Patriot, brave, genius are just some of the known values of the Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. But apart from the aforementioned, there are other several values of Dr. Jose Rizal that until today many people still don’t know.
The virtues of Dr. Jose Rizal have made him famous not only in the Philippines but also all over the world. In fact, his statues had been erected in public in many countries around the world.
The life and works of Dr. Jose Rizal have been of interest not only to the Filipinos but also to other nationalities. His name has been a word of mouth among different people around the world.
Listed below are the other virtues of Dr. Jose Rizal that are worth appreciating and emulating:
Bravery. No doubt Dr. Jose Rizal was a brave man. Faced with an imminent threat to his life, he never manifested any traces of cowardly acts. Instead, he rallied and inspired his countrymen to fight. He led other Filipino revolutionists in fighting against foreign powers.
While other revolutionists fought the colonizers violently, Dr. Jose Rizal had his unique way of fighting foreign enemies. He fought them with just a pen and paper through writing. A unique way of fight seen by many as effective.
This kind of non-violent led him to death at a very young age.
Until his dying moments, Rizal never regretted fighting for his countrymen. This patriotic act endeared him not only to the Filipinos but also to other nationalities all over the world.
Genius. Dr. Jose Rizal was a gifted man emotionally and intellectually. Not so many people knew that Jose Rizal was a linguist/polyglot. He could speak 22 different languages, a talent that is hard to emulate.
His two novels which talked about the ills of society during the colonial period were written in the Spanish language. His linguistic performance of other languages enabled him to articulate his discontent and rage against the colonizers.
Patriot. Doctor Jose Rizal put his life at risk by defying and fighting the invaders.
His leading figure in the fight against the country’s colonizers for his countrymen and for his beloved country has made him a patriot.
Romantic. Undeniably, Dr. Jose Rizal was a romantic person. In the countries he had been to, Dr. Jose Rizal developed romantic affection with foreign women.
His being romantic has led him to be romantically linked to several beautiful women of different nationalities.
Helpful. True to his promise to make the lives of the Filipinos better and comfortable, Dr. Jose Rizal helped his countrymen in so many ways.
Using his degrees in several fields, the Philippine hero was able to help his fellow Filipinos to make their lives better.
His medical degree enabled him to help so many people with their medical needs.
In Dapitan, he initiated community services for the people of Dapitan. He built wells for the community.
Martyrdom. Until his death, Jose Rizal never regretted nor turned his back for his countrymen and his beloved country.
In fact, when he was executed by a firing squad, he turned to a particular place which many historians perceive as a symbolic move and that move according to them symbolizes martyrdom.
Compassionate. This value of Rizal was exemplified when a pair of his slippers accidentally fell into the sea during their fishing activity. When the pair of slippers fell, he threw the other one so whoever could get it.
Charismatic. This distinct value could have helped him get romantically linked with several women of different nationalities. A total of nine (9) women were romantically involved with Dr. Jose Rizal. Some of these women were met by Dr. Jose Rizal in different countries abroad during his studies.
Leonor Rivera, Josephine Bracken, Leonor Valenzuela, Segunda Katikbak, Consuelo Ortiga, O-Sei San, Gertrude Beckette, Nelly Boustead, and Suzanne Jacoby.
With the exception of Leonor Rivera, Leonor Valenzuela, Segunda Katigbak, and Consuelo Ortega, the rest of the women were met by Dr. Jose Rizal during his studies and vacations abroad.
According to some historians who took a glimpse into his romantic life, Dr. Jose Rizal was a bolero, a Filipino term that refers to a man who is good at saying flowery words to a woman.
Dr. Jose Rizal is a “ bolero” who could be the reason why several women fell for him.
Sadly, at the young age of 35, the decorated life of the Philippine national hero ended in a tragic fashion. He was executed by firing squad.
Sadly, after over a century has passed, the good deeds of Dr. Jose Rizal may have already been forgotten particularly among the youth.
Ironically, the Filipino youth for which the Philippine national hero pinned his hope for the country have been the ones who have forgotten his deeds.
Image courtesy of Presidential Museum And Library/Flickr
Trivia:
Question:
What is the full name of Dr. Jose Rizal?
Answer found below
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda