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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

An Extrinsic Approach Analysis on Jose Rizal’s To The Young Women of Malolos



Introduction
            Dr. Jose Rizal is famous for his classic writings which has been moving and inspiring the Filipinos from the Spanish era until the present time. This marked him as a worthy Philippine National Hero. As a biographical account, his letters, to different people were compiled. As a nature of letter, it reflects the addressor’s experiences, situations, thoughts and or messages which he or she wants to share or say to his or her addressee. As a notable person during the Spanish colonization times, Rizal’s letters also articulate an important part of the Philippine history, which on the same time scrutinize important social issues wherein some still exist nowadays.
One of these preserved letters of the hero is “To The Young Women of Malolos” written on February 22, 1889. It is a very rich resource text which can be analyzed using the extrinsic approach. For biographical analysis the subtopics are A Letter to the Young Women of Malolos, The Infancy Ideals, and Filibustero; for historical are Frailocracy, and Polo Y Serviciousz; and lastly for sociological are Confined Women, Uneducated Filipinas, The Weak Females of Philippines, Role of the Mothers, Blind Obedience, Official Corruption, and Racial Discrimination.
A Letter To The Young Women of Malolos
            The whole literary text itself is a biographical material of the author articulating, “Let us, therefore, reflect and consider our situation and see how we stand. May these poorly written lines aid you in your good purpose and help you to pursue the plan you have initiated. “May your profit be greater than the capital investment,” and I shall gladly accept the usual reward of all who dare the people the truth. May your desire to educate yourself be crowned with success; may you in the garden of learning gather not bitter, but choice fruit, looking well before you eat because on the surface of the globe all is deceit, and the enemy sows weeds in your seedling plot.” According to the book about Jose Rizal by Gregorio F. Zaide and Sonia M. Zaide, this famous letter was written by Jose Rizal in Tagalog, while he was residing in London, upon the request of M. H. del Pilar. The story behind this letter is that on December 12, 1888, a group of twenty young women of Malolos petitioned governor-general Weyler for permission to open a “night school” so that they might study Spanish under Teodoro Sandiko. The Spanish parish priest, Fr. Felipe Garcia, objected so that the governor-general turned down the petition. However, the young women, in defiance of the friar’s wrath, bravely continued their agitation of the school, a thing unheard of in the Philippines in those times. They finally succeeded in obtaining government approval to their project on condition that Señorita Guadalupe Reyes should be their teacher. The incident caused a great stir in the Philippines and in far-away Spain. Del Pilar, writing in Barcelona on February 17, 1889, requested Rizal to send a letter in Tagalog to the brave women of Malolos. Accordingly, Rizal, although busy in London annotating Morgan’s book, penned this famous letter and sent it to Del Pilar on February 22, 1889 for transmittal to Malolos.[1]
            Furthermore, deciphering the lines, “However, when the news of what happened at Malolos reached us, I saw my error, and great was my rejoicing. After all, who is to blame me? I did not know Malolos nor its young women, except one called Emilia, and her I knew by name only,the author is not merely addressing this letter to the women of Malolos but also to all the Filipinas. According to Nicanor D. Tiongson’s  book entitled, “The Women of Malolos” page 141, Emilia Tiongson met Jose Rizal whom he dance in Tanchangco house when he visited Malolos in 1888.[2]

The Infancy Ideals
            It could be assert in the opening lines, When I wrote Noli Me Tangere, I asked myself whether bravery was a common thing in the young women of our people. I brought back to my recollection and reviewed those I had known since my childhood, but there were only few who seem to come up to my ideal,” that Rizal’s recollection and review since his childhood is what he had written on his memoirs;
Without 1872 there would not be now either a Plaridel or Jaena, or Sanciangco, nor would there exist brave and generous Filipino colonies in Europe; without 1872 Rizal would be a Jesuit now and, instead of writing Noli Me Tangere, would have written the opposite. At the sight of those injustices and cruelties while still a child my imagination was awakened and I swore to devote myself to avenge one day so many victims and with this idea in mind I have been studying, and this can be read in all my works and writings. God will someday give me an opportunity to carry out my promise.[3]
Thus, it only means that since his childhood, Jose Rizal after he had seen the scenario of his countrymen in the hands of its Spaniard colonizers longed and prepared for the vengeance of his oppressed people. The National Hero’s writings, including his letter to the young women of Malolos are the realization of his ardor aim for the future of the Philippines.
Frailocracy
Owing the Spanish political philosophy of union of Church and State, there arose the a unique form of government in Hispanic Philippines called, “frailocracy” so named because it was a government by friars with religion as their front.[4]
This historical point is also shown and discussed in the letter articulating, “The official or friar can no longer assert that they alone are responsible for their unjust orders, because God gave, each individual reason and a will of his or her own to distinguish the just from the unjust; all were born without shackles and free, and nobody has a right to subjugate the will and the spirit of another. And, why should you submit to another your thoughts, seeing that thought is noble and free?” History discloses that since the days of the Spanish conquests, the Augustinian, Dominican and Franciscan friars controlled the religious and educational life of the Philippines and later in the 19th century they came to acquire tremendous political power, influence and reaches. The friars practically ruled the Philippines through a façade of civil government. The colonial authorities, from the governor general down to the alcaldes mayores, were under the control of the friars. Almost every town in the archipelago, except in unpacified Islamic Mindanao and Sulu and in the pagan hinterlands, was ruled by a friar curate. Aside from his priestly duties, the friar was the supervisor of the local elections, the inspector of schools and taxes, the arbiter of morals, the censor of books and comedians of a play, the superintendent of the public works, and the guardian of peace and order.[5] With this drowning power that a friar was possessing breadth of power, the Philippines during those time was in the tight, suffocating, greed hands of Catholicism.
Filibustero
So great was the political influence of the friars that their recommendationswere heeded by the governor and the provincial officials. They could send a patriotic Filipino to jail or denounced him as a Filibustero or traitor to be exiled to a distant place or to be executed as an enemy of Spain and God.[6] This supports the excerpt from the text, It is more presumptuous for a man to constitute himself into an idol and pretend to be in communication of thought with God; and it is more than presumptuous and even blasphemous for a person to attribute every movement of his lips to God, to represent every whim of his as the will of God, and to brand his own enemy as an enemy of God. Of course, we should not consult our own judgment alone, but hear the opinion of others before doing what may seem most reasonable to us.” This reflects the event in Jose Rizal’s life wherein he was arrested, exiled and executed because of his writings exposing the Spaniard friars’ stench corruption. That is, the friars who likened themselves as God had gone against with him and declared the author as an enemy of God.
It is in Rizal's alliance with freemasons and freemasonry which was then growing by leaps and bounds in the Philippines influenced his future course of action. In a radical move, he wrote the By-Laws of La Liga  Flilpina while in Hongkong. He patterned its structure after masonic lodges. lts aim was to organize Filipinos as one, viz, to unite the whole archipelago into a compact body, vigorous and homogeneous. He returned to the Philippines and among his first acts was to formally organize the Liga Filipina at a house in Tondo on July 3, l892. Rizal appeared to have metamorphosed from a theorist to action man. Governor-General Despujol saw the danger sign and ordered Rizal's arrest on July   6, 1892, or three days after he inaugurated Liga Filipina. Several untenable grounds were used to justify his arrest. Essentially, he was arrested for smuggling anti-clerical leaflets which were allegedly discovered at his hotel in Binondo. Rizal was whisked to Fort Santiago and held incommunicado for eight days.[7]
Polo Y Servicious
            Known as Polo, it was the compulsory of labor imposed by the Spanish colonial authorities on adult Filipino males in the construction of churches, schools, hospitals; building and repair of roads and bridges; building of ships in shipyards and other public works. This evident legal slavery is vividly expressed in the text, “The mother who can only teach her child how to kneel and kiss hands must not expect sons with blood other than that of vile slaves… it is because of this that she has been hoodwinked, and tied, and rendered pusillanimous; and now her enslavers rest at ease, because so long as they can keep the Filipina mother a slave, so long will they be able to make slaves of her children…”
            Marking the history, the Royal Decree of July 12, 1883 was implemented by the New Regulations promulgated by the Council of State February 03, 1885 stated that both male Filipinos and Spaniards with the age of 18 to 60 will render forced labor.  However this law was only actually implemented to Filipinos for a very obvious reason. This true incident of the hardship suffered by the Filipinos from this was related by Rizal, as follows;
In the town of Los Baños a hospital was built by laborers snatched from all the towns of the province. Each laborer forced by the authorities was paid eigth curators (five centavos)daily, the ordinary daily wage being two pasetas or four peales Fuertes. In addition, sales and charity bazaars were held to defray the cost of the buildings. The architect was a Franciscan brother. The hospital was erected, a palace of the captain general was constructed, agriculture and the towns suffered for their construction. Why are the people who pay their taxes compelled to work gratis? Why do they pay taxes if they are not going to be allowed to live with their families? Do they pay taxes so that they will be enslaved? Will the money of taxpayers be used to hire petty tyrants and not to attend to the demands of society? What? Is the Spanish flag perchance the flag of the slave trade?[8]
This provision is an apparent act of the Spaniard on making the colonized people of the Philippines slaves on their own country. A stage in Filipinos lives wherein they were once subordinated to the tyrant governance of the Spaniard colonizers in its Hispanic age. It is a part of our country’s history which can never be denied and the whole world recognizes.   
Confined Women
            On the timeline of the Philippine, males and females have different roles in the society which were not written but socially constructed. The author of the letter defines it, “There was, it is true, an abundance of girls with agreeable manners, beautiful ways, and modest demeanor, but there was in all an admixture of servitude and deference to the words or whims of their so-called "spiritual fathers" (as if the spirit or soul had any father other than God), due to excessive kindness, modesty, or perhaps, ignorance. They seemed faded plants sown and reared in darkness, having flowers without perfume and fruits without sap.” This line is an explicit discourse of equality of the two sexes. It was then expected that the women during those time have limited things to do, dictated by what they were expected to behave in the community. This was what the Hispanic Filipinas scenario, a confined lady of a large society.  
Unlike in many Oriental countries and in some Christian countries in Europe, Filipinas were never considered as mere chattels and were never used as beasts of burden laboring the fields and on the roads. If still unmarried, they were strictly chaperoned when they attended dances and other social parties. They had no freedom to study in the universities, to engage in the professions (law, medicine, engineering, etc.), and to mix freely with men. They were, however, permitted by custom and law to engage in business.The young women were kept in seclusion in home or in school. They were given education in the colegios (colleges) which were exclusive schools for girls and were operated by the nuns. At the colegios they were trained to observe the rigid rules of good mothers. Those young women who had no intention of marrying or who were unfortunate in their romances unusually entered the nunnery and consecrated their lives in the service of God.[9] This is magnified by the authors lines, “Now that you have responded to our first appeal in the interest of the welfare of the people; now that you have set an example to those who, like you, long to have their eyes opened and be delivered from servitude, new hopes are awakened in us and we now even dare to face adversity, because we have you for our allies and are confident of victory. No longer does the Filipina stand with her head bowed nor does she spend her time on her knees, because she is quickened by hope in the future; no longer will the mother contribute to keeping her daughter in darkness and bring her up in contempt and moral annihilation. And no longer will the science of all sciences consist in blind submission to any unjust order, or in extreme complacency, nor will a courteous smile be deemed the only weapon against insult or humble tears the ineffable panacea for all tribulations.” Hence, during those times inequality between male and female already exist. On this present time, this social issue that women are only meant for means of household and family is still observed in some part of the country especially in the not so civilized part of the country.
Uneducated Filipinas
            The restricted freedom of the Filipinas had suppressed them the education they wanted for themselves. They remained thirsty in longing to be heard of their mute voices because they were belittled, “We know that you lack instructive books; we know that nothing is added to your intellect, day by day, save that which is intended to dim its natural brightness; all this we know, hence our desire to bring you the light that illuminates your equals here in Europe. If that which I tell you does not provoke your anger, and if you will pay but a little attention to it, then, however dense the mist may be that befogs our people, I will make the outmost effort to have it dissipated by the bright rays of the sun, which will give light, though they may be dimmed. We shall not feel any fatigue if you will help us: God, too, will help to scatter the mist, because He is the God of truth; He will restore to its pristine condition the fame of the Filipina, in whom we now miss only a criterion of her own, because good qualities she has enough and to spare. This is our dream; this is the desire we cherish in our hearts; to restore the honor of woman, who is half of our heart, our companion in the joys and tribulations of life. If she is a maiden, the young man should love her not only because of her beauty and her amiable character, but also on account of her fortitude of mind and loftiness of purpose, which quicken and elevate the feeble and timid and ward off all vain thoughts. Let the maiden be the pride of her country and command respect, because it is a common practice on the part of Spaniards and friars here who have returned from the Islands to speak of the Filipina as complaisant and ignorant, as if all should be thrown into the same class because of the missteps of a few, and as if women of weak character did not exist in other lands. As to purity, what could the Filipina not hold up to others!” In the letter of Rizal, the young women of Malolos were pursuing their education. However, they were being hindered. This is the issue of the women which they fought. The thought that sciences, arts and books were only for the other gender is invalid. Unraveling of wisdom doesn’t choose the gender of its students but it is a privilege to all regardless of in what sex you are in.  
The Weak Females of the Philippines
            “...No longer will the mother contribute to keeping her daughter in darkness and bring her up in contempt and moral annihilation. And no longer will the science of all sciences consist in blind submission to any unjust order, or in extreme complacency, nor will a courteous smile be deemed the only weapon against insult or humble tears the ineffable panacea for all tribulations… Let the maiden be the pride of her country and command respect, because it is a common practice on the part of Spaniards and friars here who have returned from the Islands to speak of the Filipina as complaisant and ignorant, as if all should be thrown into the same class because of the missteps of a few, and as if women of weak character did not exist in other lands. As to purity, what could the Filipina not hold up to others!” This part of the letter emphasizes that the women of the Philippines were weak during that era. Their option was but to cry and be submissive to their husbands and the foreigner colonizers. Filipinas being confined and uneducated made them pun and helpless compared to the other sex. It could be noted that women since the Spanish regime were abused. Still, in this millennium countless news and reports show how the other sex take advantage of the weakness of the women.
Role of the Mothers
            Rizal, seeing the disadvantages of the situation of Filipinas during the Spanish time tackles in his letter the issue of a real mother’s role. The family as the basic unit of the society is considered to have a crucial and of very important role. In a more specific sense, it is the mother who is responsible to the becoming of her children. The deeds of her  sons and daughters are always become her account articulating, “What offspring will be that of a woman whose kindness of character is expressed by mumbled prayers; who knows nothing by heart but awits, novenas, and the alleged miracles; whose amusement consists in playing panguingue or in the frequent confession of the same sins? What sons will she have but acolytes, priest's servants, or cockfighters? It is the mothers who are responsible for the present servitude of our compatriots, owing to the unlimited trustfulness of their loving hearts, to their ardent desire to elevate their sons. Maturity is the fruit of infancy and the infant is formed on the lap of its mother. The mother who can only teach her child how to kneel and kiss hands must not expect sons with blood other than that of vile slaves. A tree that grows in the mud is insubstantial and good only for firewood. If her son should have a bold mind, his boldness will be deceitful and will be like the bat that can not show itself until the ringing of vespers.” Thus, a mother should not be only knowledgeable of household chores or religious activities, but also on how she can contribute on her children’s ideals about life. It further discussed the importance of the role of the mother in the society on how crafty she is on upbringing her children: the formations of their behaviors and visions in life which made them a man. Whenever a child has done something bad or achieved a victorious award or recognition, isn’t it that his or her parents especially his or her mother were always been included as a reason why he or she got it? “A tree of Mango will not bear a Santol fruit,” says a Filipino adage meaning that a child inherits his attributes to his parents.   Therefore in a larger society, a mother is whether to blame or be accountable because of her children, using the reason that they are the ones who first influence their children.
Blind Obedience
The Spaniard frailocracy lasted for 333 years in the Philippine. According to the author, blind obedience is the reason for this long period of time of Filipinos submission to the Spaniards.  This line, “As to the mites and gifts to God, is there anything in the world that does not belong to God? What would you say of a servant making his master a present of a cloth borrowed from that very master? Who is so vain, so insane that he will give alms to God and believe that the miserable thing he has given will serve to clothe the Creator of all things? Blessed be they who succor their fellow men, aid the poor and feed the hungry; but cursed be they who turn a deaf ear to supplications of the poor, who only give to him who has plenty and spend their money lavishly on silver altar hangings for the church, or give it to the friar, who lives in abundance, in the shape of fees for masses of thanksgiving, or in serenades and fireworks. The money ground out of the poor is bequeathed to the master so that he can provide for chains to subjugate, and hire thugs and executioners. Oh, what blindness, what lack of understanding!” articulates that the friars used the name of God to get what they want. It became their front to manipulate and control the whole Philippines. Who would not be threatened if you would be considered and labeled as an enemy of God? This method conquered not only the land of the Indios but also their mindset and heart. This is the issue, the wrong indoctrination of God’s Words to the Filipinos which Rizal wanted the Filipinos to examine and realize. The Spaniard brain washed the Filipinos by considering all their acts and orders as a saintly concern and religious decision. This was shown in the author’s statement, “Consider well what kind of religion they are teaching you. See whether it is the will of God or according to the teachings of Christ that the poor be succored and those who suffer alleviated. Consider what they are preaching to you, the object of the sermon, what is behind the masses, novenas, rosaries, scapularies, images, miracles, candles, belts, etc., etc., which they daily keep before your minds, ears and eyes, jostling, shouting, and coaxing; investigate whence they came and whither they go and then compare that religion with the pure religion of Christ and see whether that pretended observance of the life of Christ does not remind you of the fat milk cow or the fattened pig, which is encouraged to grow fat not through love of the animal, but for grossly mercenary motives.”
This issue can be also addressed to the new generation of Filipinos. Carefree decisions and lack of broad and further analysis of a concept and event must be dropped from the attitude of Filipinos. There were numerous chances that a Filipino was deceived which brought to courts and even in the higher justice court. The attribute of the Filipinos which is easy to make believe or tricked is an issue which should be reflected on
Official Corruption
It is not recently that corruption is known by Filipinos, but it was rooted even in the previous time, “The official or friar can no longer assert their unjust orders….Why, then, do the friars now refuse to stir a foot unless paid in advance? And, as if they were starving, they sell scapularies, rosaries, belts, and other things which are nothing but schemes for making money and a detriment to the soul… Thus, also, through cupidity and love of money, they will, for a price, revoke the numerous prohibitions, such as those against eating meat, marrying close relatives, etc. You can do almost anything if you but grease their palms. Why that? Can God be bribed and bought off, and blinded by money, nothing more nor less than a friar? The brigand who has obtained a bull of compromise can live calmly on the proceeds of his robbery, because he will be forgiven. God, then, will sit at a table where theft provides the viands? Has the Omnipotent become a pauper that He must assume the role of the excise man or gendarme? If that is the God whom the friar adores, then I turn my back upon that God.”  This line strongly exposed and questioned the stench of corruption in Spanish era. It did mention of bribery, activities of greasing their palms or ways of making money in not a legal way and more. It was one of the reasons why Filipinos revolted against the friar’s administration. They were fooling the Indios whom they thought would remain deceived forever.
Making money out of abuse of power is a long issue that all administration of the Philippines tried to solve. However, how could it be resolved if they themselves do it?[10] The Philippines is remarkable for fighting against with it proved by the People Power Revolution. However, even many non-government groups and organization are making ways how to totally eradicate this long time social issue; it still remains in each Filipinos nose. The cases of “Hello Garci” wire tapping, the ZTE deal, the fertilizer scam, and many more graft and corruptions of government officials are but markers of the dishonesty of Philippines administration.
Racial Discrimination
"In a book published by D. Sinibaldo de Mas and in other friar sketches sins are related of which women accused themselves in the confessional and of which the friars made no secret in talking to their Spanish visitors seasoning them, at the best, with idiotic and shameless tales not worthy of credence. I cannot repeat here the shameless stories that a friar told Mas and to which Mas attributed no value whatever. Everytime we hear or read anything of this kind, we ask each other: Are the Spanish women all cut after the pattern of the Holy Virgin Mary and the Filipinas all reprobates? I believe that if we were to balance accounts in this delicate question, perhaps..” This is a vivid declaration how Filipinos were ridiculed by the Spaniards because of their race. They addressed them as Indios or Indolent while they passed a decree of Polo instructing those indolent to work from 18 to 60 years old. The great difference on how the Filipinos and Spaniards were treated is a strong evidence that racial discrimination existed. The author himself and his family were accused of crimes which they didn’t do and suffered from them with the unreasonable basis: they are Filipinos and not Spaniards.
This is not a new social issue for the Philippines. It is just recently that Filipino workers in a hospital in California were prohibited to speak the language different from that country even how they articulate their words; hence it is another proof of discrimination. Another event showing how Filipinos are discriminated is the case where one HongKong personality wrote that he punished and hurt his maid because that helper is a Filipino.
Conclusion
            The letter of Jose Rizal entitled “To The Young Women of Malolos” is a text which could be analyzed best using the extrinsic approach as its framework. Served as a personal account of a person, a letter can not be used as a way of communication but can also served as a discourse about the historical reflection of a society on which certain social issues were arisen.
Outside factors of a literary piece, such as the biographical, historical and sociological accounts are useful tools in literary criticism. Biographical analysis of the author is also helpful on decoding the meaning of the letter or the literary text. Sometimes, the writer links or connects his own experiences and influences his work of art as he skillfully put words together. In the text that I used, Rizal included his personal letter to address his point of view about the action of the young women of Malolos and at the same time to all the Filipinas. Moreover, his infancy ideals is an explanation why he viewed certain events in his life that way. And his unjustly becoming of a Filibustero is a controlling force of development of ideas and points.
Few events which can be found on the letter were vividly accounted in history such as Frailocracy and Polo Y Servicious. In here Rizal strongly attacked the friars on their maltreatment towards the Filipinos in frailocracy. Morever, this historical event is supported by their approved decree on the forced labor of the male Filipinos or Polo Y Servicious.  The timeline of the author marked his period and his writings. At the same time, this influence him or her on what certain features, themes, genre and manner should he or she used.
Lastly, using the sociological analysis is a helpful method to dismantle the discourse behind the lines of an author. This could be an influence to the writer to share and discuss something addressing to a particular group through his art and style of combining of words. Rizal discussed about Confined Women, Uneducated Filipinas, The Weak Females of Philippines, Role of the Mothers, Blind Obedience, Official Corruption, and Racial Discrimination. These social issues have connection from one another. The women of the Philippines during the Spanish colonization were confined. Their actions and attainment were dictated and constructed by the society. They were organized in the context wherein their purpose is for the family, church and household chores. With this, they were limited in attaining the knowledge they wanted which made them uneducated. Consequently, Rizal pointed out that mothers of Filipinos must get out from this situation because if the mothers, who first influenced their children will remain as slaves so as to the next generation of this country. Philippines would remain as a blind obeying rules even these were killing her. Believing that friar’s unjust orders are God’s although the act is already a vivid corruption of the officials. Lastly, these were all the reasons why the foreigners look down on us Filipinos and discriminate our race. These social issues presented and exposed by the National Hero during his time are also observed in the present time. Thus, the Filipinos must know how to actively decode or decipher the discourse behind the literary text of any author.


[1] Zaide, Gregorio , Zaide, Sonia. “Jose Rizal: Life, Works, and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero.” ALL NATIONS Publishing Co.,Inc. p.287
[2] Tiongson, Nicanor D. “The Women of Malolos” Ateneo De Manila University
Publishing Inc., p. 141
[3] Zaide, Gregorio , Zaide, Sonia. “Jose Rizal: Life, Works, and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero.” ALL NATIONS Publishing Co.,Inc. p.291
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Zaide, Gregorio , Zaide, Sonia. “Jose Rizal: Life, Works, and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero.” ALL NATIONS Publishing Co.,Inc. p.220


[8] Zaide, Gregorio , Zaide, Sonia. “Jose Rizal: Life, Works, and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero.” ALL NATIONS Publishing Co.,Inc.

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