The Flowers of Heiderlberg: A Symbol of Rizals Love for His Country

by: Noel Krish F. Zacal

In an early morn of April 1886, Heidelberg, Germany, Rizal was walking along
the River Neckar where he saw these beautiful flowers blooming along the path. His
thoughts were carried away to his homeland upon seeing these flowers. Thus, he
wrote this poem.
Rizal used symbolism to articulate his affection for his country given the
situation he was in, being far from the country he loves and utterly helpless of his
countrys state.
In light of that, I will focus on certain lines that will show the use irony to
symbolize a concept.
In the lines,
Go to my country, go, O foreign flowers,
sown by the traveler along the road,
and under that blue heaven
that watches over my loved ones,
recount the devotion
the pilgrim nurses for his native sod!

Rizal expressed his love for his country. The foreign flowers represent this love
beautiful and vibrant since it just turned spring.
The line, Go to my country, go, O foreign flowers as it uses the figurative
language apostrophe to symbolize the act of sending his wonderful love to his
homeland.
Furthermore, the line sown by the traveler along the road represents the
nurtured love for his country. It shows that this love represented by these foreign
flowers has its beauty because of Rizal cultivated such affection for his country even
if he was abroad.