Asuncion, Don Jerod B. General Academics Strand
January 31, 2016 Ms. Elizabeth Sabado
Reading #1: “To the young women of Malolos”
1. What type of document is this? It is a famous essay that acts as a letter to the young women of Malolos.
2. Who wrote the document? José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda, popularly known as José Rizal, wrote the document.
3. Who is the intended audience of the document? The Filipino women was Rizal’s intended audience of the document. He emphasized to the said audience the responsibilities of Filipino Mothers to their children. Rizal also enumerated the qualities Filipino mothers have to possess: 1) Be a noble wife. 2) Rear her children in the service of the state – here Rizal gives reference to the women of Sparta who embody this quality. 3) Set standards of behavior for men around her. Jose Rizal points out to unmarried women that they should not be easily taken by appearances and looks, because these can be very deceiving. Instead, they should take heed of men’s firmness of character and lofty ideas.
4. What is the historical context behind the document? Written in Tagalog, Jose Rizal wrote this letter – upon the request of Marcelo H. del Pilar – on 17 February 1889 in London while annotating Morga's book. The letter praises the young women of Malolos for their perseverance to pursue the establishment of a “night school” where they can study Spanish. Based on accounts, on 12 December 1888, 20 young women from Malolos petitioned Governor-General Weyler for the establishment of a “night school” to study Spanish under Teodoro Sandiko, a professor of Latin. However, Fr. Felipe Garcia, the Spanish parish priest, objected to the petition, prompting the governor-general to dismiss the petition. Unperturbed, the young women continued with their clamor (for the establishment of the school) and eventually succeeded. Señora Guadalupe Reyes became the teacher of the women. The school remained open for three months.
5. Why was the document written? Jose Rizal wrote a letter to the young women of Malolos not only because M. H. del Pilar personally requested him to but because he might also feel the need to express his appreciation and great pride in the abrupt change of heart of these said Filipinas. His ultimate desire was for women to be offered the same opportunities as those received by men in terms of education. In his letter to the young women of Malolos, Jose Rizal pays homage to the 20 courageous women of the town for their desire to educate themselves, truly, a liberating action at that time. Rizal sees in these women a ray of hope in restoring the Filipino woman's dignity and worth, which are being denigrated at that time. Rizal also wrote the document to emphasize the importance of Filipino Mothers, as it is in their nurturing hands where the children’s future lies – whether they be free or enslaved. Rizal ends his letter exhorting the women to "open your children's eyes so they may jealously guard their honor, love their fellowmen and their native land and do their duty". Rizal advices the Filipino women to use reason, to know what a good mother is, and how to become one. He reiterates that a good mother teaches honor, honesty, love of fellowmen, and respect for God. He urges them to ponder on his words and use reason to determine what is just from unjust.
6. What does the document tell you about the condition of Filipino society during the time that it was produced? During those days, young girls were not sent to school because of the universal notion that they would soon only be taken as wives and stay at home with their children. The Filipino woman's dignity and worth are being criticized unfairly at that time; that women are only an accessory to a family following her mother’s decisions and whims, that women are just mere followers and are only capable to be fragile and silent not even trying to voice out their ideas Gender inequality was present at that given time. It goes to show that women were seen as people who are incapable to do hardwork. Hence Rizal wrote this letter for those women who do not speak, for those who do not have a voice because they were so terrified, because they are taught to respect fear more than themselves. They've been taught that silence would save them, but it won't.