Lesson 9: El Filibusterismo

Question 1

Jose Rizal’s second novel written
as the sequel of his Noli Me Tangere

Answer 1

El Filibusterismo

Question 2

What is El Fili’s English alternative title?

Answer 2

The Reign of Greed

Question 3

What were Rizal’s main objectives in writing his novels?

Answer 3

1. To defend Filipino people from foreign accusations of foolishness and lack of knowledge.
2. To show how the Filipino people live during Spanish colonial period and the cries and woes of his countrymen against abusive officials.
3. To discuss what religion and belief can really do to everyday lives.
4. To expose the cruelties, graft and corruption of the false government and honestly show the wrongdoings of Filipinos that led to further failure.

Question 4

When and where did Rizal start writing El Filibusterismo?

Answer 4

October 1887 in Calamba (first homecoming)

Question 5

El Fili was thus written against ________________

Answer 5

The background of threats and oppressions he and his family suffered because of Noli AND the so-called Calamba agrarian trouble

Question 6

Where did Rizal make revisions to El Fili?

Answer 6

London, 1888

Question 7

When and were did Rizal finish El Fili?

Answer 7

March 29, 1891 in Biarritz

Question 8

Who was looking for a printing press for El Fili?

Answer 8

Jose Alejandrino

Question 9

To where did Rizal deliver proofs and revisions to?

Answer 9

F. Meyer van Loo in Ghent

Question 10

For Jose Alejandrino’s assistance, what did Rizal give him?

Answer 10

1. El Fili’s corrected proofs
2. The pen used in doing the corrections

Question 11

Who was the first possible person to read the novel aside from Rizal?

Answer 11

Alejandrino

Question 12

Who was given the title of “The Savior of the Fili”?

Answer 12

Valentin

Question 13

How did Rizal initially fund the printing of El Fili?

Answer 13

Pawning his properties

Question 14

Why was the printing of El Fili suspended?

Answer 14

Lack of funds

Question 15

What did Rizal decide to do with regards to the length of the novel despite Ventura’s help?

Answer 15

He erased 47 whole
pages from the 279-page manuscript to save
expenses

Question 16

When did El Fili come off the press?

Answer 16

Middle of September 1891

Question 17

How many chapters did El Fili have after being published?

Answer 17

38 chapters

Question 18

What did Rizal give Ventura for his salvific act?

Answer 18

The novel’s original manuscript. a pen, and an autographed printed copy

Question 19

Who bought the El Fili manuscript from Ventura?

Answer 19

The PH Government in 1925

Question 20

How much did the PH Government pay for the manuscript?

Answer 20

10,000 pesos

Question 21

Where is the manuscript being kept now?

Answer 21

National Library

Question 22

The novel’s title is derived from what simpler term?

Answer 22

Filibustero

Question 23

What does filibustero contextually mean?

Answer 23

subversive, dissident, revolutionary, seditious, and treasonous.

Question 24

Who did Rizal dedicate the novel to?

Answer 24

Gomburza

Question 25

Who were the three priests in Gomburza? How old were they?

(in Rizal’s novel to, mali kasi yung ages na nilagay niya + the dates)

Answer 25

Don Mariano Gomez - (85 years old)
Don Jose Burgos - (30 years old)
Don Jacinto Zamora - (35 years old)

Question 26

When was Gomburza executed?

(in Rizal’s novel to, mali kasi yung ages na nilagay niya + the dates)

Answer 26

February 28th, 1872

Question 27

How old were the priests actually were upon execution?

(Yung tamang ages na)

Answer 27

Gomez was then 73 - (not 85)
Burgos was 35 - (not 30)
Zamora was 37 - (not 35)

Question 28

When were the priests actually executed?

(Yung tamang date na)

Answer 28

February 17th, 1872

Question 29

Who was the foreword of El Fili addressed to?

Answer 29

“To the Filipino People and Their Government.”

Question 30

Who wrote the warning and inscription on the title page of El Fili?

Answer 30

Ferdinand Blumentritt

Question 31

El Filibusterismo exposes _____

Answer 31

The real picture of Filipino society at the hands of the Spanish authorities.

Question 32

What were the socio-political issues mentioned in Noli and dealt with in El Fili?

Answer 32

➢ Abuses and hypocrisy of the members of the Spanish Catholic clergy

➢ Superstitions disguising as religious faith

➢ The need for reform in educational system

➢ Exploitation and corruption of government officials

➢ Pretenses of some social-climbing Filipinos and Spaniards.

Question 33

What makes El Fili essentially different from Noli?

Answer 33

It offers various means of attaining
social reform and somewhat hinted what the author believed was ideal.

Question 34

According to some scholars, how should the ending be interpreted?

Answer 34

Rizal can be said to be
against unprepared and disorganized rebellion of
uneducated people, which could have a slim chance
of victory.

Question 35

Who did Rizal once say would be a good revolutionary leader?

Answer 35

Elias

Question 36

T or F: Rizal preferred Elias being killed instead of Ibarra.

Answer 36

F (baliktad)

Question 37

How many years after Noli did Rizal write El Fili?

Answer 37

4 years

Question 38

What did Rizal depict in Noli?

Answer 38

The cruelty and exploitation suffered by the society at the brink of natives at the hands of colonizers

Question 39

What did Rizal depict in El Fili?

Answer 39

Rebellion as the natives’ minds have been awakened and revolutionary forces have been formed

Question 40

More radical and revolutionary, the novel has less ______________

Answer 40

Idealism and romance

Question 41

T or F: El Fili was never a matter of revenge.

Answer 41

T

Question 42

Which of Rizal’s friends believed that Fili was superior to Noli?

Answer 42

Blumentritt and Jaena

Question 43

T or F: Rizal never believed in the superiority of Fili.

Answer 43

F (he once did)

Question 44

When did Rizal have a change of heart regarding Fili?

Answer 44

October 13, 1891 in a letter to del Pilar

Question 45

IF YOU SEE THIS, BASAHIN MO SYNOPSIS NG EL FILI BOANG.

Answer 45

go na bye