RIZAL 211

Submitted by: Jonathan D. Dela Isla

Section 8B

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Chapter 17:

El Filibusterismo: A Revolution that Failed

El Filibusterismo, also known by its English alternate title The Reign of Greed, is the second

novel written by Philippine national hero José Rizal. It is the sequel to Noli me tangere and, like

the first book, was written in Spanish. It was first published in 1891 in Ghent, Belgium.

The novel's dark theme departs dramatically from the previous novel's hopeful and romantic

atmosphere, signifying the character Ibarra's resort to solving his country's issues through

violent means, after his previous attempt at reforming the country's system have made no effect

and seemed impossible with the attitudes of the Spaniards towards the Filipinos. The novel,

along with its predecessor, was banned in some parts of the Philippines as a result of their

portrayals of the Spanish government's abuse and corruption. These novels along with Rizal's

involvement in organizations that aim to address and reform the Spanish system and its issues

led to Rizal's exile to Dapitan and eventual execution. Both the novel and its predecessor, along

with Rizal's last poem, are now considered Rizal's literary masterpieces.

Both of Rizal's novels had a profound effect on Philippine society in terms of views about

national identity, the Catholic faith and its influence on Filipino's choice, and the government's

issues of corruption, abuse, and discrimination, and on a larger scale, the issues related to the

effect of colonization on people's lives and the cause for independence. These novels later on

indirectly became the inspiration to start the Philippine Revolution.

Throughout the Philippines, the reading of both the novel and its predecessor is

now mandatory for high school students throughout the archipelago, although it is now read

using English, Filipino, and the Philippines' regional languages.

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The Plot

Thirteen years after leaving the Philippines, Crisostomo Ibarra returns as Simoun, a rich jeweler

sporting a beard and blue-tinted glasses, and a confidant of the Captain-General. Abandoning

his idealism, he becomes a cynical saboteur, seeking revenge against the Spanish Philippine

system responsible for his misfortunes by plotting a revolution. Simoun insinuates himself into

Manila high society and influences every decision of the Captain-General to mismanage the

country’s affairs so that a revolution will break out. He cynically sides with the upper classes,

encouraging them to commit abuses against the masses to encourage the latter to revolt

against the oppressive Spanish colonial regime. This time, he does not attempt to fight the

authorities through legal means, but through violent revolution using the masses. His two

reasons for instigating a revolution are at first, to rescue María Clara from the convent and

second, to get rid of ills and evils of Philippine society. His true identity is discovered by a now

grown-up Basilio while visiting the grave of his mother, Sisa, as Simoun was digging near the

grave site for his buried treasures. Simoun spares Basilio’s life and asks him to join in his

planned revolution against the government, egging him on by bringing up the tragic misfortunes

of the latter's family. Basilio declines the offer as he still hopes that the country’s condition will

improve.

Basilio, at this point, is a graduating medical student at the Ateneo Municipal. After the death of

his mother, Sisa, and the disappearance of his younger brother, Crispín, Basilio heeded the

advice of the dying boatman, Elías, and traveled to Manila to study. Basilio was adopted by

Captain Tiago after María Clara entered the convent. With the help of the Ibarra's riches and

Captain Tiago, Basilio was able to go to Colegio de San Juan de Letrán where, at first, he is

frowned upon by his peers and teachers because of his skin color and his shabby appearance

but is able to win their favor after winning a fencing tournament. Captain Tiago’s confessor,

Father Irene is making Captain Tiago’s health worse by giving him opium even as Basilio tries

hard to prevent Captain Tiago from smoking it. He and other students want to establish a

Spanish language academy so that they can learn to speak and write Spanish despite the

opposition from the Dominican friars of the Universidad de Santo Tomás. With the help of a

reluctant Father Irene as their mediator and Don Custodio’s decision, the academy is

established but this turns bad as they will serve, not as the teachers but as caretakers of the

school. Dejected and defeated, they hold a mock celebration at a pancitería while a spy for the

friars disguised as a poor man witnesses the proceedings. Basilio, however, was not with them

during the event.

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Simoun, for his part, keeps in close contact with the bandit group of Kabesang Tales, a former

cabeza de barangay who suffered misfortunes at the hands of the friars. Once a farmer owning

a prosperous sugarcane plantation and a cabeza de barangay (barangay head), he was forced

to give everything he had owned to the greedy, unscrupulous Spanish friars and the Church. His

son, Tano, who became a civil guard was captured by bandits, his daughter Julî had to work as

a maid to get enough ransom money for his freedom, and his father, Tandang Selo, suffered a

stroke and became mute. Before joining the bandits, Tales took Simoun’s revolver while Simoun

was staying at his house for the night. As payment, Tales leaves a locket that once belonged to

María Clara. To further strengthen the revolution, Simoun has Quiroga, a Chinese man hoping

to be appointed consul to the Philippines, smuggle weapons into the country using Quiroga’s

bazaar as a front. Simoun wishes to attack during a stage play with all of his enemies in

attendance. He, however, abruptly aborts the attack when he learns from Basilio that María

Clara had died earlier that day in the convent.

A few days after the mock celebration by the students, the people are agitated when disturbing

posters are found displayed around the city. The authorities accuse the students present at the

pancitería of agitation and disturbing peace and has them arrested. Basilio, although not

present at the mock celebration, is also arrested. Captain Tiago dies after learning of the

incident. But before he dies he signs a will, unknown to him it was forged by Father Irene. His

will originally states that Basilio should inherit all his property but due to this forgery his property

is given in parts, one to Santa Clara, one for the archbishop, one for the Pope, and one for the

religious orders leaving nothing for Basilio to be inherited. Basilio is left in prison as the other

students are released. A high official tries to intervene for the release of Basilio but the Captain-

General, bearing grudges against the high official, coerces him to tender his resignation. Julî,

Basilio’s girlfriend and the daughter of Kabesang Tales, tries to ask Father Camorra's help upon

the advice of Hermana Bali. The two travel to the convent but things suddenly turn horrible as

Camorra tries to rape Juli, due to his long-hidden desires for young women. Julî, rather than

submit to the will of the friar, jumps over the balcony to her death. Basilio is soon released with

the help of Simoun.

Basilio, now a changed man, and after hearing about Julî's suicide, finally joins Simoun’s

revolution. Simoun then tells Basilio his plan at the wedding of Paulita Gómez and Juanito,

Basilio’s hunch-backed classmate. His plan was to conceal an explosive which

contains nitroglycerin inside a pomegranate-styled Kerosene lamp that Simoun will give to the

newlyweds as a gift during the wedding reception. The reception will take place at the former

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home of the late Captain Tiago, which was now filled with explosives planted by Simoun.

According to Simoun, the lamp will stay lighted for only 20 minutes before it flickers; if someone

attempts to turn the wick, it will explode and kill everyone—important members of civil society

and the Church hierarchy—inside the house. Basilio has a change of heart and attempts to

warn Isagani, his friend and the former boyfriend of Paulita. Simoun leaves the reception early

as planned and leaves a note behind: Mene Thecel Phares.

Initially thinking that it was simply a bad joke, Father Salví recognizes the handwriting and

confirms that it was indeed Ibarra’s. As people begin to panic, the lamp flickers. Father Irene

tries to turn the wick up when Isagani, due to his undying love for Paulita, bursts in the room and

throws the lamp into the river, sabotaging Simoun's plans. He escapes by diving into the river as

guards chase after him. He later regrets his impulsive action because he had contradicted his

own belief that he loved his nation more than Paulita and that the explosion and revolution could

have fulfilled his ideals for Filipino society.

Simoun, now unmasked as the perpetrator of the attempted arson and failed revolution,

becomes a fugitive. Wounded and exhausted after he was shot by the pursuing Guardia Civil,

he seeks shelter at the home of Father Florentino, Isagani’s uncle, and comes under the care of

doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña, Doña Victorina's husband, who was also hiding at the house.

Simoun takes poison in order for him not to be captured alive. Before he dies, he reveals his

real identity to Florentino while they exchange thoughts about the failure of his revolution and

why God forsook him, when all he wanted was to avenge the people important to him that were

wronged, such as Elias, Maria Clara and his father, Don Rafael. Florentino opines that God did

not forsake him and that his plans were not for the greater good but for personal gain. Simoun,

finally accepting Florentino’s explanation, squeezes his hand and dies. Florentino then takes

Simoun’s remaining jewels and throws them into the Pacific Ocean with the corals hoping that

they would not be used by the greedy, and that when the time came that it would be used for

the greater good.

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Characters

Simoun - Crisostomo Ibarra in disguise, left for dead at the end of Noli me tangere. Ibarra

has resurfaced as the wealthy jeweler, Simoun, sporting a beard, blue-tinted glasses, and a

revolver. Fueled by his mistreatment at the hands of the Spaniards and his fury at Maria

Clara's fate, Simoun secretly plans a revolution to seek revenge against those who wronged

him.

Basilio - Son of Sisa and another character from Noli Me Tangere. He became a servant of

Captain Tiyago in exchange for education. In the events of the book, he is a graduating

medical student who befriended Simoun. His girlfriend is Juli.

Isagani - Basilio's friend and one of the students who planned to set up a new school. He is

very idealistic and hopes for a better future for the Philippines. His girlfriend was the rich and

beautiful Paulita Gomez, but they broke up once he was arrested. Despite this, his love for

her still endured. He sabotaged Simoun's plans by removing the lamp that contained

explosives and threw it in the waters.

Kabesang Tales - Cabeza Telesforo Juan de Dios, a former cabeza de

barangay (barangay head) of Sagpang, a barangay in San Diego's neighboring town Tiani,

who resurfaced as the feared Luzón bandit Matanglawin. He is the son of Tandang Selo,

and father of Juli and Tano.

Don Custodio - Custodio de Salazar y Sánchez de Monteredondo, a famous "journalist"

who was asked by the students about his decision for the Academia de Castellano. In

reality, he is quite an ordinary fellow who married a rich woman in order to be a member of

Manila's high society.

Paulita Gómez - The girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of Doña Victorina, the old Indio who

passes herself off as a Peninsular, who is the wife of the quack doctor Tiburcio de

Espadaña. In the end, she and Juanito Peláez are wed, and she dumps Isagani, believing

that she will have no future if she marries him.

Macaraig - One of Isagani's classmates at the University of Santo Tomas. He is a rich

student and serves as the leader of the students yearning to build the Academia de

Castellano.

Father Florentino - Isagani's godfather, and a secular priest; was engaged to be married,

but chose to be a priest after being pressured by his mother, the story hinting at the

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ambivalence of his decision as he chooses an assignment to a remote place, living in

solitude near the sea. He took in Don Tiburcio de Espandaña when he was hiding from his

wife, Donya Victorina.

Huli - Juliana de Dios, the girlfriend of Basilio, and the youngest daughter of Kabesang

Tales. To claim her father from the bandits, she had to work as a maid under the

supervision of Hermana Penchang. Eventually, she was freed but committed suicide after

Father Camorra attempted to rape her.

Juanito Pelaez - A favorite student of the professors. They belong to the noble Spanish

ancestry. After failing in his grades, he became Paulita's new boyfriend and they eventually

wed.

Doña Victorina - Victorina delos Reyes de Espadaña, known in Noli Me Tangere as

Tiburcio de Espadaña's cruel wife. She is the aunt of Paulita Gomez, and favors Juanito

Pelaez over Isagani. She is searching for her husband, who has left her and is in hiding.

Although of Indio heritage, she considers herself as one of the Peninsular.

Father Camorra - The lustful parish priest of Tiani, San Diego's adjacent town who has

longtime desires for young women. He nearly raped Juli causing the latter to commit

suicide.

Ben-Zayb - The pseudonym of Abraham Ibañez, a journalist who believes he is the "only"

one thinking in the Philippines. Ben-Zayb is an anagram of Ybanez, an alternate spelling of

his name.

Placido Penitente - A student of the University of Santo Tomas who was very intelligent

and wise but did not want, if not only by his mother's plea, to pursue his studies. He also

controls his temper against Padre Millon, his physics teacher. During his High School days,

he was an honor student hailing from Batangas.

Hermana Penchang - Sagpang's rich pusakal (gambler). She offers Juli to be her maid so

the latter can obtain money to free Kabesang Tales. Disbelieving of Juli and her close

friends, she considers herself as an ally of the friars.

Tiburcio de Espadaña - Don Tiburcio is Victorina de Espadaña's lame husband. He is

currently in hiding at Father Florentino's.

Father Írene - Captain Tiago's spiritual adviser. Although reluctant, he helped the students

to establish the Academia de Castellano after being convinced by giving him a chestnut.

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The only witness to Captain Tiago's death, he forged the last will and testament of the latter

so Basilio will obtain nothing from the inheritance.

Quiroga - A Chinese businessman who dreamed of being a consul for his country in the

Philippines. He hid Simoun's weapons inside his house.

Don Timoteo Pelaez - Juanito's father. He is a rich businessmen and arranges a wedding

for his son and Paulita. He and Simoun became business partners.

Tandang Selo - Father of Kabesang Tales and grandfather of Tano and Juli. He raised the

sick and young Basilio after he left their house in Noli me tangere. He died in an encounter

on the mountains with his son Tales, when he was killed by a battalion that included his own

grandson, Tano.

Father Fernández - The priest-friend of Isagani. He promised to Isagani that he and the

other priests will give in to the students' demands.

Sandoval - The vice-leader of Macaraig's gang. A Spanish classmate of Isagani, he

coerces his classmates to lead alongside him the opening of the Spanish language

academy.

Hermana Báli - Another gambler in Tiani. She became Juli's mother-figure and counselor;

helped to release Kabesang Tales from the hands of bandits.

Father Millon - The Physics teacher of the University of Santo Tomas. He always becomes

vindictive with Placido and always taunts him during class.

Tadeo - Macaraig's classmate. He, along with the other three members of their gang,

supposedly posted the posters that "thanked" Don Custodio and Father Irene for the

opening of the Academia de Castellano.

Leeds - An American who holds stage plays starring severed heads; he is good friends with

Simoun.

Tano - Kabesang Tales's elder son after his older sister, Lucia died in childhood. He took up

the pseudonym "Carolina" after returning from exile in the Caroline Islands, and became a

civil guard. He was among the battalion killed his grandfather, Selo, who was part of a group

of an attacking rebels.

Pepay - Don Custodio's supposed "girlfriend". A dancer, she is always agitated of her

"boyfriend"'s plans. She seems to be a close friend of Macaraig.

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Gobernador General - The highest-ranking official in the Philippines during the Spanish

colonial period, this unnamed character pretends that what he is doing is for the good of the

Indios, the local citizens of the country, but in reality, he prioritizes the needs of his fellow

Spaniards living in the country.

Father Hernando de la Sibyla - A Dominican friar introduced in Noli Me Tangere, now the

vice-rector of the University of Santo Tomas.

Pecson - classmate who had no idea on the happenings occurring around him. He

suggested that they held the mock celebration at the panciteria.

Father Bernardo Salvi- Former parish priest of San Diego in Noli Me Tangere, now the

director and chaplain of the Santa Clara convent.

Captain Tiago - Santiago delos Santos, Captain Tiago is Maria Clara's stepfather and the

foster-father to Basilio. His health disintegrates gradually because of the opium he was

forced to smoke. Eventually, he died because Padre Irene scared him about the revolt of

the Filipinos.

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Symbolical Interpretation of the Fili

Maria Clara, who after suffering from untold physical and spiritual abuse for at

least 13 years, at last dies, can still be made to symbolize in the Fili, the friar-

dominated culture, which is now ripe for revolution. That there is no eventual union

between Simoun and Maria Clara, not even meeting between the two since they

parted 13 years ago is significant. Although Simoun wanted very much to see and

possess her, he was not permitted to do so. This is indicative, symbolically

speaking, of Rizal’s refusal to recognize that the friar-dominated Filipino culture

could still be reinvigorated through the infusion of new elements into its anemic

bloodstream.

Senor Pasta, the idealist turned mercenary, could be made to represent that

portion of Filipino society who have abandoned their noble social ideas and have

become thoroughly self-seeking opportunist, serving only the interest of those who

have hired them.

Isagani, a young student, who is inspired by high ideals for his country but at

critical moment apparently and unwittingly, forgets those ideals for selfish reasons,

could be made to symbolize the untested and unrealiable idealism of a segment of

the educated Filipino youths of the time.

Paulita Gomez, the hapless object of Isagani’s affection, a girl who is freer from

the fetters of convention than Maria Clara, can be made to represent that portion of

Filipino womanhood – still half breed like Maria Clara – which is relatively

enlightened but which is itself almost thoroughly bereft of love of country and of a

desire for the social good.

Basilio, the medical student who, despite the extreme sufferings undergone by his

family as a result of clerical perfidy and cruelty, refuses to entertain any revolution

though even in th face of rampant social injustices, could be made to symbolize that

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segment of the educated Filipino society which has been so brutalized that it has

become insensible to the social walfare.

Placido Penitente, is another young man who has been so disillusioned by the

state of affairs he finds himself in as a student, entertains the desire to go abroad.

When shown by Simoun some signs of possible uprising, he becomes so frightened

that he could not make up his mind whether to join or not join. He persuasively

could be made to symbolize those elements of Philippine society, which had not yet

been infused with a national sentiment or social conscience.

Don Custodio, a typical Spanish official in the country, who occupies several

positions despite the absence of qualification, believes that any idea that does not

come from him deserves no consideration. As the character in the Fili, Rizal

portrayed him as one who finds pleasure in developing a feeling of inferiority among

the people.

The pattern of suffering in the El Filibusterismo is depicted in the story of Cabesang

Tales, Juli, and the school master.

Cabesang Tales, a victim of land grabbing by the friars, became desperate and

joined the outlaws for personal revenge. He died of fever and found no justice in the

courts.

Juli, innocent-looking and unaffected daughter of Cabesang Tales and sweetheart of

Basilio, took her own life because of her love for honor and chastity rather than

surrender her womanhood to the mundane desire of Fr. Camorra.

The School Master, rusticated as a rebel for having experimented teaching the

Spanish language to young children against the wishes of the Spanish friars was

pardoned due to the influence wielded by Simoun. Later on, he became Simoun’s

gunpowder expert.

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The word "filibustero" wrote Rizal to his friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt, is very little

known in the Philippines. The masses do not know it yet. 

Jose Alejandro, one of the new Filipinos who had been quite intimate with Rizal,

said, "in writing the Noli Rizal signed his own death warrant." Subsequent events,

after the fate of the Noli was sealed by the Spanish authorities, prompted Rizal to

write the continuation of his first novel. He confessed, however, that regretted very

much having killed Elias instead of Ibarra, reasoning that when he published the

Noli his health was very much broken, and was very unsure of being able to write

the continuation and speak of a revolution.

Explaining to Marcelo H. del Pilar his inability to contribute articles to the La

Solidaridad, Rizal said that he was haunted by certain sad presentiments, and that

he had been dreaming almost every night of dead relatives and friends a few days

before his 29th birthday, that is why he wanted to finish the second part of the Noli

at all costs.

Consequently, as expected of a determined character, Rizal apparently went in

writing, for to his friend, Blumentritt, he wrote on March 29, 1891: "I have finished

my book. Ah! I’ve not written it with any idea of vengeance against my enemies, but

only for the good of those who suffer and for the rights of Tagalog humanity,

although brown and not good-looking."

To a Filipino friend in Hong Kong, Jose Basa, Rizal likewise eagerly announced the

completion of his second novel. Having moved to Ghent to have the book published

at cheaper cost, Rizal once more wrote his friend, Basa, in Hongkong on July 9,

1891: "I am not sailing at once, because I am now printing the second part of the

Noli here, as you may see from the enclosed pages. I prefer to publish it in some

other way before leaving Europe, for it seemed to me a pity not to do so. For the

past three months I have not received a single centavo, so I have pawned all that I

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have in order to publish this book. I will continue publishing it as long as I can; and

when there is nothing to pawn I will stop and return to be at your side."

Inevitably, Rizal’s next letter to Basa contained the tragic news of the suspension of

the printing of the sequel to his first novel due to lack of funds, forcing him to stop

and leave the book half-way. "It is a pity," he wrote Basa, "because it seems to me

that this second part is more important than the first, and if I do not finish it here, it

will never be finished."

Fortunately, Rizal was not to remain in despair for long. A compatriot, Valentin

Ventura, learned of Rizal’s predicament. He offered him financial assistance. Even

then Rizal’s was forced to shorten the novel quite drastically, leaving only thirty-

eight chapters compared to the sixty-four chapters of the first novel.

Rizal moved to Ghent, and writes Jose Alejandro. The sequel to Rizal’s Noli came off

the press by the middle of September, 1891.On the 18th he sent Basa two copies,

and Valentin Ventura the original manuscript and an autographed printed copy.

Inspired by what the word filibustero connoted in relation to the circumstances

obtaining in his time, and his spirits dampened by the tragic execution of the three

martyred priests, Rizal aptly titled the second part of the Noli Me Tangere, El

Filibusterismo. In veneration of the three priests, he dedicated the book to them.

"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 the Bagumbayan

Field on the 28th of February, 1872."

"The church, by refusing to degrade you, has placed in doubt the crime that has

been imputed to you; the Government, by surrounding your trials with mystery and

shadows causes the belief that there was some error, committed in fatal moments;

and all the Philippines, by worshipping your memory and calling you martyrs, in no

sense recognizes your culpability. In so far, therefore, as your complicity in the

Cavite Mutiny is not clearly proved, as you may or may not have been patriots, and

as you may or may not cherished sentiments for justice and for liberty, I have the

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right to dedicate my work to you as victims of the evil which I undertake to combat.

And while we await expectantly upon Spain some day to restore your good name

and cease to be answerable for your death, let these pages serve as a tardy wreath

of dried leaves over one who without clear proofs attacks your memory stains his

hands in your blood."

Rizal’s memory seemed to have failed him, though, for Father Gomez was then 73

not 85, Father Burgos 35 not 30 Father Zamora 37 not 35; and the date of

execution 17th not 28th.

The FOREWORD of the Fili was addressed to his beloved countrymen, thus: “To the

Filipino People and their Government.”

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Rizal after the Fili

After the publication of El Filibusterismo, Rizal no longer shared the view of the

reforms that reforms in the country will be granted by the Spanish government. He

gave up the idea of gradual and peaceful emancipation of the country, which he

clearly communicated to Blumentritt in 1887. As stressed by Rizal in the

aforementioned correspondence “peaceful struggle will just remain a dream,

considering that Spain had not learned the lesson of her former colonies in South

America.” Believing that reforms would no longer be granted by Spain, Rizal

became a separatist. As a separatist, he was quite unique considering he left to God

the attainment of independence.

After the publication of the Fili, Rizal was bitterly attacked and mocked by his fellow

reformers in Madrid. This can be accounted for by the very radical and subversive

tone of the novel, which renounced the propaganda campaign for peaceful reforms

and assimilation. This made Rizal decide to serve his connection with the

propagandist in Madrid to avert possible split in their unity. Totally free and

detached from the propagandist in Europe, Rizal opted to return to the Philippines

to share the misfortunes of his family.

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Exercises:

1. What is the plot of the El Filibusterismo?

2. Who were the major characters used by Rizal in the Fili? What did they

symbolize in our society during Rizal’s time?

3. How was Rizal transformed by his publication of El Filibusterismo?

4. Based on the novel, identify the following

a. Rizal’s message in the novel;

b. Basic themes of the novel;

c. Rizal’s views on independence; and

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