A Journey from Idealist to Martyr
In the peaceful town of Calamba, Laguna, on a bright summer
morning of June 19, 1861, a child was born who would forever change the destiny
of the Philippine islands. José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda
entered the world as the seventh of eleven children born to Francisco Mercado
and Teodora Alonso, a prosperous family belonging to the principalía class.
The Rizal household was far from ordinary. Francisco Mercado,
born in Biñan, Laguna on May 11, 1818, was a learned man who had studied Latin
and Philosophy at San José College in Manila. After his parents' death, he
moved to Calamba and became a tenant-farmer of the Dominican-owned hacienda,
earning respect as "a model of fathers" through his hard work and
integrity.
Teodora Alonso, born in Santa Cruz, Manila on November 9,
1827, was truly remarkable for her time. She had studied at the Colegio de
Santa Rosa and possessed what Rizal himself described as "more than
ordinary culture" - she was a mathematician, well-read in literature, and
possessed exceptional business acumen. She became José's first teacher,
instilling in him a love for poetry and learning that would shape his entire
life.
The Mercado-Rizal family traced their ancestry to Domingo
Lam-co, a full-blooded Chinese immigrant who arrived from Amoy, China in the
late 17th century and married Ines de la Rosa, a Chinese half-breed. Their
diverse heritage included Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Malay, and even Negrito
blood, making José a true product of Philippine multiculturalism.
As a child, José displayed extraordinary intellectual gifts.
His mother taught him to read and write, as well as express himself through
poetry. The boy showed talents in painting, sculpture, and writing from a young
age, while several uncles helped foster his interests in nature, sports, Latin,
and education.
The year 1872 would prove pivotal in shaping young Rizal's
consciousness. On February 17, 1872, three Filipino priests - Mariano Gómez,
José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora (collectively known as Gomburza) - were
executed by garrote at Bagumbayan following the Cavite Mutiny. Though the
eleven-year-old Rizal did not personally witness the execution, the event
profoundly influenced his worldview and awakened strong feelings of anger and
resentment among Filipinos. This martyrdom would later inspire Rizal to dedicate
his second novel, El Filibusterismo, to their memory.
On June 26, 1872, just months after the Gomburza execution, Rizal
entered Ateneo Municipal de Manila as a day scholar. Initially, Father Magin
Ferrand refused Rizal's admission due to his late registration and small, pale
appearance, but with the help of Manuel Xerez Burgos, nephew of the martyred
Fr. José Burgos, Rizal was accepted and registered under the name "Jose
Rizal".
During his five years at Ateneo (1872-1877), Rizal excelled
academically despite the rigid educational system. He consistently obtained
marks of "Excellent" in all subjects, won several medals, and was
considered the pride of the Jesuits. He studied Latin, Spanish, Greek,
mathematics, philosophy, science, and poetry, while also engaging in gymnastics,
painting, and sculpture.
On March 14, 1877, at age sixteen, Rizal graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts degree and a general average of sobresaliente (excellent). His literary talents had already emerged
- he composed his first significant poem "Al Niño Jesús" on November
14, 1874, demonstrating the poetic gift that would later captivate the nation.
On January 6, 1878, Rizal enrolled in Philosophy and Letters
at the University of Santo Tomás, later adding preparatory medicine on June 2,
1879. His experience at UST proved challenging due to the hostile environment
created by Dominican professors who discriminated against Filipino students.
Despite these obstacles, Rizal's brilliance continued to shine through his literary
competitions and compositions.
On November 22, 1879, he composed his celebrated poem
"A la juventud filipina" (To the Philippine Youth), and on April 13,
1880, won first prize for his allegory "El consejo de los Dioses".
However, he could no longer stand the discrimination by the Spanish Dominican
friars against Filipino students, and this frustration would eventually drive
him to seek better opportunities abroad.
Upon learning that his mother was going blind due to
cataracts, Rizal decided to study medicine with the intention of specializing
in ophthalmology. This personal motivation would become the driving force
behind his medical career, as he was inspired to study ophthalmology by his
mother's failing eyesight and his desire to help her.
On May 3, 1882, without his parents' knowledge but secretly
supported by his brother Paciano, Rizal left the Philippines for Spain. He traveled
alone to Madrid and studied medicine at the Universidad Central de Madrid.
In 1884, Rizal completed his licentiate in medicine and his
degree in Philosophy and Letters, both with grades of sobresaliente. From 1882, Rizal studied at the Universidad Central
de Madrid where in 1884 he earned his licentiate in Medicine. To specialize in
ophthalmology, he continued his studies in Paris under the famous French
ophthalmologist Louis de Wecker from November 1885 to February 1886.
Later, he moved to Heidelberg, Germany on February 3, 1886,
where he studied under renowned German physicians. At Heidelberg, the
25-year-old Rizal completed his eye specialization in 1887 under professor Otto
Becker, where he used the newly invented ophthalmoscope to later operate on his
mother's eye.
While in Berlin during the winter of 1886, Rizal made final
revisions on the manuscript of his first novel. The idea for writing a novel
about the Philippines was inspired by Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's
Cabin," which portrayed the brutalities of American slave-owners. Rizal
wanted to prepare a novel that would depict the miseries of his people under
the lash of Spanish tyrants.
By the end of 1884, José began writing Noli in Madrid and
finished one-half of it. From April to June 1886, he wrote the last few
chapters in Wilhelmsfeld. Sick and penniless, José saw no hope of having Noli
published and was on the point of throwing his work into the fire. Fortunately,
his friend Máximo Viola provided financial aid, loaning Rizal ₱300 for 2,000
copies.
"Noli Me Tangere" was published on March 21, 1887,
in Berlin. This groundbreaking novel exposed the dark aspects of Spanish
colonial rule, particularly focusing on the abuses of Catholic friars. Spanish
authorities in the Philippines immediately banned the book, but copies were
smuggled into the country.
Despite warnings, Rizal returned to the Philippines on
August 5, 1887, after a five-year absence. His homecoming was marked by both
personal joy and political tension. He successfully performed cataract surgery
on his mother's eyes, fulfilling one of his primary reasons for returning.
However, increasing pressure from Spanish authorities due to the impact of Noli
Me Tangere forced him to leave the Philippines again by February 1888.
During his second European sojourn, Rizal became deeply
involved in the Propaganda Movement, contributing numerous articles to "La
Solidaridad" under the pen name "Laong Laan". Rizal completed
his second novel, El Filibusterismo, on March 21, 1891, though he had started
writing it in 1887 and it took him three years to complete. Valentin Ventura
helped Rizal fund the publication after it was completed in 1891.
El Filibusterismo was first published in 1891 in Ghent and is
the sequel to Noli Me Tangere. The novel's dark theme departs dramatically from
the previous novel's hopeful and romantic atmosphere, as it depicts Crisóstomo
Ibarra returning for vengeance as "Simoun". This second novel was dedicated
to the memory of Gomburza, establishing the connection between the martyred
priests and Rizal's revolutionary consciousness.
Rizal returned to the Philippines on June 21, 1892, with the
intention of establishing a reform organization. On July 3, 1892, he founded La
Liga Filipina in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco at Ilaya Street, Tondo, Manila.
The organization aimed to unite the archipelago, provide mutual protection,
defend against injustice, and encourage education, agriculture, and commerce.
Just four days after founding La Liga Filipina, Rizal was
arrested on July 6, 1892, on charges of publishing anti-Catholic materials,
possessing seditious handbills, and criticizing religion. Governor-General
Eulogio Despujol ordered his immediate exile to Dapitan.
Rizal's four-year exile in Dapitan, from July 17, 1892, to
July 31, 1896, proved to be one of the most fruitful periods of his life. Despite
being pained by his punishment, Rizal used his time and skills productively,
keeping himself busy as a physician, engineer, educator, agriculturist, and
inventor.
During his exile, Rizal practiced ophthalmology and his
specialized skills brought him fame, with patients often traveling long
distances to seek his care. In 1892, he successfully removed the cataract from
his mother's left eye, and two years later, extracted the right cataract.
By 1896, the reform movement had given way to revolutionary
fervor. On July 1, 1896, Pío Valenzuela visited Rizal in Dapitan to inform him
of the impending revolution, though Rizal advised against premature action. On
July 30, 1896, he received approval for his application to serve as a military
doctor in Cuba.
However, the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution on August
23, 1896, dramatically changed his circumstances. On September 4, 1896, while
aboard a ship bound for Spain, Rizal received news implicating him as the
intellectual author of the Philippine Revolution. Spanish authorities ordered
his arrest en route, and he was returned to Manila to face trial.
Rizal's trial began on December 11, 1896, where he was
accused of being the principal figure behind the revolution. On December 26,
1896, he was tried by a military court and found guilty of rebellion, sedition,
and conspiracy. The court ordered that Rizal be executed by firing squad at
7:00 in the morning of December 30, 1896, at Bagumbayan.
On December 29, 1896, Rizal composed his most famous poem,
initially untitled but later known as "Mi último adiós" (My Last
Farewell), which he concealed in an alcohol stove and passed to his sister
Trinidad.
On December 30, 1896, at exactly 7:03 AM, José Rizal was
executed by firing squad at Bagumbayan. At around 6:30, Rizal was taken from
his cell and the march to Bagumbayan began. He requested the firing squad to
spare his head, which was granted, but his request to face the firing squad was
denied. As the guns fired, Rizal turned his body and fell dead facing the
morning sun.
Rizal's martyrdom convinced Filipinos that there was no
alternative to independence from Spain. His execution filled the rebels with
new determination and transformed him from a reformist into a symbol of
Philippine nationalism. The ideals he championed through his writings and
sacrifice became the foundation for the continuing struggle for independence.
Rizal's novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are considered the national epic of the Philippines, providing a searing indictment of colonial abuse while articulating Filipino aspirations for justice and equality. Both novels had a profound effect on Philippine society in terms of views about national identity, the Catholic faith, and government corruption, and on a larger scale, the issues related to colonization and the cause for independence.
In 1901, American Governor-General William Howard Taft officially named Rizal a Philippine national hero, and on February 1, 1902, the Philippine Commission enacted Act No. 345, declaring December 30 as Rizal Day. Today, Rizal Day is observed as a national holiday commemorating his life and sacrifice for Philippine freedom.
José Rizal's life story represents the awakening of a nation to its own identity and potential. From his privileged birth in Calamba to his execution at Bagumbayan, every chapter of his existence was marked by an unwavering commitment to his people's welfare and dignity. His legacy endures not merely in the monuments erected in his honor, but in the continuing Filipino struggle for justice, equality, and national pride that he so eloquently articulated and courageously embodied. Through his brilliant mind, compassionate heart, and ultimate sacrifice, Rizal transformed from a young dreamer into the immortal symbol of Philippine independence and human dignity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Angelfire. (n.d.). Rizal's parents. https://www.angelfire.com/punk/jrizal/parents.html
Bayaning Rizal. (2002, December 31). Rizal family -
JRU. http://bayaningrizal.pairserver.com/jru/rizalfamily.html
Britannica. (n.d.). Jose Rizal. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jose-Rizal
Cambridge University Press. (2008, September 30). The
literary alterities of Philippine nationalism in José Rizal's El
filibusterismo. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0030812900089392/type/journal_article
Catedral Tomada. (n.d.). [Article download]. http://catedraltomada.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/catedraltomada/article/download/510/503
Choice Reviews. (2013, October 31). Lifshey, Adam. The
Magellan Fallacy: Globalization and the emergence of Asian and African
literature in Spanish. http://choicereviews.org/review/10.5860/CHOICE.50-4885
De Gruyter. (2018, December 30). Foreignness and
vengeance: On Rizal's El Filibusterismo. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7591/9781501718946-009/html
Diversitas Journal. (2024, March 16). Intertextual
synergy: Traversing the controversies of the Maria Clara at Ibarra, a film
adaptation of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. https://diversitasjournal.com.br/diversitas_journal/article/download/2733/2438
etropic. (n.d.). [Article download]. https://journals.jcu.edu.au/etropic/article/download/3806/3681
Genially. (2021, April 12). History info. https://view.genially.com/607541a0b2d2a31010e0c42b/interactive-content-history-info
Goodreads. (2012, August 10). El Filibusterismo:
Subversion: A sequel to Noli Me Tangere. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1896529
JAMA Ophthalmology. (2001, January 31). José Rizal:
Philippine national hero and ophthalmologist. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/265463
Johns Hopkins University Press. (2013, September 30).
The Magellan fallacy: Globalization and the emergence of Asian and African
literature in Spanish by Adam Lifshey (review). https://muse.jhu.edu/article/523601
Jose Protacio Rizal. (n.d.). Education. https://joseprotactiorizal.wordpress.com/education/
Jose Rizal Project. (n.d.). Jose Rizal's educational
background. https://joserizalproject.weebly.com/jose-rizalrsquos-educational-background.html
Kahimyang Project. (n.d.). Dr. Jose P. Rizal was born
in Calamba, Laguna June 19, 1861. https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1190/today-in-philippine-history-june-19-1861-dr-jose-p-rizal-was-born-in-calamba-laguna
Kahimyang Project. (n.d.). Francisco Mercado and
Teodora Alonso got married June 28, 1848. https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1530/today-in-philippine-history-june-28-1848-francisco-mercado-and-teodora-alonso-got-married
Kahimyang Project. (n.d.). Dr. Jose Rizal founded the
La Liga Filipina July 3, 1892. https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/735/today-in-philippine-history-july-3-1892-dr-jose-rizal-founded-the-la-liga-filipina
Knights of Rizal. (2014, December 31). The Mercado -
Rizal family. http://www.knightsofrizal.be/rizal_family.php
Knights of Rizal. (2014, December 31). Dr. José Rizal
works. http://www.knightsofrizal.be/rizal_work.php
LALRP. (n.d.). [Article download]. http://www.lalrp.net/articles/10.26824/lalr.38/galley/54/download/
Modern Languages Open. (n.d.). [Article
download]. http://www.modernlanguagesopen.org/articles/10.3828/mlo.v0i0.10/galley/53/download/
Modern Languages Open. (n.d.). [Article
download]. http://www.modernlanguagesopen.org/articles/10.3828/mlo.v0i0.35/galley/151/download/
National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
(2020, December 30). 124th anniversary of the martyrdom of Jose Rizal. https://nhcp.gov.ph/124th-anniversary-of-the-martyrdom-of-jose-rizal-30-december-2020-2/
National Library Singapore. (n.d.). [Article]. https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=3b320667-437b-41ed-a536-1699ba3b3649
Penguin Random House. (n.d.). El Filibusterismo by
Jose Rizal - Readers guide. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/302595/el-filibusterismo-by-jose-rizal/readers-guide/
Philippine Cultural Education Online. (n.d.). La Liga
Filipina. https://philippineculturaleducation.com.ph/la-liga-filipina/
PUCRS. (n.d.). [Article download]. http://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/ojs/index.php/iberoamericana/article/download/30843/16880
Revista Alicantina de Estudios Ingleses. (n.d.).
[Article download]. https://rua.ua.es/dspace/bitstream/10045/7442/1/ALE_09_04.pdf
Revista de Letras e Historia. (n.d.). [Article
download]. https://revistas.ufrj.br/index.php/lh/article/download/30599/22154
Revista Complutense de Historia de América. (n.d.).
[Article download]. https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/ALHI/article/download/73109/4564456556789
Scribd. (2025, August 25). Lesson 2: Jose Rizal's
birth and childhood. https://www.scribd.com/presentation/566781681/Lesson-2-Jose-Rizal-s-Birth-and-Childhood
Scribd. (2025, August 22). Rizal in Ateneo de Manila
University. https://www.scribd.com/document/387146672/Rizal-in-Ateneo-de-Manila-University
Scribd. (n.d.). Untitled. https://www.scribd.com/document/634689025/Untitled
Scribd. (2025, May 16). Execution of Rizal and
Gomburza. https://fr.scribd.com/document/447419247/Execution-of-Rizal-and-Gomburza-docx
Scribd. (n.d.). Chapter 8. https://www.scribd.com/presentation/480632722/Chapter-8
Scribd. (2025, August 25). Chapter 13: The second
novel: El Filibusterismo. https://www.scribd.com/presentation/458762664/Chapter-13
Scribd. (2025, May 2). Trial and execution of
Rizal. https://www.scribd.com/document/275130193/Trial-and-Execution-of-Rizal
Scribd. (2025, May 1). Noli Me Tangere published in
Berlin (1887). https://www.scribd.com/document/687900916/Noli-Me-Tangere-Published-in-Berlin-1887
Semantic Scholar. (2011, May 31). José Protacio Rizal
(1861-1896): Physician and Philippine national hero. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/638a7446020dd99e9bedb35bc10db92a88fdd023
Semantic Scholar. (2014). Home of real Manila rattan
Manila rattan manufacturers. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/749b0d9b4cef1c3483df8ea4ca014f8ff1753fe7
Semantic Scholar. (n.d.). El Filibusterismo:
Subversion: A sequel to Noli Me Tangere. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/5b43315398b969194623ccf28dff70b9f106bb3c
Semantic Scholar. (2007, December 3). Theater and the
discourse on power: Jose Rizal's participation in Philippine theater in the
last decades of the nineteenth century. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/c02b5e725634d242312eb73ea61ec2981ca7b772
Simple English Wikipedia. (2005, March 30). La Liga
Filipina. https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Liga_Filipina
SlideShare. (2016, June 7). Rizal in Ateneo Municipal
de Manila. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/rizal-in-ateneo-municipal-de-manila/62836180
SlideShare. (2024, April 25). Jose Rizal education
life in ATENEO and UST. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/jose-rizal-education-life-in-ateneo-and-ustpptx/267567898
SlideShare. (2022, October 22). Rizals birth childhood
experience. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/rizals-birth-childhood-experiencepptx/253766058
SlideShare. (2013, August 29). Jose Rizal's
childhood. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/jose-rizal-ppt-nung-bata-pa-siya-lol/25753697
SlideShare. (n.d.). Dr. Jose Rizal's family. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/dr-jose-rizals-family/77657575
SlideShare. (2016, April 30). The publication of Noli
Me Tangere. https://www.slideshare.net/majorieashleycalar/the-publication-of-noli-me-tangere
SlideShare. (2015, June 28). Martyrdom at Bagumbayan
(Jose Rizal's life). https://www.slideshare.net/yazmin9457/martyrdom-at-bagumbayan-jose-rizals-life
SlideShare. (2023, November 12). Rizal's life and
works. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/rizals-life-and-workspptx/263331886
SlideShare. (n.d.). Rizal and La Liga Filipina. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/rizal-and-la-liga-filipina/30898805
SlideShare. (n.d.). Chapter 21: Second homecoming and
the La Liga Filipina. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/chapter-21-second-homecoming-and-the-la-liga-filipina/67237287
SlideShare. (n.d.). Jose Rizal: Trial, execution and
martyrdom. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/jose-rizal-trial-execution-and-martyrdom/232584817
Springer. (n.d.). Archipiélagos de ultramar:
Filibusterismo and extended colonialism in the Caribbean and the
Philippines. http://link.springer.com/10.1057/9781137413079_3
StudoCu. (2021, February 7). Message and impact of
Gomburza execution to the Filipino. https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/rizal-technological-university/bs-education/message-and-impact-of-gomburza-execution-to-the-filipino/11655610
StudoCu. (n.d.). Rizal's life and early
education. https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/university-of-rizal-system/bachelor-of-arts-in-political-science/rizals-life-and-early-education/25375402
StudoCu. (n.d.). Noli Me Tangere published in Berlin
1887. https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/ago-medical-and-educational-center-bicol-christian-college-of-medicine/medical-laboratory/noli-me-tangere-published-in-berlin-1887/73965131
StudoCu. (n.d.). Founding of La Liga Filipina. https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/don-honorio-ventura-technological-state-university/rizals-life-and-works/founding-of-la-liga-filipina/72242142
Taylor & Francis Online. (2020, July 15).
Derrida's "aporia of responsibility" in José Rizal's El Filibusterismo. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00144940.2020.1724855
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. (n.d.). [Article
download]. https://storage.googleapis.com/jnl-su-j-injlacs-files/journals/1/articles/306/submission/proof/306-1-615-1-10-20171017.pdf
Victoria University of Wellington. (2021, May 5).
People we trust (a novel) and The enemy within: Fictionalising the Marcos
regime (a critical study). https://openaccess.wgtn.ac.nz/articles/thesis/People_we_trust_a_novel_and_The_enemy_within_Fictionalising_the_Marcos_regime_a_critical_study_/14551278/1
Wikipedia. (2017, August 23). Teodora Alonso
Realonda. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teodora_Alonso_Realonda
Wikipedia. (2003, April 24). José Rizal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_Rizal
Wikipedia. (2006, December 18). 1872 Cavite
mutiny. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1872_Cavite_mutiny
Wikipedia. (2004, October 27). Gomburza. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gomburza
Wikipedia. (2003, September 12). Noli Me Tángere
(novel). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noli_Me_Tángere_(novel)
Wikipedia. (2004, November 29). El
filibusterismo. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_filibusterismo
Wikipedia. (2004, August 26). La Liga Filipina. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Liga_Filipina
