The Three Faces of Evil in El Filibusterismo

The Three Faces of Evil in El Filibusterismo

An Agrarian Tragedy and The Eviction from Calamba Jeffrey King Garcia

Telesforo or Cabesang Tales    

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Son of Tandang Selo. Father of two sons and two daughters. Silent type. Once an employee of some capitalist but decided to go on his own after earning some money and owned two Carabaos. With the help of his father, wife and two kids “pagkakaingin” is their means of livelihood and the cause of death of his eldest daughter and wife. One plentiful harvest forced the friar to claim the land. Because of the influence of the friars, Tales agreed to an annual payment.

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After a few years they earned enough money to build a house in a village. Because he has the best house in the village, he is appointed to be the cabeza the barangay (an honorable title with the obligation to collect taxes). The friars raised the canon to 500 pesos and Tales refuses to pay. The matter is brought to the court, they issue a verdict in favor of the friars. Tales refuse to accept the verdict. He resumes patrolling his land with a gun.

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He was kidnapped by the bandits and demanded 500 pesos ransom. Cabesang Tales, freed, is a changed man. Joined the bandits.

The Eviction from Calamba 

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“Take heart, men of Kalamba! Your name is not Tales. You have committed no crime.” Mentioned the heads of families evicted by friars from their homes, and some of them deported. Among the names is that of Rizal’s brother Paciano. After the eviction Rizal’s family sought refuge in Hong Kong. Rizal left Europe to join them there. But the fate of the 300 or so others who were now homeless weighed on his mind. He brought the evicted farmers in North Borneo (British Colony that time) Rizal then wrote to the Spanish Government and Captain-General in Manila, asking permission for the families evicted from Calamba to leave the country.

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Receiving no reply, Rizal decided to go in person to Manila to see the Governor. Shortly after his arrival he was imprisoned in Fort Santiago and departed to Dapitan. He found a large track of land in Dapitan where the evicted farmers could resettle. And then the SpanishAmerican war and the Philippine Revolution intervened. Rizal’s interest in the evils of the agrarian system was not merely academic nor merely that of a writer of fiction. It was dictated by acute anguish over a situation that involved his family and townspeople

Simoun Jim Adrian Francinilla

Who was Simoun? 

Juan Crisostomo Ibarra’s alter-ego  

Supposed to be a hero Events that transpired after Noli made him a villain  

Not the main villain, but a villain nonetheless There were other villains, and were generally much worse

Who was Simoun? 

Simoun was the exact opposite of other villains  

Most villains in the novel aimed for preservation of power On the other hand, Simoun wanted to free his people from oppression, with whatever means necessary 

No regard for anyone else’s safety, as long as goals are achieved

Who was Simoun? 

Simoun was the ‘exemplar of the amoral politician’  

Ruthless The only thing that matters is a thing’s usefulness for achieving an end goal 

Murder, massacre, injustice, violation of human rights are justifiable

Who was Simoun?  

Simoun is the ‘consummate Machiavellian’ Multiple questions were asked, and the answer was always no.  

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Will Spain ever grant them (the Filipinos) freedom? Will the people entrenched in power in the islands ever grant the needed reforms?

Thus, the only solution was armed revolt

Revolution 

How does one bring about the spirit of revolution in Filipinos?  

Filipinos have extreme patience and will put up with almost anything It is necessary to force the people into an armed revolution

Revolution 

How Simoun sparked the revolution: 

Increase tyranny 

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Increase the pressure on the people 

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Incite tyrants to commit greater injustice and atrocities Increase their burdens

If successful, people will explode into uncontrollable acts of vengeance

Rizal as Simoun 

Rizal’s ‘portrayal’ of himself changed  

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Ibarra was both idealistic and altruistic in Noli Simoun was a figure of evil

Implication / Message of the change: 

Evil can be found anywhere, friend or foe 

‘Whoever succumbs to evil must not only be branded an evil person but must take responsibility for the consequences of the villainy’

Influence 

Simoun’s portrayal was influenced by Rizal’s early readings of novels such as ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’  

Simoun initially appears as a sinister, enigmatic figure. Throughout the course of the novel, Simoun’s identity and objectives are slowly revealed

Disclosure to Basilio Axel Josol

Basilio 

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As describe by Rizal, Basilio is a poor boy who was able to complete a medical course but only lacks the final approval for his licentiate. Grave injustice has destroyed his mother and his family as well as the love of his life, Juli and her family. Basilio’s only ambition is to become a doctor to help the poor and the sick

Simoun 

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“Game Changer”

Simoun and friends first lure Basilio into political action but Basilio was clear about his drive of helping and being a doctor. Basilio was imprisoned for more than 3 months After he was freed Basilio decided to go to Simoun and so Simoun’s plan of having Basilio in his plans was followed.

“Such bloody sophisms, uttered by Simoun with conviction, numbed the young man. His mind, weakened by more than three months in prison and blinded by a desire for revenge, was in no position to examine the morality of what was being proposed. Instead of replying that every person, even the most evil, is something more than a vegetable because he has a soul and an intelligence that, no matter how vitiated or brutalized, can still be redeemed; instead of replying that no one has the right to dispose of the life of another for the aggrandizement of anyone; that each individual has the right to life and liberty and the truth, instead of replying that, if it is wrong for the government to punish people for the crimes brought about by the government’s own injustice, so much more it is wrong for an individual to punish a people for the wrongs committed by the government; instead of saying that God alone, who has the power to create and who holds in his hand the destiny of all, has also the power to destroyinstead of these reasonings, all Basilio could do was to ask the trivial question: “What will the world say to such carvanage?”

The Priest’s Verdict Filbert Go

Simoun Was

wounded by the authorities

Took refuge in Padre Florentino’s house by

the sea

Padre Florentino  

Gave his room to the injured Simoun Showed himself the genuine ministry of God’s Mercy but did not forgive Simoun’s actions

The Good Man

All is not evil in Rizal’s novel

Arlene Adrianne Go

The Good People   

Some are flawed Others are destroyed by evil people/institution Some remain good throughout

The unnamed Spanish high official (el alto empleado)   

Protested against tyrannical acts of the Governor and Captain General It is a dishonor to Spain to commit injustice against her colonial subjects When his protests remain unheeded, he resigns and leaves the country

(cont.)The unnamed Spanish high official    

Honorable official not corrupted by power Not intimidated by tyranny Maintained dignity, sense of justice and honor

Father Fernandez   

Dominican Friar Chapter 27(Ang Prayle at ang Estudyante) He desires good of the people but his intentions are helpless against the system

Padre Florentino   

Secular Filipino priest Uncle of Isagani The one Simoun confessed to before he died