Chapter 7: Idilio en una azotea 

(An Idyl on an Azotea)

SALIENT POINTS

Crisostomo Ibarra visits Maria Clara at Calle Anloague.  They speak privately at the azotea (or rooftop),
about the years that they have not seen each other.  Ibarra strives to prove his love for Maria Clara by
showing her the dried sage leaves that had been given by the girl seven years earlier, while they had
gone swimming with his mother.  Maria Clara, in return, reads an old letter written by Ibarra before
leaving for abroad. Including Ibarra’s explanation that his father wanted him to leave for Europe to learn
about life and later be useful to the fatherland.

Maria Clara stops reading when she notices Ibarra becoming agitated. Ibarra has recalled his duties and
needs to leave immediately for town, as tomorrow, is the day for commemorating the departed. Maria
Clara bids him go. Later, Maria weeps. To comfort her, Tiago tells her to light candles to the saints for
Ibarra’s safe journey.

REAL TIME HAPPENINGS DURING RIZAL’S TIME

Rizal illustrates true love in this chapter. Maria Clara and Ibarra, though apart for so long, still remember
their love for each other, and have even kept mementos from each other in the past.

Many historians had attributed the character of Maria Clara is Leonor Rivera. She was the childhood
sweetheart of Dr. José Rizal. There are several parallelisms that can be made between Ibarra and Maria
Clara's relationship to Rizal's own experiences with Rivera. Rizal and Leonor had a long-distance
relationship and corresponded earnestly all throughout. Rivera was the “greatest influence” in
preventing Rizal from falling in love with other women while Rizal was traveling outside the Philippines.

Ibarra’s statement that he has forgotten his “responsibilities” reinforces the idea that his guilt over his
father’s death drives him throughout the novel in his attempt to reform the country, though at this point
it’s unclear what he believes his “responsibilities” are. Nonetheless, we can assume that these
“responsibilities” have something to do with Don Rafael’s assertion that one must “sacrifice today for a
useful tomorrow,” especially since the old man applies this both to Ibarra’s personal life and to the
wellbeing of the country itself. Just like Rizal he has a mission, so he studies abroad and sacrifice his
romantic relationships if he knows it would distract him, all this sacrifices are for the betterment of his
fatherland.

ITO ANG BUOD NG IKA-PITO NA KABANATA

Si Crisostomo Ibarra ay bumisita kay Maria Clara sa Calle Anloague. Sila ay nagsasalita ng pribado sa
azotea, tungkol sa mga taon na hindi sila nagkita. Sinikap ni Ibarra na patunayan ang kanyang
pagmamahal kay Maria Clara sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakita sa kanya ng mga lumang dahon na
ibinigay ng dalaga pitong taon na ang nakakaraan. Binasa ni Maria Clara ang isang lumang liham na
isinulat ni Ibarra bago umalis papuntang ibang bansa.

Chapter 8: Recuerdos (Recollections)
SALIENT POINTS

Ibarra’s carriage passes through the busiest district of Manila, and what he sees disturbs him.  He
observes that the country’s condition remains unchanged from when he left it seven years ago.  He finds
no progress achieved and reforms implemented by the government.  He sees that the roads have not
been paved and that the Puente de Barcas has been destroyed by neglect. (Puente de Barcas was a
temporary pontoon (pantun) bridge that spanned Pasig River in Manila after the 1863 earthquake
damaged nearby 'Puente Grande' bridge).  Afterwards, seeing the Arroceros Cigar factory, and the
Botanical Garden bring back fond memories. As he passes Bagumbayan, he recalls the old priest who
died there. The old man had awakened his intellect, exhorted him to improve his knowledge in rich
countries and pass it on. To these memories he responds by firmly reaffirming his commitment to the
Philippines.

REAL TIME HAPPENINGS DURING RIZAL’S TIME

Ibarra’s passage through the streets of his childhood shows how much his country has changed since he
left. More importantly, these changes are the result of Spain’s growing influence, which Ibarra
recognizes in the beautiful carriages and, to a greater extent, the botanical garden that reminds him of
Europe. In this moment, the immediate, visible effects of colonialism come to the forefront of Ibarra’s
consciousness, showing him that European customs have replaced (rather than mingled with) Filipino
customs.

ITO ANG BUOD NG IKA-WALO NA KABANATA

Ang karwahe ni Ibarra ay dumaan sa pinaka-abalang distrito ng Maynila, at ang kanyang nakita ay
nakabahala sa kanya. Napansin niya na ang kalagayan ng bansa ay nananatiling hindi nagbabago mula
noong iniwan niya ito pitong taon na ang nakalilipas. Wala siyang nakitang pag-unlad na nakamit at mga
repormang ipinatupad ng gobyerno. Nakikita niyang hindi pa sementado ang mga kalsada at ang Puente
de Barcas ay nasira ng kapabayaan. Pagkatapos, ang pagkikita ng Arroceros Cigar factory, ang Botanical
Garden, at ang Bagumbayan ay nagbabalik ng masasayang alaala.

Chapter 9: Cosas del país  (Local Affairs)

SALIENT POINTS

This chapter features the three conversations between Padre Damaso and Capitan Tiago, between
Padre Sibyla and an unmanned priest, and between the Governor-General and his men.  Angry at not
being informed of the arranged marriage between Crisostomo and Maria Clara, Padre Damaso now
wants to stop the marriage planned for the lovers.  Capitan Tiago obeys the priest, and extinguishes the
candles that were lit for Ibarra’s journey to San Diego.  Padre Sibyla and an unnamed priest discuss the
dangerous implication to the country of Crisostomo Ibarra’s foreign education.  The Governor-General
reveals to his men that he is unhappy with the situation in the Philippines but that he is helpless in
changing the conditions of the country.

REAL TIME HAPPENINGS DURING RIZAL’S TIME

Once again, Rizal illustrates the divide between the church and the state, though in doing so he also
shows that only high-ranking government officials are comfortable disputing the friars’ power. The
Captain General is the most influential member of the government, and even he will only admit his
disapproval of the church’s unchecked power in private, when nobody’s listening.

Rizal also shows the Instability of colonial administration During the Spanish colonial era, governor-
generals are always changing about three to four months after being put in position thus, their promises
are never fulfilled and people are left with nothing but dismay. For this reason, no matter how spirited
an official is, they haven’t been able to execute their plans and wasn’t able to do much for the colony.
There was also a frequent change in policies and this ensued the struggle between liberalism and
depotism (Depotism means the exercise of absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way)

ITO ANG BUOD NG IKA-SIYAM NA KABANATA

Itinatampok sa kabanatang ito ang tatlong pag-uusap nina Padre Damaso at Capitan Tiago, sa pagitan ni
Padre Sibyla at ng isang tauhan na pari, at sa pagitan ng Gobernador-Heneral at ng kanyang mga tauhan.
Galit sa hindi pagpapaalam sa napagkasunduang kasal nina Crisostomo at Maria Clara, gusto na ngayon
ni Padre Damaso na itigil ang planong pagpapakasal para sa magkasintahan. Si Kapitan Tiago ay
sumunod sa pari, at pinatay ang mga kandilang sinindihan para sa paglalakbay ni Ibarra sa San Diego.
Pinag-usapan ni Padre Sibyla at ng isang hindi pinangalanang pari ang mapanganib na implikasyon sa
bansa ng dayuhang edukasyon ni Crisostomo Ibarra. Ibinunyag ng Gobernador-Heneral sa kanyang mga
tauhan na hindi siya nasisiyahan sa sitwasyon sa Pilipinas ngunit wala siyang magawa sa pagbabago ng
kalagayan ng bansa.