RIZAL AND HIS CHILDHOOD (A LECTURE ON THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JOSE RIZAL)

Summary

The video script explores the early life of Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines, highlighting his prodigious abilities, such as reading and writing at an early age and his advanced Spanish skills. It delves into anecdotes like his interaction with his dog Oz, his precocious poetry, and his schooling under a native maestro. The script also raises questions about the authenticity of a poem attributed to Rizal, considering the advanced vocabulary used. Additionally, it touches on Rizal's inspiration from Napoleon Bonaparte and the premonition of his own legacy, as evidenced by the numerous statues made in his honor.

Takeaways

• 📚 Dr. Jose Rizal was known for his exceptional intellect and was able to read and write before the age of five, with his mother being his first teacher.
• 🐶 Rizal had a pet black dog named Oz and would walk it to the lakeshore, discussing social issues with it.
• 📝 He began writing poems at a young age, with one poem, 'The Other Clue', allegedly written when he was eight, though its authorship is disputed.
• 🏫 Rizal was sent to his mother's hometown of Binan to study under a native maestro, Hostiniano Aquino Cruz, during the Spanish era.
• 🗣️ He became a proficient Spanish writer and speaker, which was unusual for someone of his age at the time.
• 🤔 The authenticity of 'The Other Clue' is questioned due to the advanced vocabulary and concepts it contains, which were unlikely known to Rizal at such a young age.
• 🔤 The use of the word 'kalya' in the poem, which was spelled with a 'k' instead of 'c', suggests it was written after Rizal's exposure to the Spanish word 'libertad' in his twenties.
• 🗿 Rizal was known to mold clay into statues, including one of Napoleon Bonaparte, who inspired him and whom he saw as a kindred spirit due to his short stature.
• 🗽 Rizal's sisters, who initially laughed at his aspirations, later became guests of honor at the inauguration of his statues, reflecting his posthumous recognition as a national hero.
• 🏛️ The American period saw the unveiling of several Rizal statues, highlighting his contributions to the Philippines and his status as a national icon.

Q & A

What was Dr. Jose Rizal's physical appearance during his childhood?

Dr. Rizal was short for his age and had a big head that was not proportional to his body.

At what age was Dr. Rizal able to learn how to read and write?

Dr. Rizal was able to learn how to read and write before the age of five.

Who was Dr. Rizal's first teacher?

Dr. Rizal's first teacher was his mother.

What was the significance of the story of the moth in Dr. Rizal's life?

The story of the moth was a revelation of what would happen to Dr. Rizal in his life.

What was the name of Dr. Rizal's dog and what did he do with it?

Dr. Rizal had a male black dog named Oz. He would walk his dog every afternoon up to the lakeshore and talk to his dog about social issues.

What was the name of the poem allegedly written by Dr. Rizal at the age of eight?

The poem allegedly written by Dr. Rizal when he was eight is titled 'The Other Clue'.

Why is there controversy surrounding the authorship of 'The Other Clue'?

There is controversy because the word 'kalyan' (independence) was not in the Tagalog vocabulary at the time, and Dr. Rizal's sisters did not agree that he wrote it.

What was the significance of the statue of Napoleon that Dr. Rizal made as a child?

The statue of Napoleon that Dr. Rizal made as a child was significant because Napoleon was an inspiration to him, and it was a premonition of what would happen to Dr. Rizal's legacy.

How did Dr. Rizal's sisters feel during the inauguration of his statues?

Dr. Rizal's sisters were guests of honor during the inauguration of his statues, and they felt a sense of pride and recognition for his contributions to the Philippines.

What was the educational system like during the Spanish era in the Philippines?

During the Spanish era, elementary schools were similar to public and private schools, and education was often provided by private tutors who taught in their backyards.

What language were most of Dr. Rizal's writings in?

Most of Dr. Rizal's writings, including his novels and essays, were written in Spanish.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Early Life and Education of Dr. Jose Rizal

The first paragraph delves into the early life and education of Dr. Jose Rizal, known as the 'Wonder Child.' It mentions anecdotes from his childhood, including his physical appearance—short for his age with a large head—and his intellectual capabilities, such as learning to read and write before turning five. His mother was his first teacher, and he was known for his early poetic talent, which was initially doubted by his priest uncle. Rizal's education continued in his mother's hometown, where he became a proficient Spanish writer and speaker. The paragraph also touches on the controversy surrounding the authorship of a poem allegedly written by Rizal at the age of eight, with discussions on the authenticity and the historical context of the word 'kalyan' used in the poem.

05:00

🎭 Controversy and Anecdotes of Rizal's Youth

The second paragraph continues the exploration of Rizal's youth, focusing on the controversy surrounding the poem 'Kalayaan' and the doubts about its authorship due to linguistic and historical inconsistencies. It also shares a story of Rizal's childhood where he molded a statue of Napoleon Bonaparte, drawing laughter from his sisters. Rizal's response, hinting at future recognition, foreshadows his eventual status as a national hero. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the unveiling of Rizal's statues during the American period, where his sisters were present, highlighting the impact of Rizal's life and work on the Philippines.

10:01

🙏 Closing Remarks

The third paragraph is a brief closing remark, offering blessings and well-wishes to the audience. It signifies the end of the discussion on Dr. Jose Rizal's life and works, with a note of gratitude for the participants' engagement in the online class.

Keywords

💡Rizal

Rizal refers to Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino polymath, writer, and national hero who is considered one of the most prominent figures in Philippine history. In the video, Rizal's childhood, education, and early writings are discussed, highlighting his intellectual prowess and the impact he had on Philippine society.

💡Wonder Child

The term 'wonder child' is used to describe a child prodigy or someone who exhibits exceptional abilities at a young age. In the context of the video, it refers to Rizal's remarkable talents and achievements during his childhood, such as his ability to read and write before the age of five.

💡American Period

The 'American Period' refers to the era in Philippine history when the United States governed the country after the Spanish-American War. The video mentions this period in relation to the stories told by Rizal's family and the unveiling of statues in his honor.

💡Spanish Era

The 'Spanish Era' denotes the period of Spanish colonization in the Philippines. The video discusses Rizal's education during this time, emphasizing the private tutors and the importance of the Spanish language in his early education.

💡Maestro Hostiniano Aquino Cruz

Maestro Hostiniano Aquino Cruz was a native teacher under whom Rizal studied in his mother's hometown of Binan. The video highlights the significance of this teacher in Rizal's development as a Spanish writer and speaker.

💡Poetry

Poetry is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meanings and emotions. The video discusses Rizal's early poetry, including a poem allegedly written by him at the age of eight, which is a subject of controversy.

💡Kalyan

Kalyan, or 'kalayaan' in Filipino, means 'freedom' or 'independence.' The video raises questions about the authenticity of a poem attributed to Rizal because of the use of this word, which was not part of the Tagalog vocabulary during his childhood.

💡Libertad

Libertad is the Spanish word for 'freedom' or 'independence.' The video mentions that Rizal only encountered this concept in his twenties while studying in Spain, which challenges the idea that he could have written about 'kalyan' at a younger age.

💡Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution. In the video, Rizal's sisters found him molding a clay statue of Napoleon, suggesting that the French leader was an inspiration to Rizal.

💡National Hero

A 'national hero' is a person who is recognized for their outstanding achievements or contributions to the nation. The video concludes with the recognition of Rizal as the national hero of the Philippines, with his sisters present at the unveiling of his statues.

Highlights

Rizal's childhood anecdotes reveal his intelligence and curiosity.

Rizal was short for his age and had a big head not proportional to his body.

He learned to read and write before the age of five, with his mother as his first teacher.

Rizal's story of the moth foreshadowed his own life's events.

Rizal had a black dog named Oz, with whom he discussed social issues.

Rizal's uncle, Father Leon, initially doubted the young Rizal's authorship of his poems.

Rizal was sent to his mother's hometown to study under a native maestro.

During the Spanish era, education was primarily through private tutors.

Rizal became a better Spanish writer and speaker under the tutelage of Hostiniano Aquino Cruz.

The poem 'The Other Clue' is attributed to Rizal at age eight, but its authenticity is debated.

The use of the word 'kalyan' in the poem raises questions about Rizal's authorship.

Rizal's sisters did not agree that he wrote 'The Other Clue', adding to the controversy.

Rizal's fascination with Napoleon Bonaparte and his premonition of being immortalized in statues.

Rizal's sisters were guests of honor at the inauguration of Rizal statues during the American period.

The discussion highlights the controversy and stories surrounding Rizal's early life and works.

Transcripts

on risal as the wonder child and of

course we will be looking first at some

notable anecdotes on rizal's childhood

at least based on stories told by his

mother and sisters during the american

period because of course

and of course what better way for us to

start than to look at dr zarizal and his

physical appearance now we know dr

seriza

[Music]

because he was short for his age and he

had a big head that was not proportional

to his body however he was able to learn

how to read and write before the age of

five and of course as we know his mother

was his first very first

teacher of course we know of the story

of the

and so the story of the moth actually

was a revelation of what would happen

to pepe in his uh story and of course

isa has a male black dog which he named

the oz man he would walk his dog every

afternoon up to the lakeshore in uh

he would talk to his dog about social

issues such as abuses and this language

little purpose poetry would also be

considered as we look at

being a wonder kid now when he was a

little boy risa would actually write

poems his priest uncle who was father

lyon wouldn't believe that pepper wrote

those poems because perhaps um he was

amazed by the content of the poem

would raise his voice and argue that

they were really

his

writings now in his uh schooling

dominion he was sent to his mother's

hometown of binyang to study under a

native maestro hostiniano aquino cruz

and during the spanish era we have to

understand

elementary school

in similar public and private schools

there were only private tutors who teach

kids in their backyards and so this was

what happened to rizal okay he was sent

by his mother up to binyan to

over other his classmates and he became

a better spanish writer and speaker

which allegedly was written by rizal

when he was only eight years old however

would not confirm that this was really

peppa's poem

first came out in 1906 which was

actually night a decade already after

his death he died 1896 and the poem only

was released by 1906

um you have to understand that there

were a lot of poems and writings now

again and by lying

right because again this was uh the

national heroes um poem anyway or

writings anyway it was so popular during

that time that writers were glad to

attribute their works to dr

um

the other clue okay

all of his novels and all of his essays

were actually written in spanish and

this was the only poem that supposedly

was written by dr jose

now what we have to understand is the

other clue here okay which states that

the word the use of the word kalyan in

the poem because we have to understand

that it's hard to imagine an

eight-year-old boy to have an

understanding of this word because the k

sound during the time of risale was

spelled with ac however in the poem the

word kalaya and was already spelled

with a k and not ac

okay so this might

raise a lot of questions as to whether

doctor assad

really wrote um

okay the word

we have to understand wasn't in the

tagalog vocabulary yet when lisa was a

little boy and he admitted in a letter

that he first heard of the spanish word

libertad when he was a 20 year old

student in spain so

it would be impossible for an

eight-year-old jose

to understand and know the idea of

kalyan when it was only when he was on

his twenties that he

was able to hear and understand the word

libertad which is independence in

english which is

so this spells a lot of controversy

whether doctor sarizali really

wrote um

however the biggest clue that rizal was

not the author the writer of this poem

was that his sisters wouldn't agree that

it was

little pepe who wrote

so those were the stories surrounding us

together dr rosariza wrote in any way

now when peppa was a little boy he would

often hang out by himself in the baha'i

in their yard and so one morning there

was this story when his sisters found

him there molding clay into a little

statue of napoleon uh bonaparte we know

when we know nepal in one apart we know

of him as uh

as a uh a guy who was celebrated back in

his day um a leader on his own and they

laughed at him for idolizing napoleon

was actually very short as well so see

napoleon bonaparte became an

inspiration dr jose

okay and that happened now um pepe

snapped back at his sisters with i was

there as they were laughing and he said

don't be surprised one day people will

be making statues of me perhaps that was

a very much um

revelatory okay a premonition of what

would happen to the life of dr

rosserisal because it indeed happened in

his lifetime that people were making

statues okay after he died okay because

he was who would be considered as the

national hero of the philippines now his

sisters okay were the guests of honor

during the inauguration of rizal statue

in united during the american period so

again we have to understand that the

sisters of dr sarisa was able to live

still some of his sisters were able to

live so during the american period and

they were present in the unveiling of

several other results statues all over

the country during the

american period you know what could have

the sisters felt during these occasions

were praising him people were were

actually somehow to a certain extent

already revealing result for the

contributions that he made for

not only for the family but definitely

for the entire philippines so if we're

going to look at it somehow resulted a

lot of premonitions as to what would

happen in his life about his life okay

okay so these are some stories um

anecdotes and stories about his

childhood okay

and that wraps up our discussion on the

wonder child dr serizal again this is

ss041 the life and works of doctors and

your online class instructor thank you

for joining me today in our discussion

stay safe stay sane stay strong everyone

thank you very much i'll see you all

next time this has been siri now signing

off god bless you