El Filibusterismo
SUMMARY OF THE BOOK
The story started in a journey in Tabo ship between Manila and Laguna. One of the travellers is Simoun who is no other than Ibarra, the poet Isagani, and Basilio. Basilio, who is now a grown-up bachelor was only 10 years old when we read his story in Noli Me Tangere. Therefore, 13 years had passed since Elias and Sisa died.

Basilio reached San Diego and in a historical event he met Simon when Basilio visited the place where his mother was buried which was inside the burial place of the Ibarra’s. He learned that Simon was Ibarra in disguise; and for this secret not to be told, Simon attempted to kill Basilio. But he was able to control himself and he just persuaded Basilio to join his cause to revolt against Spanish regime in the Philippines. Basilio refused because he wanted to finish his studies.

While the Kapitan Heneral was having a good time in Los Banos, Filipino students laid a plea to his majesty (Kap. Heneral) for him to establish an academy of Spanish language. This appeal was not approved, as what the students wished, because they learned that the priests are going to manage the the academy, and the students will be just the followers of the priests. When that happens, they will have no rights to whatever they want for the academy.

While this was happening, Simon met up with Basilio at persuaded him again to join his cause to revolt and head a group that break into the convent of Santa Clara to get Maria Clara. But the plan was not acted out because Maria Clara died that afternoon.

On the other hand, the students held a feast in Panciteria Macanista de Buen Gusto as a consolation to themselves for the disapproval of their proposal to establish the academy. In their speeches while eating, they relentlessly criticized the priests. This event came to the knowledge of the priests, so this was what happened: The next day they just found the posters in the doors of the university containing warnings, criticisms, and revolutions. These posters were blamed to that group of students. Because of this, they were arrested along with Basilio who was wrongly accused, and Juli, his girlfriend, worried about him so much.

The students were freed by the help of their relatives who arranged their case, except Basilio because his poverty and he had no more relatives since Kap. Tiago died. Meanwhile, Juli asked help from Pari Camorra in behalf of Basilio so that he could be freed, but instead of helping, this priest became the very cause why Juli died, when she just jumped out from the window of the convent.

For Simon to execute his plan, he had a joint venture in business with Don Timoteo Pelaez, the father of Juanito. In that way he was able to arrange the wedding of Juanito and Paulita Gomez. The godfather in the wedding will be the Kapitan Heneral. He was also able to invite to the wedding those people with high positions in the government.

After two months, after being detained, Basilio was freed with Simon’s help. He immediately approached Simon to join his cause. Simon took advantage of the situation and showed him a bomb that he made. It is a lamp in a shape of a grenade and it is man-size. This extravagant lamp will be his gift to soon-to-be-wed Juanito and Paulita. He will ask somebody to place it in the middle of a kiosk where they will eat. The lamp will give a bright light and after 20 minutes it will be dimmed. If they will fix it by moving the string up, the capsule fulmato de mercurio will explode, the grenade will explode and along with that, the kiosk will be utterly destroyed – and nobody among the people in that kiosk will be spared. On the other hand, the loud sound of the explosion of the dynamite will be the sign for them to start the revolution that w ill be headed by Simon.

It was turning 7pm during the wedding day, and Basilio was walking around in front of the reception. After a while, Simon went out of the place. Basilio was about to follow but he saw Isagani coming, the ex-boyfriend of Paulita. He told Isagani to go away from that place but he didn’t listen so he was forced to tell the truth to Isagani but, still, Isagani just ignored it.

“The lamp dimmed,” Kapitan Heneral said uneasily. “Please, pull the string up, Pari Irene.”

Isagani took the lamp in just the nick of time, ran in azotea, and threw the lamp in the river. Hence, the plan of Simon and his group did not happen. After that, Simon was chased by the authorities. He escaped and he lived in Pari Florentino’s house in the shore of Pacific Ocean. The time came when the authorities were already approaching. He drank a poison so that they cannot find him alive. He confessed his story to Pari Florentino, his real name and his real identity. He told this priest the sad history of his life since he came back in the Philippines from Europe thirteen years ago. He mentioned his love story with Maria Clara and his disguise as a jeweller to execute his plan to revolt against the Spanish regime. After the confession, Simon died.

To get rid of the big treasure that the jeweller left, a tool that he used to execute his crooked plans, Pari Florentino threw the treasures in the ocean and put everything inside a box where all the unimaginable treasures of Simon was hidden.

Chapter 1 – DECK
Isang umaga ng Disyembre/One morning in December
Bapor Tabo/Tabo Ship
T

* Mabigat * Mabilog katulad ng tabo kung saan hango ang pangalan nito * May karumihan, ibig magpanggap na siya ay maputi, maharlika at pormal * Nagtataglay ng ugaling katutubo * May kakulangan ngunit ‘di matutuligsa * Kung lalakipan ng kaunting mabuting kalooban ay maituturing ang sasakyang ito na Daong ng Pamahalaan * Sa ilalim ng pagsisiyasat ng mga Reverendos at Ilustrimos * Sa bawa’t sandali’y tumutonog ang sipol ,paos, at animo’y isang hari-hariang ibig mag-utos nang pabulyaw

* Heavy * Circular (like “tabo” or dipper where its name came from) * Dirty but wants to pretend that it’s white, honorable and formal * Has a native characteristic * Nor perfect, but cannot be criticized * If you will be more considerate, you treat is as a government ship * Under the inspection of Reverendos and Ilustrimos. * It whistles once in as if a king giving commands by shouting

Laguna
Manila
Ang bapor ay sumayad sa isang mababaw na putik na di hinihinala ng sinuman/ The ship touched the shallow part of the river without anyone pulling it
Si Donya Victorina ay nakipag-usap sa kapitan at nagreklamo sa mabagal na takbo ng barko/ Donya Victorina talked to the captain and complained that the ship was slow
Don Custodio and Simoun had a conversation about the proposals on how to make Pasig river clean and deeper.
Don Custodio and BenZayb talked about the result of the previous conversation with Simoun. Donya Victorina barged in in their conversation at the last part.

Manlalakbay/Travellers
T

(Lower Deck) * Makikita mo ang mga kayumangging mukha, itim na ulo, mga Indio, Tsino na halos walang puwang

(Lower Deck) * You can see brown faces, black heads, Indios, Chinese who barely have enough space between the goods and pots.
(Upper Deck) * The travellers (priests and government officials) wearing European clothes are comfortably seated while smoking tobacco and viewing the sceneries.

About the travellers: (Lower Deck) * You can see brown faces, black heads, Indios, Chinese who barely have enough space between the goods and pots.
(Upper Deck) * The travellers (priests and government officials) wearing European clothes are comfortably seated while smoking tobacco and viewing the sceneries.

About the Captain: * Looks kind, a little bit old, a former mariner who, during his youth, has travelled to vast oceans using fast water vessels. * Now that he is old, he has to be extra careful in maneuvering the ship so as to avoid danger. * He is like a veteran who, after guiding people in dangerous obstacles, became just a caretaker in his old age of a toddler with tantrums, disobedient, and idle.

Donya Victorina: * Sitting together with the European groups. * A nervous person * saying words criticizing the ships, the boats, the Indiyo boaters and the laundry washers who are taking a bath because they make her annoyed of their merriment and laughter. * She said, “Maybe the Tabo will travel more smoothly if there are no Indios in the river or if there are no Indios in the Philippines or if there are no Indios in the world.” * She didn’t notice that the people who are making the ship run are Indios, and 99% of the passengers are Indios, even herself. * Donya Victorina wasn’t happy that the passengers in her group are just ignoring her. * Also calls herself Joba * She is known in the town for having an unlikely attitude * She often goes to parties * She is always with her niece, Paulita Gomez, when she attends parties * Got married with a poor spaniard, Don Tiburcio de Espadaña. * She has been married for 15 years * She beat her husband that’s why he became lame and he ran away. * She received a news that her husband was in Laguna

Paulita Gomez: * A very rich and beautiful woman. She is a niece of Donya Victorina. * She is an orphan. Donya Victorina is her guardian.

Don Tiburcio: * Husband of Donya Victorina * Ran away when his wife beat her and he became lame * He got on the first vessel that he saw on the river

Conversation between the Captain and Donya Victorina:

Donya Victorina: But, Captain, why is it that your stupid workers are going in that direction?
Captain: Because the other part is shallow, Mrs.
Donya Victorina: Make it a little bit faster! Faster, please!
Captain: Because we might bump into those fields.

Three priests: * are there believing that the whole world will walk backwards if they start to walk upright.

Don Custodio: * Don’t get tired, sleep well, and gets happiness with his proposals.

Ben Zayb: * Believes that you can think in Manila because he is thinking. * Had an argument with a young priest who looked like a mariner. They both spoke loudly * A Franciscan priest came in between their argument.

Pari Irene: * Gives glamour to the priests because of his reddish face that was shaved properly, and he also has a good nose that has a shape like that of the Jews * His clothes are good and they have lots of buttons.

Simoun: * A very rich jeweller who is saying that he entertains Kapitan Heneral and he is his adviser. * Was a bit thin, wearing Americana , tall, and a little bit dark. * With white hair and black beard. * Always wearing glasses with crystals and rejilla(chains)

Conversation between Ben Zayb, Franciscan (Pari Salvi), Simoun and other priests :

Franciscan (Pari Salvi): Do you know the scientists who really know science? There in the province of Puente del Capricho which was made by our brother, and it was not finished because of those people who are good in science, believing their theories, criticised that bridge and said that it was not strong. But, look, that bridge is still standing amidst the floods and earthquakes.

Artilyerong priest (Pari Camorra): Yeah, that one, my goodness! I was about to say that! That Puente del Capricho and those people who know science; that was what I wanted to say, Pari Salvi. Goodness!

Pari Irene: (Nodding while brushing his nose with his fingers.)

Pari Salvi: No, this means that you don’t have much opinion like Pari Camorra.

Donya Victorina: It just so happened that no lake is good in this land.

Simoun: The solution is simple. And the truth is...I don’t understand why nobody thought about it. The solution is simple and there’s nothing to spend. Dig a straight canal from the mouth of the river until the end part of it and let it go through Manila and it will open up a new river by making a new canal and close the old Pasig river.

Benzayb: That is a yankee propasal. (from New York, North America)

Don Custodio: That is a big foolishness! Pardon me, Mr. Simoun, my respected friend, if I tell you that I don’t agree with that. In this proposal, the government will spend a lot of money and we will be forced to destroy some houses.

Simoun: Then, destroy!

Don Custodio: And the money that will be paid for the labor?

Simoun: Don’t pay them! Use the captives and prisoners.

Don Custodio: Oh! That will not be enough Mr. Simoun.

Simoun: Well, if they will not be enough, all the towns, the adults, the youth, and the children should work. Instead of forcing them to work for 15 days, force them to work for 3, 4, or 5 months for the government. Aside from this, let them bring their own food and their own tools and utensils.

Don Custodio: But, Mr. Simoun...
Simoun: Don’t confuse yourself, Don Custodio. That is the only way to execute big plans with just spending a little amount of money. In that reason, the pyramid in Egypt was built, the lake Moeris, and the Coliseum in Rome was built. Groups of people from the desert come with their onions for survival. Those who carry rocks, cut them under the supervision of the rod of the government. And after, those who remain went home in their own towns or die in the desert. And after a while, those people from other provinces come – they went after each other in many years. The labor is finished and now we are being amazed by those proposals, we travel in Egypt and Rome, we praise their pharaohs and the Antonina clan. Don’t disturb yourself, dead people will remain dead people. And only the strong will survive in the years to come.

Don Custodio: But, Mr. Simoun, those things might result to chaos.

Simoun: Chaos, haha! Did Egypt revolt even once? Did the Jews revolt against holy Tito? You are people. I thought you understand the history better!

Don Custodio: But we are not Egyptians nor Jews.

Dominican priest (Pare Sybila): And this has revolted before. In times when they are forced to carry big logs to make a port – if not because of the priests...

Simoun: Those times had long passed. This land will never revolt again, though they are given heavy burdens or even when you give them heavy taxes. Don’t you take my words for that, Pari Salvi? The house and the hospital now in Los Banos where the Kapitan Heneral is living now.

Pare Salvi: (Shook his head and looked puzzled by the question)

Simoun: Then, didn’t you tell me that those two building there were built by forcing the people from different towns to do it under the rod of a puppet of the government? Perhaps the Puente del Capricho were also built in that way. And tell me, did the people in that town revolt?

Dominican priest (Pare Sybila): It is true that they had revolted before...

Simoun: No, never! What has been said has been said. And you, Padre Sybila, don’t speak Latin and senseless things anymore. What is the good of you being here if the town might revolt? (And Simoun departed ignoring the response)

Pare Sybila: (turned pale. That was the first time that somebody told him, a Vice-Rector in a University that he is telling senseless things.)

Don Custodio: (Turned green. He has been to a lot of places but never an enemy like him. That was too much!) An American!

Ben Zayb: American Indian!

Don Custodio: American, I’m telling you. And how do I know it? The Kapitan Heneral told me that story. He is a jeweller whom he met in Havanna. And I believe that the jeweller helped the Kapitan Heneral before to reach his position using his money. And in order to pay everything back, the Kapitan Heneral asked him to come over here for him to have more money by selling diamonds...fake. What do we know? And he has no heart that after getting money from the Indios, he would say.... Huh!

The truth is, since this man is an American, he surely thinks that we are referring to the Indians in America. And to discuss this matter in a ship! To force the people to work! And that is the man who advised that the expedition in Carolinas should be sent and the campaign in Mindanao that will bring to a very severe poverty... And he volunteered to help in managing the making of crucero (a war ship), and I’m telling you: what does a jeweller know, no matter how good and rich he is, about war ships?

Pari Irene: (He was just smiling with a doubtful smile by brushing his fingers on his nose.)

Don Custodio: I’m telling you Ben Zayb, everything bad thing that happens here is because of ignoring the people who had lived for such a long time. A proposal that was spiced up with highfaluting words and most especially with a big budget, an amount that has a value of no excess, they are alluring and they are being accepted fast...because of this..

Ben Zayb: Yeah, it is really like that. Maybe it is really like that.

Don Custodio: You see, before they start their business in the port, I made an original proposal, useful, cheap, and something that can be done to clean the long shores of sand in Laguna, and it was not approved because there nothing like this in the shore! Have you ever seen a tragedy like that?

Ben Zayb: Can I know what that proposal is?

People in the ship: (Went closer to hear it. Proposals of Don Custodio are famous like the especifico of Lucas medicine.)

Don Custodio: If there’s no danger do you want me to talk? And if there is a danger you don’t even respond? – he wanted to say these but he was afraid that they would not be interested to listen to his proposal anymore.

Have you seen ducks?

Ben Zayb: I think. We have shot some of them in the lake.

Don Custudio: No, I’m not referring to the mountain ducks. I’m talking about those ducks in Pateros and Pasig. And do you know what they eat?

Pari Camorra: They eat small snails! You don’t have to be an Indian to know it. You just need eyes.

Don Custodio: That’s right, they eat small snails. And do you know where to get those small snails? Well, if those people who you brought in this land are just like those people I brought, you will know that we get those nails from the longs banks of sand that I mentioned a while ago. There, the snails are mixed with the sands and they are many.

Ben Zayb: And your proposal?

Don Custodio: I will talk about that. I will make the neighboring towns take care of ducks and you will see how these animals, just by themselves, will make the banks deep by eating small snails.

Ben Zayb: Will you allow me to write an article about that?

Donya Victorina: But, Don Custodio, if everybody will spend their time in taking care of those ducks, there will be a lot of “balot”... oh! That’s so terrifying! It is better for the longs banks to be filled with sand.

-disguised himself as a jeweller
-he was in reality Crisostomo Ibarra
-planned a revenge against the Spanish regime
-used Basilio’s help but in the end they didn’t succeed because Isagani knew the plan
-father of Maria Clara
-sent Basilio to school
-dead already
Kapitan Tiago
Maria Clara

-Ibarra’s lover
-went in the convent of Sta. Clara
-died at the last part of the book

Simoun
TABO SHIP

-an old man who takes care of the rugged ship

-loves to make proposals
-Don Custodio de Salazar y Sanchez de Monteredondo
-became a councilor and a mayor and other positions
Don Custodio
Captain

-She was there at the ship because she was looking for her husband

-a writer and the only one thinking in the Philippines
-looks like a friar
Ben Zayb
Don Tiburcio
Doña Victorina

-loves to pretend like a Spaniard
-left Victorina because she beat him so bad

-a Franciscan priest
-replaced Padre Damaso as the parish priest in San Diego

Pari Florentino
Pari Salvi
Isagani
Paulita Gomez

-niece of Victorina
-a rich orphan
-loves Paulita Gomes
-graduated in Ateneo as a poet
-uncle of Isagani
-hiding Don Tiburcio in his house

-looks like an artilleryman; was talking with Pari Salvi and the rest

Pari Camorra

-reddish face; has good nose like a Jew
-best friend and adviser of
Kapitan Tiago
Juliana (Huli)
Basilio

-lover of Basilio
-became a servant to earn P250 for his father

-son of Sisa and brother of Crispin
-student of Medicine
- lover of Juli

Pari Irene

-Dominican priest; vice-rector in the university; was told by Simoun that he was saying senseless things
-Padre Hernando de la Sibyla

Kabesang Tales

Kapitan Basilio

Pari Sibyla

-captain in San Diego
-husband of Kapitana Tika
-father of Sinang

-real name is Telesforo Juan de Dios; father of Huli and Tano
-his wife and eldest daughter,Lucia,died because of Malaria
-he became a cabesa but then became poor later on because he paid for the taxes of those people who didn’t pay
-arrested by the spaniards
Tandang Selo

Kapitana Tika

-wife of Kap. Basilio
-pictured as a very keen mother

Sinang
-father of Kabesang Tales
-lives in the forest

-one of Maria Clara’s bestfriend

CHAPTER 2 – Sa Ilalim ng Kubyerta (Lower Deck)

Terms:
Apyan – a drug (like marijuana), Kap. Tiago became addicted to it and later he died

What you will see at the lower deck: * People sitting in chairs with and without armrest, beside their luggage, backpacks, and pots * Gamblings * People sleeping on the floor * Two students arguing with an old man (Basilio, Isagani, and Kapitan Basilio)

Basilio: * Medicine student * Wearing all-black

Isagani: * Fat, younger than Basilio * Graduated in Ateneo that year as a poet * Has a unique attitude * Melancholic and not energetic

Kapitan Basilio: * Talking with Basilio and Isagani on the ship about the building of academy of Spanish language * He was sure and he told Isagani and Basilio that the academy will not be built

Pari Irene: * Advised Basilio to go to San Diego because Kap. Tiago was sick * Adviser and best friend of Kapitan Tiago The conversation between Basilio, Isagani, and Kap. Basilio/Simoun:

Basilio: Kapitan Tiago is still the same as before. He doesn’t want to consult any doctor. Somebody (Pari Irene) advised me to go there in San Diego to look after his house. But the truth is, he just wanted to be alone so he could take “apyan” (marijuana).

Kap. Basilio: Apyan is really a plague to the new world. (teasingly) Our old people also know apyan although nobody overused it at first. While studying classics was so rampant in school, apyan would only be used for medicinal purposes and the truth is, who do you think will be addicted in using that? Those Chinese, those Chinese who don’t know Latin! Oh, if only he studied about Ciceron!

Let’s go back to our previous topic about the Acedemy of Spanish Language. I assure you, young men, that it cannot be built.

Isagani: It can be established, sir. We are just waiting for the approval, if not today it will be tomorrow. Pari Irene whom you may have seen above, to whom we have given two horses, promised us. He will meet the general for that.

Kap. Basilio: That is senseless and Padre Sibyla will object that.

Basilio: Let him oppose it! He is here in the ship to meet up with the general in Los Banos.

Kap. Basilio: I see. But even when you get the approval, where will you get the budget for that?

Basilio: We already have; each student will contribute 4 coins.

Kap. Basilio: What about the professors?

Basilio: We already have them too. Half of them are Filipinos, half are Spaniards.

Kap. Basilio: And the building?

Basilio: Makaraig, the rich Makaraig, offered one his houses.

Kap. Basilio: Anyway, it’s not totally bad. That proposal is not bad. And now that Latin can’t be learned, at least Spanish can be learned. You will know by that, my name-same, that we are walking backwards. During our time, we were studying Latin because our books were in Latin. Now, you are studying little Latin but you don’t have Latin books. And though your books are in Spanish, you don’t study Spanish – aetes parentum pejor avis tulit nos nequiores (worse than the age of the parents, grandparents took us more wicked) just like what Horacio said.

Isagani: Those people from the previous generation have hindrances in all their endeavors. When you propose something, they only see the bad effect and not the good one. They might want everything to come across them polished and round just like a billiard ball.

Basilio: He is just like your uncle. They are talking about their generation. Hey, I just remembered, what did your uncle say about Paulita?

Isagani: He reminded about choosing a spouse. I told him that, in Manila, her beauty is incomparable, that she’s educated and orphan. She is so rich, elegant, happy and no flaw aside from the fact that she has an annoying aunt. About her aunt, did you know that she asked my help to look for her husband?

Basilio: And you promised her that you will do that so that you will not lose your girl?

Isagani: Yeah, that’s what happened. The truth is, her husband is hiding in my uncle’s house. That is the reason why my uncle, since he’s smart, doesn’t want to go to the upper deck because he is worrying that Donya Victorina might ask her about Don Tiburcio. Can you believe that Donya Victorina looked at me mockingly when she found out that I was in the third class?
(Simoun came)

Simoun: Hey, Basilio, wil you go on vacation now? Are they your town mates?
(Basilio introduced Isagani but said that they don’t live in the same town, although they are neighboring towns.)
Simoun: How’s the province?

Basilio: Haven’t you heard?

Simoun: How will I know if I’ve never been to that place? I heard that the people there are poor and nobody wants to buy jewels there.

Isagani: We don’t buy because we don’t need.

Simoun: Don’t be offended young man, I don’t mean any harm when I said that your province is poor. Although I was assured that