JPRIZAL Chapter 8 Summary

Chapter 8 – Noli Me Tangere Pubished In Berlin (1887) Bleak winter of 1886 – no money arrived from Calamba, and he was flat broke. Diamond ring from Saturnina was pawned. Specifically memorable for 2 reasons: (1) Hungry, sick and despondent in a strange city (2) Great joy after enduring ‘coz his first novel Noli Me Tangere was published in March, 1887. Dr. Maximo Viola – likened to Santa Claus, rich friend from Bulacan, came to Berlin and loaned him needed funds to publish the novel. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’ Cabin – inspired Rizal to prepare a novel that would depict the miseries of his people (Filipinos) under the lash of Spanish tyranny. Jan. 2, 1884 – reunion of Filipinos in the Paterno residence in Madrid, Rizal proposed to write a novel about the Philippines in front of group of Filipinos and was approved by the Paternos (Pedro, Maximo and Antonio), Graciano Lopez Jaena, Evaristo Aguirre, Eduardo De Lete, Julio Llorente, Melecio Figuera and Valentin Ventura. Towards the end of 1884 – Rizal began writing the novel in Madrid & finished ½ of it. At Paris, in 1885 – after completing his studies in Central University of Madrid, continued and finished ½ of the second half. Germany – finished ¼ of the novel. Wilhelmsfeld in April to June 1886 – wrote the last few chapters of the novel Chapter 24: Elias and Salome – Was deleted to save printing expenses February 21, 1887 – the novel was finally finished and ready for printing Berliner Buchdruckrei-Action-Gesselschaft – printing shop w/ lowest rate of 300 pesos for 2,000 copies Rizal suspected as French Spy – during the printing of Noli, chief police of Berlin visited Rizal’s boarding house and requested to see his passport, Rizal has no passport and was told to produce within 4 days. Court of Benomar – accompanied by Dr. Maximo Viola went to the Spanish Ambassador for passport but failed for he has no power to do it Rizal’s reason – he said that he is a Filipino ethnologist using the German language was allowed to stay freely in Germany March 21, 1887 – the novel came off the press and sent a copy to Blumentritt, Dr. Antonio Regidor, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce, and Felix R. Hidalgo.

“I am sending you a book, my first book… bold book on the life of the tagalongs… Filipino will find it the history of the last ten years…” March 29, 1887 – gave a token to Viola the galley proofs of the Noli around the pen he used saying “To my dear friend, Maximo Viola, the first to read and appreciate my work – Jose Rizal” Latin phrase “Touch Me Not” from the Gospel of St. John Ch. 20 Verse 13 to 17 – writes to Felix Hidalgo on March 5, 1887 explaining the source of the title and was mistaken to be from St. Luke. “Touch me not; I am not yet ascended to my father…” Philippines or “To My Fatherland” – from where Rizal dedicated the novel 63 chapters and an epilogue – novel length Dr. Antonio Regidor – exiled due to complicity in the Cavite Mutiny of 1872, read and impressed on the novel