Jose Rizal’s novel NOLI ME TANGERE
is definitely a work of brilliant literature. As I look more deeply into the
storyline and plotting of the novel, it occurs to me that this piece of work
by Dr. Rizal is precisely a social and political satire. The novel clearly depicts the current
socio-political setting and struggle in the Philippines before and during his
time. The characters of the novel are greatly associated with those who exist
in our incumbent society.
Both the movie and the novel are
indeed fascinating to watch or read. The characters and their personalities
were meticulously picked by the author to represent each and every stratum of
the Spanish colonial society in the Philippines. The oppression and bigotry of
the church and its clergymen were clearly illustrated through the characters of
Fr. Damaso and Fr. Salvi. The concept of how wealthy Indios install influence
to the society of elites by holding large parties and gatherings is best represented by Kapitan Tiago or
Santiago de Los Santos the father of Maria Clara. Who became a puppet of both the
church and the government for the protection of his business interests. Modern
Kapitan Tiagos are those businessmen who fund the political campaigns of politicians
to acquire influence and business contracts
from the government.
The cruelty of the head of the constabulary guards, known as the El Alferez, to the
natives and the retaliation of the Indios through rebellion and subversion in the
personification of Elias was a clear and convincing note of Rizal’s view of the
class struggle of his era. Nonetheless, that this depiction of such a society
is still in existence even in today’s modern time. There are still those who
choose to go to the countryside and wage war thru rebellion and subversion due
to the continuing proliferation of violence, corruption, and oppression not
anymore from a foreign rule, but from their own people, this is the materiality
of one of Rizal’s prophetic words that in the near future the slaves will be
the one who will enslave their fellow countrymen.
On the other note, Rizal’s appreciation and adoration to the women of his
generation were embodied by his characterization of Maria Clara. Maria Clara was
said to be the symbol of true Filipina beauty and character. She is veiled with
great politeness and with full of grace in her utterance of words and movement
of her delicate, but fragile body. However, just like what happened to Maria
Clara, women nowadays were also victims of violence, obscurantism, and carnal
lust by people of the church and those in authority. Another woman in the novel
was introduced in the first chapter, is Doña Victorina de Los Reyes de
Espadaña or simply known towards the whole of the novel as Doña Victoriña.
Unlike the feat of Maria Clara, Doña Victorina is a more mendicant form of a
Filipino of that time. She notoriously pretends to be a pure Spanish mestiza and
by doing so she puts heavy make-up in her face to miserably mimic Spanish
women. She even belittled other Filipinos because of their native ways by
telling them to be like her, a woman with true “Spanish sophistication”. I
can relate to the character of Doña Victoriña, even today the likeness of
her still exist. There are Filipinos who are willing to drop their own
identities as Filipinos in exchange for a more comfortable life being
offered by other foreign lands.
Lastly,
the evaluation and criticism of Dr. Rizal to the most basic irreducible unit of
the society or the family is worth to be noticed in the passages of the novel. A
basic native Indio family composed of Narcissa or Sisa, her cruel and drunkard
husband Pedro, and their two children namely Basilio, ten years of age and
Crispin, seven. The struggle of their family really affected me the most
because what they experienced is still being experienced today without any hint
of doubt. Sisa, as a loving and caring mother to her two sons always considers
the condition and the wellbeing of her children. She represents all Filipina mothers
and our country the Philippines as our only motherland which always cares and
provides for us, the children of this country, we Filipinos. However, unlike
Sisa, Pedro is the personification of a cruel and abusive husband and a citizen
of this nation who always thinks of himself by satisfying his addiction to all
kinds of vices without considering his people's negative and abusive effects and motherland. Basilio and Crispin were the clear and convincing
representation of child abuse and slavery which still prospers even of today.
There were the victims of cruelty and abuse by the church and the people in
authority who are willing to kill just to enrich and provide more to themselves
even in inhuman ways.
As
my conclusion to this reaction paper for the novel NOLI ME TANGERE, I must
admit that Dr. J. Rizal was indeed successful if not triumphant in his aim to
influence and educate his readers to realize the current socio-political
scenario of their times. In his novel, Rizal was able to tackle and attack society's weakness and cancer, both old and new. Because of this writing,
many were moved and raised their consciousness to a level that was not been
realized by the colonial masters. Thus redirecting the course of history and
even started a revolution for the cause of nationhood identity. I might say, as
form of an opinion, that the NOLI ME TANGERE can be considered as a Bible of
the true situation of the society. Like the Holy Bible of the Christians, NOLI
ME TANGERE depicts stories and passages that exist even today, much less that it
lays down the problem and the rotten system of our modern Philippine society.
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