Rizal began writing El Filibusterismo in 1887 and finished the manuscript in 1891 in Biarritz, France after 3 years of work. He moved the printing of the novel to the cheaper city of Ghent, Belgium. Due to financial difficulties, the printing process was halted until Valentin Ventura provided funds to complete it. The novel was published on September 18, 1891 and critiqued the oppressive Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines 13 years after the events of Noli Me Tangere.

1. CHAPTER 19
El Filibusterismo Published in
Ghent

2. Overview
• October, 1887- He begun writing it in Calamba while practicing
medicine
• 1888- He made changes in the plot and revised the chapter already
written. He wrote more chapters in Paris, Madrid, and Biarritz
• March 29, 1891- He finished the manuscript in Biarritz after 3 years.
• From Brussels, Rizal moved to Ghent, where printing was cheaper.
• September 18, 1891- El Filibusterismo came off the press

3. Privations in Ghent
• July 5, 1891 Rizal left Brussels for Ghent
Reasons:
- The cost of living was lower
- The cost of printing in Ghent was cheaper than in Brussels
- To escape from the enticing attraction of Petite Suzanne
• Owing to his limited funds Rizal lived in a cheap boarding
house, with Jose Alejandro as roommate
• They lived frugally in Ghent for 3 months form July to
September
• To economize further on their living expenses, they prepared
their own breakfast.

4. Ghent

5. Jose Alejandro and University of
Ghent

6. The Printing
• The publisher F. Meyer-Van Loo Press, no. 66 Viaanderen
Street who was willing to print his book on installment basis
• He pawned his jewels in order to pay the down payment and
early partial expenses during the printing of the novel
• Rizal became desperate because his funds were running low
• He received some money from Basa and 200 from Rodriguez
Arias for the copies of Morga’s Sucesos sold in Manila but
these funds were also used up

7. The Printing
• July 1891 Rizal wrote a letter to Basa saying that if no money
comes he will have to stop its publication
• August 6 The printing had to be suspended, as Rizal feared,
because he could no longer give the necessary funds to the
printer

8. El Filibusterismo Comes off the
Press
• Valentin Ventura heard Rizal’s predicament he immediately sent the
amount of money needed to finish the publicationof the novel
• September 18, 1891 El Fili came off to Press
• Rizal immediately sent 2 copies to Hongkong one for Basa and the
other to Sixto Lopez
• He gratefully gave the original manuscript of El Fili and a printed
copy with his autograph to Valentin Ventura
• Filipino patriots praised the novel. The members of the colony of
Barcelona published a tribute in La Publicidad, a Barcelona
newspaper eulogizing the novel’s original style which “is
comparable only to the sublime Alexander Dumas” “a model and
precious jewel in the now decadent literature of Spain

9. Valentin Ventura Sixto Lopez

10. • The liberal Madrid newspaper, El Nuevo Regimen, serialized
the novel in its issues of October, 1891.
• All copies of the first edition (Ghent Edition) of El Fili were
placed in wooden boxes and shipped to Hong Kong, but almost
all the boxes were confiscated and all the books were lost.
• The book immediately became rare and few available Ghent
copies were sold at very high prices, reaching as high as 400
pesetas per copy.

11. Dedication of the Novel
• To the memory of the priests, Don Mariano Gomez (85 years
old), Don Jose Burgos (30 years old), and Don Jacinto Zamora
(35 years old). Executed in Bagumabayan Field on the 28th of
February, 1872.
• To straighten historical records, however, we must rectify Rizal’s
historical inaccuracies in his dedicatory note. The martyrdom
of Gomburza occurred on February 7, 1872. Father Gomez
was 73 years old – not 85, Father Burgos was 35 years – not 30,
and Father Zamora was 37 years old – not 35.

12. The Manuscript
• The original manuscript of El Filibusterismo in Rizal’s own
handwriting is now preserved in the Filipiniana Division of the
Bureau of Public Libraries, Manila. It had been acquired by the
Philippine Government from Valentin Ventura for 10,000
pesos. It consists of 279 pages of long sheets of paper.
• The title page of El Fili contains an inscription written by
Ferdinand Blumentritt
• Features that didn’t appear in the printed book:
• Foreword
• Warning

13. Characters of the El
Filibusterismo

14. Don Custodio, a pro-spanish
Filipino
holding a position in
the government
Juanito Pelaez ,
Paulita’s futuring
husband
Cabesang Tales, who
dispossessed of his land in
Tiani by the friars like that of
Rizal’s father; he became
bandit chieftain
“Matanglawin”

15. Basilio, son of Sisa and
promising medical
student, whose medical
education is financed by
his patron, Capitan Tiago
Paulita Gomez, beautiful
niece of Tiburcio
Tiburcio de Espadaña,
who has deserted Doña
Victorina

16. Ben-Zayb (anagram of
Ibañez), a Spanish
journalist who writes
silly articles about the
Filipinos
Simoun, the rich jeweler
Isagani, a poet-nephew
of Padre Florentino and
a lover of Paulita

17. Doña Victorina, the
ridiculously pro-Spanish
native woman who is
going to Laguna in search
of her henpecked husband
Tiburcio

18. Cont.
• Padre Sibyla – Vice-Rector of UST
• Padre Camorra – spanish priest of Tiani
• Padre Salvi – Franciscan friar a former cura of San
Diego
• Padre Irene – a kind friar who was a friend to
Filipino students
• Padre Florentino – a retired scholarly and patriotic
Filipino priestx

19. Cont.
•Capitan Tiago – patron of Basilio
•Quiroga – rich Chinese merchant
•Juli – the lover of Basilio
•Makaraig – rich and leader of Filipino students in their movement
to learn Spanish in the academy
•Padre Millon – teaches Physics in UST w/o experiments
•Placido Penitente – student of Padre Millon who bacame
disoriented bcause of the poor methods of instruction
•Senor Pasta – old Filipino lawyer who refuses to help Filipino
students in their advocacy
•Tandang Selo – grandfather of Juli

20. Cont.
• Mr. American – owner of the sideshow at the fair of
Quiapo exhibiting an Egyptian Mummy.
• Sandoval – a Spanish student who supports the cause
of the Filipino students to propagate the teaching of
Spanish
• Cabesa Andang – mother of Placido Penitente
• Pepay – pretty dancer and mistress of Don Custodio
• Padre Fernandez – a good dominican friar and friend
of Isagani
• Don Timoteo – father of Juanito Pelaez
• Tano – son Cabesang Tales and brother of Juli
• Chichay – the silversmith who made the bridal earring
for Paulita Gomez

21. Synopsis of the El
Filibusterismo

22. The El Filibusterismo is the sequel of the Noli Me
Tangere. Both nationalistic novels were written by Dr.
Jose Rizal. In Noli Me Tangere, Rizal described the full
extent of slavery and abuse suffered by the native
Indios at the hands of Spanish authorities.
•In this second book, Rizal pictured a society at the
brink of revolution. The Indios have started to adapt
liberal ideas and guerrilla factions have started to revolt
against the government. The advent of the novel starts
13 years after the events in the Noli Me Tangere, Juan
Crisostomo Ibarra orchestrated a plot of evil means but
heroic desires.

23. • During his travels in Europe, Ibarra changed his
name to Simoun. He becomes a renowned jeweler
thus his wealth grew further. He started to make new
connections with the illustrious societal personalities
in Spain. With his influence, he helped a military
colonel to rise the ladder and be promoted as captain
general of the colonial territory, the Philippines.
• For Simoun, it was all planned. Upon his return in
the Philippines, he was dubbed as his black eminence.
People saw him as an influential figure whom his
majesty consults whenever decisions are to be made.
After all, his majesty, the captain general owed so
much to Simoun.

24. • Simoun wants to take revenge and bring back the
love of Maria Clara who now resides at the convent.
The jeweler was famed for his wealth and power.
Hence, no one thought that the opportunists and
fearsome Simoun was the same idealistic Ibarra of
the past.
• Simoun started to look for followers. He found his
allies with the oppressed and enslaved. He form an
alliance with Kabesang Tales' group, an outlaw whose
land was grabbed by the friar's corporation. He then,
looks for more men. He searched the villages looking
for strong willed men who have a gripe on the
government.

25. • Simoun, using the influence he has on the captain
general, ordered stricter and more abusive government
policies - a move that will make the people angrier. This
was the plot of Simoun, to use the people's hatred
against the government to his advantage. Simoun also
ordered attacks that will backfire and weaken the
government's military forces.
• However, the revolution scheduled at the night of a
musical play in Manila didn't come into fruition.
• Months, later another plan was made. At the grand
wedding of Juanita Pelaez, the son of a successful
businessman and the beautiful Paulita Gomez, Simoun
insisted to take charge in the decorating.

26. • Simoun knew that the feast would be attended by
friars, government officials and prominent figures -
the same people who wrecked havoc to his life.
Beneath the beautiful decorations and lighting were
sacks of gun powder. The whole house was filled
with explosives.
• Simoun formed his own army of the oppressed and
enslaved and with the help of government soldiers
and outlaws whom he commissioned, they will start a
bloody revolution.

27. • The mission, to kill all Spanish authorities and to take
control of the country. At the wedding, Simoun puts
a beautiful lamp at the center of the table carved
with gold linings and other kind of gems and
jewelries. Simoun left as soon as delivering his gift,
the lamp.
• It was a festive celebration but unknown to the
guests, the lamp is a time bomb that will explode
once lifted. It will result into a huge explosion that
will be a signal to Simoun's troops to simultaneously
attack Manila. Just before the lamp explodes, a piece
of mysterious paper bearing the message "You will
die tonight" was being passed. It was signed by Juan
Crisostomo Ibarra.

28. • Father Salvi confirmed that it was the real signature of
Ibarra, a long-forgotten filibuster. The guests at the
wedding were all frightened. Slowly, the lamp's light
started to diminish and soon one will lift it and will cause
a huge explosion.
• However, a Isagani, a student and friend of the newly-weds
knew the plot and because of his undying love to
Paulita threw the lamp before it explodes.
• After the wedding, the plot was unraveled and a shoot-to-kill
order for Simoun was commissioned. Hence, Simoun,
the sly fox that he is, makes sure that he won't get caught
alive. He drank a poison and as it effects started to take
toll on his body, he was able to confess his plans and real
name to a Filipino priests.

29. Characters from El Filibusterismo were
draw by Rizal from real life
• Padre Florentino was Father Leoncio Lopez
• Isagani was Vicente Ilustre
• Paulita Gomez was Leonor Rivera

31. Noli and Fili Compared
Noli FILI
- Romantic Novel
- Work of the heart
- A book of feeling
- It has freshness, color,
humor, lightness, and wit
- 64 chapters
- political novel
- work of the head
- a book of thought
- it contains bitterness, hatred,
pain, violence, and sorrow
- 38 chapters

32. • The issue of which is the superior novel. Noli or the Fili is purely
academic
• Both are good novels from the point of view of history
• Both depict with realistic colors the actual conditions of the
Philippines and the Filipinos during the decadent days of Spanish
rule
• Both are instrumental in awakening the spirit of Filipino
nationalism
• Bothe are responsible in paving the ground for Philippine
Revolution that brought about the downfall of Spain
• El Fili is a true twin of Noli

33. The Unfinished 3rd Novel
• September 22, 1891 Rizal wrote to Blumetritt saying that he’s
thinking of writing a third novel where ethics will play principal
role
• October 18, 1891 boarded the steamer Melbourne in Marseilles
bound for Hong Kong
• During the voyage he wrote the third novel in Tagalog in which he
intended for Tagalog readers
• In Hong kong he continued it, but did not finish it because his
Tagalog was inadequate for literary purposes
• The unfinished 3rd novel has no title
• It consists of 44 pages in Rizal’s handwriting

34. • The manuscript is still preserved in the Bureau of Public
Libraries
• The hero of the novel was Kamandagan, a descendant of
Lakan-Dula, last king of Tondo. He plotted to regain the lost
freedom of his fathers
• It is said that Rizal was fortunate not to finish this novel,
because it would have caused greater scandal and more Spanish
vengeance on him

35. Other Unfinished novels
• Makamisa
- a tagalog novel
- written in light sarcastic style
- incomplete with only 2 chapters
- consists of only of 20 pages
• Dapitan
- written in Ironic Spanish
- he wrote it while in Dapitan to depict the town life and
customs
- Consists of 8 pages

36. Cont.
• A novel in Spanish about the life in Pili, a town in Laguna
- consist of 147 pages
- without title
• Another unfinished novel of Rizal, also without title, is about
Cristobal, a youthful Filipino student who has returned from
Europe
- consists if 34 pages
• The beginning of another novel are contained in two
notebooks. The first notebook contains 31 written pages while
the second contains 12 pages
- written in Spanish and the style is ironic

37. END
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