Review of Noli

• Noli Me Tangere begins with the return of Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra to his homeland, the Philippines, after almost seven years in Europe
• Ibarra's father, Rafael, was a wealthy and powerful man, but Ibarra had long had no news from him, and only learns his father's fate on his return: he had been involved in an altercation that had led to the death of a tax collector, and Rafael's enemies had taken advantage of the situation to ruin him
• Rafael died in prison almost a year earlier, and the local head priest, Father Dámaso, had had the body dug up, ordering it to be transferred to the Chinese cemetery
• Ibarra


  A wealthy young mestizo who has just returned to the Philippines after seven years of studying in Europe, sophisticated, highly esteemed, and very idealistic
• María Clara


  A woman of high social standing, thought to be the daughter of Capitan Tiago and goddaughter of Father Dámaso, but actually the biological daughter of Father Dámaso
• Father Dámaso


  An old, power-hungry, and shamelessly corrupt Spanish priest who has lived among the native Filipinos for nearly two decades, deeply racist, petty and vindictive
• Elías


  A mysterious character, a man on the run from the law who resents both the Spanish colonial government and the Catholic Church, despite his strong religious convictions
• Father Salví


  A younger, more cunning Spanish priest who assumes control over Father Damaso's post as friar curate of San Diego, a more gifted strategist who uses his religious role for political influence as well as personal vendettas
• Captain Tiago (Don Santiago de los Santos)


  A wealthy Filipino who is native-born, keeps close ties with high-ranking members of the Catholic Church, despite having no respect for religion, and shamelessly joins in others' racist insults against his own people
• The Ensign


  The nameless head of the Civil Guard of the township of San Diego, a man of Spanish descent in a constant bitter feud with Father Salví to gain power in the town
• Doña Consolación


  The pugnacious wife of The Ensign, an older Filipina woman who is ashamed of her heritage and pretends to be unable to speak Tagalog
• Don Rafael Ibarra


  Crisóstomo Ibarra's father, a critic of the corrupt practices of the Spanish friars, who dies in prison before his name can be cleared
• Crispín


  A young boy studying to be a church caretaker, blamed for stealing money from the church coffers by the head sexton and kept a virtual prisoner until the debt is paid
• Basilio


  Crispín's older brother, also a sexton, who makes a desperate run for their home the night Crispín is dragged away and attempts to locate his younger brother
• Doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña


  A fraud and a hustler, a Spaniard who poses as a doctor despite having no medical experience
• La Doctora Victorina de los Reyes de Espadaña


  The spouse of the counterfeit doctor, Tiburcio de Espadaña, a brazen and determined Filipina social climber
• Lt. Guevara


  A morally upright man of Spanish descent who holds both Crisóstomo Ibarra and the late Don Rafael in high esteem, and is one of the few who openly support the Ibarras
• Linares


  Dr. de Espadaña's nephew, a respectable young Spanish man who has forged credentials and hopes to climb through the social ranks
• The Schoolmaster


  A teacher that Don Rafael housed, who informs Crisóstomo Ibarra of the sorry state of education of San Diego since the passing of his father
• Don Filipo (Filipo Lino)


  A representative of the younger, less religiously shackled generation of movers and shakers in San Diego, who serves as the vice mayor of the town
• The Mayor


  Nothing more than a marionette of the Catholic priesthood, very conservative and bows down to the religious officials of the town
• The Yellow Man


  An assassin tasked to kill the younger Ibarra, whose plot is thwarted by the cunning Elias
• Sisa


  The long-suffering mother of sextons-in-training Crispin and Basilio, who goes mad upon the loss of her sons
• Father Sibyla


  A priest serving in the Binondo district in the city of Manila, who is rational and calm, in contrast to the corrupt Father Dámaso and Father Salví
• Aunt Isabel


  A cousin of Capitan Tiago who raised Maria Clara as her own child after her mother's untimely death
• Old Tasio (Don Anastasio)


  An old man who previously studied philosophy and is believed to be crazy by most of the community, but respects Ibarra and gives him valuable advice
• Ibarra returns to his homeland full of hope and enthusiasm, a true believer, but the news of his father's fate hits him hard, though it does not shake his fundamental faith
• Ibarra: '"I love my country, the Philippines, because I owe it my life and my happiness, and everyone should love his country. I love Spain, the country of my forefathers, because, in spite of everything, the Philippines owes it her happiness and her future, and will owe them to her. I am Catholic, I maintain the pure faith of my parents and I don't see why I need to bow my head when I want to lift it up, to deliver it to my enemies when I can bring them down."'
• Ibarra is confronted with the reality of the Philippines, which is disillusioning, as the powerful Catholic Church and its officials seem to act only out of self-interest, clinging to their power
• Old Tasio notes that "The Philippines is in a fog!"
• The Philippines is in a fog, with a lack of moral clarity and foundations and function increasingly mired in ugly murk
• The powerful (Catholic) Church and its officials seem to act only out of self-interest, clinging to their power, at whatever cost
• The local priests undermine the local schoolmaster's sensible attempts at reform, such as not relying on beatings
• Violence against others, particularly those in a subservient position, is nearly ubiquitous, to the extent that even rewards are structured around it
• Ibarra is warned that he has to stay on the good side of those with power if he wants his plans to succeed
• Ibarra is surprised when he is warned that he has enemies
• Elías encourages Ibarra to take up the people's cause, unite the people, and give them the concept of what one calls a nation
• Ibarra refuses to lead the multitude to get by force what the government does not think opportune, and says he would place himself on the side of the government and fight it
• Elías warns Ibarra about a plot against him at the benediction ceremony and a larger conspiracy to get rid of him
• After being set up and sacrificed by the powers that be, Ibarra finally comes to realize the truth of the situation, the plight of the Philippines and its people