Noli Me
Tangere
Idea of writing the novel on Philippines
In a reunion of Filipinos in the house of
Paternos in Madrid on January 2, 1884, He proposed
the writing of a novel about the Philippines by a
group of Filipinos.
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The Writing of Noli
• - Toward end of 1884, Rizal began writing the novel
in Madrid and finished one-half of it.
• - When He went to Paris in 1885, after completing
his studies in the Universidad Central de Madrid he
continued writing the novel, finishing one-half of the
second half. He wrote the last fourth of the novel in
Germany.
Why did Rizal write the novel and called it Noli
Me Tangere?
•Noli Me Tangere (Do not Touch Me) are the words of Jesus Christ
to Mary Magdalene when she visited the tomb of Christ early on the
morning of Easter Sunday (Gospel of St. John 20:13-17).
•Rizal used the words Noli Me Tangere because the book contains
things nobody in the Philippines had dared to speak about because
they were delicate matters and could not be touched by anyone.
•“I wrote my Noli Me Tangere to stir the patriotism of my
countrymen. I would be happy if among those I have stirred I shall find
more notable champions”. -J. Rizal
The man who saved the “Noli”
Indeed, Viola was a Godsend. Without him, the
Noli would most likely never appear in print. The
meeting between Viola and Rizal in Berlin was a
joyous one.
• - The first edition of Noli was printed in berlin in
1887. The cost of printing was 300 pesos (advanced by
Viola) for 2,000 copies.
• - March 29, 1887 is a significant date for it was the
date when the Noli Me Tangere came off the press.
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The “Noli” based on Truth
•-
The Noli Me Tangere unlike many works of fictional
Literature is a true story of Philippine conditions during the
last decades of Spanish rule. The places, Characters, and the
situations really existed. “The facts I narrate there” said Rizal,
“are all true and had happened; I can prove them”.
The Author’s dedication
•Rizal dedicated the Noli Me Tangere to the Philippines - ”To my
Country”