• Rizal cultivated his literary talent under the guidance of Father Sanchez

• Father Jose Vilaclara- advised Rizal to stop communing with the Muse and pay more attention to more
practical studies
• Rizal studied painting under the famous Spanish painter, Agustin Saez, and sculpture under Romualdo
de Jesus, noted Filipino sculptor
• Rizal carved an image of the Virgin Mary on a piece of batikuling (Philippine hardwood) with his pocket-
knife
• Father Lleonart- impressed by Rizal’s sculptural talent, requested him to carve for him an image of
Sacred Heart of Jesus

ANECDOTES ON RIZAL, THE ATENEAN

• Felix M. Roxas- one of Rizal’s contemporaries in the Ateneo, related an incident of Rizal’s schooldays
in Ateneo which reveals hero’s resignation to pain and forgiveness. “Neither bitterness nor rancor
towards the guilty party”
• Manuel Xerez Burgos- This anecdotes illustrates Rizal’s predilection to help the helpless at the risk of
his own life

POEMS WRITTEN IN ATENEO

-It was Doña Teodora who was first discovered the poetic genius of her son, and it was also she who first encouraged him
to write poems. However it was Father Sanchez who inspired Rizal to make full use of his God-given gift in poetry
• Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration), 1874- the first poem Rizal probably wrote during his days
in Ateneo which was dedicated to his mother on her birthday; Rizal wrote it before he was 14 years old

-In 1875, inspired by Father Sanchez, Rizal wrote more poems, as such:
1. Felicitacion (Felicitationi)
2. El Embarque: Himno a la Flota de Magallanes (The Departure: Hymn to Magellan’s Fleet)
3. Y Es Espanol; Elcano, el Primero en dar la Vuelta al Mundo (And He is Spanish: Elcano, the First to
Circumnavigate the World)
4. El Combate: Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo (The Battle: Urbiztondo, Terror of Jolo)
-In 1876, Rizal wrote poems on various topics-religion, education, childhood memories and war. They were as follows:
1. Un Recuerdo a Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My Town)- a tender poem in honor of Calamba, the hero’s natal town
2. Alianza Intima Entre la Religion y la Buena Educacion (Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good Education)-
Rizal showed the importance of religion in education
3. Por la Educacion Recibe Lustre la Patria (Through Education the Country Receives Light)- Rizal believed in the
significant role which education plays in the progress and welfare of a nation
4. El Cautiverio y el Triunfo: Batalla de Lucena y Prision de Boabdil (The Captivity and the Triumph: Battle of Lucena
and the Imprisonment of Boabdil)- this martial poem describes the defeat and capture of Boabdil, last Moorish sultan of
Granada
5. La Entrada Triunfal de los Reyes Catolices en Granada (The Triumphal Entry of the Catholic Monarchs into
Granada)- this poem relates the victorious entry of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel into Granada, last Moorish
stronghold in Spain

-A year later, in 1877, Rizal wrote more poems. It was his last years in Ateneo. Among the poems written that year were:
1. El Heroismo de Colon (The Heroism of Columbus)- this poem praises Columbus, the discoverer of America
2. Colon y Juan II (Columbus and John II)- this poem relates how King Kohn II of Portugal missed fame and riches
by his failure to finance the projected expedition of Columbus to the New World
3. Gran Consuelo en la Mayor Desdicha (Great Solace in Great Misfortune)- this is a legend in verse of the tragic life
of Columbus
4. Un Dialogo Aluviso a la Despedida de los Colegiales (A Farewell Dialogue of the Students)- this was the last
poem written by Rizal in Ateneo; it is a poignant poem of farewell to his classmate

• Al Niño Jesus (To the Child Jesus)- this poem was written in 1875 when Rizal was 14 years old; it was
a brief ode
• A La Virgen Maria (To the Virgin Mary)- another religious poem which doesn’t have exact date when it
was written
• San Eustacio, Martir (St. Eustace, the Martyr)- a drama based on the prose story of St. Eustace which
he wrote in poetic verses during the summer vacation of 1876 and finished it on June 2, 1876

MEDICAL STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS (1877-1882)

-After finishing the first year of a course in Philosophy and Letters (1877-1878), Rizal transferred to the medical course
-“Don’t send him to Manila again; he knows enough. If he gets to know more, the Spaniards will cut off his
head.”- Doña Teodora, vigorously opposed the idea that Rizal pursue higher learning in the university

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 • April 1877- Rizal who was then nearly 16 years old, matriculated in the University of Santo Tomas, taking
the course on Philosophy and Letters because (1) his father like it (2) he was “still uncertain as to what
career to pursue”
• Father Pablo Ramon-Rector of Ateneo, who had been good to him during his student days in that
college, asking for advice on the choice of a career but unfortunately he was in Mindanao
• It was during the following term (1878-1879) that Rizal, having received the Ateneo Rector’s advice to
study medicine
• During Rizal’s first school term in the University of Santo Tomas (1877-1878), Rizal also studied in
Ateneo. He took the vocational course leading to the title of perito agrimensor (expert surveyor)
• Rizal excelled in all subjects in the surveying course in Ateneo, obtaining gold medals in agriculture and
topography
• November 25, 1881- the title was issued to Rizal for passing the final examination in the surveying
course
• Liceo Artistico-Literario (Artistic-Literary Lyceum) of Manila- a society of literary men and artists,
held a literary contest in the year 1879
• A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth)- Rizal, who was then 18 years old, submitted this poem
-is an inspiring poem of flawless form. Rizal beseeched the Filipino youth to rise from lethargy, to let genius fly
swifter than the wind and descend with art and science to break the chains that have long bound the spirit of the people
-this winning poem of Rizal is a classic in Philippine literature for two reasons: (1) it was the great poem in
Spanish written by a Filipino, whose merit was recognized by Spanish literary authorities (2) it expressed for the first time
the nationalistic concept that the Filipinos, and not the foreigners, were the “fair hope of the Fatherland”
• The Board of Judges, composed of Spaniards, was impressed by Rizal’s poem and gave it the first prize
which consisted of a silver pen, feather-shaped and decorated with a gold ribbon
• El Consejo de los Dioses (The Councils of the Gods)- an allegorical drama written by Rizal which he
entered in the literary contest of Artistic-Literary Lyceum in 1880 to commemorate the fourth centennial of
the death of Cervantes
-was a literary masterpiece based on the Greek classics
• The prize was awarded to Rizal, a gold ring on which was engraved the bust of Cervantes
• D.N. del Puzo- a Spanish writer, who won the second prize
• Junto al Pasig (Beside the Pasig)- a zarzuela which was staged by the Ateneans on December 8, 1880,
on the occasion of the annual celebration of the Feats Day of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of
the Ateneo
- Rizal wrote it as President of the Academy of Spanish Literature in Ateneo
• A Filipinas- a sonnet written by Rizal for the album of the Society of Sculptors; in this sonnet, he urged all
Filipino artists to glorify the Philippines
• Abd-el-Azis y Mahoma- Rizal composed a poem in 1879 which was declaimed by an Atenean, Manuel
Fernandez, on the night of December 8, 1879, in honor of the Ateneo’s Patroness
• Al M.R.P. Pablo Ramon- Rizal composed a poem in 1881, as an expression of affection to Father Pablo
Ramon, the Ateneo rector, who had been so kind and helpful to him
• Vicenta Ybardolaza- a pretty girl colegiala who skillfully played the harp at the Regalado home, whom
Rizal was infatuated in Pakil
• Rizal mentioned Turumba (wherein the people dancing in the streets during the procession in honor of the
miraculous Birhen Maria de los Dolores) in Chapter VI of Noli Me Tangere and Pagsanjan Falls in his
travel diary (united States—Saturday, May 12, 1888), where he said that Niagara Falls was the “greatest
cascades I ever saw” but “not so beautiful nor fine as the falls at Los Baños, Pagsanjan”
• Compañerismo (Comradeship)- Rizal founded a secret society of Filipino students in University of
Santo Tomas in 1880
• Companions of Jehu- members of the society whose after the valiant Hebrew general
• Galicano Apacible-Rizal’s cousin from Batangas who is the secretary of the society
UNHAPPY DAYS AT THE UST
-Rizal found the atmosphere at the University of Santo Tomas suffocating to his sensitive spirit. He was unhappy at this
Dominican institution of higher learning because (1) the Dominican professors were hostile to him (2) the Filipino students
were racially discriminated against by the Spaniards (3) the method of instruction was obsolete and repressive
-In Rizal’s novel, El Filibusterismo, he described how the Filipino students were humiliated and insulted by their
Dominican professors and how backward the method of instruction was, especially in the teaching of the natural sciences.
He related in Chapter XIII, “The Class in Physics”

SHATTERING THE MYTH ABOUT RIZAL AND THE PONTIFICAL UST

This can be very exhaustive as I deal with historical facts apropos of the relationship of Jose Rizal with the University of
Santo Tomas. I am indebted to Fr. Fidel Villaroel, OP, the eminent historian and former archivist of the UST Archives for
giving me the distinct privilege (without going through the norms and policies) of touring the archives and letting me
examined some important documents pertaining but not principally to the history of the Philippines. As a pioneering
institution of learning – from the martyrdom of Gomez, Burgos and Zamora, to the propaganda movement, to the
revolution of 1896, to the birth of the Republic in 1898, to the commonwealth period and finally to the restoration of
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Municipal in 1876-1877. Rafael Palma who took up Physics and Chemistry in 1890 at Ateneo Municipal, a little over ten
years after Rizal, recalled later that the laboratory materials in use at the Ateneo for teaching Natural History and Physics
were “very poor” (Rafael Palma, My Autobiography, Manila 1953).
The whole chapter is a caricature, very useful for the aims of the novel; it is not Rizal’s biography.

IN SUNNY SPAIN (1882-1885)

-After finishing the 4th year of the medical course in the University of Santo Tomas, Rizal decided to complete his studies
in Spain
-Aside from completing his studies in Spain, Rizal has his “secret mission”—was to observe keenly the life and culture,
languages and customs, industries and commerce, and government and laws of the European nations in order to prepare
himself in the mighty task of liberating his oppressed people from Spanish tyranny
-This Rizalian secret mission was likewise disclosed by Paciano in his letter to his younger brother dated Manila, May 20,
1892
-Rizal’s departure for Spain was kept secret to avoid detection by the Spanish authorities and the friars
• Jose Mercado- Rizal used this name; a cousin from Biñan
• May 3, 1882- Rizal departed on board the Spanish streamer Salvadora bound for Singapore
SINGAPORE
• Donato Lecha- the ship captain from Asturias, Spain befriended Rizal
-Rizal described him as an affable man, “much more refined than his other countrymen and colleagues that I
have met.”
• Rizal played chess with his fellow passengers who were much older than he
• May 8, 1882- while the steamer was approaching Singapore, Rizal saw a beautiful island, fascinated by
its scenic beauty, he remembered “Talim Island with the Susong Dalaga”
• May 9, 1882- the Salvadora docked at Singapore
• Hotel de la Paz- Rizal registered here and spent two days on a sightseeing soiree of the city, which was
a colony of England

FROM SINGAPORE TO COLOMBO

• In Singapore, Rizal transferred to another ship Djemnah, a French steamer, which left Singapore for
Europe on May 11, 1882
• May 17, 1882- Djemnah reached Point Galle, a seacoast town in southern Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
• Rizal wrote on his travel diary: “The general appearance of Point Galle is picturesque but lonely and
quiet and at the same time sad”
• Colombo- capital of Ceylon
-Rizal was enamoured by Colombo because of its scenic beauty and elegant buildings
-“Colombo is more beautiful, smart and elegant than Singapore, Point Galle and Manila”
• For the first time, Rizal sighted the barren coast of Africa, which he called an “inhospitable land but
famous”
• Aden- city hotter than Manila
-Rizal was amused to see the camels, for the first time
• City of Suez- the Red Sea terminal of the Suez Canal
-Rizal was impressed in the beautiful moonlight which reminded him of Calamba and his family
• Suez Canal- canal which built by Ferdinand de Lesseps (French diplomat-engineer) which was
inaugurated on November 17, 1869
• Port Said- the Mediterranean terminal of the Suez Canal
NAPLES AND MARSEILLES
• June 11, 1882- Rizal reached Naples
-Rizal was pleased on this Italian city because of its business activity, its lively people, and its panoramic beauty
• Night of June 12, 1882- the steamer docked at the French harbor of Marseilles
• Rizal visited the famous Chateau d’If, where Dantes, hero of the Count of Monte Cristo, was imprisoned
• Rizal stayed two and a half days in Marseilles
BARCELONA
• Afternoon of May 15, 1882- Rizal left Marseilles by train for the last lap of his trip to Spain
• Rizal crossed the Pyrenees and stopped for a day at the frontier town of Port Bou
• June 16, 1882- Rizal finally reached his destination—Barcelona
• Rizal’s first impression of Barcelona, the greatest city of Cataluña and Spain’s second largest city, was
unfavorable
• Las Ramblas- the most famous street in Barcelona
• Amor Patrio (Love of Country)- nationalistic essay, Rizal’s first article written on Spain’s soil
-under his pen-name Laong Laan, appeared in print in Diariong Tagalog on August 20, 1882

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 -it was published in two texts—Spanish and Tagalog—the Spanish text was the one originally written by Rizal in
Barcelona, the tagalog text was a Tagalog translation made by M.H. del Pilar
• Basilio Teodoro Moran- a friend of Rizal in Manila and the publisher of Diariong Tagalog where Rizal
sent this article
• Diariong Tagalog- the first Manila bilingual newspaper (Spanish and Tagalog)
• Los Viajes (Travels)- Rizal’s second article for Diariong Tagalog
• Revista de Madrid (Review of Madrid)- Rizal’s third article written in Madrid on November 29, 1882 but
returned to him because the Diariong Tagalog had ceased publication for lack of funds
• Rizal received sad news about the cholera that was ravaging Manila and the provinces according to
Paciano’s letter, dated September 15, 1882
• Another sad news from the Philippines was the chatty letter of Chengoy recounting the unhappiness of
Leonor Rivera
• In one of his letters (dated May 26, 1882), Paciano advised his younger brother to finish the medical
course in Madrid
• Rizal left Barcelona in the fall of 1882 and established himself in Madrid, the capital of Spain
LIFE IN MADRID
• November 3, 1882- Rizal enrolled in the Universidad Central de Madrid (Central University of Madrid) in
two courses—Medicine and Philosophy and Letters
• Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando- Rizal studied painting and sculpture
• Rizal’s only extravagance was investing a few pesetas for a lottery ticket in every draw of the Madrid
Lottery
• Rizal spent his leisure time reading and writing at his boarding house, attending the reunions of Filipino
students at the house of the Paterno brothers (Antonio, Maximo and Pedro) and practicing fencing and
shooting at the gymnasium
• Antigua Café de Levante-during the summer twilights, this is where Rizal sipped coffee and fraternized
with the students from Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, etc
• On Saturday evenings, Rizal visited the home of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey who lived with his son (Rafael)
and daughter (Consuelo)
• Circulo Hispano-Filipino (Hispano-Philippine Circle)- a society of Spaniards and Filipinos which Rizal
joined shortly after his arrival in Madrid in 1882
• Me Piden Versos (They Ask Me For Verses)- upon the request of the members of this society, Rizal’s
wrote this poem which he personally declaimed during the New Year’s Eve reception of the Madrid
Filipinos held in the evening of December 31, 1882
-in this sad poem, Rizal poured out the cry of his agonizing heart
• Rizal economized on his living expenses, and with the money he saved, he purchased books from a
second-hand book store owned by a certain Señor Roses
• Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Eugene Sue’s The Wandering Jew- these two books
aroused Rizal’s sympathy for the oppressed and unfortunate people

FIRST VISIT TO PARIS (1883)

-During his first summer vacation in Madrid, Rizal went to Paris, gay capital of France
-The prices of food, drinks, theatre, tickets, laundry, hotel accommodations, and transportation were too high for Rizal’s
slender purse so that he commented in a letter to his family: “Paris is the costliest capital in Europe.”
• June 17 to August 20, 1883- Rizal sojourn in Paris
• Hotel de Paris- located on 37 Rue de Maubange wherein Rizal billeted but later, he moved to a cheaper
hotel on 124 Rue de Rennes in the Latin Quarter
• Laennec Hospital- where Rizal observed Dr. Nicaise treating his patients
• Lariboisiere Hospital- where Rizal observed the examination of different diseases of women
• Rizal was impressed by the way the Spanish Mason openly and freely c riticized the government policies
and lambasted the friars, which could not be done in Philippines
• March 1883- Rizal joined the Masonic lodge called Acacia in Madrid
• Rizal’s reason for becoming a mason was to secure Freemansory’s aid in his fight against the friars in the
Philippines
• Lodge Solidaridad (Madrid) – Rizal transferred where he became a Master Mason on November 15,
1890
• February 15, 1892- Rizal was awarded the diploma as Master Mason by Le Grand Orient de France in
Paris
• Science, Virtue and Labor- Rizal’s only Masonic writing; a lecture which he delivered in 1889 at Lodge
Solidaridad, Madrid
• After Rizal’s departure for Spain, things turned from bad to worse in Calamba: (1) harvests of rice and
sugarcane failed on account of drought and locusts (2) the manager of the Dominican-owned hacienda
increased the rentals of the lands (3) a dreadful pest killed most of the turkeys. Due to hard times in

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