Rizal’s Life and

Works
Presented by:

Cañones, Noel
Abrasaldo, Charo
Ballaran, Barbie Jean
May Ann Palas

Presented to:
Mr. John Lucas R. Frac
GE 9 Teacher
Poems of Rizal
• The Flowers of Heidelberg
• The Intimate Alliance between
Religion and Education
• True Education
 The Flowers of Heidelberg

Jose Rizal wrote “To the Flowers of Heidelberg” on April 24th

1886 while he was in Germany and studying ophthalmology.
He was fascinated by the flowers in the spring in Heidelberg
and wrote this poem feeling a deep longing for his family and
his country.

Heidelberg - is a town on the Neckar River in southwestern Germany.

It’s known for venerable Heidelberg University, founded in the 14th
century. Gothic Heiliggeistkirche church towers over the cafe-lined
Marktplatz, a town square in the Altstadt (Old Town). The red-sandstone
ruins of Heidelberg Castle, a noted example of Renaissance architecture,
stand on Königstuhl hill.
 The Flowers of Heidelberg

Go to my country, go foreign flowers,

Planted by the traveler on his way,
And there beneath that sky of blue
That over my beloved towers,
Speak for this traveler to say
What faith in his homeland he breathes to
you.
- In this paragraph Rizal poetically requests the flowers
of Heidelberg to speak of him in the Philippines.
Go and say.... Say that when the dawn
First brew your calyx open there
Beside the River Necker chill,
You saw him standing by you, very still,
Reflecting on the primrose flush you wear.

Say that when the morning light

Her toll of perfume from you wrung,
While playfully she whispered, "How I love you!"
He too murmured here above you
Tender love songs in his native tongue.
That when the rising sun the height
Of Koenigsthul in early morn first spies,
And with its tepid light
Is pouring life in valley, wood, and grove,
He greets the sun as it begins to rise,
Which in his native land is blazing straight above.
- These three paragraphs mentions the times of day starting
from dawn and the break of sunlight. He beautifully asked
the flowers to bear witness to his undying concern for his
motherland when at dawn he sings to the flowers native
songs in exchange of their gift of natural perfume. And in the
morning under the soft light of the early sun he reflects still
of his motherland where the same sun now is at its highest...
as if he is connected with his motherland through the sun
And tell them of that day he staid
And plucked you from the border of the path,
Amid the ruins of the feudal castle,
By the River Neckar, and in the sylvan shade,

Tell them what he told you

As tenderly he took
Your pliant leaves and pressed them in a book,
Where now its well-worn pages close enfold you.

- Rizal poetically describes his plan for the flowers to carry

his message to his motherland. He plucks them and
preserves them in his book.
Carry, carry, flowers of Rhine,
Love to every love of mine,
Peace to my country and her fertile loam,
Virtue to her women, courage to her men,
Salute those darling ones again,
Who formed the sacred circle of our home.

- His first message to the country is peace, virtue to

women, courage to men.
And when you reach that shore,
Each kiss I press upon you now,
Deposit on the pinions of the wind,
And those I love and honor and adore
Will feel my kisses carried to their brow.

- He poetically describes his will that his kisses on the

flower may be carried by the wind to his loved ones.
Ah, flowers, you may fare through,
Conserving still, perhaps, your native hue;
Yet, far from Fatherland, heroic loam
To which you owe your life,
The perfume will be gone from you;
For aroma is your soul; it cannot roam
Beyond the skies which saw it born, nor e'er forget.
- Here is the paradox: Rizal used the flowers of Heidelberg as his
symbol of his love for his motherland. The beauty of the flowers is
comparable to the way he looks at our country that anyone who
will see the flower may get in touch with Rizal's concern for his
motherland. Though noble this may seem to be, Rizal in the last
stanza reflected on its utter futility since the flower will no longer
be the same when it reaches the country. Its beauty and perfume,
which should reflect Rizal's intentions for the country, will long be
gone. Why? For it is far from its fatherland.
 - Rizal wrote this when he was at Germany. In France and
Germany, Rizal was well known and respected. But he may
have realized what good will their respect do to his country.
What good will this do to the Philippines if he is serving
foreign lands and not his own. His verses had a single symbol-
-The flowers of Heidelberg. But it symbolizes two realities.
First, the flowers' beauty symbolizes Rizal's love for his
country, and second, the flowers' reduced quality refers to
Rizal's useless presence in another country. Later he decided
to return to the country despite repeated warning from his
friends and relatives.

- Rizal wrote this poem because of his mood of

homesickness. It shows patriotism, nationalism and love of
his own land in spite he is in the other land serving other
people.
The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and
Good Education
- In 1876, Rizal started writing poems on various topics -
wars, childhood memories, education and religion.

- Ateneo de Municipal.

- Rizal shared his thought about the importance of education

to enlighten the nation which was useful to gain societal
freedom for every nation. It may also provide us the
necessary knowledge, skills and attitude to expand the
horizon of our thoughts. However, this would not be enough
to be properly educated. Rizal thought that there was really
an intimate alliance between religion and good education.
“Education without religion is not education at all. Same
with religion. Religion without education is pointless.”
Moralistic approach (Moralistiko)- Rizal wants the reader of
this poem to realize how important education being put up
into good use.

• Education
• Religion
• Power
• Common good
• With the aid of religion, education will be used for the
common good.
Definition of Intimate or Intimacy

- Intimacy or Intimate generally refers to the feeling of

being in a close personal association and belonging
together. It is a familiar and very close affective connection
with another as a result of a bond that is formed through
knowledge and experience of the other.
 The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good
Education

As the climbing ivy over lefty elm

Creeps tortuously, together the adornment
Of the verdant plain, embellishing
Each other and together growing,
But should the kindly elm refuse its aid
The ivy would impotent and friendless wither
So is Education to Religion
By spiritual alliance bound
Through Religion, Education gains reknown, and
Woe to the impious mind that blindly spurning
The sapient teachings of religion, this
Unpolluted fountain-head forsakes.
- Rizal shared his thought about the importance of education to
enlighten the nation which was useful to gain societal freedom for
every nation. It may also provide us the necessary knowledge, skills
and attitude to expand.

- Rizal thought that there was really an intimate alliance between

religion and good education. A man who was properly educated
needed to apply what he learned on spiritual view rather than simply
on material achievements.

- The result of good education always fulfilled a growing uprightness

and valuable virtue within the bounce of spiritual and moral
dimensions.
As the sprout, growing from the pompous vine,
Proudly offers us its honeyed clusters
While the generous and loving garment
Feeds its roots; so the fresh’ning waters
Of celestial virtue give new life
To Education true, shedding
On it warmth and light; because of them
The vine smells sweet and gives delicious fruit

- Rizal showed also be growing dignified fulfilment and

application to the teachings of religion ,just like a vine which
continually grow that would someday the fruit will become
sweet and delicious.
Without Religion, Human Education
Is like unto a vessel struck by winds
Which, sore beset, is of its helm deprived
By the roaring blows and buffets of the dread
Tempestuous Boreas, who fiercely wields
His power until he proudly send her down
Into the deep abysses of then angered sea.

- Without religion, human education may result to chaos

and disorder in any civilized nation because people may no
longer value freedom, respect, dignity and other good
virtues that maintain societal order.
- It may result to a natural disaster just as the angered sea,
which characterized the fierce winds that may, wrecked the
vessel in the deep abysses.
 As the heaven’s dew the meadow feeds and strengthen
So that blooming flowers all the earth
Embroider in the days of spring; so also
If Religion holy nourishes
Education with its doctrine, she
Shall walk in joy and generosity
Toward the good, and everywhere bestrew
The fragrant and luxuriant fruits of virtue

- Rizal knew that religion had a profound effect to

education, the educated must internalized the virtue of
incorruptible life based on the ethical and moral standard
of the society.
Education Gives Luster to the Motherland

- mainly discusses the importance of education for the

country and for one’s self. The poem suggests that education
promotes equality, peace, freedom, and development.
Moreover, Rizal saw that the qualities of being educated
resonate from you to everyone else. This may also mean that
the status of the country reflects how educated its
inhabitants.
- Jose Rizal loved his Motherland. Even at a very young age,
he cultivated an intense affection towards his country and
his people. In this English translation of the Spanish
original Por La Educación (Recibe Lustre La Patria), Rizal
extols the citizenry to strive towards education in order to
give glory to the country.
 Education Gives Luster to Motherland

Wise education, vital breath

Inspires an enchanting virtue;
She puts the Country in the lofty seat
Of endless glory, of dazzling glow,
And just as the gentle aura's puff
Do brighten the perfumed flower's hue:
So education with a wise, guiding hand,
A benefactress, exalts the human band.

- In this first stanza, Rizal expresses that education is

what builds up a country and allows her to rise above the
rest in matters of honor and a good name. He likens a
guided and relevant education to the vibrance of a flower.
Man's placid repose and earthly life
To education he dedicates
Because of her, art and science are born
Man; and as from the high mount above
The pure rivulet flows, undulates,
So education beyond measure
Gives the Country tranquility secure.

- From the time of a man's birth to the moment of his death, he is

constantly engaged in the journey of learning. This can come in the form
of a formal education and a structured curriculum, or in the essence of
daily living. And in this continued journey, people begin to discover and
innovate, create and recreate, giving birth to great discoveries and
breathtaking wonders. Rizal likens education to a rivulet, a stream, a
brook, that provides a certain peace as the water endlessly flows.
Where wise education raises a throne
Sprightly youth are invigorated,
Who with firm stand error they subdue
And with noble ideas are exalted;
It breaks immortality's neck,
Contemptible crime before it is halted:
It humbles barbarous nations
And it makes of savages champions.

- Knowledge and wisdom enliven and embolden the young. With the sword of
education they are able to identify errors and correct them. They are able to
find fault in the seemingly faultless fabric of earthly knowledge and smother it
with truth. They are well-respected for the ideas they bring to the world.

- A good education is an effective remedy to the problem of criminal acts and

unlawful pursuits. Even nations who wish nothing more than to divide, conquer,
and control are silenced when they open their ears to the voice of wisdom,
which stops hatred in its tracks and promotes the welfare of the people. Even
savages, turn into champions when they are afforded a good education.
And like the spring that nourishes
The plants, the bushes of the meads,
She goes on spilling her placid wealth,
And with kind eagerness she constantly feeds,

The river banks through which she slips,

And to beautiful nature all she concedes,
So whoever procures education wise
Until the height of honor may rise.
From her lips the waters crystalline
Gush forth without end, of divine virtue,

- Knowledge is likened to a spring that nourishes

everything its water touches. The spring of knowledge is
everlasting; there is no end to it.
And prudent doctrines of her faith
The forces weak of evil subdue,
That break apart like the whitish waves
That lash upon the motionless shoreline:
And to climb the heavenly ways the people
Do learn with her noble example.

- In the education and enlightenment of the soul, man is able

to overcome the powers of evil, which in this stanza, are
likened to the waves that lash upon the shore.Yet when man
opens his eyes to the divine revelation and acquires
knowledge in matters of the spirit, he is able to defeat the
oppression of evil and "climb the heavenly ways."
In the wretched human beings' breast
The living flame of good she lights
The hands of criminal fierce she ties,
And fill the faithful hearts with delights,
Which seeks her secrets beneficent
And in the love for the good her breast she incites,
And it's th' education noble and pure
Of human life the balsam sure.

- Here, education is likened to a balsam, producing medicinal effects to

the many afflictions of the human race, which are generally and
singularly rooted in the propensity for evil. The acquisition of good
wisdom enables man to magnify his passion for good and continually
shun temptation.
And like a rock that rises with pride
In the middle of the turbulent waves
When hurricane and fierce Notus roar
She disregards their fury and raves,
That weary of the horror great
So frightened calmly off they stave;
Such is one by wise education steered
He holds the Country's reins unconquered.

- An educated man does not sway when trials come. He stands firm in
the midst of trouble and remains courageous in times of despair. Great
horrors cannot frighten him as they do other people. Education
provides her country with strong and respectable citizens who are
ready to fight for her honor no matter the cost.
His achievements on sapphires are engraved;
The Country pays him a thousand honors;
For in the noble breasts of her sons
Virtue transplanted luxuriant flow'rs;
And in the love of good e'er disposed
Will see the lords and governors
The noble people with loyal venture
Christian education always procure.

- The achievements of an educated man are not forgotten, and he

passes his wisdom on to the generations that come after him. He
becomes a beacon to his family and sets a good example for the youth.
In this stanza, Rizal also stresses the great importance of a Christian
education, as opposed to one that lacks the spiritual aspect, which he
obviously considers an essential cornerstone.
And like the golden sun of the morn
Whose rays resplendent shedding gold,
And like fair aurora of gold and red
She overspreads her colors bold;
Such true education proudly gives
The pleasure of virtue to young and old
And she enlightens out Motherland dear
As she offers endless glow and luster.

- The poem ends in a splash of color as the author likens a good

education to lights of the sun and the aurora. Great wisdom picks no
favorites; young and old benefit from it and delight in its joys. Rizal closes
the verse with an image of his country with the sun overhead, a sun that
embodies the virtues and wonders of a good education, which he
dreams for every citizen to enjoy.
The End.
(el fin.)