Pinas Forum

cesar · Member

Maria Clara and the Ideal Filipina

abe · Member

The "easy virtue" of the native women that historians note is not solely to the simplicity with which they obeyed their natural instincts but much more due to a religious belief of which Father Chirino tells. It was that in the journey after death to "Kalualhatiran," the abode of the spirit, there was a dangerous river to cross that had no bridge other than a very narrow strip of wood over which a woman could not pass unless she had a husband or lover to extend a hand to assist her. Furthermore, the religious annals of the early missions are filled with countless instances where native maidens chose death rather than sacrifice their chastity to the threats and violence of encomenderos and Spanish soldiers. As to the mercenary social evil, that is worldwide and there is no nation that can "throw the first stone" at the other. For the rest, today the Philippines has no reason to blush in comparing its womankind with the women of the most chaste nation in the world.

- Rizals Annotations to Morga's 1609 Philippine History

rapunzel · Member

OK. This is exactly what Rizal thinks of girls like Maria Clara, from Rizals Letter to the Young Women of Malolos-

Born and raised in darkness, she is like a flower without perfume, like a fruit without juice.

Excerpt from the original Tagalog text-

Nang aking sulatin ang Noli Me Tangere, tinanong kong laon, kung ang pusuang dalaga'y karaniwan kaya diyan sa ating bayan. Matay ko mang sinaliksik yaring alaala; matay ko mang pinagisa-ngisa ang lahat ñg dalagang makilala sapul sa pagkabatá, ay mañgisa-ñgisa lamang ang sumaguing larawang aking ninanasá. Tunay at labis ang matamis na loob, ang magandang ugalí, ang binibining anyó, ang mahinhing asal; ñgunit ang lahat na ito'y laguing nahahaluan ñg lubos na pagsuyó at pagsunod sa balang sabi ó hiling nang nagñgañgalang amang kalulua (tila baga ang kaluluwa'y may iba pang ama sa Dios,) dala ñg malabis na kabaitan, kababaan ñg loob ó kamangmañgan kayá: anaki'y mga lantang halaman, sibul at laki sa dilim; mamulaklak ma'y walang bañgo, magbuñga ma'y walang katas.

Galing sa liham para SA MGA KABABAYANG DALAGA SA MALOLOS

tala · Member

Ha. Ha. There actually some girls who believe this. The slightly dim ones. Now, if Maria Clara had been the role model of the Filipina, we would not have President Arroyo, a Justice Munoz Palma...