NOLI ME

TANGERE
CHAPTER 1-8:
SUMMARY AND
ANALYSIS By:
Abellana,Jeard Leslie
Abello,Lezsley Anne
Agagon.Mick Danielle
Alam,Shaun Kyle
Aguilar, Rianne
CHAPTER 1:
A Social Gathering
SUMMARY:
■ Wealthy Binondo resident, Don Santiago de los Santos (Capitan Tiago), throws
a last minute dinner party. Among the many guests are the Dominican curate of
Binondo, Fray Sibyla; the former curate of San Diego, Fransiscan Fray
Damaso; an elderly lieutenant; and two civilians, Senor Laruja and a rubicund
youth who has recently arrived in the country.

■ Damaso and Laruja impress upon the rubicund youth the quality of indolence
of the native population, but the conversation diverges as Sibyla asks Damaso
about his tenure in San Diego.
■ In response, The Fransiscan launches into a seemingly inexplicable tirade
against the Captain-General, to which the elderly lieutenant takes offense. He
reveals that Damaso’s anger stems from his having been transferred by the
Captain-General to a new town as punishment for having had the corpse of a
man falsely accused of suicide dug up.

■ As the mutual annoyance between the friar and lieutenant abates, two other
guests join the group, the lame Spaniard Doctor De Espedaña, and his
ostentatious European styled Filipina wife, Doña Victorina.
ANALYSIS:
■ Father Damaso’s lack of cultural compassion and excessive confidence made
him think that he is able to generalize Filipinos as Indios’ – a derogatory term.

■ He is more concerned of appearing to be well-liked than actually  taking the

necessary measures to win the townspeople’s respect.

■ Rizal uses the unnamed foreigner as a mouthpiece for his own political belief
that powerful colonial forces project their own expectations and shortcomings
onto the people they try to govern.
Unfortunately, Father Dámaso is too wrapped up in his own self-image—his power
and importance—to acknowledge that Filipinos are respectable people; in order for
him to feel authoritative, Filipinos must be below him.

■ Rizal has a habit of plunging readers into new storylines and alluding to certain
plot elements that aren’t explained until later. (i.e referencing to the exhumated
dead man)

■ Reflection of the tension between the state and the church (i.e. the tirade
between the lieutenant and the friar)
■ The present situation of the Philippines in reflection of the first chapter poses
some of our own politicians and leaders as the Friar Damaso. His neglect to the
conditions of the ordinary Filipinos; and his care for his appearance,
summarizes the actions of those we elect. Filipinos suffer at the hands of these
people. The tension that arises is between the governed and the government.
CHAPTER 2:
Crisostomo Ibarra
SUMMARY:
■ Capitan Tiago arrives at his house leading by the hand a young man dressed in
deep mourning whom he has gone out to meet. He introduces the man as Don
Crisostomo Ibarra, the son of his departed friend, Don Rafael Ibarra. The guests
react with visible surprise. Ibarra moves to greet Damaso with joy as the curate
of his town and his father’s friend, but the Fransiscan publicly rebuffs him and
denies the suggested friendship. The lieutenant, on the other hand, greets Ibarra
warmly and declares the elder Ibarra an honorable man. 
■ As the guests disperse around the house, Ibarra, who had been away in Europe
for 7 years, is left to reacquaint himself with the ladies and gentlemen of his
country. Ibarra meets the friendly Capitan Tinong who invites him to dine with
him at a later date.
ANALYSIS:
■ This first interaction between Father Dámaso and Ibarra quickly establishes the
harsh dynamic of their relationship. Dámaso’s cold reception of Ibarra’s
enthusiasm also suggests that something has happened between the two men
and that Ibarra is unaware of the change in circumstances. The crowd’s silence
seems to further suggest that the circumstances of Ibarra’s arrival are fraught
with tension, and Ibarra is left to piece together the strangeness on his own.
■ The lieutenant’s sincere reception of Ibarra—along with the fact that Ibarra’s
father has died—suggests that Ibarra’s current situation is most likely related to
the lieutenant and Father Dámaso’s recent argument. The kindness the
lieutenant shows Ibarra also aligns the young man with the government rather
than the church.
■ The fact that the group of dinner guests is so stratified when it comes to how
they treat Ibarra suggests that he is a controversial figure in this community.
The reason for this, though, seems to be a mystery to Ibarra. How the guests
treat him most likely has to do with whether they align themselves with the
church or the state.

■ In this chapter, the distinction between the alliances of the church and the state
is very evident. If you are not with the church, it assumed that you are against
it. There is no neutral or in between. So the people are very careful with whom
the associate with.
CHAPTER 3:
The Dinner
 CHAPTER 3: THE DINNER
SUMMARY:
■ As for the safe arrival of Crisostomo Ibarra to the Philippines, Capitan Tiago
supervises a dinner feast in his honor.

■ The guests flocked to the table so, Father Sibyla and Father Damaso argue over
the seat at the head of the table, since it is notable that it’s a place of honor, they
even offered it to Lieutenant Guevarra. One of the guests, a red-haired writer
named Laruja, writes an article about the feast.

■ Later, Father Damaso’s mood is made more foul when he is served the worst
parts of the chicken from the tinola, while Ibarra is given the meatiest parts.
■ Father Damaso belittles Ibarra’s learning when he shared his experiences in
Europe. He said that it is not worth it, and it could be also known without
having to travel extensively.

■ Capitan Tiago informed Ibarra that his daughter, Maria Clara will arrive but
Ibarra excuses himself and departs with a toast “Spain and Philippines”.
ANALYSIS:
■ Father Sibyla and Father Damaso’s dispute was an example of the way the church
manipulates the government. It shows how the friars encourage the authority (which
was the offering of the seat to Lieutenant) of the state only when it benefits
themselves.

■ The red-haired writer named Laruja, was one of the portrayals of Jose Rizal that he
wanted to point out, that history was being written by foreigners who had spent so
little time in the country.

■ When Father Damaso scoffs at Ibarra’s notion that there could be so much to learn as
to your travelling, shows that they are not appalled when a Filipino is being educated.
CHAPTER 4:
Heretic and Filibuster
 CHAPTER 4: HERETIC AND FILIBUSTER

SUMMARY:

■ Walking in the Plaza of Binondo, Ibarra encounters Lieutenant Guevarra and

questioned him about the details of his father’s death.

■ Don Rafael was arrested for the death of a Spanish tax collector whom he
confronted for beating a schoolboy. The case was prolonged because of jealous
enemies that falsely accused him of other crimes.

■ He also mentions that Don Rafael was branded as a heretic, a filibuster, and a
subversive. By the time Guevara successfully cleared Don Rafael’s name, he had
died in his cell.
ANALYSIS:
■ It shows that no matter how high ranking you are, whether you are a Don, if
you have a disagreement with a Spaniard, the government will always favor
them. It tackles the privilege of being a Spaniard in the Philippines because
even though he is an imbecile, the government made sure that he has a job,
which is being a tax collector. This suggests that even the lowliest of Spaniards
benefits from his national affiliation, regardless of whether, or not he deserves
the luxuries the government provides.
 CHAPTER
5:
A Star in the Dark
Night
SUMMARY:
Ibarra is heading back to the room where he's been staying. In the distance,
Captain Tiago's house is visible; if Ibarra wanted, he could probably make out
the party where he would see a gathering of Filipinos, Spaniards, Chinese people,
soldiers, priests, and a beautiful young lady standing next to Father Dámaso, who
smiles before her. Instead, Ibarra sees a picture of his father dying in a prison cell
as he spills wine on flowers and laughs unburdened by sorrow. As the party comes
to an end and the lights go out to Captain Tiago's house, Ibarra cries to sleep.
ANALYSIS:
■ Ibarra's vision of his father's death illustrates Ibarra's enormous remorse of
abandoning Don Rafael to die in the Philippines while Ibarra took advantage of
foreign education and freedom of expression. This culpability will drive Ibarra
into the whole novel as he remembers that he owes it to his father to enhance
the circumstances in his troubled country.
CHAPTER
6:
Captain Tiago
 CHAPTER 6: Captain Tiago

SUMMARY:

Ibarra is heading back to the room where he's been staying. In the This chapter is dedicated
to Captain Tiago, a Filipino descendant who is one of the wealthiest property owners in the
country. He's a big plants man in San Diego. Tiago spends two months per year in an
upwardly mobile area. He is also a religious man besides being rich and known in
government circles. In reality, his wealth guarantees his godliness because he pays for him to
pray for priests and poor people. When Tiago finds himself in a pinch, he promises some
saints a whole host of things when he wants something from the heavens. He believes in
polythesis and extends his devotion amongst numerous saints and holy figures to ensure that
his religious affinities pay off.
With reference to its close ties with the government, Rizal says, "Tiago is always
willing, always ready, to obey lower-ranking military officials." Whenever he
hears someone criticizing Filipino indigenous people, he joins enthusiastically,
because he doesn't consider himself "an indigenous person." Sadly, his wife died at
childbirth and left him, thanks to his cousin Aunt Isabel, to raise María Clara.
Everyone loves and admires María Clara until today, who is committed to Ibarra's
marriage.
ANALYSIS:

Rizal portrays Captain Tiago as a religious man with irony, as Tiago's own success
is the one that is most interested in. He does not pray for himself and his belief in
polytheism strongly opposes the doctrine of Christianity. Nevertheless, his
prosperity and readiness to pay priests to make up for his lack of sincere spiritual
commitment is well respected in the religious community.

That Tiago jumps on the opportunity of offending his own people's character
demonstrates how weak kneed he is.
It's important to bear in mind that Tiago is a sycophant obsessed with acquiring
power through association because Rizal examines the social dynamics at play in
the Philippines during Spanish colonization, particularly in that it concerns Tiago's
affiliation with Ibarra. He wants himself in the good graces of everyone with lower
ranking officers.rse of abandoning Don Rafael to die in the Philippines while
Ibarra took advantage of foreign education and freedom of expression. This
culpability will drive Ibarra into the whole novel as he remembers that he owes it
to his father to enhance the
CHAPTER
7:
An Idyl on an
Azotea
SUMMARY:

■ Aunt Isabel and María Clara visited the church the next morning. 

■ When the service ends, María Clara promptly rushes away, ignoring her aunt’s
scolding for her disrespectful exit. 

■ Ibarra arrives, discusses his engagement to María Clara with Captain Tiago.

■ Maria Clara and Crisostomo Ibarra Talked on the Azotea. 

■ Ibarra strives to prove his love for Maria Clara by showing her the old leaves that had
been given by the girl seven years earlier, while they had gone swimming with his
mother.

■ Maria takes out a keepsake of her own, Ibarra’s farewell letter from which she reads a
few lines, including Ibarra’s explanation that his father wanted him to leave for
Europe to learn about life and later be useful to the fatherland.
 Analysis

■ Ibarra told Don Rafael that he loved María Clara and thus didn’t want to go to
Europe. “To you, the future opens its doors, to me it closes them. Your love is being
born, mine lies dying,” his father told him. “And yet you cry and cannot figure out
how to sacrifice today for a useful tomorrow, for you and your country!” Hearing
María Clara read these lines to him once more, Ibarra goes pale, telling her he must
go because she has “made him forget his responsibilities.”
■ Ibarra told Don Rafael that he loved María Clara and thus didn’t want to go to
Europe. “To you, the future opens its doors, to me it closes them. Your love is being
born, mine lies dying,” his father told him. “And yet you cry and cannot figure out
how to sacrifice today for a useful tomorrow, for you and your country!” Hearing
María Clara read these lines to him once more, Ibarra goes pale, telling her he must
go because she has “made him forget his responsibilities.”
CHAPTER
8:
Recollections
SUMMARY:

■ Ibarra’s carriage passes through the busiest district of Manila, 

■ He observes that the country’s condition remains unchanged from when
he left it seven years ago. 
■  He finds no progress achieved and reforms implemented by the
government.  
■ Afterwards, seeing the Arroceros Cigar factory, the Botanical Garden.
■ The Bagumbayan bring back fond memories.
 Analysis

■ Ibarra’s passage through the streets of his childhood shows how much his country
has changed since he left. More importantly, these changes are the result of Spain’s
growing influence, which Ibarra recognizes in the beautiful carriages and, to a
greater extent, the botanical garden that reminds him of Europe. In this moment, the
immediate, visible effects of colonialism come to the forefront of Ibarra’s
consciousness, showing him that European customs have replaced (rather than
mingled with) Filipino customs.
Chapter Analysis 
■ Ibarra’s passage through the streets of his childhood shows how much his country has changed
since he left. More importantly, these changes are the result of Spain’s growing influence, which
Ibarra recognizes in the beautiful carriages and, to a greater extent, the botanical garden that
reminds him of Europe. In this moment, the immediate, visible effects of colonialism come to the
forefront of Ibarra’s consciousness, showing him that European customs have replaced (rather
than mingled with) Filipino customs.