A
Literary Walking Tour in Madrid: Part 3
After a months-long absence from this space, I continue sharing my literary tour of Rizal’s Madrid where I spent last summer (I can’t believe it was last year already!) retracing the footsteps of patriot Jose Rizal who had spent some years living in Madrid where he wrote his novel, attended various cultural events and raised awareness of the plight of Filipinos back in the Philippines.
Herewith, I continue to share highlights of the tour along with some preliminary (brainstorming!) notes to include in scenes that I wish to incorporate in my longtime novel-in-progress
Exploring Where Rizal Studied
Facultad
de Medicina, Universidad de Madrid, C/. Atocha
The corridor of the Colegio de
Medicina (Hospital de San Carlos) has a marker indicating that it was here
where Jose Rizal studied medicine but neither David nor I saw it. According to
the brochure from the Philippine Embassy in Madrid, Rizal began his medical
studies on October 2, 1882, and finished it two years later in June 1884.
One of his professors was the then famous Marquez de Busto. The other
professors he had mentioned were Drs. Mariani, Polo and Stocker. He
apparently spent his residency at the Hospital de la Princesa where, as he had
written to his family, he performed two operations on detached
ligatures.
But as time went on, Rizal’s heart
was not in medicine as shown by his enrollment in other courses. His m ain
goal in studying medicine was to remove cataracts from the eyes of his mother
who close to going blind. Rizal’s mother would write letters to him with
the help of his sister.
Personal writing notes: Since medicine wasn’t Rizal’s
passion but the desire to cure his mother was his mission, I’m thinking of a
scene where he mentions this objective to Jeneviere, my protagonist, aka, the
reincarnated Leonor Rivera, during one of their random chats.
Escuela
de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, C/. Alcalá
At the same time that Rizal was
taking courses in medicine, he went to the nearby Escuela de Bellas Artes de
San Fernando and took five hours of painting lessons. He also enrolled at
the Facultad de Derechos, (UCM) but his brother dissuaded him from continuing
the course. Rizal’s interest in law was in line with the desire for
political autonomy in the Philippines. But his interest in the humanities
overtook all other interests. He was an artist at heart so he transferred
to the Facultad de Filosofia y Letras, and majored in humanities which he
finished in June 1885. This faculty was then located at c/ Bernardo, the
building housing it then is now occupied by the Ministerio del Justicia.
Personal writing notes: When David and I saw the sign
“Escuela de Bellas Artes,” I got excited as I always had whenever we
successfully encountered a “Rizal landmark.” The only thing was, I stood
in front of the wrong entrance so I moseyed on towards the other door. And
while it appeared we couldn’t enter the building from either door, I just
stared at the sign and closed my eyes willing myself to feel Rizal’s presence
as he felt most at home creating art over studying medicine. Here I envision
incorporating Rizal’s passion for art into his conversation with Jeneviere who
also chose art over a more practical career. This could complement a scene I
wrote about Jeneviere recalling the time she studied abroad in Madrid and
chanced upon a clothing design studio and serendipitously had her very first
Rizal “sighting.”
Ateneo
de Madrid, C/. Prado, 21
Unlike the renowned Ateneo de
Manila University in the Philippines, the Ateneo de Madrid was not an
educational institution but an exclusive club for men of letters and science. This
Ateneo contributed to the professional development of Rizal. It was here
where he regularly attended theatrical presentations, music and poetry recitals
and book launchings. He was in attendance when Ramon de Compoamor
delivered his best poetry in 1884. It was also at the Ateneo where he studied
English under the tutelage of Sr. Schüts. At one time, Rizal was
presented to the Principe de Baviera, then presiding over the
meeting.
Even now, the ambience of the
Ateneo is one of quiet, civility and seriousness, with people spending their
time in high-ceilinged rooms and galleries. The theatre has retained the
classical stage reminiscent of a place for Greek plays. On the hallway
are portraits of its most prominent members. Rizal’s portrait used to
hang at the end of the hallway.
Personal writing notes: Back in the Philippines, where I
lived and studied for a few years, whenever one hears the name “Ateneo,” it’s
often met with high regard as one of the prestigious universities in the
Philippines and, dare I say, in the entire Southeast Asia. But here in Madrid,
the Ateneo was and still is very exclusive. I mean, “Members Only” exclusive.
Still, David and I were able to enter only the lobby area which wasn’t much and
was surprisingly modern with white walls and contemporary stairways. I expected
dark as in mahogany everything, with bookshelves, a fireplace and men with
cigars. Or, at least, that’s how I envisioned it appeared during Rizal’s time.
Since we only had access to the lobby, who knows what still lurks beyond those
closed doors? And since my novel is viewed through the lens of two of my female
protagonists—Leonor Rivera and her reincarnated 21st century self,
Jeneviere, I will likely have Rizal recount to Jeneviere his regularly
attending theatrical presentations, music and poetry recitals and book launchings
at this Ateneo. He could also mention attending a Ramon de Compoamor
poetry reading in 1884.
Thank you for taking a "peek" into my writing and novel researching process. Be on the lookout for the next installment of more literary adventures in Madrid! 💖
