Rizal's first novel published in Berlin is Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not). This presentation discusses how Rizal struggled in finishing and publishing the novel, its symbols found in the cover page, and its theme. It also includes his grand tour in Europe with Maximo Viola

1. Rizal’s First Novel

2. Life in Berlin
• Proved to be so hard for Rizal
• He was too impoverished then
and yet still found time to finish his
novel on February 21, 1887

3. February 21,1887- the first novel Noli
Me Tangere was finished
IDEA OF WRITING ON PHILIPPINES
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet
Beecher Stowes –
Portrays the brutalities of American
slave-owners and the pathetic
conditions of the unfortunate
Negro, Slaves.

4. Rizal wrote the novel in three countries
Madrid,
Spain
France Germany
December 1886, Rizal was deprived, broken-
hearted, hungry, and worried about the novel.

5. Theendof1884
Rizal began
writing the
novel in
Madrid and he
finished one
half of it
1885
He continued
writing the
novel, finishing
the one half of
the second half.
GERMANY1886
While his spirit
was at its
lowest ebb, he
almost threw
the manuscript
into the fire
The novel was
almost finished

6. • A scion of a rich
family of San
Miguel Bulacan
• Viola came to Berlin
to invite Rizal to
join him in a tour of
Europe but was
postponed for the
publication of Noli
• Lent Rizal P300 for
the publication of
2,000 copies of Noli
Me Tangere
Mr. Maximo Viola

7. The First Edition of Noli
First edition of
Noli Me Tangere
was printed in
Berlin on March
29, 1887 by
Berliner
Buchdrukrei-
Action
Gesselschaft

8. The Title: Noli Me Tangere
It means “Touch Me
Not”
Taken from the
Gospel of St. John,
20:13-17

9. The Title: Noli Me Tangere
It was when Mary Magdalene visited the
Holy Sepulcher
“Touch me not; I
am not yet
ascended to my
Father, but go to
my brethren, and
say unto them, I
ascent unto my
Father; and to my
God and your
God.”

10. 1. Silhouette of a Filipina
2. A man in a cassock
with hairy feet
3. Helmet of the guardia
civil/constabulary
helmet
4. Whip/cord and Flogs
5. A length of chain
6. Bamboo stalks
7. Cross
8. Pomelo blossoms and
laurel leaves
9. Burning torch
10. Sunflowers
1
2 3
4 & 5
7 & 8
6
9
10

11. 1. CROSS- sufferings
2. POMELO BLOSSOMS AND
LAUREL LEAVES- honor and
fidelity
3. SILHOUETTE OF A FILIPINA-
Maria Clara
4. BURNING TORCH- rage and
passion
5. SUNFLOWERS- enlightenment
6. BAMBOO STALKS – resilience
7. A MAN IN A CASSOCK WITH
HAIRY FEET- priests using
religion in a dirty way
8. CHAINS- slavery
9. WHIPS and FLOGS- cruelties
10.HELMET OF THE GUARDIA
CIVIL- arrogance of those in
authority
1
2 3
4 & 5
7 & 8
6
9
10

12. At the top, all that is best in
Philippine life: woman, symbolizing
constancy, religious faith symbolized
by the tombstone, with a laurel
(courage) and the flower of the
pomelo, worn by bride and groom at
a wedding and symbolizing purity.

13. ‘A mis P(adres.) al escribir e(sta obra he
estado) pensando continuamente e(n
vosotros que me) habeis infundido los
(primeros pensamientos) y las primeras
ideas; a (vosotros os dedi)co este
manuscrito de me (joventud com
p)rueba de amor.
Berlin, (21 de Febrero de) 1887.
The words partly
covered are inner
dedication by Rizal to
his parents, the complete
text being probably:

14. To the left of the
title, the flower
mirasol,
representing
youth seeking the
sun.

15. The author's
name, meaning
the green of
renewal,
mounting up into
the green of the
most enduring of
all Philippine
trees, the
bamboo.

16. At the bottom, all that is
worst in Philippine life: the
helmet of the Civil Guard,
the whip and instruments
of torture, and the foot of a
friar.

17. The Theme

19. The Theme
The ‘Noli me
Tangere’ is a
similar theme
of longing and
unfulfilment.

20. • There is no more tragic love and of
course no greater love than of two
beings unable to reach each other,
since such a love eternally remains
unblemished.
• Rizal's book persistently unmasks the evils
of Spaniards in the Philippines of every
kind.
• He exposes corruption and brutality of
the civil guards which drive good men
to crime and banditry.

21. Rizal does not, however, spare his
fellow countrymen.
The supers-
titious and
hypocritical
fanaticism
Ignorance,
corruption,
and bru-
tality of the
Filipino
civil guards
Passion for
gambling of
Filipinos
Servility of
the wealthy
Filipino to-
wards
Spanish
authorities
Ridiculous
efforts of
Filipinos to
dissociate
themselves
from their
fellowmen

22. Group Activity
• Group Activity
o Make an editorial cartoon/caricature, using your
white cartolina and art materials to show the
theme of the Noli Me Tangere

23. The Tale of Sisa.
SISA- became crazy because she lost her two
boys.
• BASILIIO AND CRISPIN - only joys of her
wretched life. These boys were sacristans(sextons)
in the church, working for a small wage to support
their poor mother.
• CRISPIN - the younger of the two brothers, was
accused by the brutal sacristan mayor(chief
tortured) in the convent and died.

24. The Characters
• MARIA CLARA- was Leonor Rivera
• IBARRA and ELIAS- represented Rizal himself
• TASIO the SAGE- was his elder brother
(Paciano).
• PADRE SALVI- identified by Rizalist as Padre
Antonio Piernavieja.
• CAPITAN TIAGO- was Capitan Hilario Sunico
of San Nicholas.
• DONA VICTORINA- was Dona Agustina
Medel

25. Grand Tour in Europe
• Before Rizal returned home, he
and Viola planned to tour Europe.
• They left Berlin on May 11, 1887 to
Dresden where they were
welcomed by Dr. Hans Meyer

26. Dresden Leitmeritz
Prague, visited to
tomb of Nico-las
Copernicus
Brno, Vienna,
Salzburg, Munich,
Nuremberg, Ulm
Climbed the largest
and tallest cathedral
in Germany
June 1887, crossed
Switzerland
Basel, Berne,
Lausanne, Leman
Lake, Geneva
News of Igorots
displayed in Spain
died
Venice, Florence,
and Rome, Italy

27. ULM MINSTER
VIENNA OPERA HOUSE
TOMB OF NICOLAS
COPERNICUS
LEMAN LAKE

28. Florence Dome
Venice Canals
Rome
Coloseum, Rome

29. Grand Tour in Europe
• After Italy, he took train back to
Marseilles, France. He boarded
the Djemmah and arrived in
Saigon where he boarded the
Haiphong to reach Manila

30. End