawyer, who refuses to help the Filipino students in their petition to the government for educational reforms.
Tandang Selo grand father of juli and fahter of Cabesang Tales’
Sandoval a Sapanish Student who supports the cause of the filipino students to propagate the teaching of spanish.
Pecson one of the Filipino students who agitates for the speaking of Spanish.
Pepay the pretty dancer and mistress of Don Custodio.
Padre Fernandez a good Dominican friar and friend of Isagani.
Don Timoteo the father of Juanito Pelaez
Noli compared to Fili
The Noli is a romantic novel; it is a “work of the heart” – a “book of feeling”. It has a freshness, color, humor, lightness and wit.
While Fili is a political novel; it is a “work of the head” – a “book of thought”; it contains bitterness, hatred, revenge, sorrow, pain and violence.
Rizal himself considered the Noli is superior to the Fili as a novel thereby agreeing with M.H. del Pilar who had the same opinion.
Blumentritt, Graciano Lopez Jaena, and Dr. Rafael Palma – are the opinion that the Fili is superior to the Noli
The issue of which is superior novel- the NOLI or the FILI – is purely academic. Both are good novels from the point of view of the history.
Rizal’s Unfinished NovelsSeptember 28, 1891 four days after Fili
came off the press, Rizal wrote to Blumentritt: thinking of writing a third novel more about ethics.
The third novel has no title at all. The story of this unfinished novel begins with the solemn burial of Prince Tagulima, son of Sultan Zaide of Ternate on malapad- na- bato, a big Rock on the bank of Pasig river.
Rizal’s Unfinished Novels
Makisama a novel in tagalog. It was written in a light sarcastic style and is incomplete for only two chapters are finished. The manuscript consists of 20 pages only.
Dapitan another unfinished novel, written in ironic Spanish. He wrote it during his exile in Dapitan to depict the town life and customs. The manuscript consists of 8 pages.
Another Rizal unfinished novel it was about Cristobal a youthful filipino student who has returned in Europe.
Chapter 19El Filibusterismo
(The Subversive)Published in Ghent, Belgium
(1891)By:
Aguilar, NazareneArceo, Maria RowenaCastrence, Charmae
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