Articles Published in La Solidaridad

A la Defensa (To La Defesa) La Verdad Para Todos (The Truth for All) Vicente Barrantes Teatro Tagalo Una Profanacian (A Profanation) Verdades Nuevas (New Truths)

Articles Published in La Solidaridad

Crueldad (Cruelty) Diferencias (Differences) Inconsequencias (Inconsequences) Llanto y Risas (Tears and Laughters) Ingratitudes

Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, and Mariano Ponce. The trio was the moving force behind "La Solidaridad."

New Orthography of Tagalog Language

Rizal was the first to advocate the Filipinization of the native language orthography. For instance, the Tagalog letters k and w should be used instead of the Spanish c and o. Tagalog word salacot should be written as salakot.

New Orthography of Tagalog Language

In Leipzig, Rizal adopted the Filipinized Tagalog orthography in his Tagalog translation of Schillers Wilhelm Tell and Andersens Fairy Tales and again in his first novel Noli Me Tangere. His article Sobre la Nueva Ortografia de la Lengua Tagalog was published in La Solidaridad.

New Orthography of Tagalog Language

In this article he laid down the rules of the new Tagalog orthography. Gave the credit for the adoption of this new orthography to Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera.

Rizal, Hidalgo, Pardo de Tavera, and Luna

Rizal Criticizes Madrid Filipinos for Gambling

In Brussels, Rizal received news from Juan Luna and Valentin Ventura that the Filipinos in Spain were destroying the good name of their nation by gambling too much. Rizal wrote to M.H. del Pilar to remind the Filipinos in Madrid that they did not come to Europe to gamble but to work for their Fatherlands freedom.

Rizal Criticizes Madrid Filipinos for Gambling

The Gambling Filipinos in Madrid were angry when they learned of Rizals moralizing. They derisively called them Papa (Pope) instead of Pepe.

Bad News from Home

Calamba agrarian trouble was getting worse. Dominicans continued to raise the rents until such time that Rizals father refused to pay his rent. Other tenants also refused to pay the unreasonable rents.

Bad News from Home

Dominicans filed a law suit The tenants including Paciano and his brother-in-laws, Antonio Lopez and Silvestre Ubaldo were deported to Mindoro. Another brother-in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo was banished for a second time in Bohol.

Presentiment of Death
Rizal had bad dreams because he was always thinking of his unhappy family in Calamba. He feared that he would not live long. He was not afraid to die but he wanted to finish his second novel before he went to his grave.

Preparation to Go Home
In the face of the sufferings which afflicted his family, Rizal planned to go home. All his friends, including Blumentritt, Jose Ma. Basa, and Ponce, were horrified by Rizals plan to return to the Philippines. They warned him of the danger that awaited him at home.

Decision to go to Madrid
Rizal changed his mind Paciano wrote to Rizal that they lost the case against the Dominicans in Manila, but they appealed it to the Supreme Court in Spain, hence a lawyer was needed to handled it in Madrid. Rizal wrote to M.H. del Pilar retaining the latters service as a lawyer and informing Del Pilar that we would supervise the handling of the case.

To My Muse
During those sad days when he was worried by family disasters, Rizal wrote his pathetic poem, A Mi (To my muse) But it is passionate in feeling

Romance with Petite Jacoby

Two things brought some cheer to Rizal before his trip to Madrid -Madrid Summertime festival in Belgium - Romance with Petite Jacoby Like other women, Suzanne fell in love with Rizal. She cried when he left for Madrid. Although Rizal was in a faraway place, Suzanne could not forget him.

(1890-1891) Chapter 17

Failure to get JUSTICE for his Family

Rizals Eulogy to Panganiban

Rizals misfortunes in Madrid

Aborted duel with Antonio Luna

Rizal Challenges Retana to Duel

Rizals Eulogy to Panganiban

Panganiban died in Barcelona (Aug. 19, 1890) Rizal co-worker in the Propaganda Movement

Panganiban, that excellent companion of labor and difficulty, that amiable friend and countryman beloved, has just described to the tomb at the early age of 27 years...

Aborted Duel with Antonio Luna

Lunas frustrated romance with Nellie Boustead Rizal challenged Luna

--> Luna Rizals superior as a swordsman

--> Rizal is better with pistol shot than Luna

Rizal (left) be-turbanned for a party with friends Paz Pardo de Tavera, Luna, Nelly Bousted, Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo and two unidentified ladies.

Rizal Challenges Retana to Duel

Wenceslao E. Retana - Rizals bitter enemy in writing - press agent of the friars in Spain La Epoca anti-Filipino newspaper in Madrid asserts Rizals family and friends had not paid their rents so they were ejected from their lands in Calamba by Dominicans

Infidelity of Leonor Rivera

Autumn of 1980, Rizal and some of his friends attended a play at Teatro Apolo He lost his gold watch chain with a locket containing the picture of Leonor Rivera December 1890, Rizal received a letter from Leonor: about her coming marriage to an Englishman (the choice of her mother) and asking for forgiveness

Infidelity of Leonor Rivera

Rizal confided with his friend, Blumenttrit In his reply to Rizal, on Feb.15, 1890, saying that his wife cannot understand how a woman whom a Rizal has honored with his love love would be able to abandon him and said that Rizal has a courageous heart, and he is in love with a nobler woman, the Motherland

Infidelity of Leonor Rivera

Three months later, Blumenttrit sent another letter to Rizal saying that if Leonor was able to renounce a Rizal, she did not possess the nobility of his spirit In other words, she is not the woman for Rizal.

Rizal-Del Pilar Rivalry

Toward the closing days of 1890 An unfortunate rivalry between Rizal and M.H. del Pilar for supremacy Rizal, the most talented Filipino of his time Del Pilar, the fearless lawyer-journalist Del Pilar purchased La Solidaridad from Pablo Rianirez, its first proprietor, and had replaced Graciano Lopez Jaena as its editor

Rizal-Del Pilar Rivalry

As a leader, Rizal tried to imbue his compatriots with his own idealism: a. to gain prestige for the Propaganda Movement b. to win the respect of the Spaniards, they must possess high standards of morality, dignity and spirit of sacrifice

Rizal-Del Pilar Rivalry

Rizals leadership declined and some of his former admirers became supporters of Del Pilar The editorial policy of La Solidaridad enhanced the cleavage between Rizal and Del Pilar Rizal and his close friends objected to the periodicals editorial policy which was occasionally contrary to Rizals political views

Rizal-Del Pilar Rivalry

On Jan. 1, 1891 the Responsable - chosen to direct the affairs of the Filipino community and to determine the editorial policy of La Solidaridad The Responsable should be elected by a twothirds vote of the Filipino community Del Pilar opposed the proposition

Rizal Abdicates his Leadership

The election first week of February, 1891 The Rizalistas and the Pilaristas Rizal was winning, but he could not obtain the required two-thirds vote; on the second day, the result became indecisive On the third day, Mariano Ponce appealed to his countrymen to vote for Rizal, which resulted to Rizals victory and became the Responsable

Rizal Abdicates his Leadership

Rizal graciously declined the coveted position so that he did not relish being a leader of a divided people He preferred to abdicate his leadership rather than be the cause of disunity and bitterness among his countrymen

Adios, Madrid
Rizal wrote a brief note thanking his compatriots for electing him as Responsible He boarded the train leaving for Biarritz City of Madrid, where he was happy during his first sojourn (1882-85) but unhappy on his second visit (1890-91)