Chapter 16: In Belgian Brussels (1890)
Source:
Zaide, G. & Zaide, S. (2008). Jose Rizal: Life, Works, and Writings of
a Genius, Writer, Scientist, and National Hero 2nd Edition. All-
Nations Publishing Co., Inc.; Quezon City, Philippines
Presentiment of Death
Romance with Petite Jacoby
To My Muse (1890)
This morbid presentiment of early death was divulged by him to M.H
del Pilar, in a letter from Brussels dated June 11, 1890, as follows:
Two things brought measure of cheer to Rizal as he prepare for his
trip to Madrid:
• The summertime in Belgium which was celebrated in carnival
style.
• Romance with Petite Jacoby, niece of his landladies
End of Chapter 16
Rizal was busy writing his second novel, El Filibusterismo, which was
a continuation of the Noli Me Tangere.
. . .In my childhood I had a strange belief that I would not reach
thirty years of age. . .
. . .There were two months during which almost every night I had no
other dream than that my friends and relatives are dead. . .
. . .Although I do not believe in these things and although my body
is very strong and I have no illness and have no fear, I am preparing
myself for death and for any eventuality. "Laong Laan" (Ever Ready)
is my true name. For this reason, I want to finish at all costs the
second volume of Noli and if it is possible I do not want to leave
unfinished what nobody else could continue. . .
Decision to Go to Madrid
• "A La Defensa" (To La Defensa), April 30, 1889.
• "La Verdad Para Todos" (The Truth For All), May 31, 1889.
• "Vicente Barrantes' Teatro Tagalo", June 15, 1889.
• "Una Profanacion" (A Profanation), July 31, 1889.
• "Verdades Nuevas" (New Truths), July 31, 1889.
• "Crueldad" (Cruelty), August 15, 1889.
• "Diferencias" (Differences), September 15, 1889.
• "Inconsenquencias" (Inconsequences), November 30, 1889.
• "Llanto y Risas" (Tears and Laughter), November 30, 1889.
• "Ingratitudes" (Ingratitude), January 15, 1890.
Rizal being charming and dignified gentleman causes Petite
Suzanne to be attracted to him. He was lonely in a strange country
and Leonor Rivera was so far away.
Naturally, being a normal young man found certain bliss in the
company of a pretty Belgian girl.
Prepared by:
Joan Aguilar and Nathalie Ines
Bad News from Home
Life in Brussels
The management of the Dominican hacienda continually raised the
land rents until such time that Rizal's father refused to pay his rent.
Other tenants, inspired by Don Francisco's courage, also refused to
pay the unreasonable rents.
The Dominican Order file a suit in court to disposses the Rizal family
of their lands in Calamba.
Rizal was accompanied by Jose Albert when he moved to Brussels.
They lived in a modest boarding house on 38 Rue Philippe
Champagne.
Preparation to Go Home
New Orthography of Tagalog Language
Aside from writing it's chapters, he wrote articles for La Solidaridad
and letters to his family and friends.
It was against a background of mental anguish in Brussels, during
those sad days when he was worried by family disasters, that he
wrote his pathetic poem, "A Mi . . ." (To My Muse). This poem lacks
the exquisiteness of "To the Filipino Flowers of Heidelberg", and is
less polished than" To the Filipino Youth", but it is passionate in
feeling.
In the face of the sufferings which afflicted his family, Rizal planned
to go home. He would not stay in Brussels writing a book while his
parents, relatives, and friends in the distant Philippines were
persecuted.
Upon hearing that Graciano Lopez Jaena was planning to go to Cuba,
he wrote to Ponce on July 9, 1890, opposing Graciano's plan of
action.
"We have only once to die, and if we do not die well, we lose an
opportunity whuch will not again be presented to us."
In spite of his European education and his knowledge of foreign
languages, Rizal loved his own native language.
He was the first to advocate the Filipinization of its orthography.
For instance, the Tagalog letters k and w should be used instead of
the Spanish c and o. (i.e: salacot - salakot ; arao - araw)
Adopted the Filipinized Tagalog orthography in his Tagalog
translations of Schiller's Willhelm Tell and Andersen's Fairy Tales
Rizal Criticizes Madrid Filipinos for Gambling
In his moment of despair Rizal had bad dreams during the nights in
Brussels when he was restless because he was always thinking of
his unhappy family in Calamba.
"Sobre la Nueva Ortografia de la Lengua Tagala" (The New
Orthography of the Tagalog Language), April 15, 1890.
Rizal's friends were of to belief he left because he was running away
from a girl just as he left London.
Articles Published in
La Solidaridad
On January 28, 1890, Rizal left Paris for Brussels, capital of Belgium
In Brussels, Rizal received news from Juan Luna and Valentin
Vnetura that the Filipinos in Spain were destroying the good name
of their nation by gambling too much
Accordingly, Rizal wrote to M.H. del Pilar on May 28, 1890 to remind
the Filipinos in Madrid that they did not come to Europe to gamble,
but to work for their Fatherland's freedom.
Two reasons impelled Rizal to leave Paris, namely:
1.) the cost of living in Paris was very high because of the Universal
Exposition
2.) the gay social life of the city hampered his literary works,
especially the writing of his second novel El Filibusterismo
Rizal's friends were horrified by his plan to return to the Philippines.
They warned him of the danger that awaited him at home.
Rizal ignored the dire warning of his friends . No threat or danger
could change his plan.
However, something happened that chaged his plan:
• A letter from Paciano which is related about the lost case against
the Dominicans in Manila.
• Appealed it to the Supreme Court in Spain and a lawyer was
needed.
• He is going to Madrid in order to supervise the handling of the
case.
"El Sanscrito en la Lengua Tagala" (Sanskrit in the Tagalog
Language), 1884.
