Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University

Bacolor, Pampanga

Institute of Electrical Engineering

Rizals Life and Works

Chapter 17:
Misfortunes in Madrid (1890-91)

Submitted to:

Submitted by:

Eurgen Leonard M. Santos

Failure to get JUSTICE for his Family

àRizal seeks help from the Filipino colony, the Asociacion Hispano-Filipina and the liberal
Spanish newspapers in securing justice for the oppressed Calamba tenants including his family.

àNothing came out of Rizal’s interview with Minister Fabie

 “El Resumen” – “To cover the ears , open the purse, and fold the arm”

 Letter from Saturnina: Deportation of Paciano, Antonio, Silvestre, Teong and Dandoy to
Mindoro (shiped out of Manila on Sept. 6, 1890)

 Rizal also tried to see Queen Regent Maria Cristina

Rizal’s Eulogy to Panganiban

àPanganiban died in Barcelona (Aug. 19, 1890)

Rizal co-worker in the Propaganda Movement

“ Panganiban, that excellent companion of labor and difficulty, that amiable friend and
countryman beloved, has just described to the tomb at the early age of 27 years...”

Aborted Duel with Antonio Luna

àLuna’s frustrated romance with Nellie Boustead

àRizal heard Luna: His high sense of chivalry could not tolerant any slur against the honor of
any women because of that Rizal challenged him

--> Luna – Rizal’s superior as a swordsman

--> Rizal is better with pistol shot than Luna

Rizal Challenges Retana to Duel

 Wenceslao E. Retana

- Rizal’s bitter enemy in writing

- press agent of the friars in Spain

  La Epoca – anti-Filipino newspaper in Madrid

“ asserts Rizal’s family and friends had not paid their rents so they were ejected from their lands
in Calamba by Dominicans”

Infidelity of Leonor Rivera

 Autumn of 1980, Rizal and some of his friends attended a play at Teatro Apolo

 He lost his gold watch chain with a locket containing the picture of Leonor Rivera

 December 1890, Rizal received a letter from Leonor: about her coming marriage to an
Englishman (the choice of her mother) and asking for forgiveness

 Rizal confided with his friend, Blumenttrit

 In his reply to Rizal, on Feb.15, 1890, saying that his wife “cannot understand how a
woman whom a Rizal has honored with his love would be able to abandon him” and said
that Rizal has a courageous heart, and he is in love with a nobler woman, the Motherland

 Three months later, Blumenttrit sent another letter to Rizal saying that if Leonor was able
to renounce a Rizal, she did not possess the nobility of his spirit

 In other words, she is not the woman for Rizal.

Rizal-Del Pilar Rivalry

 Toward the closing days of 1890

 An unfortunate rivalry between Rizal and M.H. del Pilar for supremacy

 Rizal, the most talented Filipino of his time

 Del Pilar, the fearless lawyer-journalist

 Del Pilar purchased La Solidaridad from Pablo Rianirez, its first proprietor, and had
replaced Graciano Lopez Jaena as its editor

 Rizal’s leadership declined and some of his former admirers became supporters of Del
Pilar

 The editorial policy of La Solidaridad enhanced the cleavage between Rizal and Del Pilar

 Rizal and his close friends objected to the periodical’s editorial policy which was
occasionally contrary to Rizal’s political views

 On Jan. 1, 1891 – the Responsable

  - chosen to direct the affairs of the Filipino community and to determine the editorial
policy of La Solidaridad

 The Responsable should be elected by a two-thirds vote of the Filipino community

 Del Pilar opposed the proposition

Rizal Abdicates his Leadership

 The election – first week of February, 1891

 The Rizalistas and the Pilaristas

 Rizal was winning, but he could not obtain the required two-thirds vote; on the second
day, the result became indecisive

 On the third day, Mariano Ponce appealed to his countrymen to vote for Rizal, which
resulted to Rizal’s victory and became the Responsable

 Rizal graciously declined the coveted position so that he did not relish being a leader of a
divided people

 He preferred to abdicate his leadership rather than be the cause of disunity and bitterness
among his countrymen

Adios, Madrid
 Rizal wrote a brief note thanking his compatriots for electing him as Responsible

 He boarded the train leaving for Biarritz

 City of Madrid, where he was happy during his first sojourn (1882-85) but unhappy on
his second visit (1890-91)