Summary

CHAPTER 1:
Jose Rizal was born on Wednesday, June 19, 1861 between eleven and twelve o’ clock at
midnight before the full moon at Calamba, Laguna. Rizal baptized at a Catholic Church of
Calamba, on June 22, when he was only three days old, by a priest Rev. Rufino Collantes a close
friend of his family who also stood as his Godmother, The name Jose was chosen by his mother
wo has devotee of the Christian Saint San Jose (St. Joseph ). Calamba is a The Cradle of a Genius
because this is the town that give birth to our Rizal Calamba has a Mount Makiling on the one
side and by the Laguna de Bay on the other, Calamba offers a veritable scenery of sunny
contours and romantic spot. There is a deep and magnetic charm in the beauty and grandeur
which these surroundings inspire. The site was destined to the cradle of a genius. It a joy
forever, where the plodding and patient carabao moves lazily about besides a lake of poem and
songs. Which seemed people with spirit of ancient days should exert a powerful influence in
making Rizal thinker and poet. Rizal father’s Francisco Mercado Rizal (1818 - 1898) The hero’s
father born in Binan, Laguna His great great grandfather was a Christian Chinese named
Domingo Lamco. He studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose, Manila He was a
hardworking and progressive farmer who became well to do through industry at with the
assistance of his cultured and talented wife and Rizal mother named Dona Teodora (1826-1911)
Was born in Manila on November 8, 1826 a woman of remarkable talent in mathematics,
business and literature She possessed finesse. She belonged to a distinguished family, her
father having been once a delegate to the Spanish cortez while his brother was educated in
Europe and spoke different languages. Don Francisco original family name was Mercado Rizal
wrote to his friend, Prof Fernidand Blumentritt of Austria in 1889 that our family name was
really Mercado but in the Philippines there were many Mercado’s who were not related to us.
My father chose Rizal as our surname because Mercado sounded common. Dona Teodora was
imprisoned by the Spanish authorities for flimsy reason, but she bravely endured the
persecutions heaped upon her and her family some years before she died of eighty five she
politely refused a life pension offered her by our government saying “ Family has never been
patriotic for money. The Rizal Family was a respected and considered one of the riches families
in Calamba during that time. Because his parents were industrious they were able to build a big
house. They were one of the few families to own a carruaje or a house drawn by carriage.
The Children of Rizal, Rizal has 11 children two boys and and nine girls Paciano (1851-1930)
The hero’s only brother. Became an agriculturist though like his father, he had a college
education in Manila. He was a second father his younger brother Jose and gave him wise
counsel. People who knew him opined that he was the filosopo Tasio in Noli Me tangere.
Immediately after the hero’s execution Paciano Joined General Aguinaldo’s revolutionary army,
where he rose to the rank of Major General. He returned to Los Banos after the restoration of
peace and order and led the life of a simple farmer and exemplary citezens. In 1930 he died
almost “unwept unhonored and unsung” was buried in Manila.
Rizal’s had nine sisters, Saturnina(1850-1913), Narcisisa (1852-1939), Olimpia(1855-
1887), Lucia(1857-1919), Maria(1859-1945), Conception(1862-1865), Josefa(1865-1919),
Trinidad(1868-1951) and Soledad (1870-1929). All of them got married except Josefa
and Trinidad who were spinsters and Concepion who died at the age of three. All the
Rizal children were born in Calamba their parents had to move to Manila in early
nineties because of the notorious land troubles and other agrarian problems. The house
of Rizal is made of solid and massive earthquake proof structure with sliding wide
window shutters with capiz shells. Thick walls of lime and store bounded the first floor,
the second floor was made entirely of hard wood except for the roof which made of red
tile. Also there father selected the hardest and seasoned woods from the forest and
took him more than 2 years to construct the house at the back there was an azotea or a
roof top that you can see a overlooking garden and orchard and a wide, deep cistern a
tank for storing water or hold rain water during rainy season for home use. Behind the
house, stood various tropical fruit – bearing trees.

CHAPTER 2:
The life of Jose Rizal, like other young Filipino boys, had a lot of pleasant and beautiful
memories to reckon during his childhood days in Calamba. With parents full of affection to their
children and an abundant blessing form Lord Almighty, he grew up in a home environment
characterized by joy and contentment. His birthplace was and ideal place for artist, poets
budding writers and lovers of art who travelled from Manila and other places to gain inspiration
of tits healthful waters and climate and scenic panorama that surrounds the legendary Mount
Makiling. This is Calamba a perfect place to nurture a growing child that holds promise that
eventually became the cradle of a genius.
When Rizal was 15 years old and was a student at Ateneo de Manila he reminisced his beloved
town and wrote a poem Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo (in Memory of my town) His boyhood
memories are characterized by playing in the garden while watched and marled to birds like the
maya, culiaunan pitpit and maria capara as the chirped and plied from one branch to another
listening with wonder and joy their melodious song. Jose and the other Rizal gathered together
during nightfall and pray angelus after that Jose and other Rizal sharing stories in the nightfall
Rizal’s has a bitter memory when was little conha (Concepcion) whom he fondly called died
when she was only three years old.
Early Schooling of Jose Rizal at the tender age of three Rizal learned the alphabet from his
mother. Her mother was a small strict and a patient teacher. Later his three uncles, brothers of
Dona Teodora concerned themselves with the intellectual artistic and physical training of their
nephew. Rizal left Binan on Dec 7, 1871 after staying for one and half years. In that town he
learned painting in the shop of an old painter named Juancho Pepe, with his intense interest
and love for painting spent many leisure hours at the painter’s studio. Rizal Pupil in School in
Binan Rizal schools days was remarkable He excelled in all subjects especially Latin and Spanish
languages. Because of this, It was endowments. His School in Binan came when he learned
almost all that his letter to his parents that was time to sent Rizal to College in Manila.
Rizal’s Mothers a Victim of injustices while Childhood memories were generally pleasant,
notwithstanding his petty quarrels normal for a young growing boy his age in school, the tragic
incident happened in the Rizal Family when his mother Donta Teodora was arbitrarily arrested
on a malicious charge that she allegedly aided her brother Jose Alberto in trying to poison
Alberto’s wife. After that Rizal witness the GAMBURZA MARTYRDOM The painful experience of
arbitrary imprisonment of Rizal Mother was still fresh and the wounds inflected had not yet
totally healed, On February 17, 1872 the three father’s garroted in public that was the reason
why Paciano quit College education. The parabale of the moth Dona Teodora use to tell stories
to her children before going to bed. In one occasion, she narrated to jose the story of young
moth which had made an imprint profound impression in his mid at an early stages of life, One
evening all members of the Rizal family went to bed early except his mother and him because
Dona Teodora teaching him to read a Spanish lesson because of Rizal being sleepy Dona
Teodora read a very interesting story for Rizal that Rizal suddenly awakened because the story
promised something novel and interesting and the age of eight years old Rizal write a poem
entitled Sa aking mga Kabata (To My Fellow Children) It’s all about being countrymen to love
their national language.

CHAPTER 3:
Jose accompanied by his brother, Paciano the eleven year old boy from Calamba went to
Manila on June 10, 1872 to take the entrance exam examinations and enrolled on the Ateneo
Municipal College under the super vision of Spanish Jesuits this college was rival of Dominican –
owned College of San Juan De Letran formely the Escuela Pia (Charity School) an education
Institution established by the City Government in 1917 for Poor boys in Manila when the Jesuits
returned to the Philippines in 1768 after almost a century exile. Rizal took the examinations on
Christian Doctrine, Arithmetic and reading at the College of San Juan De Letran and passed
them all he returned contentedly to Calamba after having undergone for the first time the trial
of examination and stayed a few days with his family at first Don Francisco wished him to study
at Letran but Later changed his mind and decided to send to the Ateneo De manila because
Ateneo opened to everyone without racial or financial discrimination however Jose almost
denied by the admission because of poor health and short stature.
The life of Rizal in Ateneo is Very good start Because When the School year 1871 – 1872
opened in June Rizal first day is full of excitement just like any other neophytes He was dressed
in coat and tie, He went to the school chapel to hear mass and prayed fervently to God for
guidance. His first professor in the Ateneo was Father Jose Bech. Two empires established to
stimulate the students a Roman empire and a Greek empire Constantly at war for supremacy in
the class whose leading posts are won by means of challenges which are successful if the
opponent committed three mistake, Unlucky Rizal was placed at the tail – end of the line
because he was a newcomer and knew little Spanish so he decides that after he spent noon
recesses in Sta.Isabel college where he spent 3 pesos for Spanish lesson after a week he
improved his class standing and after a month he was a emperor because he was a brightness
in the class. Because of Excellent performance he was awarded a saint picture as his prize and
this the time that he write “My First Inspiration.” That express of Good wishes which was full of
endearing final affection on his mother’s birthday and He knew How to make a Sculpture and
Rizal impressed his professors and Classmates When He curved the image of the virgin Mary on
piece of Philippine Hardwood. After that Rizal started his medical studies at Sto. Tomas that
Dona Teodora believed that her son had enough education after graduating with highest honor
from Ateneo and so she opposed Jose’s going back to Manila for further studies but gladly Rizal
start Studying in Sto. Tomas in the school year of 1878-1879 Rizal Take a medical course
because he wanted to be a physician so that he could look after her mother’s failing eyesight,
The academic climate at the university of Sto.Tomas was quite different from the Ateneo
because of Dominican Professor seemed hostile to him because this Dominican Professor
insulted student and mockingly called them “Indio” because of his unfriendly professors Rizal
virtually failed to maintain high scholastic honors while some of his scholastic grades in medical
education were not excellent however they were all passing after five years in Sto.Tomas Rizal
decided to quit and continued his medical course in abroad. Rizal first love Rizal like other teen
agers also experienced the pleasure plains of first love the girl who captured his heart was the
fourteen year old girl who was a border at La Concordia College where his elder sisters were
studying unfortunately the girl was already engage to another young man but Rizal next feeling
of Passionate personal affection happened in 1880 while warding in the home of his uncle
Antonio Rivera He fell in love with his beautiful daughter Leonor and they become sweethearts
for eleven years. The prize winning poem is A la Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth) the
message of this poem is to express his love of country and eloquent manifestation that the
Philippines in the “Father land of the Filipinos” and not the Spaniards who were born in our
country.
Chapter 4
Rizal left for Spain. Rizal left home and country and went to Europe in order to educate himself.
His secret departure was kept in utmost secrecy. He left Calamba by carromata in early morning
of May 1882 and reached Manila after 10hours. His travel passport name “Jose Mercado”
Rizal couldn’t not help comparing the persons and the things around him so that he would no
longer feel in pain of being separated from his beloved parents and country.
He wrote in his diary “almost all of those men”. An Italian Coly impressed him because of its
business activity.
In Barcelona, his impression of the city was quite a place where freedom and liberalism were
enjoyed by its people. Rizal spent writing letters to his family. Relatives and friends.
He wrote “love of country” Amor patria. Rizal hold fast to his idea that the Philippines was the
filipino’s own country.
Rizal in Madrid sept 1882, Rizal transferred to the Spanish Capital in order to continue his
medical studies. In the famous central university in Madrid he enrolled in two courses. In
Medicine and Philosophy and letters.
Painting and sculpture at the Academy of San Fernando. From Madrid he wrote his father on
October 28, 1883. In the Spanish capitol, Rizal met and associated with other filipino students
who formed the Spanish. The number of the assosciation request Rizal to write a poem and this
was entitled “Me pide versos”.
Rizal used to visit the home of Don Pablo Ortega y Rey on Saturday evenings and with other
Filipino students played certain games for amusement and laughed and with his two daughters
Consuelo and Pilar. The spark of love Smile in Rizal’s heart by Consuelo’s refined manners and
lovely smile was awakened.
Before he left the city in 1883, he wrote a poem dedicated to Consuelo Ortega.

Chapter 5
Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize in opthalmology, a branch of medical
science dealing with the anatomy, functions, and disease of the eye.He has special interest in
this branch of medicine so that he could restore his mother’s sight. In Berlin, he met with
prominent German scientists.
In Paris. Rizal who was then 24 years old and a full-pledged surgeon decided to go to Paris in
order to further his study and acquire adequate knowledge in ophthalmology.
Rizal stayed in Paris for almost 4months. He kept busy writing his novel. He became a clinical
assistant of Dr. Louis de Weckert, a noted ophthalmologist. In Heidelberg, after working as an
assistant. Rizal left Paris and moved to Heidelberg, in German it was February 7, 1886. Rizal had
the privilege to work in the clinic of a noted Polish ophthalmologist, Dr. Javier Galezowsky.

Heidelberg is a city in baden-Wurttemberg in West Germany, is famous for its old universities
and beautiful scenes in the countryside. On August 6, he attended the celebration of the 5th
centenary of the foundation of the University of Heidelberg. To Frankfurt and Leipzig, these are
the cities in East Germany where Rizal visited by boarding a train. Rizal wrote his first letter
German to Professor Ferdinand Bluementritt, director of Ateneo of Leitmeritz, Austria on July
31, 1886.
His next trip was Dresden, another city in Eat Germany on the Elbe River where he met Dr.
Adolf B. Meyer, director of the zoological and ethnographical museum , who also became his
friend.
Rizal liked Berlin because of its healthy environment , the warmth of the people and the
absence of racial discrimination. In this historic city and capital of unified Germany various
accomplished professionals, like Dr. Feodor Jagor, German scientist and author of the book
entitled Travels in the Philippines, which Rizal read with interest during his students days in
Manila.

Rizal led a realistic life in Berlin as a student and as a tourist. He attended lectures of various
interesting subjects in the University of Berlin.
Rizal was deeply impressed with the qualities of the German women. He has a high regard and
admiration for they were diligent, hardworking, active, educated, kind-hearted and
friendly.Their mode of dressing is modest.

Other German way of living. Rizal noted that the German workers were protected by insurance
against the hardships of sickness, accident and old age. He was delighted on the German
customs in observance of the Christmas season.

Rizal got sick. While he was in this city from early November 1886, he tried to economize by
placing himself on a strict vegetarian diet. For some time, he failed to receive money, he even
loaned the diamond ring given by his sister Saturmina to a pawnshop and sold some of his
books to second-hand bookstores. He could not even pay his landlord his monthly due. Eating
only once a day, he soon became sick with chills, fevers and coughs- symptoms of tuberculosis.
The Noli Me Tangere book is published. It contains things of which no one among ourselves has
spoken up to the present; they are so delicate that cannot be touched by anybody. Rizal’s
friends and admirers praised with pride the Noli. On the other hand, his enemies were bitter in
attacking and condemning the same.