Chapter 5: Legendary Talent

Rizal and Orwell

Rizal’s unfinished work titled Los Animales de Suan predates George Orwell’s Animal Farm by about 60
years. In Orwell’s story, Napoleon the “Spokes-pig”, the other pigs, and the dogs dominated the farm by
executing animals who don’t obey them.

Rizal’s work was unfinished so we’ll never know how his fable could have developed.

Domingo de Ramos

Rizal wrote an essay in French called “Dimanche des Rameux” after completing Noli me tangere. He says
Domingo de Ramos or Palm Sunday, which the Catholic Church celebrates in commemoration of the
triumphant entry of Jesus in Jerusalem, Inspires many curious reflections.

Rizal said that if Jesus did not died as martyr to his doctrine, the Christianity would not have spread
outside the Jewish world.

In 1887, Rizal was fighting for a church that had forgotten the poor and the powerless. Rizal were called
“Filibustero”.

Noli me tangere and El Filibusterismo a century after

Noli was written with specific aims and targets. Rizal really said “Everything” I have written is true” if
someone would real all of them. Lectures prove that a century after Noli and Fili was written, we can
still find new meanings that Rizal did not consciously create in the first place.

Mi último adios; overnight poetry

Rizal wrote the poem before his execution. According to his sister Trinidad, Rizal gave her the poem in
December 29 before his execution. Was the poem written in December 28? Many speculations ware
created about when did Rizal wrote this poem. We’ll never know the answer.

Rizal is a bookworm

His family had a private library, one of the biggest libraries in Calamba, Laguna. He was taught by his
mom to take care and appreciate books. Rizal would rather pawn his rings rather than his books.
Chapter 6: The Never Ending Story
Living with Rizal
Austin Coates wrote “Rizal, Philippine Nationalist and martyr”, a biography. When he was a
boy, Coates always thought of Rizal as another South American dictator. He wanted to research
about Rizal’s life because he didn’t realize another great man in Asia.
Rizal’s drawings
In 1981, Manuel L. Morato published the said drawings of Rizal in his work “Jose Rizal Filipino
doctor and patriot by Jose Baron Fernandez” in 1982, Eric Torres, chairman of the panel of the
experts of the National Museum and consultant to the Central Bank, questioned the
authenticity if this said drawings.
Provenance and pedigree
Lista de los obras de arte de Rizal documented and published by the Jose Rizal National
Centennial Commission which lists all artworks by Rizal known to the commission in 1961. The
artworks in Morato’s work are not in the catalogue.
The test style
All of Rizal’s women has a portrait in Morato’s work. Why didn’t Rizal give this artworks to them
as souvenir? He rarely signs his artworks and only signs “Rizal”. If this really is Rizal’s work, why
did these artworks were signed full by Rizal?
Tasteless and tacky
This just not suits Rizal’s style, Ocampo said “Rizal was extremely careful for his good name
reputation. The reason why we have not seen any authentic Rizal drawings similar to those on
Morato’s book is because he would have burned all of these ugly drawings”

Chapter 7: The Women

There were at least nine women linked with Rizal; namely Segunda Katigbak, Leonor
Valenzuela, Leonor Rivera, Consuelo Ortiga, O-Sei San, Gertrude Beckette, Nelly Boustead,
Suzanne Jacoby and Josephine Bracken. These women might have been beguiled by his
intelligence, charm and wit.
Segunda Katigbak and Leonor Valenzuela
Segunda Katigbak was her puppy love. Unfortunately, his first love was engaged to be married
to a town mate- Manuel Luz. After his admiration for a short girl in the person of Segunda, then
came Leonor Valenzuela, a tall girl from Pagsanjan. Rizal send her love notes written in invisible
ink that could only be deciphered over the warmth of the lamp or candle. He visited her on the
eve of his departure to Spain and bade her a last goodbye.
Leonor Rivera
Leonor Rivera, his sweetheart for 11 years played the greatest influence in keeping him from
falling in love with other women during his travel. Unfortunately, Leonor’s mother disapproved
of her daughter’s relationship with Rizal, who was then a known filibustero. She hid from
Leonor all letters sent to her sweetheart. Leonor believing that Rizal had already forgotten her,
sadly consented her to marry the Englishman Henry Kipping, her mother’s choice.
Consuelo Ortiga
Consuelo Ortiga y Rey, the prettier of Don Pablo Ortiga’s daughters, fell in love with him. He
dedicated to her A la Senorita C.O. y R., which became one of his best poems. The Ortiga's
residence in Madrid was frequented by Rizal and his compatriots. He probably fell in love with
her and Consuelo apparently asked him for romantic verses. He suddenly backed out before the
relationship turned into a serious romance, because he wanted to remain loyal to Leonor Rivera
and he did not want to destroy hid friendship with Eduardo de Lete who was madly in love with
Consuelo.
O Sei San
O Sei San, a Japanese samurai’s daughter taught Rizal the Japanese art of painting known as su-
mie. She also helped Rizal improve his knowledge of Japanese language. If Rizal was a man
without a patriotic mission, he would have married this lovely and intelligent woman and lived
a stable and happy life with her in Japan because Spanish legation there offered him a lucrative
job.
Gertrude Beckett
While Rizal was in London annotating the Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, he boarded in the house
of the Beckett family, within walking distance of the British Museum. Gertrude, a blue-eyed and
buxom girl was the oldest of the three Beckett daughters. She fell in love with Rizal. Tottie
helped him in his painting and sculpture. But Rizal suddenly left London for Paris to avoid
Gertrude, who was seriously in love with him. Before leaving London, he was able to finish the
group carving of the Beckett sisters. He gave the group carving to Gertrude as a sign of their
brief relationship.
Nellie Boustead
Rizal having lost Leonor Rivera, entertained the thought of courting other ladies. While a guest
of the Boustead family at their residence in the resort city of Biarritz, he had befriended the two
pretty daughters of his host, Eduardo Boustead. Rizal used to fence with the sisters at the
studio of Juan Luna. Antonio Luna, Juan’s brother and also a frequent visitor of the Bousteads,
courted Nellie but she was deeply infatuated with Rizal. In a party held by Filipinos in Madrid, a
drunken Antonio Luna uttered unsavory remarks against Nellie Boustead. This prompted Rizal
to challenge Luna into a duel. Fortunately, Luna apologized to Rizal, thus averting tragedy for
the compatriots.
Their love affair unfortunately did not end in marriage. It failed because Rizal refused to be
converted to the Protestant faith, as Nellie demanded and Nellie’s mother did not like a
physician without enough paying clientele to be a son-in-law. The lovers, however, parted as
good friends when Rizal left Europe.
Suzanne Jacoby
In 1890, Rizal moved to Brussels because of the high cost of living in Paris. In Brussels, he lived
in the boarding house of the two Jacoby sisters. In time, they fell deeply in love with each other.
Suzanne cried when Rizal left Brussels and wrote him when he was in Madrid.
Josephine Bracken
In the last days of February 1895, while still in Dapitan, Rizal met an 18-year old petite Irish girl,
with bold blue eyes, brown hair and a happy disposition. She was Josephine Bracken, the
adopted daughter of George Taufer from Hong Kong, who came to Dapitan to seek Rizal for eye
treatment. Rizal was physically attracted to her. His loneliness and boredom must have taken
the measure of him and what could be a better diversion that to fall in love again. But the Rizal
sisters suspected Josephine as an agent of the friars and they considered her as a threat to
Rizal’s security.
Rizal asked Josephine to marry him, but she was not yet ready to make a decision due to her
responsibility to the blind Taufer. Since Taufer’s blindness was untreatable, he left for Hon Kong
on March 1895. Josephine stayed with Rizal’s family in Manila. Upon her return to Dapitan,
Rizal tried to arrange with Father Antonio Obach for their marriage. However, the priest wanted
a retraction as a precondition before marrying them. Rizal upon the advice of his family and
friends and with Josephine’s consent took her as his wife even without the Church blessings.
Josephine later give birth prematurely to a stillborn baby, a result of some incidence, which
might have shocked or frightened her.

Chapter 8: Epilogue (The Last Word)

Rizal’s Dream
In Noli me tangere (1887), Rizal pointed out the “cancer” in Philippine society of this day:
Philippines became a paradise lost when the Spianiards came in: and finally, in El Filibusterismo
(1891) he gave the solution for the future – revolution.
Today Rizal’s dream comes true as the international Philippine Studies Conference unfolds on
Philippine soil.
Rizal’s last letter
Rizal gave his sister an alcohol burner that includes “Ultimo Adios”
Rizal gavehis copy of Thomas a Kempi’s imitacion de Cristo to Josephine Bracken With the
inscription “to my dear and unhappy wife Josephine” which contrasted the second to the last
line of “Ultimo adios,” “Adios dulce extranjera mi amiga alegria”which translates to “Farewell
sweet foreigner my darling my delight”.
Rizal’s letter to his Mother Teodora Alonzo
“A mi muy amada Madre:
”Sra. Da. Teodora Alonzo
“A las 6 de la manana del 30 de Diciembre de 1896
“Jose Rizal”
Leave Rizal’s Pieces in Peace
In 1898, three years after his execution, his family was finally allowed to take his remains from
Paco cemetery to their home in Binondo. All of his remains were deposited in Rizal’s
Monument in Luneta.
Rizal as Father of Philippine Comics
Many regarded Rizal as the Father of Philippine comics because of his works in Germany. Rizal
drew a 4 panel humorous comic during his exile in Dapitan.
The Artist in Rizal
Rizal’s notebooks contain charming drawings that reveal a very competent artist. He likewise
made very good pieces if sculpture, and I often wonder what other works of art he would have
done if he were no distracted by medicine, writing, and the heroism that got him shot in the
back.

Chapter 9: Our Rizals

Was Rizal a fence sitter?
No, Jose Rizal was never a fence sitter. He took a stand with his life - he was against violence.
He did not support the violent revolution with Bonifacio.
Did Rizal Retract?
Since Rizal’s retraction letter was discovered by Father Manuel Garcia, C.M. in 1935, its content
has become a favorite subject of dispute among academicians and Catholics. The letter, dated
December 29, 1896, was said to have been signed by the National Hero himself.
It stated: “I declare myself a Catholic and in this religion in which I was born and educated I
wish to live and die. I retract with all my heart whatever in my words, writings, publications and
conduct has been contrary to my character as son of the Catholic Church.”
The controversy whether the National Hero actually wrote a retraction document only lies in
the judgment of its reader, as no amount of proof can probably make the two opposing
groups—the Masonic Rizalists (who firmly believe that Rizal did not withdraw) and the Catholic
Rizalists (who were convinced Rizal retracted)—agree with each other.
According to Ocampo, “In November a symposium sponsored by the National Library and
National Archives revived debate on the question of Rizal’s retraction. The atmosphere in the
hall was similar to a beauty contest where applause decided the “winner”. Obviously the crowd
was in favour of the negative side that presented its case forcefully. Unfortunately, two of the
three men in the affirmative side personally believed Rizal did not retract.”

Conclusion
The first thing I noticed in Dr. Jose Rizal’s life was that he lived a simple one. He did not choose
to have a luxurious life like the most of us have wanted. Even before he became under
surveillance by the Spaniards, he had lived his life as simple as possible. I think it was the work
of his parents that made him lived like this. I strongly believe that one’s lifestyle is influenced
mostly by their parents. I learned from the life of Rizal the importance of taking part of the
parents to their children’s morals.
The second thing that I observed from the life of Rizal was his calmness and ability to think
rationally even in the most complicated circumstances. His advocacy of Philippine
Independence is by legal and peaceful way that is why he wrote many books in order to fire-up
the revolutionary spirit of the Filipinos.
To end it all, Rizal without the heavy overcoat is just a regular person who wants to help his
country by helping his countrymen.
Sources
https://varsitarian.net/news/20111004/rizals_retraction_truth_vs_myth
http://nhcp.gov.ph/the-rizal-retraction-and-other-cases/