El Fili

• • Start: Rizal began writing in October 1887 in Calamba during his first homecoming amidst family oppression.
  • Progress: He revised in London (1888), continued in Paris, and finished in Brussels due to fewer distractions and lower living costs.
  • Completion: Completed on March 29, 1891, in Biarritz.
• • Printing Struggles: Faced financial issues; manuscript almost burned out of despair. Printing was completed on September 18, 1891, with the help of Valentin Ventura.
  • Preservation: Original manuscript given to Ventura, bought by the Philippine government in 1925 for 10,000 pesos, now in the National Library.
• Filibustero and Gomburza

  • Definition: "Filibustero" means subversive, revolutionary, or seditious. Rizal first heard it in 1872 during the execution of Gomburza, three Filipino priests wrongly accused of involvement in the Cavite Mutiny.

  • Dedication: Rizal dedicated El Filibusterismo to Gomburza, condemning their unjust execution and calling them victims of the evil he aimed to combat.

  • Errors: Rizal misstated the priests' ages and execution date in his dedication.
• • Sequel to Noli Me Tangere: Continues the story of Crisóstomo Ibarra, now disguised as Simoun, a wealthy jeweler planning revenge.

  • Main Plot: Simoun, seeking revenge and revolution, plans to incite a revolt against Spanish rule.

  • Characters: Features characters from Noli Me Tangere, like Basilio, Father Salví, and María Clara.
• • Conflict: Simoun's schemes include encouraging corruption and planning terroristic acts

  to incite rebellion.

  • Climax: Simoun's plan to bomb a wedding fails when Isagani, learning of the plot,

  throws the bomb into the river.

  • Resolution: Simoun, wounded and exposed, takes poison. He confesses his true identity

  and plans to Father Florentino, who absolves him. The priest throws Simoun's treasures

  into the sea, hoping they will be used for good in the future.