Rizal_Midterm

• Rizal's stay in Spain

  1882-1885
• After finishing the 4th year of the medical course in the University of Santo Tomas, Rizal decided to complete his studies in Spain
• Secret mission in Spain


  To observe keenly the life and culture, languages and customs, industries and commerce, and governments and laws of the European nations. In order to prepare himself in the mighty task of liberating his oppressed people from Spanish tyranny
• Rizal's departure for Spain

  1. May 3, 1882- Rizal departed on board the Spanish Steamer Salvadora bound for Singapore

  2. Rizal's departure for Spain was kept secret to avoid detection by the Spanish authorities and the friars

  3. June 16, 1882- Rizal finally reached his destination—Barcelona
• Articles written by Rizal


  • Amor Patrio (Love Of Country)
  • Los Viajes (Travels)
  • Revista de Madrid (Review of Madrid)
• Basilio Teodoro Moran was the publisher of Diariong Tagalog
• Rizal in Madrid


  1. November 3, 1882- Rizal enrolled in Universidad Central de Madrid in two courses- Medicine and Philosophy and Letters

  2. Rizal led a Spartan life in Madrid

  3. He also studied in Painting and Sculpture in the Academy of Fine Arts and took lessons in French, German and English
• Circulo Hispano-Filipino (Hispano-Philippine Circle)


  A society of Spaniards and Filipinos that Rizal joined shortly after his arrival
• "They Ask Me For Verses" (Me Piden Versos)


  • A poem written by Rizal in response to the request of the members of the Circulo Hispano-Filipino
• Rizal as a lover of books

  Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin and Eugene Sue's The Wandering Jew aroused the sympathy of Rizal to his oppressed and unfortunate people
• Rizal as a Mason

  • March 1883- Rizal joined the Masonic Lodge Acacia in Madrid under his Masonic name Dimasalang
  • Rizal's reasons of becoming a mason: 1. the bad friars in the Philippines, by their abuses unworthy of their priestly habit or calling, drove Rizal to desperation and Masonry; 2. he needed the help of the Masons to fight the bad friars in the Philippines, for Masonry, to Rizal, was a shield to use in his fight against the evil forces of tyranny
• Rizal in Paris


  1. June 17 1883, Rizal sojourn in Paris

  2. He stayed at a cheaper hotel on 124 Rue de Rennes in the Latin Quarter

  3. He visited important landmarks like the Place de la Concorde, Arch of Triumph, the Cathedral of Notre Dame and others

  4. He spent his hours in museums, botanical garden and art galleries

  5. He observed patients at Laennec Hospital and Lariboisiere Hospital

  6. August 20, 1883 he returned to Madrid and continues with his studies
• Rizal's salute to Luna and Hidalgo
• Studies completed in Spain

  1. June 21, 1884- conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine

  2. June 19, 1885- Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters with the rating of "Excellent"(Sobresaliente)
• Rizal's continued stay in Europe 1885-1887


  1. Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize in Ophthalmology

  2. He travelled and observed European life and customs in Paris, Heidelberg, Leipzig, and Berlin
• Rizal in Paris 1885-1886


  1. In November 1885, he worked for four months as an assistant to Dr. Louis de Weckert, a leading French ophthalmologist

  2. He improved his painting technique at the studio of Juan Luna

  3. He played the flute at the home of the Pardo de Tavera
• Rizal in Heidelberg


  1. In February 1886, Rizal arrived in Heidelberg

  2. He lived near the University of Heidelberg and worked as an assistant to Dr. Otto Becker at the University Eye Hospital

  3. He listened to lectures delivered by Dr. Becker and Prof. Wilhelm Kuchne

  4. He devoted his free time visiting Heidelberg Castle, Neckar River, the theatre and some old churches

  5. April 22, 1886, Rizal wrote a touching poem entitled To the Flowers of Heidelberg
• Rizal in Wilhelmsfeld

  1. A mountainous village near Heidelberg where Rizal spent his summer vacation

  2. Rizal lived with the family of Pastor Karl Ullmer, a Protestant pastor who became his good friend and admirer

  3. For three months he enjoyed the hospitality and kindness of the family

  4. June 25, 1886, he returned to Heidelberg
• First letter to Blumentritt


  July 31, 1886 Rizal wrote his first letter in German to Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt, Director of the Ateneo of Leitmeritz, Austria
• Rizal in Leipzig


  1. In August 1886, Rizal arrived in Leipzig

  2. He stayed here for two months doing a lot of writing and translating

  3. He translated William Tell by Schiller from German into Tagalog

  4. He also translated Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales into Tagalog

  5. He worked as proof-reader in a publishing firm

  6. He attended some lectures on history and psychology at the University of Leipzig and met Professor Friedrich Ratzel and Dr. Hans Meyer
• Rizal in Berlin


  1. In November 1886, Rizal arrived in Berlin

  2. He met Dr. Feodor Jagor, Dr. Rudolf Virchow, and Dr. Ernest Schweigger

  3. Rizal became a member of the Anthropological Society, the Ethnological Society, and the Geographical Society of Berlin

  4. Rizal wrote the scholarly paper Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art) which he read before the society in April 1887
• German women and their customs


  Rizal admired the German woman as serious, diligent, educated, and friendly. He also admired German customs like the Christmas custom and self-introduction to strangers
• Noli Me Tangere published in Berlin


  1. March 21, 1887- the Noli Me Tangere came off the press

  2. Maximo Viola gave Rizal the needed funds to publish the novel
• Grand tour from Germany to Italy


  1. May 11, 1887- Rizal and Viola left Berlin by train going to Dresden

  2. May 13- 16, 1887- Rizal and Viola went to Leitmeritz, Bohemia to visit Professor Blumentritt

  3. From May 20-30, 1887 -They visited other cities in Europe like, Prague, Vienna, Lintz, Rheinfall, Munich and Nuremberg

  4. June 2 to 3, 1887- stayed at Schaffhausen, Switzerland

  5. June 19, 1887- Rizal treated Viola to a blow-out on his 26th birthday

  6. June 23, 1887- Viola and Rizal parted ways—Viola returned to Barcelona while Rizal continued the tour to Italy

  7. June 27, 1887- Rizal reached Rome
• Rizal's first return to the Philippines 1887-1888


  1. July 3, 1887, Rizal left Marseilles (France)

  2. August 6, 1887, he arrived in Manila and visited some friends

  3. August 8, 1887, he reached Calamba

  4. He opened a medical clinic and restored his mother's vision

  5. He earned $900 from his services as physician

  6. He opened a gymnasium for young folks, where he introduced European sports

  7. He took part in Calamba's civic affairs and made paintings of the towns landscapes and translated the German poems of Von Wildernath into Tagalog
• the reason for Leonor Rivera's long silence
• Rizal left Marseilles (France), it was his first return to the Philippines after leaving it to study in Spain five years ago


  July 3, 1887
• Rizal arrived in Manila and visited some friends


  August 6, 1887
• Rizal reached Calamba. He opened a medical clinic and restored his mother's vision. Such "miraculous" news spread throughout the community like wild fire, thus, his clinic was flocked by people aspiring for a better eyesight. Newly arrived from Germany, he began to be known as " Doctor Uliman" (from the word Aleman) and soon he acquired a lucrative medical practice. He earned $900 from his services as physician


  August 8, 1887
• Rizal opened a gymnasium for young folks, where he introduced European sports to discourage his town mates from idleness and gambling
• He also took part in Calamba's civic affairs and on his spare time made paintings of the towns landscapes and translated the German poems of Von Wildernath into Tagalog
• His happy days at Calamba was marred with the death of his older sister, Olimpia, and to see Leonor Rivera. His family begged him not to see her at her hometown in Camiling because of increasing concerns about his safety. Also Leonor's mother objected to their relationship
• Copies of the Noli Me Tangere had arrived at the Philippines weeks before Rizal's return to the Philippines. Some of copies of his book fell into the hands of the Spaniards especially the friars. They found the novel "heretical, impious, and scandalous in the religious order and anti-patriotic, subversive of public order, injurious to the government of Spain and its function in the Philippine Islands in the political order"
• The controversy over the novel had reached the office of Governor General Emilio Terrero. He requested Rizal to come to Malacańang Palace. Rizal met Governor General Emilio Terrero who informed him of the charges against him. As a defense, Rizal told Terrero that Noli only expose reality. Not having read the book yet and out of curiosity, the governor general asked for a copy of the controversial novel, which he later confessed that he enjoyed reading. He saw no problem on the book, yet to protect Rizal's life which was then in danger, he assigned Jose Taviel de Andrade, a young Spanish lieutenant, as Rizal's personal bodyguard. The friars asked Governor General Terrero to deport him, but the latter refused because there was no valid charge against Rizal in court
• While still in Calamba, Rizal was seen as a troublemaker. There are groundless tales circulated by his enemies that he was "a German spy, an agent of Bismarck, a Protestant, a Mason, a witch, a soul beyond salvation, etc." Realizing that his family's and friend's safety were risked; and that his fight against the Spaniards have better chance of winning if he'd stay abroad, Rizal, six months after, finally decided to sail back to Europe. His plan was to return to Europe via Hong Kong, Macao, Japan and the United States
• Rizal left Manila for Hong Kong. His powerful enemies refused to give him peace and quiet. Anonymous letters with threats on his life were sent to his parents' house in Calamba


  February 3, 1888
• Rizal arrived in Hong Kong and he was welcomed by Filipino residents

  February 8, 1888
• Jose Sainz de Varranda, Terrero's former secretary, followed Rizal in the said British colony, and was believed to be commissioned by the Spanish authorities to spy on the hero
• Rizal's experiences while in Hong Kong


  • Observing the Chinese way of celebrating their New Year, which included making noise and exploding firecrackers to drive away evil spirits
  • Observing Chinese lauriat parties, where they served many different types of dishes
  • Observing Chinese theatres which used symbolisms and noisy music to entertain an equally noise audience
  • Visiting different churches and cemeteries that were owned by Catholics, Protestants, and Muslims
• Rizal visited Macau, a Portuguese colony near Hong Kong. He was invited to stay at the residence of Don Juan Francisco Lecaros, who was a former Filipino delegate to the Spanish Cortes. For two days, Rizal enjoyed being a tourist and visited different cultural places which included churches, botanical gardens, theaters and the Macao Casino

  February 18-21, 1888