NOLI Flashcards
What is the main theme of Noli Me Tangere?
The novel mainly explores the oppression and injustices suffered by Filipinos under Spanish colonial rule.
Who is the protagonist of Noli Me Tangere?
Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra, an idealistic young Filipino who seeks reform but faces opposition.
What is María Clara’s significance in the novel?
She symbolizes purity and the struggles of Filipino women under colonial rule; later, it is revealed that she is Padre Dámaso’s illegitimate daughter.
Why is Padre Dámaso considered one of the antagonists?
He is a corrupt friar who abuses his power and causes Ibarra’s misfortunes.
Who Padre Dámaso (Dámaso Verdolagas)
A Spanish friar who is abusive and corrupt. He is a former parish priest of San Diego and a major antagonist in the novel.
Capitán Tiago (Santiago de los Santos)
A wealthy Filipino businessman and María Clara’s foster father. He is submissive to Spanish authorities and friars.
Who is Elias
A mysterious and courageous man who helps Ibarra. He opposes Spanish rule and
Padre Salvi (Bernardo Salvi)
Another Spanish friar, more cunning and manipulative than Padre Dámaso. He has a secret obsession with María Clara.
Basilio
– Sisa’s elder son, who escapes the abuses of the sacristan mayor. He later reappears in El Filibusterismo.
Crispín
Sisa’s younger son, accused of stealing from the church and eventually killed by the sacristan mayor.
Doña Victorina
– A social climber who despises her Filipino heritage and tries to act like a Spaniard.
Don Tiburcio de Espadaña
Doña Victorina’s husband, a fake doctor who is weak and submissive.
Tasio (Pilosopo Tasio)
– An intelligent but eccentric old man who criticizes the corruption of society.
Alferez (Alferez de la Guardia Civil)
The head of the Civil Guard in San Diego and the husband of Doña Consolación.
Doña Consolación
A by brutal, vulgar and older Filipina woman who strands herself between Spanish culture and Filipino culture
How does the theme of love and sacrifice appear in Noli Me Tangere?
Sisa’s unconditional love for her sons and Ibarra’s sacrifices for his country exemplify this theme.
What does the novel say about identity and nationalism?
It encourages Filipinos to embrace their national identity and fight against colonial rule.
How do Elias and Ibarra differ in their approaches to freedom and resistance?
Elias supports revolution, while Ibarra initially believes in peaceful reform through education.
What instances in the novel highlight the lack of justice and human rights?
Ibarra’s father was unjustly imprisoned and died in exile, while Sisa’s sons were falsely accused and punished.
What is colonial mentality, and how is it criticized in Noli Me Tangere?
Colonial mentality is the preference for foreign culture over one’s own, exemplified by Doña Victorina’s attempts to appear Spanish.
How does Basilio’s story continue in El Filibusterismo
He grows up and becomes a medical student, witnessing the continued injustices in society.
