STA.
TERESA COLLEGE
BAUAN BATANGAS
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT
L5: Jose Rizal’s romances
Introduction
This module focuses on Jose Rizal’s romances.
Student Learning Objectives (SLO)
Recognize the women dedicated to the love of our national hero.
Get inspiration and lessons from Dr. Jose Rizal's love life.
Be able to share your own experience of love adapted from the love story of
Dr. Rizal
Content
JOSE RIZAL’S ROMANCES
There are nine (9) recorded women in Rizal's life, however some historians suggest
that there have been more. Below are brief accounts of Jose Rizal's romances:
SEGUNDA KATIGBAK: RIZAL'S FIRST LOVE
Jose Rizal was only a young boy of sixteen (16) when he first fell in love, and it was
with Segunda Katigbak, a girl from Lipa, Batangas and two years his junior.
According to Rizal, "She was rather short, with eyes that were eloquent and ardent at
times and languid at others, rosy-cheeked, with an enchanting and provocative smile
that revealed very beautiful teeth, and the air of a sylph; her entire self diffused a
mysterious charm."
Unfortunately, Segunda was already engaged to be married to her townmate, Manuel
Luz, and although Rizal had gotten hints of the lady's affection for him, he timidly
decided to back away and did not propose. Years later Segunda returned to Lipa and
wed her betrothed, leaving a frustrated Rizal to the mercy of his nostalgic memories.
“MISS L”
The girl after Segunda Katigbak • The name was not revealed • The romance died a
natural death because: The sweet memory of Segunda was still fresh in his heart •
His father did not like the family of “Miss L”
some sources: MARGARITA ALMEDA GOMEZ some sources: JACINTA
some sources: VICENTA YBARDALOZA - from Pakil, Laguna;
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LEONOR VALENZUELA : Private letters
When Rizal was a sophomore at the University of Santo Tomas and was boarding in
the house of Dona Concha Leyva in Intramuros he met Leonor "Orang" Valenzuela.
His next-door neighbor and daughter of Capitan Juan and Capitana Sanday
Valenzuela.
She was a tall girl who carried herself with grace and elegance.
LEONOR VALENZUELA : Private letters
Exchanging Love Notes
Rizal was always welcome at the Valenzuela home. He eventually courted Leonor by
sending her love notes, which he wrote in invisible ink made from a mixture of water
and table salt.
He taught Leonor how to read his letters by heating them over a lamp or a candle to
allow the words to surface.
Unfortunately, as with his first love, Jose failed to ask for the lady's hand in marriage.
LEONOR RIVERA : THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT
Jose boarded in Casa Tomasina (No. 6 Calle Santo Tomas, Intramuros)
Daughter of his landlord-uncle from Camiling, Antonio Rivera
She was a student at La Concordia College, also the school of Soledad, Jose’s
youngest sister. Born in Camiling, Tarlac on April 11, 1867
Jose boarded in Casa Tomasina (No. 6 Calle Santo Tomas, Intramuros)
Daughter of his landlord-uncle from Camiling, Antonio Rivera
She was a student at La Concordia College, also the school of Soledad, Jose’s
youngest sister. Born in Camiling, Tarlac on April 11, 1867
Leonor was "tender as a budding flower with kindly, wistful eyes." She and Rizal
eventually became engaged.
In her letters, she signed her name as "Taimis" in order to hide their intimate
relationship from the girl's parents. Autumn of 1890 - Rizal received a letter from Leonor
telling him of her coming marriage to a man whom her mother chose to be her mate -- an
Englishman -- and begged for his forgiveness.
This broke Rizal's heart deeply.
CONSUELO ORTEGA Y REY : A SACRIFICE FOR FRIENDSHIP
In 1882, when Rizal was a student at the Universidad Central de Madrid, he
frequented the home of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey, the former city Mayor of Manila. He
lived with his son Rafael and his daughter Consuelo.
Being lonely and somewhat isolated in a foreign country, Rizal found comfort in
Consuelo's vivacious company.
August 22, 1883 - He wrote her a poem entitled A La Senorita C.O. y R. (To Miss
C.O.y R.), in which he expressed his great admiration for the lady.
The poem speaks of Rizal not being happy and definitely confused on the relationship
he has with Consuelo:
“You wish to learn the cause of this dejection Delirium of despair that anguish wove?
You wish to know the wherefore of such sorrows, and why, a young soul, I sing not of
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love?”
Rizal's romance with Consuelo did not turn into a serious affair; He decided to take a
step back for two reasons:
① He was still engaged to Leonor Rivera at that time; and
② He was aware of his friend's (Eduardo de Lete) affection for the girl and he did not
want to ruin their friendship over her.
0-SEI-SAN : LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
When Rizal was in Tokyo a few days after he had moved to the Azabu district in
1888.
He spotted a pretty Japanese girl walking past the legion gate. He was captured by
the lady's regal air and charisma and endeavored to find ways to meet her.
The girl's name was Seiko Usui.
She lived with her parents and often took afternoon walks by the legation. Rizal
waited by the gate one afternoon and introduced himself.
Because of his deep affection for her, Rizal was almost tempted to settle down in
Japan
Conveniently enough, he was also offered a good position at the Spanish Legation
during that time. Rizal, however, had set his sights on other matters
He decided to leave Japan and forget his romance, which pained him gravely as
attested by an entry in his diary. His 45-day sojourn in Japan was one of the happiest
interludes in his life.
GERTRUDE BECKETT : A CHISELED BEAUTY
In May 1888 Rizal visited London for a short time, boarding the house of the Beckett
family: Mr. & Mrs. Beckett, their two sons, and their four daughters.
The eldest daughter was named Gertrude.
Rizal withdrew before his relationship with Gettie could become more serious,
realizing that he had a greater mission to fulfill and that in order to accomplish it he
could not yield to the option of marrying her.
He suppressed the yearnings of his heart and decided to leave so that the lady may
forget him.
SUZANNE JACOBY : A LOVE UNREQUITED
On January 28, 1890, Rizal left for Brussels, Belgium.
He stayed for a considerable time, paying for room and board. His landladies had a
pretty niece named Petite Suzanne Jacoby.
She was taken by Rizal's charm and gallantry, and provided him good company. Rizal
could have flirted with the lady, considering that his beloved Leonor was far away and
he was a lonely man in a strange and foreign land, but he realized he could not
deceive her.
NELLIE BOUSTED ; A FAILES PROPOSAL
In 1891, Rizal took a vacation in Biarritz in order to find reprieve from his troubles in
Madrid.
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He was a guest of the Boustead family in their winter residence, Villa Eliada. Mr. and
Mrs. Boustead had two beautiful daughters, Adelina and Nellie.
Rizal's marriage proposal failed for two reasons:
1. Nellie demanded that he give up his Catholic faith and convert to
Protestantism, which was her religion. Rizal did not like this idea.
2. Nelly's mother did not approve of Rizal, as she had no desire to entrust her
daughter to a man who was wanting in wealth and persecuted in his own
country. In spite of the circumstances, Rizal and Nellie parted as good friends.
JOSEPHINE BRACKEN : TRUE LOVE IN EXILE
Josephine MacBride Bracken, the daughter of James Bracken and Elizabeth Jane
MacBride, was brought into life on August 9, 1876 in Hong Kong at Victoria Barracks.
She is the petite Irish woman who truthfully loved and at the same time fascinated the
Philippine national hero. She became known in history as Jose Rizal’s common-law
wife.
Josephine was adopted by a German-American machinist from New York, George
Leopold Taufer, from whom her other name “Leopoldine” was taken.
Josephine referred to Jose Rizal as “Joe” and helped him out in his daily activities
around his Talisay farm and school.
Some years after Rizal’s martyrdom, Josephine's brief stint as English tutor in both
Manila and Cebu (where she taught the young Sergio Osmeña) made it easier for her
to get the job as public school teacher.
Josephine was barely five foot one, a perfect match to Rizal’s five foot four inches
height. She had brown hair and a buxomly figure that reminded Rizal of European
women who attracted him during his travels overseas.
In Hong Kong in December 1898 Josephine married Vicente Abad, a Filipino of
Spanish decent. The following year she and her husband moved to the Philippines.
Around that time they had a baby daughter, Dolores, affectionately called "Dolly" by
Josephine. It was recently revealed that this child was most probably adopted by the
couple.
Josephine bore Rizal a stillborn child, a son who would have been named Peter by
Josephine or Francisco, by Rizal’s sisters, in honor of their father.
There is a statue in Luneta Park depicting Jose Rizal’s last goodbye to Josephine
Bracken before his execution day.
Three nephews of Rizal also lived in Dapitan and learned English from Bracken. She
took care of the three boys who fondly called her auntie. She liked very much the little
boys and particularly affectionate to Moris whom she made a pair of bathing pants
and a shirt.
Bracken’s grave remains unknown today since the cemetery has been converted into
a racetrack.
There’s a highly debatable claim that Rizal, foreseeing his death, asked Vicente
Balaguer, a Jesuit priest, to marry them (Rizal and Bracken). Some historians believe
that Balaguer had married them on 5:30 a.m. of December 30, 1896, an hour before
Rizal's death at 'Bagumbayan'.
In early 1902, suffering from severe tuberculosis, Bracken returned to Hong Kong
where, at age 25, she died on the night of 14th/15th March. The authorities,
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concerned that her condition was infectious, had her buried the next morning in the
Happy Valley Cemetery.
After the bravery of the Katipuneros were fueled by Rizal’s martyrdom, Bracken joined
the Katipunan in Cavite, where she converted the Tejeros State House into a field
hospital. She assisted in healing the wounded revolutionaries and had witnessed the
historical Tejeros Convention on March 22, 1897.
Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was reluctantly persuaded to admit Josephine into the military
ranks, but eventually provided her with lessons in shooting and horseback riding.
In the year of the centenary of her death, 2002, her first full biography was written and
published by her great-grandson Macario Ofilada.
Rizal made Josephine as the subject and model in at least two works of art: a plaster
statue of her reclining, and the short poem "A Josefina." He gave her this poem on
their first separation, when she accompanied Taufer to Manila on his way back to
Hong Kong.
Rizal's exile in Dapitan was one of the most lonesome and sorrowful periods of his
life.
He missed the company of his friends and family, and the death of Leonor Rivera on
August 28, 1893 left a gaping void in his heart.
Rizal and Josephine fell in love at first sight. Their romantic interlude went on for
about a month, after which they decided to marry.
The priest of Dapitan, however, refused to conduct the ceremony without consent
from the Bishop of Cebu.
When Mr. Taufer heard of his daughter's plan to marry he became so enraged at the
thought of losing Josephine that he attempted to kill himself with a razor to his throat.
Rizal prevented this tragedy by holding the man's wrists back.
Josephine left with her father on the first available steamer to Manila in order to avoid
more trouble. Since Mr. Taufer's blindness was venereal in nature, it was incurable.
Mr. Taufer went back to Hong Kong alone, and Josephine stayed in Manila with
Rizal's family.
At length, she returned to Dapitan. Since no priest would marry them, Rizal and
Josephine held hands, exchanged vows, and married themselves before God.
Rizal and Josephine lived together in Dapitan as husband and wife, and in early 1896
they were expecting a baby.
Unfortunately, Josephine had to go into premature labor after Rizal played a prank
and frightened her.
A little boy of eight months was born, who lived for only three hours.
Rizal named him Francisco in honor of his father, and buried the child in Dapitan.
Rizal and Josephine lived together in Dapitan as husband and wife, and in early 1896
they were expecting a baby.
Unfortunately, Josephine had to go into premature labor after Rizal played a prank
and frightened her.
A little boy of eight months was born, who lived for only three hours.
Rizal named him Francisco in honor of his father, and buried the child in Dapitan.
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Assessment and Evaluation
ESSAY WRITING
Write an essay on a love experience. Take inspiration from Dr. Rizal's love life that
you think is similar to your experience. The story could be love with family, friends or
the person you love. It is necessary to produce two paragraphs consisting of ten
sentences each.
References
https://slideplayer.com/
Prepared by:
Checked: Approved:
Mr. Brian Jay U. Giman
Mrs. Rita A. Cruzat __________________ ______________
Ms. Shandel Ruth Adel Department Head Dean
Instructor / Instructress
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