Synopsis of El Filibusterismo

- this novel is a sequel to the Noli.

- has less humor, less idealism, and less romance than the Noli Me Tangere.
- more revolutionary, more tragic than the first novel.
SIMOUN
- a rich jeweler that is the hero of El Filibusterismo
- he was Crisostomo Ibarra of the Noli who with Elias' help, escaped from the
pursuing soldiers at Laguna de Bay. Dug up his buried treasure and feld to cuba
where he became rich and befriended many Spanish officials.
- he returned to the philippines and became a powerful figure not only because he
was rich but also because he is a good friend and adviser of the Governor-General
-outwardly, he is a friend of Spain but deep in his heart, he is secretly cherishing a
terrile revenge against the spanish authorities,
SIMOUNS TWO MAGNIFICENT OBSESSIONS:
1. to rescue Maria Clara from the nunnery of Sta Clara
2. to fomate a revolution against the hated Spanish masters.
THE STORY
The story of El Filibusterismo begins on board te clumsy roundish shaped steamer
TABO, which is sailing upstream the Pasig from Manila to Laguna de Bay
PASSENGERS OF THE TABO
1. Simoun- the rich jeweller.
2. Doa Victorina- the ridiculously pro-Spanish woman who is going to laguna in
search of her henpecked husband, Tiburcio de Espadaa, who has deserted her.
3. Paulita Gomez- the beautiful niece of Doa Victorina.
4. Ben-Zayb (anagram of Ibaez)- a Spanish journalist who writes silly articles about
the Filipinos.
5. Padre Sibyla- the vice-rector of the University of Sto. Tomas.
6. Padre Camoorra- the parish priest of the town of Tiani.
7. Don Custodio- a pro-Spanish Filipino holding a high position in the government.
8. Pade Salvi- thin Franciscan friar and former cura of San Diego.
9. Padre Irene- a kind friar who was a friend of the Filipino students.
10. Padre Florentino- a retired scholarly and patriotic Filipino priest.
11. Isagani- a poet-nephew of padre Florentino and a lover of Paulita.
12. Basilio- son of Sisa and promising medical student, whose medical education is
financed by his oatron, Kapitan Tiago.
Simoun,
- a man of wealth and mystery is a very close friend and confidante of the GovernorGeneral.
- called the "Brown Cardinal" or the "Black Eminence" because of his great influence
in Malacaang.
Simoun, by using his wealth and political influence, he encourages corruption in the
government, promotes the oppression of the masses, and hastens the moral
degradation of the country so that the people may become desperate and fight. He

smuggles arms into the country with the help of a rich chinese merchant, Quiroga
who wants to be the chinese consul of Manila.
Simoun's first attempt to begin the armed uprising did not materialize because at
the last hour, he hears the sad news that Maria Clara died in the Nunnery. In his
agonizing moment of bereavement, he did not give the signal for the outbreak of
hostilities.
After along time of illness brought about by the bitter loss of Maria Clara, Simoun
perfects his plan to overthrow the government. On the occassion of the wedding of
Paulita Gomez and Juanito Pelaez, he gives a wedding gift to them--a beautiful lamp.
Only he and his confidential associate, Basilio (Sisa's son who joined his
revolutionary cause) know that when the wick of the lamp burns out, the
nitroglycerin that was in the lamp will burn and will explode, destroying the house
and killing all guests, friars, and the Governor-General.
As the wedding feast begins the poet Isagani, who has been rejected by Paulota ue
to his liberal ideas, is standing outside the house, watching sorrowfully the
merriment inside. Basilio, a friend of Isagani, warns him to go away because the
ignited lamp will soon explode. Isagani did not run away to escape but rushed into
the house and hurls the lamp into the river, to save Paulita's life.
The revolutionary plot was thus discovered. Simoun was cornered and mortally
wounded. He escaped and sought refuge in the home of Padre Florentino by the
sea. The spanish authorities learned the presence of Simoun in the house of the
priest. And by letter, Lt. Perez of the Guardia Civil informs that they will arrest
Simoun by 8pm.
Simoun Eluded arrest by taking poison. As he is dying he confesses to padre
Florentino, revealing his true identity, his plan to use his wealth to avenge himself
and his sinister aim to destroy his friends and enemies. Simoun's confession is long
and painful. Padre Florentino consoles the dying man by saying
"God will forgive you, seor Simoun. He knows that we are fallible he has seen that
you have suffered, and in ordaining that the chastisement for your faults should
come as death from te very ones you have instigated to crime, you can see His
infinite mercy. He has frustrated your plans one by one, the best conceived, first by
the death of Maria Clara,then by a lack of preparation,then in some mysterious way.
Let us bow to His will and render Him thanks!"
Watching Simoun die peacefully with a clear conscience and at peace with God,
Padre Florentino murmurs:
"where there are the youth who will consecrate their golden hours, their illusions
and their enthusiasm to the welfare of their native land? Where are the youth who
will generously pour out their blood to wash away so much shame, so much crime,
so much abomination? Pure and spotless must the victim be that the sacrifice may
be acceotable! Where are you, youth, who will embody in yourselves the vigor of life
that has left our brains, the fire of enthusiasm that has been quenched in our
hearts! We await you, O youth! Come, for we await you!

Padre Florentino falls upon his knees and prays for the dead jeweller. He takes the
treasure chest and throws it into the sea. As the waves close over the sinking chest,
he invokes:
"May nature guard you in her deep abysses among the pearls and corals of her
eternal seas