History and Content of Noli

• Noli Me Tangere


  Latin phrase meaning "Touch me not"
• The phrase "Noli Me Tangere" was from the Gospel of John, not the Gospel of Luke as Rizal had stated
• Rizal dedicated his novel to the Philippines
• Journey to publication of Noli Me Tangere

  1. Rizal's inspiration from Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin

  2. Rizal proposed to compatriots in Madrid to write a novel about the Philippines

  3. Rizal wrote the novel alone as his compatriots were more interested in other activities

  4. Rizal wrote the novel in Madrid, Paris, Germany, and Wilhelmsfeld

  5. Rizal faced financial difficulties and almost destroyed the manuscript

  6. Maximo Viola helped Rizal financially to publish the novel

  7. Rizal faced issues with the German authorities who suspected him of being a French spy

  8. Noli Me Tangere was finally published on March 21, 1887
• Noli Me Tangere was originally written in Spanish, the English version is known as The Social Cancer
• Noli Me Tangere has 63 chapters, the 25th chapter "Elias and Salome" was removed due to financial constraints
• Juan Crisostomo Ibarra y Magsalin

  One of the Filipinos who studied abroad, outspoken, idealistic, and liberal-minded; Rizal's reflection of himself
• Maria Clara de los Santos y Alba


  Daughter of Capitan Tiago, portrayed as the ideal woman, faithful sweetheart, good friend, and obedient daughter; symbolizes purity and innocence of native women
• Elias

  Former boatman who became a wanted criminal, distrusts human judgment and prefers God's justice, personification of Andres Bonifacio
• Padre Damaso Verdolagas


  Notorious Franciscan friar, cruel parish curate, symbolizes oppression of Filipinos by Spanish friars
• Pilosopo Tasio


  Educated Filipino who became disillusioned with Spanish culture, symbolizes learned Filipinos who became eccentric to the masses they seek to enlighten
• Sisa


  Typical native wife, suffered from poverty and abuse, represented the suffering motherland
• Basilio

  Acolyte who faced the dread of losing his brother and mother's descent into insanity
• Sisa


  The mother of Basilio and Crispin, Sisa, or Narcisa is the typical native wife. She lived a miserable life which includes an abusive husband named Pedro who is also into cockfighting. Sisa is thought to have represented the motherland who was suffering as her character has suffered from the loss of her children. The tragic events that ruined her life represented the abuse that the motherland received from her colonizers.
• Basilio


  An acolyte tasked to ring the church bells for the Angelus, he faced the dread of losing his younger brother and the descent of his mother into insanity. At the end of the novel, Elías wished Basilio to bury him by burning in exchange for a chest that he uses for his education as revealed in the following novel.
• Crispin


  He is a sacristan who had been accused of stealing two gold pieces by the senior sacristan. Crispin represents the innocents who have been wrongly accused of the crime they did not commit. The injustice they suffered under the hands of the authorities during their time were silenced by their deaths and the cover-ups that follow it.
• Cabesang Tales


  A former farmer who was industrious and patient. He experienced struggles in obtaining ownership of the land he worked hard on. Became driven to irrationality by circumstances that reveal the roots of agrarian malaise in the country.
• Tano


  He is the son of Cabesang Tales. Conscripted into military service in the Carolinas where he is so alienated and confused by physical and moral distress that he comes home in a state of shock.
• These are characters that portray the pervading social cancer in the novels of Rizal.
• Capitan Tiago


  Capitan Tiago was a typical character during the time of Jose Rizal. He is a rich native-born Filipino who rubbed elbows with the powers that be during that time. He wanted to make sure that Maria Clara will be married to an affluent man with ample social capital and quickly abandoned his support to Ibarra when the friars disgraced the latter's name. He symbolizes the rich Filipinos who oppress their fellow countrymen in exchange for the influence and the riches that they might gain from their powerful associations. Perhaps he always tried to maintain his respectability to compensate for the dishonored self-brought about by his wife's connection to Damaso.
• Doña Victorina de los Reyes de Espadaña


  Doña Victorina is a character that focuses on her image to look beautiful and socialite yet, in reality, have a distorted view of her identity and a social climber. She is the classic depiction of "colonial mentality" which believed that foreign-related things are superior and everything that connects with indigenous are inferior.
• Don Tiburcio de Espadaña


  The husband of Doña Victorina, who pretended as a doctor but has no training related to medicine. Due to his wife's advice, he targeted well-respected patients and get exorbitant amounts of money. He is the depiction of the ignorant Spaniard who blindly follows his superior despite the harm it might cause his victims.
• Doña Consolacion


  She is an older Filipina woman married to the ensign. Known for her brutality and made many of the ensign's decisions. She even encouraged his husband to take action against Father Salvi to assert his dominance. She oftentimes pretends to forget her native language despite having a very bad Spanish language capability. Her character portrayed the Filipinos who rejected their own nationality to make herself more worthy of respect than she actually is.
• Father Salvi


  He is a cunning man who uses his religious stature for political influence, benefitting both the church and himself. He often asserts his influence by attacking his enemies' back. He is the depiction of the lustful and power-driven people who hide under their religious identity.
• Noli Me Tangere is one of the greatest works of Rizal. This novel paved way to expose the oppression and brutalities of the Spaniards during his times. The novel became an exposé of the corrupt people who have made religion as an instrument for gaining power and take control of the ignorant and innocent Filipinos.
• Although the novel focuses on the discrimination and the indifference of the Spaniards to the Filipinos, Rizal became transparent on the flaws of some fellow countrymen. He included a depiction of the hypocrisy of some Filipinos who called themselves religious; the ignorant servility to wealthy and powerful Spanish officials to maintain their high status; and the indignity of dissociating themselves from their origin – being a Filipino.
• Rizal as an objective man as he is, he balanced the national portrait by highlighting the values of his unspoiled fellow countrymen. This includes the modesty and devotion of Filipino women; the hospitality of the Filipino families; a deep sense of gratitude; and the devotion of their children to their parents and vice versa.
• More importantly, the novel's deepest insight is to call on the Filipinos revive their status as superior to the Spaniards in our own land; appreciate our own heritage; find our self-worth. It also emphasized the need for education among our fellowmen; awakens our dedication for the country; and absorbs some aspects of foreign cultures that would only enhance our native traditions.
• Noli Me Tangere is considered to be a romantic and societal novel. Despite the societal problems and conflicts presented in the novel, it possesses humor, freshness, and lightness. Thus, it is a work of the heart or a book of feeling. In contrast with El Filibusterismo that is a book of thought or work of the head. Unlike to Noli, it possesses hatred, bitterness, sorrow, and violence.
• After the publication of the Noli Me Tangere, it brought enlightenment to many Filipinos about the oppression experienced by their fellow countrymen. It served as one of the instruments that awakened the Filipino nationalism leading to the 1896 Philippine Revolution. This novel also tickled the aspirations of the Filipinos for independence and encouraged valuing of our identity - as Filipinos.
• The story begins at a party to welcome Crisóstomo Ibarra back to the Philippines after seven years of studying in Europe. His father, Don Rafael, passed away shortly before his return, and Crisóstomo soon learns that he died in prison after accidentally killing a tax collector and being falsely accused of other crimes by Father Dámaso, the longtime curate of the church in Crisóstomo's hometown of San Diego.
• Maria Clara's father, Padre Damaso, opposes Ibarra because he believes that Ibarra will corrupt Maria Clara.
• Ibarra falls in love with Maria Clara, but she rejects him due to her religious beliefs.
• The novel is written from the perspective of Crisostomo Ibarra, who returns to his hometown after studying law abroad.
• Jose Rizal, the author, used the characters and plot to criticize the injustices and inequalities under Spanish colonization.
• The novel delves into the societal issues of corruption, oppression, and discrimination prevalent during that period.
• Noli Me Tangere explores the abuses of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines during the 19th century.
• Padre Salvi, who has been exiled from Spain for his liberal views, returns to the Philippines and becomes friends with Ibarra.
• Ibarra decides to become a priest so that he can marry Maria Clara without sinning against God.
• Padre Salvi, who has been excommunicated from the Church, tells Ibarra that he can win over Maria Clara if he becomes a priest himself.