El Filibusterismo (El Fili) – Chapter 23
Chapter Title: A Corpse
Setting: Evening, Manila
Characters:
- Simoun
- Camaroncocido
- Basilio
- Capitan Tiago
- Macaraig (mentioned)
- Placido Penitente (mentioned)
- Padre Irene (mentioned)
- Cabesang Tales (mentioned)
- Maria Clara (mentioned)
- Padre Salvi (mentioned)
Plot:
As the revolution is about to start, Simoun asks Basilio to join him.
Chapter Summary:
Simoun doesn’t go to the theater. Instead, starting 7:00 pm, he leaves his house and comes back twice with different people. He is seen near the hospital by Macaraig at 8:00 pm, which is near the cloister of Santa Clara. At 9:00 pm, Camaroncocido sees him near the theater talking to a student.
Basilio doesn’t watch the play also. He has been studying ever since he returned from San Diego and is staying at the hospital to help Capitan Tiago. Capitan Tiago sometimes gets mad at Basilio and insults him due when Capitan Tiago is not given opium. When Capitan Tiago has his opium, he is thankful to Basilio and says he will make him his heir. Basilio has thought of letting Capitan Tiago die in peace instead of delaying his suffering.
Capitan Tiago has been getting worse and Basilio sometimes arrives to see him sleeping after having taken opium. He does not know who is giving the opium because Capitan Tiago’s only visitors are Simoun and Padre Irene. Simoun rarely visits and Padre Irene always tells Basilio to be stricter with the regimen to save Tiago. Padre Irene had promised to get Basilio assigned to a good province and help him become a professor. But the main reason Basilio has continued helping Capitan Tiago is due to his conscience.
Basilio is busy studying instead of going to watch Les Cloches de Corneville. He is reading Medicina Legal y Toxicologia of Dr. Mata which he borrowed because he couldn’t afford the book. It is banned in Manila and required bribery to purchase. Basilio ignores the pamphlets that were sent from abroad (and given to him by Simoun), which are full of insults about the Philippines.
Simoun enters the house and asks how Capitan Tiago is. Basilio says that Capitan Tiago is getting weaker, with no appetite. Basilio says Capitan Tiago may die any day (“like the Philippines”, says Simoun). Basilio says that what weakens Capitan Tiago are the nightmares (“like the government,” says Simoun). Basilio says that Capitan Tiago thought he went blind and assumed Basilio was Padre Irene, so Capitan Tiago called Baislio his savior (“like the government,” says Simoun).
Capitan Tiago had asked for his fighting cock, which has been dead for 3 years. Basilio brought him a hen and he was happy
It is 10:30 pm. Simoun is disappointed that Basilio didn’t read the pamphlets. Simoun says the revolution will start in an hour. There will be no school, people will start dying, so Simoun tells Basilio that he must pick a side.
Basilio is afraid. He imagines people being shot and having to medicate them. Simoun explains that the leaders are distracted right now. They are all in the theater, but there are many men helping Simoun. The men think the revolution has been ordered by Capitan General or friars and a lot are working for money, employment or promises. Simoun says Cabesang Tales is downstairs.
Simoun says that if Basilio is neutral, he will be harmed by both sides. Basilio asks what he would have to do. Simoun says Basilio has to help open the gates of the cloister of Santa Clara and take away Maria Clara.
Simoun reveals that he started the revolution so he could get into the cloister. Basilio says Maria Clara died at 6:00 pm that afternoon. Simoun is in denial. Basilio said she got sick a few days ago. Padre Irene brought a letter from Paldre Salvi saying the news. The news made Capitan Tiago cry and start smoking opium.
Simoun cries and runs downstairs. Hearing him cry makes Basilio weep also. He thinks of Simoun and Maria Clara and of their sad fates.
The chapter addresses an ‘unhappy child of my unfortunate motherland’, (referring to perhaps Maria Clara or the reader) and says they should sleep in peace.
The chapter ends referring to a certain “her” who has died and will be wept for, her happy memories celebrated.
Trivia:
- The character in the end of the chapter only mentioned as “she” or “her” is said to have died but left many happy memories behind. This might be referring to both Maria Clara or the Philippines itself.
- It is mentioned that Camaroncocido saw Simoun talking to a student. The identity of the student is not given, but it is most likely Placido Penitente.
Quotes:
Camaroncocido: And what is that to me? What do I get out of warning the populace?
Basilio would smile bitterly, thinking how in this life the gratification of vice is better rewarded than the fulfillment of duty.
Padre Irene: Do your duty, young man! Do your duty!
Simoun: Tomorrow there will be no more studying, there will be no University, there will be nothing but combat and killings.
Simoun: When we win, all those who could have served us but did not will be treated as enemies. [Basilio], I have come to propose your death or your future!
Simoun: With the Government or with us. With your oppressors or with your country. You decide now, for time demands it.
Simoun: In grave moments to declare oneself neutral is to expose oneself to the fury of both contending parties.
Simoun: I began the revolution because only a revolution will open to me the gates of the cloister!
Basilio: You arrive late, too late!
Simoun: And why?
Basilio: Maria Clara has passed away!
When a man can only bequeath dubious words to his widow, tears to his mother and slavery to his children, you do well to condemn yourselves to perpetual chastity, choking within your breasts the seed of a cursed future generation!
Happy she who dies wept for, she who leaves in the heart of those who love her, a pure vision, a sacred memory, not stained by common passions which ferment with the years.
We will see you eternally as we have dreamed about you: lovely, beautiful, smiling like hope, pure like the light and, nevertheless, sad and melancholy contemplating our miseries.
