El Filibusterismo
Simoun - Crisóstomo Ibarra disguised as a wealthy jeweler, bent on starting a
revolution to get revenge on the people who had accused him wrongly. Disguised as the top adviser of the Captain-General. Basilio - The eldest of Sisa's two sons, now an aspiring doctor whose medical education was being financed by Capitan Tiago. He is now at the point of graduation during the events in the novel. Isagani - Poet and Basilio's best friend; portrayed as emotional and reactive; Paulita Gómez' boyfriend before being dumped for fellow student Juanito Peláez Tales - Telesforo Juan de Dios, a former cabeza de Kabesang barangay (barangay head) of Sagpang, a barangay in San Diego's neighboring town Tiani, who resurfaced as the feared Luzón L uzón bandit Matanglawin (Tagalog for "Hawkeye"); Don Custodio - Custodio de Salazar y Sánchez de Monteredondo, a famous "journalist" who was asked by the students about his decision for the Academia de Castellano. In reality, he is quite an ordinary fellow who married a rich woman in order to be a member of Manila's high society. Paulita Gomez - The girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of Doña Victorina, the old I ndio ndio who passes herself off as a Peninsular , who is the wife of the quack doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña. In the end, she and Juanito Peláez are wed, and she dumps Isagani, believing that she will have no future if she marries him. Macar aig - One of Isagani's classmates at the University of Santo Tomas. He is a rich student and serves as the leader of the students yearning to build the Academia de Castellano. Father Florentino - Isagani's godfather, and a secular priest; was engaged to be married, but chose to be a priest after being pressured by his mother, the story hinting at the ambivalence of his decision as he chooses an assignment to a remote place, living in solitude near the sea. Juli - Juliana de Dios, the girlfriend of Basilio, and the youngest daughter of Kabesang Tales. To claim her father from the bandits, she had to work as a maid under the supervision of Hermana Penchang. Eventually, she was freed but committed suicide after Father Camorra attempted to rape her. Juanito Pelaez - The son of Don Timoteo Pelaez, a Spanish businessman, he is also one of the members of Macaraig's gang who wish to have the Academia de Castellano built. He is considered by b y Isagani as his rival to Paulita Pau lita Gomez, the woman whom he fell in love and wed in the end. Placido Penitente considers him as a "good for nothing" classmate.
Doña Victorina - Victorina delos Reyes de Espadaña, known in N oli Me Tangere as
Tiburcio de Espadaña's cruel wife. She is the aunt of Paulita Gomez, and favors Juanito Pelaez than Isagani. Although of Indio ideology, she considers herself as one of the Peninsular . Father Camorr a - The parish priest of Tiani, San Diego's adjacent town. He has been desiring young women ever since. He nearly raped Juli causing the latter to commit suicide. Ben-Zayb - The pseudonym of Abraham Ibañez, a journalist who believes he is the "only" one thinking in the Philippines. Ben-Zayb is an anagram of Ybanez, an alternate spelling of his name. Placido Penitente - A student of the University of Santo Tomas who was very intelligent and wise but did not want, if not only by his mother's plea, to pursue his studies. He also controls his temper against Padre Millon, his physics teacher. Hermana Penchang - Sagpang's rich pusakal (gambler). She offers Huli to be her maid so the latter can obtain money to free Kabesang Tales. Disbelieving of Huli and her close friends, she considers herself as an ally of the friars. Tibur cio de Espadaña - Don Tiburcio is Victorina de Espadaña's lame husband. He is currently on hiding with Father Florentino. Father Írenë - Captain Tiago's spiritual adviser. Although reluctant, he helped the students to establish the Academia de Castellano after being convinced by giving him a chestnut. The only witness to Captain Tiago's death, he forged the last will and testament of the latter so Basilio will obtain nothing from the inheritance. Quiroga - A Chinese businessman who dreamed of being a consul for his country in the Philippines. He hid Simoun's weapons inside his house. Don Timoteo Pelaez - Juanito's father. He is a rich businessmen and arranges a wedding for his son and Paulita. He and Simoun became business partners. Tandang Selo - Father of Kabesang Tales. He raised the sick and young Basilio after he left their house in Noli me Tangere. He died in an encounter on the mountains with his son Tales. Father Fernández - The priest-friend of Isagani. He promised to Isagani that he and the other priests will give in to the students' demands. Sandoval - The vice-leader of Macaraig's gang. A Spanish classmate of Isagani, he coerces his fellow classmates to lead alongside him the opening of the Spanish language academy. Hermana Báli - Another gambler in Tiani. She became Huli's mother-figure and counselor; helped to release Kabesang Tales from the hands of bandits.
Pasta - One of the great lawyers of mid-Hispanic Manila, opposed the students'
demands for a Spanish language academy Father Millon - The Physics teacher of the University of Santo Tomas. He always becomes vindictive with Placido and always taunts him during class. Tadeo - Macaraig's classmate. He, along with the other three members of their gang, supposedly posted the posters that "thanked" Don Custodio and Father Irene for the opening of the Academia de Castellano. Leeds - An American who holds stage plays starring decapitated heads; he is in good friends with Simoun. Tano - Kabesang Tales's elder son after his older sister, Lucia died in childhood. He is currently one of the Guardia Civil . He then returned under the name Carolino after his exile in Caroline Islands. Pepay - Don Custodio's supposed "girlfriend". A dancer, she is always agitated of her "boyfriend"'s plans. She seems to be a close friend of Macaraig. Gobernador Gener al - The highest-ranking official in the Philippines during the Spa nish colonial period, this unnamed character pretends that what he is doing is for the good of the Indios, the local citizens of the country, but in reality, he prioritizes the needs of his fellow Spaniards living in the country. Pecson - Basilio's classmate who had no idea on the happenings occurring around him. He suggested that they held the mock celebration at the panciteria. Father Hernando de la Sibyla- A Dominican friar introduced in Noli Me Tangere, now the vice-rector of the University of Santo Tomas. Father Bernardo Salvi- Former parish priest of San Diego, now the director and chaplain of the Santa Clara convent. Captain Tiago - Santiago delos Santos, although making a cameo appearance, Captain Tiago is Maria Clara's stepfather and the foster-father to Basilio. His health disintegrates gradually because of the opiumhe was forced to smoke given to him by Father Irene. Maria Clar a - Introduced in Dr. Rizal's first novel "Noli Me Tangere". She was once the girlfriend of Crisostomo Ibarra but chose to became a nun despite Father Damaso's(her real father) arguments. She eventually died, as witnessed by Basilio when he visited the convent of Santa Clara; this propelled Simoun to expedite his plans for revolution.
Major characters Ibarr a Juan
Crisóstomo Ibarr a y Magsalin, commonly referred to the novel as Ibarr a or Crisóstomo, is the protagonist in the story. Son of a Filipino businessman, Don Rafael Ibarra, he studied in Europe for seven years. Ibarra is also María Clara's fiancé. Several sources claim that Ibarra is also Rizal's reflection: both studied in Europe and both persons believe in the same ideas. Upon his return, Ibarra requested the local government of San Diego to construct a public school to promote education in the town. In the sequel of N oli , El Filibusterismo, Ibarra returned with different character and name: he called himself as Simoun, the English mestizo.
María Clar a María Clar a de los Santos y Alba, commonly referred to as María Clar a, is Ibarra's
fiancée. She was raised by Capitán Tiago, San Diego's cabeza de barangay and is the most beautiful and widely celebrated girl in San Diego. In the later parts of the novel, María Clara's identity was revealed as an illegitimate daughter of Father Dámaso, former parish curate of the town, and Doña Pía Alba, wife of Capitán Tiago. In the end she entered local covenant for nuns Beaterio de Santa Clara. In the epilogue dealing with the fate of the characters, Rizal stated that it is unknown if María Clara is still living within the walls of the covenant or she is already dead. The character of María Clara was patterned after Leonor Rivera, Rizal's first cousin and childhood sweetheart.
Capitán Tiago Don Santiago
de los Santos, known by his nickname Tiago and political title Capitán Tiago is a Filipino businessman and the cabeza de barangay or head of barangay of the town of San Diego. He is also the known father of María Clara. In the novel, it is said that Capitán Tiago is the richest man in the region of Binondo and he possessed real properties in Pampanga and Laguna de Bay. He is also said to be a good Catholic, friend of the Spanish government and was considered as a Spanish by colonialists. Capitán Tiago never attended school, so he became a domestic helper of a Dominican friar who taught him informal education. He married Pía Alba from Santa C ruz.
Padre Dámaso Dámaso Verdolagas, or Padre Dámaso is a Franciscan friar and the former parish curate
of San Diego. He is best known as a notorious character who speaks with harsh words and has been a cruel priest during his stay in the town. He is the real father of María Clara and an enemy of Crisóstomo's father, Rafael Ibarra. Later, he and María Clara had bitter arguments whether she would marry Alfonso Linares or go to a convent. At the end of the novel, he is again re-assigned to a distant town and is found dead one day. In popular culture, when a priest was said to be like Padre Dámaso, it means that he is a cruel but respectable individual. When one says a child is "anak ni Padre Damaso" (child of Padre Dámaso), it means that the child's father's identity is unkno wn.
Elías Elías is Ibarra's mysterious friend and ally. Elías made his first appearance as a pilot during a picnic of Ibarra and María Clara and her friends. He wants to revolutionize the country and to be freed from Spanish oppression. The 50th chapter of the novel explores the past of Elías and history of his family. In the past, Ibarra's great-grandfather condemned Elías' grandfather of burning a warehouse which led into misfortune for Elías' family. His father was refused to be married by her mother because his father's past and family lineage was discovered by his mother's family. In the long run, Elías and his twin sister was raised by their maternal grandfather. When they were teenagers, their distant relatives called them hijos de bastardo or illegitimate children. One day, his sister disappeared which led him to search for her. His search led him into different places, and finally, he became a fugitive and subversive.
Filosofo Tacio Filosofo Tacio, known by his Filipinized name Piloso po Tasyo is another major character in the story. Seeking for reforms from the government, he expresses his ideals in paper written in a cryptographic alphabet similar from hieroglyphs and Coptic figures[17] hoping "that the future generations may be able to decipher it" and realized the abuse and oppression done by the conquerors. His full name is only known as Don Anastacio. The educated inhabitants of San Diego labeled him as F ilosofo Tacio (Tacio the Sage) while others called him as Tacio el Loco (Insane Tacio) due to his exceptional talent for reasoning.
Doña Victorina Doña Victorina de los Reyes de Espadaña, commonly known as Doña Victorina, is an
ambitious Filipina who classifies herself as a Spanish and mimics Spanish ladies by putting on heavy make-up. The novel narrates Doña Victorina's younger days: she had lots of
admirers, but she did not choose any of them because nobody was a Spaniard. Later on, she met and married Don Tiburcio de Espadaña, an official of the customs bureau who is about ten years her junior. However, their marriage is childless. Her husband assumes the title of medical doctor even though he never attended medical school; using fake documents and certificates, Tiburcio practices illegal medicine. Tiburcio's usage of the title Dr.consequently makes Victorina assume the title Dra. (doctora, female doctor). Apparently, she uses the whole name Doña Victorina de los Reyes de de Espadaña, with double de to emphasize her marriage surname. She seems to feel that this awkward titling makes her more "sophisticated."
Sisa, Crispín, and Basilio Sisa, Crispín, and Basilio represent a Filipino family persecuted by the Spanish authorities. Nar cisa or S isa is the deranged mother of Basilio and Crispín. Described as beautiful and young, although she loves her children very much, she can not protect them from the beatings of her husband, Pedro.
Crispín is Sisa's 7-year-old son. An altar boy, he was unjustly accused of stealing money from the church. After failing to force Crispín to return the money he allegedly stole, Father Salví and the head sacristan killed him. It is not directly stated that he was killed, but the dream of Basilio suggests that Crispín died during his encounter with Padre Salvi and his minion. Basilio is Sisa's 10-year-old son. An acolyte tasked to ring the church bells for the Angelus,
he faced the dread of losing his younger brother and the descent of his mother into insanity. At the end of the novel, Elías wished Basilio to bury him by burning in exchange of chest of gold located on his death ground. He will later play a major role in E l F ilibusterismo. Due to their tragic but endearing story, these characters are often parodied in modern Filipino popular culture.
Other characters There are a number of secondary and minor characters in N oli Me Tangere. Items indicated inside the parenthesis are the standard Filipinization of the Spanish names in the novel.
Padre Hernando de la Sibyla ± a Dominican friar. He is described as short and has fair
skin. He is instructed by an old priest in his order to watch Crisóstomo Ibarra. Padre Bernardo Salví ± the Franciscan curate of San Diego, secretly harboring lust for María Clara. He is described to be very thin and sickly. It is also hinted that his last name, "Salvi" is the shorter form of "Salvi" meaning Salvation, or "Salvi" is short for
"Salvaje" meaning bad hinting to the fact that he is willing to kill an innocent child, Crispin, just to get his money back, though there was not enough evidence that it was Crispin who has stolen his 2 onzas. El Alférez or Alperes ± chief of the Guardia Civil . Mortal enemy of the priests for power in San Diego and husband of Doña Consolacion. Doña Consolacíon ± wife of the Alférez , nicknamed as la musa de los guardias civiles (The muse of the Civil Guards) or la Alféreza, was a former laundrywoman who passes herself as a Peninsular ; best remembered for her abusive treatment of Sisa. Don Tibur cio de Espadaña ± Spanish Quack Doctor who is limp and submissive to his wife, Doña Victorina. Teniente Guevar a - a close friend of Don Rafael Ibarra. He reveals to Crisóstomo how Don Rafael Ibarra's death came about. Alfonso Linares ± A distant nephew of Tiburcio de Espanada, the would-be fiancé of María Clara. Although he presented himself as a practitioner of law, it was later revealed that he, just like Don Tiburcio, is a fraud. He later died due to given medications of Don Tiburcio. Tía Isabel - Capitán Tiago's cousin, who raised Maria Clara. Governor Gener al (Gobernador Heneral) ± Unnamed person in the novel, he is the most powerful official in the Philippines. He has great disdain for the friars and corrupt officials, and sympathizes with Ibarra. Don Filipo Lino ± vice mayor of the town of San Diego, leader of the liberals. Padre Manuel Martín - he is the linguist curate of a nearby town who delivers the sermon during San Diego's fiesta. Don Raf ael Ibarr a - father of Crisóstomo Ibarra. Though he is the richest man in San Diego, he is also the most virtuous and generous. Dona Pía Alba - wife of Capitan Tiago and mother of María Clara, she died giving birth to her daughter. In reality, she was raped by Dámaso so she could bear a child.
Non-recurring char acters These characters were mentioned in the novel, appeared once, mentioned many times or have no major contribution to the storyline.
Don Pedro Eibarr amendia - the great-grandfather of Crisóstomo Ibarra who came from
the Basque area of Spain. He started the misfortunes of Elias' family. His descendants abbreviated their surname toI barra. He died of unknown reasons, but was seen as a decaying corpse on a Balite Tree. Don Saturnino Ibarr a - the son of Don Pedro, father of Don Rafael and grandfather of Crisóstomo Ibarra. He was the one who developed the town of San Diego. He was described as a cruel man but was very clever. Salomé - Elías' sweetheart. She lives in a little house by the lake, and though Elías would like to marry her, he tells her that it would do her or their children no good to be related to a fugitive like himself. In the original publication of N oli , the chapter that explores the identity of Elías and Salomé was omitted, classifying her as a total nonexisting character. This chapter, entitled E lías y S alomé was probably the 25th chapter of the novel. However, recent editions and translations of N oli provides the inclusion of this chapter, either on the appendix or renamed as C ha pter X (Ex). Sinang - Maria Clara's friend. Because Crisóstomo Ibarra offered half of the school he was building to Sinang, he gained Capitan Basilio's support. Iday, Neneng and Victoria - Maria Clara's other friends. Capitán Basilio - Sinang's father, leader of the conservatives. Pedro ± the abusive husband of Sisa who loves cockfighting. Tandáng Pablo ± The leader of the tulisanes (bandits), whose family was destroyed because of the Spaniards. El hombre amarillo (apparently means "yellowish person", named as Taong Madilaw ) One of Crisostomo Ibarra's would-be assassins. He is not named in the novel, and only described as such. In the novel, he carved the cornerstone for Ibarra's school. Instead of killing Ibarra, he was killed by his cornerstone. Lucas - the brother of the taong madilaw . He planned a revolution against the government with Ibarra as the leader after he was turned down by Ibarra. He was said to have a scar on his left cheek. He would later be killed by the Sakristan Mayor. Bruno and Tarsilo ± a pair of brothers whose father was killed by the Spaniards. Ñor Juan (Ñol Juan) - appointed as foreman of the school to be built by Ibarra Capitana Tika - Sinang's mother and wife of Capitan Basilio.
Albino - a former seminarian who joined the picnic with Ibarra and María Clara. Was later captured during the revolution. Capitana María Elena - a nationalist woman who defends Ibarra of the memory of his father. Capitán Tinong and Capitán Valentín - other known people from the town of San Diego. Sacristán Mayor - The one who governs the altar boys and killed Crispín for his accusation. Hermano Pedro, Hermana Ruf a, Hermana Sipa, Hermana Juana - Some of the persons included in the Chapter 18. These persons were talking about indulgencia plenaria.
