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 Introduction to
José Rizal
José Rizal, born on June 19, 1861, in Calamba, Laguna,
was a Filipino nationalist and writer who advocated for
peaceful reforms during the Spanish colonial period.
Educated in the Philippines and Europe, Rizal was
influenced by democratic ideas, which shaped his
vision for change. His novels, Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, boldly criticized Spanish abuses and
promoted Filipino rights. Rizal’s works ignited Filipino
nationalism, making him a key figure in the fight for
independence. Despite his peaceful approach, Rizal
was executed on December 30, 1896, solidifying his
legacy as a national hero.
 Historical Context
The Philippines endured over 300 years of harsh Spanish colonial
rule with exploitation and discrimination.

Filipinos suffered social inequality, abuse by powerful friars, economic

hardship, and widespread discontent.

European Enlightenment ideas influenced Filipino intellectuals like Rizal,

leading to a reform movement.

Rizal and other reformists advocated for peaceful changes and greater
representation, exemplified by the publication of Noli Me Tangere in 1887 to
expose colonial abuses.
Overview of the Novel
Noli Me Tangere, published in 1887, is a novel by José Rizal that critiques the
social, political, and religious structures of the Philippines during Spanish
colonial rule. The title, which means "Touch Me Not," symbolizes the
untouchable issues of oppression and injustice in Filipino society. The novel
follows Crisostomo Ibarra, a young man who returns to the Philippines after
studying in Europe, only to face corruption and abuse by the Spanish friars and
colonial government. Through Ibarra’s journey, Rizal exposes the struggles of
Filipinos under colonial rule, addressing themes of social inequality, religious
hypocrisy, and the importance of education and reform. The novel is a mix of
political commentary, social critique, and romance, and it played a significant
role in inspiring the movement for Philippine independence.
 Main
Characters

Crisostomo Maria Clara Padre Damaso

Ibarra
María Clara de
los Santos y
Alba
• She was raised by Capitan Tiago, San
Diego's cabeza de barangay and is the
most beautiful and widely celebrated
girl in San Diego.
• She symbolizes the purity and
innocence of the sheltered native
woman.
• She also portrayed as a faithful
sweetheart, a good friend and an
obedient daughter.
• related to Rizal's sweetheart Leonor
Juan Crisostomo
Ibarra
y Magsalin
• He is a son of a
Filipinobusinessman, Don Rafael
Ibarra, he studied in Europr for
seven years. Ibarra is also Maria
Clara's Fiance.

• He symbolizes the idealism of the

privileged youth.
 Don Rafael
Ibarra
• father of Crisostomo Ibarra.
• he dies in prison before his name can
be cleared. His remains are buried in
the Catholic cemetery in the town of
San Diego, but Father Damaso hires a
gravedigger to disinter his body to
have him buried at the Chinese
cemetery because of his status as a
heretic.
 Doña Pia
Alba
• wife of Capitan Tiago and mother of Maria
Clara. She died giving birth to her. In
realty, she was raped by Damaso so she
could bear a child.
• a young, healthy and beautiful woman.
Very spiritual woman.
• by nature, a very merry woman but she
became melancholic when she became
pregnant.
• she represented the woman who had
been abused by the clergy and have been
silence by their shame.
 Don Santiago de
os
Santos
• Filipino businessman and the
cabeza de barangay or head of
barangay of the town of San Diego.
• he is also the known father of Maria
Clara. he is also said to be a good
Catholic, friend of the Spanish
government and was considered as
a Spanish by colonialists.
• he symbolizes the rich Filipinos who
oppress their fellow country men.
 Damaso
Verdolagas
• A Franciscan friar and the former
parish curate of San Diego. he is best
known as a notorious character who
speaks with harsh words and has been
a cruel priest during his stay in the
town.
• He is the real father of Maria Clara and
an enemy of Crisostomo's father,
Rafael Ibarra.
• He raped Doña Pia, Maria Clara's
mother.
 Elias
• Ibarra's mysterious friend and ally. Elias
made his first appearance as a pilot
during a picnic of Ibarra and Maria
Clara and her friends. He wants to
revolutionize and the country and to be
freed from Spanish oppression.
• He distrust human judgments and
prefers God's judgment instead.
• He said to be the personification of
Andres Bonifacio.
• He represents the common Filipino
 Pilosopo Tasyo/Don
Anastacio
• seeking for reforms from the government, he
expresses hid ideals in paper written in a
cryptographic aphabet similar from
hieroglyphs and Coptic figures hoping "that
the future generations may be able to
decipher it" and realized the abuse and
oppression done by the conqueros.
• the educated inhabitants of San Diego labeled
him as Filisofo Tacio(Tacio the Sage) while
others called him as TAcio e Loco (Insane
Tacio) talent for reasoning.
• rizal can relate to his brother, Paciano Rizal
• he symbolizes the learned filipino.
 Narcisa
• The deranged mother of Basilio and
Crispin.
• described as beautiful and young,
athough she loves her children very
much, she can not protect them from
the beatings of her husband, Pedro.
• Personified the suffering of the
motherland.
• named after Rizal's older sister,
Narcisa.
 Crispin
• Sisa's 7 year old son. An altar boy, he
was unjustly accused of stealing
money from the church.
• Sisa's favorite son.
• After failing to force Crispin to return
the money he allegedly stole, Father
Salvi and the head sacristan killed
him.
 Basilio
• Sisa's 10 year old son. An colyte tasked
to ring the church bells for the Angelus,
he faced the dread of losing his
younger brother and falling of his
mother into insanity.
• Their family represented the innocent
who were wrongly accused of crime
they did not commit.
• Their story was based on the true tale
od Crisostomo brother's of Hagonoy.
 Padre
Hernando de
la Sibyla
• A Dominican Friar. He is described as
short and fair skin. He is instructed by an
old priest in order to watch Crisostomo
Ibarra.
• He is often cool and intelligent,
especially when correcting the other
friar, Padre Damaso, of the latters
ostentatiousness.
• Symbolizes the liberal friar but would
rather stay in the background rather
than incur the wrath of the other priests
in power. He is aware of the injustices
Padre
Bernardo Salvi
• Secretly harboring lust for Maria Clara.
• Killed an innocent child, Crispin, just to
get money back, though there was not
enough evidence that it was Crispin
who has stolen his 2 onzas.
• manipulates people to get what he
wants.
 El Alferez or
Alperes
• Chief of the Guardia Civil. Mortal
enemy of the priests for power in
San Diego and husband of Doña
Consolacion.
• Shares rivalry with priest,
particularly Padre Salvi and
frequently has violent fights with
his wife.
• Represents the officials of the state
who frequently had power
struggles with church officials.
 Doña
Consolacion
• Wife of the Alferez, nickname as la
musa de los guardias civiles (The
muse of the Civil Guards) or la
Alfereza, was a former laundrywoman
who passes herself as a Peninsuar;
best rmembered for her abusive
treatment of Sisa.
• Pretends not to know Tagalog and
often uses Spanish words even if she
does not know the meaning of it.
• Symbolizes the Fiipinos in our society
who are ashamed pf their own race
and nationality.
 Doña
Victorina
• Wife of Don Tiburcio
• An ambitious Filipina who classified
herself as a Spanish and mimics
Spanish ladies by putting on heavy
make-up.
• She symbolizes those who have a
distorted view of their identity.
 Don Tiburcio
de Espadaña
• Spanish Quack Doctor who is limp and
submissive to his wife, Doña Victorina.
• He is timid and rarely joins in a
conversation.
• Represented the ignorant Spanish
whose foolishness the other Spaniards
toerated, often resulting in disastrous
consequences.
 Teniente
Guevara
• a close friend of Don Rafael Ibarra. He
reveals to Crisostomo how Don Rafael
Ibarra's death came about.
• holding a deep respect for the man, he
alter made efforts to protect Don
Rafael son Crisostomo after the latter
came home from Europe.
• he is also the lieutenant of the civil
Guard.
 Alfonso
Linares
• a distant nephew of Tiburcio de
Espanada, the would by fiancé of
Maria Clara. Although he present
himself as a practitioner of aw, it was
later revealed that he, just like Don
Tiburcio, is a fraud.
• he later died due to given medications
of Don Tiburcio.
• meek and shy
• represented the young Spaniards who
came to the Philippines hoping for a
Summary of Chapter 1-4
The novel opens with Captain Tiago, a wealthy Filipino,
hosting a lavish dinner party in Manila. The gathering
includes both Spaniards and Filipinos, highlighting the
colonial social structure. Among the guests are two friars, a
soldier, and two laymen. Father Dámaso, a Franciscan friar,
dominates the conversation, expressing racist views about
Filipinos, while a young blond man challenges his
prejudices. The discussion touches on religious authority,
government intervention, and the burial of "heretics."
Summary of Chapter 1-4
Later, Captain Tiago arrives with Crisóstomo Ibarra, the son
of his deceased friend, who has just returned from Europe
after seven years. Ibarra is shocked when Father Dámaso
denies having been friends with his father. Lieutenant
Guevara informs Ibarra that his father, Rafael Ibarra, was
an honorable man who was falsely accused of heresy and
died in prison due to his conflicts with the friars and
Spanish authorities. This revelation sets the stage for
Ibarra’s journey as he seeks to uncover the truth and fight
for justice.
Summary of Chapter 5-8
Ibarra has a vision of his father dying in jail while he
enjoys himself, then cries himself to sleep. The
narrative shifts to Captain Tiago, portraying him as
wealthy, religiously devout, and submissive to the
government. Though a mestizo, he distances
himself from native Filipinos and is well-liked by the
authorities. However, the poor see him as an
exploiter, and his subordinates find him tyrannical.
His daughter, María Clara, was raised by her aunt
Isabel after her mother, Doña Pia, died in childbirth.
Though separated for years, María Clara and Ibarra
were promised to each other in marriage.
Summary of Chapter 5-8
As María Clara prepares to leave the convent, she
anxiously awaits seeing Ibarra again. When he
arrives, she initially hides but is convinced by her
aunt to meet him. The couple reminisces about
childhood, with Ibarra poetically expressing his
devotion to her and the Philippines. However, when
María Clara mentions a letter from Ibarra’s father
about his travels, Ibarra becomes momentarily
troubled. He soon remembers that the next day is
the Day of the Dead and leaves for his village,
reflecting on the changes in Manila during his
absence.
Summary of Chapter 9-
12
Father Dámaso meets María Clara and Isabel
as they prepare to retrieve María Clara’s
belongings from the convent, intending to
speak privately with Captain Tiago.
Meanwhile, Father Sibyla discusses Ibarra’s
conflict with Father Dámaso and his upcoming
marriage with an elderly priest. Sibyla
believes Ibarra poses no threat to the church
due to his wealth and expected marital
happiness, but the elder priest suggests that
an open conflict could reveal weaknesses in
the church that need addressing.
Summary of Chapter 9-
12
Rizal recounts a village legend about a mysterious
Spaniard who traded for land and was later found
hanged. His supposed son, a cruel and violent
mestizo, became Rafael Ibarra’s father. Despite
their wealth, neither Rafael Ibarra nor Captain
Tiago held real power in the village. Authority
constantly shifts, with Father Salví, a quiet but
influential priest, competing with the ensign,
whose power is further undermined by his
domineering wife, Doña Consolación.
In the graveyard, two men dig into a fresh grave,
one reluctantly following orders from a priest.
Summary of Chapter 13-
16
Ibarra visits the cemetery to find his father’s grave
but discovers it has been desecrated. A
gravedigger tells him that Father Dámaso ordered
Don Rafael’s body to be exhumed and thrown into
the water rather than be reburied in the Chinese
cemetery. Enraged, Ibarra confronts Father Salví,
who deflects blame onto his predecessor.
Summary of Chapter 13-
16
Tasio, an eccentric philosopher, is introduced.
Once a promising student, he abandoned formal
education due to his mother’s fears of him losing
faith. Now, he is both respected and ridiculed for
his intellectual views. His conversation about
lightning rods and purgatory highlights his logical
yet controversial thinking.
Summary of Chapter 13-
16
Meanwhile, young brothers Crispín and Basilio
struggle with poverty as church sextons. Crispín is
falsely accused of theft and held at the church,
despite his desperate protests. Their mother, Sisa,
eagerly awaits them at home, but her abusive
husband arrives instead, eating most of the food
she prepared for them.
Summary of Chapter 17-
20
Basilio returns home alone, wounded from a
gunshot but grateful to be alive. He tells Sisa that
Crispín was falsely accused of theft, reinforcing
Sisa’s belief that the poor must endure endless
suffering. Basilio dreams about the night’s events
and decides to seek work from Ibarra, whom he
sees as a good man like his father.
Meanwhile, villagers discuss buying indulgences to
shorten their loved ones’ time in purgatory,
demonstrating how the church profits from
people’s faith. Sisa, still searching for her sons,
wanders aimlessly.
Summary of Chapter 17-
20
Ibarra meets a schoolmaster by the lake where his
father’s body was dumped. He decides that
fulfilling his father’s dreams is more important
than seeking revenge and offers to help the
schoolmaster, who struggles under church control.
Father Dámaso limits his teaching, forces him to
punish students, and prevents them from learning
Spanish, restricting their opportunities in colonial
society.
Summary of Chapter 17-
20
At a city hall meeting, Ibarra hopes to address
these educational concerns, but the discussion
focuses on an upcoming festival. The young
liberals, led by Don Filipo, oppose the costly
celebrations, while the older conservatives
support them. Tasio tricks the conservatives into
rejecting their own proposal, but the priest
ultimately dictates the festival’s structure,
ignoring the townspeople’s wishes. Frustrated,
Tasio and Don Filipo lament how the mayor blindly
obeys the church.
Summary of Chapter 21-
24
Sisa is humiliated when civil guards take her to
search for money her sons allegedly stole, though
they only manage to take a hen. She is relieved
when they reveal that her older son escaped, but
she still can’t find her boys. Meanwhile, the town
prepares for the festival, and Ibarra is reunited
with María Clara, who is adored by the villagers.
During a fishing trip planned to avoid Father Salví,
Ibarra and María Clara have an adventure when a
crocodile threatens the group. Ibarra helps kill the
crocodile, showcasing his bravery.
Summary of Chapter 21-
24
Afterward, Father Salví brings up a recent assault
on Father Dámaso, accusing Elías of the crime. As
they continue, Sisa briefly appears looking for her
children, but runs away. Tensions rise as the
ensign mocks Father Salví, leading to a
confrontation about the missing sextons. The
group is soon interrupted by civil guards who
demand Elías’s whereabouts, though he has
already vanished.
Summary of Chapter 25-
28
The next morning, Ibarra visits Old Tasio, who has
heard rumors about Elías from Doña Consolación,
the ensign’s wife. Ibarra shares his school project
with Tasio, who supports the idea but advises
against consulting with him, as it would make
Ibarra appear crazy. Instead, he suggests Ibarra
seek advice from officials, pretending to follow it
while disregarding their guidance. Although Ibarra
initially disagrees, he eventually agrees.
Summary of Chapter 25-
28
Tasio criticizes the government, arguing that it
doesn’t understand the country and that people
suffer in silence due to having no voice. Ibarra
counters by believing that Spain is working toward
reform. He wonders whether his love for the
Philippines must conflict with his loyalty to Spain.
Summary of Chapter 25-
28
The night before the festival, preparations are
underway, and Captain Tiago suggests Ibarra
name the school Saint Francis to gain favor with
the church. Sisa is taken away by a soldier after
touching a leper, repeating the loss of her sons.
On the day of the festival, the narrator notes that
nothing significant happens to the protagonists,
instead offering details about Philippine customs.
Summary of Chapter 29-
32
On the last day of the festival, Don Filipo and Tasio
discuss the wastefulness of the event, with Tasio
urging Filipo to resign as deputy mayor due to the
mayor’s subservience to Father Salví. A young
woman with a baby calls Father Salví "Papa,"
causing him to blush while the crowd snickers,
though they misunderstand the situation.
Summary of Chapter 29-
32
Father Dámaso delivers a long, boring sermon,
insulting both the ensign and the Civil Guard. He
struggles to speak Tagalog, making his sermon
even harder to follow. He emphasizes the
importance of "indios" respecting priests and the
church. During the service, Elías warns Ibarra to
avoid the cornerstone later.
Summary of Chapter 29-
32
At the school, after Father Salví's blessing and the
Captain General’s brief speech, Ibarra is asked to
bury a time capsule in a trench. While he watches
Elías and the yellow man, who is in charge of
lowering the stone, a crash occurs—the stone falls
and kills the yellow man, but Ibarra survives. The
crowd expresses indifference to the yellow man’s
death, dismissing him as "only an indio" who
didn’t attend the service.
Summary of Chapter 33-
36
Elías asks Ibarra a favor, explaining that they both
owe each other their lives. He advises Ibarra not
to tell anyone about the warning, as he believes
it’s better for Ibarra’s enemies to think he’s
unprepared. Elías also tells Ibarra that everyone
has enemies, as “enmity is the law of life.” Ibarra
begins to realize Elías isn’t just a simple boatman
or peasant, and Elías explains his philosophical
view on life, emphasizing that he no longer
believes in men but still has faith in God.
Summary of Chapter 33-
36
Meanwhile, a dinner is held with the province's
prominent figures, and news arrives that the
Captain General will visit Tiago’s house. Father
Dámaso makes insulting remarks about Filipinos,
including a pointed comment at Ibarra, and mocks
Ibarra’s father, leading Ibarra to attack him in
anger. María Clara intervenes, stopping Ibarra
from doing more harm.
Summary of Chapter 33-
36
Rumors spread that Father Dámaso is dead, and
townspeople take sides in the conflict. Ibarra is
excommunicated, and María Clara is devastated.
Captain Tiago, under pressure from Father
Dámaso, forbids María Clara from speaking to
Ibarra until his excommunication is lifted. Tiago
also announces that Father Dámaso has ordered
the engagement between María Clara and Ibarra
to be broken off and insists that she marry a
relative coming from Spain, a command she
reluctantly follows due to her father’s threats and
Summary of Chapter 37-
40
The Captain General arrives and wants to meet
Ibarra, but first meets with the friars, treating
them rudely. Father Salví explains that Father
Dámaso isn’t present due to illness. When Ibarra
meets the Captain General, he is warmly greeted,
and the Captain General praises Ibarra's efforts to
build a school, promising to speak with the
archbishop about his excommunication. He warns
Ibarra to be more careful, saying his European
ideals don’t align with the Philippines, but Ibarra
insists on living where his parents did. The Captain
General tells the mayor to assist Ibarra.
Summary of Chapter 37-
40
Ibarra tries to visit María Clara, but she doesn’t answer
the door. Her friend Sinang tells him to meet them at
the theater later. At the theater, Ibarra witnesses a
procession where police beat onlookers, which
disgusts him. The Captain General agrees with his
disapproval. Meanwhile, Doña Consolación is angry at
her husband for forbidding her to attend mass, and
she humiliates Sisa, forcing her to sing in poor Tagalog.
When Sisa sings a song about vanity, Doña
Consolación’s reaction reveals that she understands
Tagalog, and she orders Sisa to dance, insulting her as
an “indio whore.” The ensign intervenes, and they
Summary of Chapter 37-
40
At the theater, Ibarra arrives late and sits next to
María Clara. Father Salví asks Don Filipo to have Ibarra
removed, but Don Filipo refuses, stating Ibarra is not
disturbing the order. Two civil guards arrive and try to
stop the performance, causing chaos. Don Filipo asks
Ibarra to calm the crowd, and Ibarra turns to Elías for
help. Father Salví fears Ibarra and María Clara will have
sex amidst the chaos, but it turns out María Clara is ill
and with Isabel. Father Salví fantasizes about María
Clara, and while others see his rush towards the crowd
as heroic, he is driven by darker motives. A
correspondent praise him as a “heroic pastor,” despite
Summary of Chapter 41-
44
That night, Elías informs Ibarra that María Clara’s
illness is not serious. He also reveals that he had
prevented the riot by leveraging his previous actions
to save the lives of those leading the chaos, who owed
him favors. Ibarra then encounters Lucas, the yellow
man’s brother, who asks for compensation for his
brother’s family. Ibarra responds rudely and walks
away.
Summary of Chapter 41-
44
The festival ends, and Doctor de Espadaña, his wife
Doña Victorina, and their nephew Linares arrive at
Captain Tiago’s house. Doña Victorina is described as
a Filipina who married a poor man, Doctor de
Espadaña, after he pretended to be a doctor. Linares
seeks Father Dámaso’s help to find a job and a wife,
and introduces himself to María Clara.
Summary of Chapter 41-
44
Father Dámaso shows unusual tenderness toward
María Clara, and her health improves. Father Salví
credits her recovery to confession, while Doña
Victorina attributes it to her husband’s medicine. María
Clara later tells her friend Sinang to “tell him to forget
about me,” and is moved to tears during her
confession, especially when hearing the
commandment “honor thy father and thy mother.”
Summary of Chapter 45-
48
Elías meets with Captain Pablo in the forest, who
refuses to join him in escaping to the north. Captain
Pablo shares his tragic story of personal loss and
revenge against the oppressive powers of the church
and government. Elías tries to convince him to avoid
violence, suggesting that Ibarra could help with the
issue.
Meanwhile, Tarsilo and Bruno, the brothers who helped
stop the riot, are offered money by Lucas to attack the
barracks in the name of Ibarra.
Summary of Chapter 45-
48
Doña Victorina becomes upset when the Civil Guard
officers don't show her respect, leading to a
confrontation with Doña Consolación. She demands
that her husband or Linares defend her honor in a
duel, though her husband refuses, and she uses
Linares's credentials to manipulate him.
Ibarra, hoping to share the news of his
excommunication being lifted, finds María Clara with
Linares and decides to leave. He later encounters
Elías, who has something important to discuss.
Summary of Chapter 49-
52
Elías discusses his radical views with Ibarra, arguing
for drastic reforms in the church, government, and
military, but Ibarra remains hesitant, believing the
current system is a "necessary evil" and fearing
change could make things worse. Elías shares his
painful personal history to explain his views,
recounting the brutal mistreatment of his family by the
Spanish authorities, which led him to become a bandit.
Despite Ibarra understanding Elías’s perspective, he
prefers change through education rather than
rebellion, which Elías rejects, emphasizing that
freedom requires struggle.
Summary of Chapter 49-
52
Meanwhile, Linares faces pressure from his aunt to
duel the ensign, while Father Salví informs Captain
Tiago that Ibarra’s excommunication has been lifted,
and Father Dámaso may allow him to marry María
Clara if he seeks forgiveness. María Clara, however,
tells Sinang that Ibarra should forget her, and she is
being pressured to marry Linares instead.
Tarsilo and Bruno meet a third person in secret,
discussing a raid involving twenty men, while civil
guards patrol the area. Lucas, being followed,
manages to evade suspicion, while Elías is also
questioned but successfully avoids detection,
Summary of Chapter 53-
56
Don Filipo, the former deputy mayor, talks to the ill
Tasio, who criticizes him for resigning. Don Filipo
defends his decision, citing the corruption of the
mayor and the release of Civil Guard members
involved in a riot. Meanwhile, Father Salví warns the
ensign about a supposed conspiracy to attack and kill
all Spaniards in town, claiming he learned of it through
confession. He urges the ensign to prepare soldiers
while seeking to take credit for uncovering the plot.
Elías rushes to warn Ibarra about the conspiracy, and
while preparing to flee, Ibarra discovers a piece of
paper implicating his great-grandfather in the
Summary of Chapter 53-
56
Chaos erupts when Father Salví’s warning proves true, with a
rebellion being suppressed and Ibarra arrested. Elías,
determined to protect Ibarra, attempts to burn his belongings
but is unable to prevent soldiers from confiscating them. The
house catches fire, and Elías escapes. As rumors spread, the
villagers learn about the arrests, and Lucas is found dead,
hanged. Elías, disguised as a peasant, discovers seeds on
Lucas’s body that match seeds stuck to the chief sexton’s
shirt, hinting at deeper connections to the plot.
Summary of Chapter 53-
56
Chaos erupts when Father Salví’s warning proves true, with a
rebellion being suppressed and Ibarra arrested. Elías,
determined to protect Ibarra, attempts to burn his belongings
but is unable to prevent soldiers from confiscating them. The
house catches fire, and Elías escapes. As rumors spread, the
villagers learn about the arrests, and Lucas is found dead,
hanged. Elías, disguised as a peasant, discovers seeds on
Lucas’s body that match seeds stuck to the chief sexton’s
shirt, hinting at deeper connections to the plot.
Summary of Chapter 57-
60
Doña Consolación watches as the captured rebels, including
Tarsilo and Ibarra, are tortured. Tarsilo refuses to betray
Ibarra and is drowned by the ensign. The prisoners, including
Ibarra, are paraded through the town and mocked. Tasio
witnesses the scene but is found dead the next day at his
home. Across the country, the friars praise Father Salví for
quelling the rebellion, and the upper class distances
themselves from Captain Tiago due to his ties with Ibarra.
Despite this, Captain Tiago is not heavily investigated, and
the de Espadañas return, discussing María Clara’s arranged
marriage to Linares.
Summary of Chapter 57-
60
At a party, the ensign boasts of his role in crushing the
rebellion, and Father Salví prepares to leave town. Lieutenant
Guevara defends Ibarra, suggesting he was framed, and hints
that María Clara had provided the incriminating letter. María
Clara, filled with remorse, reveals that she was forced to give
the letter to protect her real father’s identity, which turns out
to be Father Dámaso. She explains that she was forbidden
from marrying Ibarra unless Father Dámaso forgave him.
Ibarra forgives her, and after their conversation, he leaves,
having been freed by Elías.
Summary of Chapter 61
Elías plans to help Ibarra escape by hiding him in a friend's
house and retrieving money from Ibarra’s grandfather's
tomb. Elías also suggests Ibarra escape to Spain, but Ibarra
realizes he must stay and fight for his country, embracing his
role as a subversive. As they flee, they are chased by the
Civil Guard, and Elías sacrifices himself by diving into the
water, leading the guards to believe he is dead while Ibarra
escapes.
Summary of Chapter 61
Meanwhile, María Clara, devastated by the news of Ibarra’s
supposed death, asks Father Dámaso to call off her arranged
marriage, contemplating life in a convent or death. Father
Dámaso reluctantly agrees to her joining the convent.
Basilio, now searching for his mother, finds Sisa but is unable
to communicate with her. He tragically holds her in her final
moments before passing out and awakening to find she has
died. Elías, the wounded man nearby, shares his final words
with Basilio before dying and urging him to remember the
sacrifices for the country.
Summary of Chapter 61

In the epilogue, the fates of several characters are revealed.

Father Dámaso, after being ordered to serve in a remote
province, dies from frustration. Captain Tiago becomes an
opium addict after María Clara’s decision, and Father Salví,
now head priest of the convent, is implied to have raped
María Clara, with her pleas for help ignored by the corrupt
authorities.
 “There are no
tyrants if there
are no slaves.”
Noli Me
Tangere
 Climax of the
Story
The climax of Noli Me Tangere occurs when Crisostomo Ibarra is
falsely accused of leading a rebellion against the Spanish
authorities. His enemies, particularly the corrupt friars,
conspire to frame him in an attempt to destroy his reputation
and thwart his plans for reform. During a town fiesta,
government forces uncover weapons planted to implicate
Ibarra in a supposed uprising. Ibarra is arrested, and the
situation escalates, leaving him betrayed and abandoned. This
pivotal moment leads to his eventual escape with the help of
Elias, marking the turning point in the novel where Ibarra’s
hopes for peaceful reform are crushed.
 Noli Me Tangere vs El
Filibusterismo
Noli Me Tangere El Filibusterismo

A darker, more revolutionary novel that highlights the need for

Focuses on social issues such as injustice, corruption, and the
radical change, even through violence if necessary. It portrays
THEMES abuse of power by the Spanish authorities and friars. It
a growing sense of disillusionment and desperation in the fight
emphasizes peaceful reform through education and awareness.
against oppression.

Bitter and cynical, reflecting Rizal’s disappointment with the

Generally hopeful and idealistic, with a focus on love, reform,
lack of change. The protagonist, now Simoun (Ibarra in
TONES and the possibility of change. Ibarra believes education can
disguise), seeks revenge and advocates for revolution rather
lead to progress.
than reform.

Crisostomo Ibarra, the protagonist, initially seeks peaceful Ibarra returns as Simoun, a wealthy jeweler plotting a violent
APPROACH solutions, like building a school, to uplift the Filipino people. revolution, having lost faith in peaceful reform.

The love story fades into the background as Simoun’s desire

Central to the novel is the love between Ibarra and Maria Clara,
LOVE STORY which represents hope and innocence.
for revenge overshadows his former love for Maria Clara.

Ends tragically with Simoun’s death and failure, symbolizing

Ends with Ibarra’s escape, disillusioned but still holding on to
CONCLUSION his ideals.
the futility of revenge and the complexities of fighting for
freedom.
 Conclusion
The conclusion of Noli Me Tangere highlights the tragic
consequences of oppression and injustice under Spanish
colonial rule. Crisostomo Ibarra, wrongfully accused of
rebellion, is forced to flee, losing everything—his status, love,
and dreams of reform. Maria Clara enters a convent,
symbolizing her submission to the oppressive system. The
novel ends on a somber note, with Ibarra presumed dead, but
it subtly calls for action, inspiring Filipinos to seek
independence and justice.
Thank You!