Works of Rizal while in UST

Karlo Jennuel R. Antonio 30 July 2013

A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth) - 1879

An entry to the literary contest held by the Liceo Artistico-Literario de Manila, a society of literary men and artists. It won first prize and Rizal was awarded by the board of judges, composed of Spaniards, a feather-shaped silver pen, decorated with a gold ribbon. The poem seeks to encourage the Filipino youth to strive hard in their education because they are the hope of the fatherland.

Abd-el-Azis y Mahoma (Servant of the Mighty One- 1879

A poem by Rizal. Which was declaimed by an Atenean, Manual Fernandez, on the night of December 8, 1879 in honor of the Immaculate Conception.

El Consejo de los Dioses (The Council of the Gods) - 1880

The Liceo Artistico-Literario de Manila opened another literary contest in commemoration of the quadracentennial death anniversary of Miguel Cervantes de Saavedra (But according to P. Gagelonia in his book Ang Buhay Gawat Sinulat Ni Jose Rizal, it was for the 264th death anniversary of Cervantes). The contest was participated by priests, newspapermen, scholars, and professors of UST. Rizal, after being inspired by his win last year, decided to join as well. The contestants used pennames. Hence, nobody knew their true identities.

El Consejo de los Dioses (The Council of the Gods) - 1880

Initially, Rizal won 1st place. When the board of judges found out that he was an indio, they took the award from him and gave it to another Spaniard contestant, D.N. del Puzo a writer from Diario de Manila. After re-examining the entries, the board of judges gave back the 1st prize to Rizal, which is an anillo de oro con el busto del Principe de los Ingenios Espanoles (Gold ring with the bust of the Prince of the Ingenious Spaniards).

Although studying in UST, Rizal was aided by the FatherRector of the Ateneo in securing the needed reference materials for his entry.

El Consejo de los Dioses (The Council of the Gods) - 1880

Its a play about an Asian teenager seizing the cultural elements of the Western humanistic tradition, overcoming not only its formalism, but at the same time laying the foundations for an effort toward selfknowledge; depicting Olympian deities discussing Western literary standards. It reveals the humanistic education of the Philippines at the time and his answer to scholasticism; exploring the true meaning of human desire for knowledge and designs the guidelines for a Filipino speculative thought. (CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art, Vol 7., Cultural Center of the Philippines, 1994).

Junto al Pasig (Beside the Pasig) - 1880

A play by Rizal that was staged by the Academy of Spanish Literature on December 8, 1880, feast day of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the Ateneo. While enrolled in UST, he also the president of the abovementioned Atenean literary organization. It contains Rizals subtle satirical nationalistic idea:
Now without comfort Sadly groans in the power of a foreign people And slowly dies In the impious clutch of Spain

A Filipina (To the Philippines) - 1880

A sonnet Rizal wrote for the Society of Sculptors, urging all Filipino artists to glorify the Philippines through their works.

Al M.R.P. Pablo Ramon, Rector del Ateneo, en Sus Dias. (To M.R.P. Pablo Ramon, Rector of the Ateneo, in their days.) 1881
A poem Rizal made to express his affection to Father Pablo Ramon, who had been so kind and helpful to him.