The document provides descriptions of the main characters in Noli Me Tangere by Jose Rizal. It describes each character's role in the story and what they symbolize. The characters include Juan Crisostomo Ibarra, Maria Clara, Sisa, Doña Pia Alba, Capitan Tiago, Fray Damaso, Fray Salvi, Donya Consolacion, Donya Victorina, Elias, and Pilosopong Tasyo. Each character represents different social classes and viewpoints regarding the Spanish rule of the Philippines at that time.

1. NOLI ME TANGERE
The Social Cancer

2. CHARACTERS in Noli Me
Tangere
 Juan Crisostomo Ibarra
 He is the only son of Don Rafael Ibarra, the
richest person in San Diego
 He studied in Europe for 7 years, and is the
sweetheart of Maria Clara.
 Symbolizes the idealism of the privileged youth

3. CHARACTERS in Noli Me
Tangere
 Maria Clara
 She is the girlfriend of Ibarra.
As far as the society is concerned, she is the
daughter of Kapitan Tiyago and Doña Pia Alba,
but biologically, her father is Padre Damaso.
 Symbolizes the ideal woman in the mind of Rizal.
 Said to represent Rizal’s childhood sweetheart,
Leonor Rivera

4. CHARACTERS in Noli Me
Tangere
 Sisa
 Mother of Basilio and Crispin.
 She has a drunkard for a husband. In the novel
Sisa portrays a loving mother, and it could be
assumed that Rizal likened her to his own mother.
 Symbolizes the country, and the way it is abused
by the Spaniards

5. CHARACTERS in Noli Me
Tangere
 Doña Pia Alba
She is the mother of Maria Clara and the wife
of Kapitan Tiyago.
She symbolizes our country, which ceaselessly
gives in to foreign power

6. CHARACTERS in Noli Me
Tangere
 Capitan Tiago
 The father of Maria Clara, as far as the society
knows.
Sometimes lovable, and sometimes annoying.
He is very biased and is only obedient to those
who are higher in rank than him.
He has money on a pedestal.
 Symbolizes the pretentious illustrados of Rizal’s
time

7. CHARACTERS in Noli Me
Tangere
 Fray Damaso
 Heis the first parish priest in San Diego; he is
very abusive.
He symbolizes the greedy Spanish friars of
Rizal's time.

8. CHARACTERS in Noli Me
Tangere
 Fray Salvi
 He is a Franciscan parish priest of San Diego.
Because he is interested in Maria Clara, he and
Padre Damaso devised a plan to break Ibarra and
Maria Clara apart. They were successful.
 Symbolizes the lecherous friars of Rizal’s time

9. CHARACTERS in Noli Me
Tangere
 Donya Consolacion
 Her adulation of the Spaniards leads her to
imitate the very actions and attitudes of the
Spanish women.
She symbolizes the Filipinos in our society who
are ashamed of their own race and nationality.

10. CHARACTERS in Noli Me
Tangere
 Donya Victorina
 She is a Filipino woman married to a Spaniard.
Her very actions and way of dressing will lead
people to think that she is a whore.
 Symbolizes the social climbers at that time.

11. CHARACTERS in Noli Me
Tangere
 Elias
 He believes that justice can be obtained only
through revolution --- reforms simply won't do.
He symbolizes the very root of the Filipino culture
before the coming of the Spaniards, which
remained strong and unbroken by the Spanish
culture.

12. CHARACTERS in Noli Me
Tangere
 Pilosopong Tasyo
 He is a wise man.
He embodies the intelligent people, who never left
the country but instead educated themselves in a
religious institution.