His father, Francisco Mercado Rizal, an industrious farmer
whom Rizal called "a model of fathers," came from Biñan, Laguna;
while his mother, Teodora Alonzo y Quintos, a highly cultured and accomplished
woman whom Rizal called "loving and prudent mother," was born in
Meisic, Sta. Cruz, Manila. At the age of 3, he learned the alphabet from his
mother; at 5, while learning to read and write, he already showed inclinations
to be an artist. He astounded his family and relatives by his pencil drawings
and sketches and by his moldings of clay. At the age 8, he wrote a Tagalog
poem, "Sa Aking Mga Kabata," the theme of which revolves on the love
of one’s language. In 1877, at the age of 16, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts
degree with an average of "excellent" from the Ateneo Municipal de
Manila. In the same year, he enrolled in Philosophy and Letters at the
University of Santo Tomas, while at the same time took courses leading to the
degree of surveyor and expert assessor at the Ateneo. He finished the latter
course on March 21, 1877 and passed the Surveyor’s examination on May 21, 1878;
but because of his age, 17, he was not granted license to practice the
profession until December 30, 1881. In 1878, he enrolled in medicine at the
University of Santo Tomas but had to stop in his studies when he felt that the
Filipino students were being discriminated upon by their Dominican tutors. On
May 3, 1882, he sailed for Spain where he continued his studies at the
Universidad Central de Madrid. On June 21, 1884, at the age of 23, he was
conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine and on June 19,1885, at the age
of 24, he finished his course in Philosophy and Letters with a grade of
"excellent."
Having traveled extensively in Europe, America and Asia, he
mastered 22 languages. These include Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, English, French,
German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Malayan, Portuguese, Russian,
Sanskrit, Spanish, Tagalog, and other native dialects. A versatile genius, he
was an architect, artists, businessman, cartoonist, educator, economist,
ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist, linguist,
musician, mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, opthalmic surgeon,
poet, propagandist, psychologist, scientist, sculptor, sociologist, and
theologian.
He was an expert swordsman and a good shot. In the hope of
securing political and social reforms for his country and at the same time
educate his countrymen, Rizal, the greatest apostle of Filipino nationalism,
published, while in Europe, several works with highly nationalistic and
revolutionary tendencies. In March 1887, his daring book, NOLI ME TANGERE, a
satirical novel exposing the arrogance and despotism of the Spanish clergy, was
published in Berlin; in 1890 he reprinted in Paris, Morga’s SUCCESSOS DE LAS
ISLAS FILIPINAS with his annotations to prove that the Filipinos had a
civilization worthy to be proud of even long before the Spaniards set foot on
Philippine soil; on September 18, 1891, EL FILIBUSTERISMO, his second novel and
a sequel to the NOLI and more revolutionary and tragic than the latter, was
printed in Ghent. Because of his fearless exposures of the injustices committed
by the civil and clerical officials, Rizal provoked the animosity of those in
power. This led himself, his relatives and countrymen into trouble with the
Spanish officials of the country. As a consequence, he and those who had
contacts with him, were shadowed; the authorities were not only finding faults
but even fabricating charges to pin him down. Thus, he was imprisoned in Fort
Santiago from July 6, 1892 to July 15, 1892 on a charge that anti-friar
pamphlets were found in the luggage of his sister Lucia who arrive with him
from Hong Kong. While a political exile in Dapitan, he engaged in agriculture,
fishing and business; he maintained and operated a hospital; he conducted
classes- taught his pupils the English and Spanish languages, the arts.
The sciences, vocational courses including agriculture,
surveying, sculpturing, and painting, as well as the art of self defense; he
did some researches and collected specimens; he entered into correspondence
with renowned men of letters and sciences abroad; and with the help of his
pupils, he constructed water dam and a relief map of Mindanao - both considered
remarkable engineering feats. His sincerity and friendliness won for him the
trust and confidence of even those assigned to guard him; his good manners and
warm personality were found irresistible by women of all races with whom he had
personal contacts; his intelligence and humility gained for him the respect and
admiration of prominent men of other nations; while his undaunted courage and
determination to uplift the welfare of his people were feared by his enemies.
When the Philippine Revolution started on August 26, 1896,
his enemies lost no time in pressing him down. They were able to enlist
witnesses that linked him with the revolt and these were never allowed to be
confronted by him. Thus, from November 3, 1986, to the date of his execution,
he was again committed to Fort Santiago. In his prison cell, he wrote an
untitled poem, now known as "Ultimo Adios" which is considered a
masterpiece and a living document expressing not only the hero’s great love of
country but also that of all Filipinos. After a mock trial, he was convicted of
rebellion, sedition and of forming illegal association. In the cold morning of
December 30, 1896, Rizal, a man whose 35 years of life had been packed with
varied activities which proved that the Filipino has capacity to equal if not excel
even those who treat him as a slave, was shot at Bagumbayan Field.
Source: Teofilo H. Montemayor, www.joserizal.ph
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