Noli Me Tángere (The Social Cancer): A New Translation

By José Rizal

Book Overview

The Novel That Sparked a Revolution

When Cris stomo Ibarra returns to the Philippines after seven years in Europe, he dreams of building a better future for his countrymen through education and reform. But his idealistic vision collides with the brutal reality of Spanish colonial rule-a society poisoned by corrupt friars, unjust laws, and racial oppression.

First published in 1887, Jos Rizal's masterpiece exposes the "social cancer" afflicting his homeland with unflinching honesty. Through the intertwined fates of Ibarra, his beloved Mar a Clara, the mysterious outlaw El as, and the tragic mother Sisa, Rizal paints a sweeping portrait of a nation crying out for justice.

Banned by colonial authorities and condemned by the Catholic Church, Noli Me T ngere became the catalyst for Philippine independence. Written in exile and published at great personal risk, this searing indictment of tyranny cost Rizal his life-he was executed by firing squad in 1896-but his words ignited the flame of revolution that would eventually free his people.

More than a century later, Rizal's passionate call for education, reform, and moral courage remains powerfully relevant. This is the novel that awakened a nation.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0G2JJHFKV
• ISBN13: 9798274727242
• Release Date: November 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 472 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Provocative and passionate--a must for history buffs.

This is a must-read for those interested in South-East Asian or colonial history/literature. The story of the writing of this novel is just as fascinating as the novel itself. "Noli Me Tangere" was written by the brilliant Dr. Jose Rizal--physician, historian, poet educator, philosopher, naturalist, novelist, artist, and one of the first nationalists of Asia.Rizal was a young Filipino student in Europe when he wrote "Noli," during the time that the Philippines was under Spanish rule. Rizal worked on the manuscript in between the hours he spent poring over his schoolbooks. He was only 26 when the book was published on borrowed money in Berlin in 1886. Unapologetically anticlerical, this satirical portrayal of 19th century colonial Philippines blended philosophy, irony, humor, and tragedy. The novel was banned from the Philippines because of its subversive content, but contraband copies found their way to Manila, awakening the disparate Philippine islands to unity and nationhood."Noli Me Tangere," its sequel "El Filibusterismo" (1891) and Rizal's other essays and poems were part of the core of nationalist literature that inspired both Rizal's co-reformers--a group of European-schooled young Filipinos--and the more militant revolutionaries. In 1896, the militant groups in the Filipinos launched a revolution against the Spanish crown, the first nationalist revolution in Asia. Rizal had no direct part in the insurrection; he had even advised the militant group that the country was not yet ready for an armed revolution and he had pushed instead for nonviolent reform. Nevertheless, the Spanish military arrested Rizal on sedition charges and brought him to trial. He was found guilty. On the evening of December 29, 1896, in his prison cell, Jose Rizal wrote his last poem, "Mi Ultimo Adios." The next morning, soldiers escorted him to a field where his sentence was meted: death by firing-squad. Rizal was only 35 years old. Rizal's death further fueled the fires of the Philippine revolution, and it culminated on June 12, 1898, with the Filipinos proclaiming independence after more than 300 years of Spanish rule. Today Rizal is considered one of the most important figures in Asian history. He has been revered by many as "The Pride of the Malay Race," and he is the national hero of the Republic of the Philippines. The novel "Noli Me Tangere" appeared, in the years immediately following Rizal's death, in French and English. Since then it has also been translated into German, Chinese and Filipino.From a historical vantage-point, "Noli Me Tangere" is one of the most important literary works from the period of Asian nationalism. As a novel, "Noli" is a fascinating read.After reading "Noli Me Tangere," also read its much darker and more philosophical sequel, "El Filibusterismo." I think the latest English translation is by Leon Ma. Guerrero.

A teen's view on the Noli...

Being 16, Filipino, in the US, and interested in my culture, I found turning to a novel by Jose Rizal a natural place to being my study. I already consider myself to have a good knowledge of Spanish occupation within the Philippine Islands, but I did not the severity of the wrongs which Spain and the clergy commited toward the Philippines. Reading Noli Me Tangere truly opened my eyes and has made my admiration for Rizal sky-rocket. The Noli is an amazing book, I didn't expect to be so absorbed in it. The aspects of Philippine life portrayed are really enlightening; and the story of each character's *confusing past* make the novel a great read! EVERY Filipino should read it, especially if you are a teen growing up outside the Philippines! Reading it will give you a lot of insight into our culture. It's simply an awesome book! I love it! Now I'm trying to get a copy of El Filibusterismo (sp?) to read!

The Social Cancer

It's about time this book was reprinted. Written by one of the heroes of the Philippine revolution, this book is a semi-autobiographical account of Philippine society during its days as a Spanish colony. Noli Me Tangere, roughly translated as "Touch Me Not," reflects the hypocrisy and corruption present in that time. Former translations have aptly titled it, "The Social Cancer." Juan Crisostomo Ibarra, the protagonist, returns to his country after being educated in Madrid, and seeks to marry Maria Clara, a young woman who had been betrothed to him when they were children. He tries to use his education to help the townspeople, but his efforts are thwarted by the clergy. It is these priests who prevent him from learning the true cause of his father's death, and he is eventually labeled as a heretic and is excommunicated from society. He escapes being assasinated and flees, vowing to revenge himself, his father, and Maria Clara. There is an incredible amount of detail in this novel, and the translation is superb. The characters are vivid -- who can forget Sisa's tragedy and the eerie Father Salvi? You don't have to be a historian or a student to enjoy this novel, and knowing nothing about that place or time period will not affect its intensity and pathos.

The Social Cancer

It's about time this book was reprinted. Written by one of the heroes of the Philippine revolution, this book is a semi-autobiographical account of Philippine society during its days as a Spanish colony. "Noli Me Tangere," roughly translated as "Touch Me Not," reflects the hypocrisy and corruption present in that time. Former translations have aptly titled it, "The Social Cancer." Juan Crisostomo Ibarra, the protagonist, returns to his country after being educated in Madrid, and seeks to marry Maria Clara, a young woman who had been betrothed to him when they were children. He tries to use his education to help the townspeople, but his efforts are thwarted by the clergy. It is these priests who prevent him from learning the true cause of his father's death, and he is eventually labeled as a heretic and is excommunicated from society. He escapes being assasinated and flees, vowing to revenge himself, his father, and Maria Clara. There is an incredible amount of detail in this novel, and the translation is superb. The characters are vivid -- who can forget Sisa's tragedy and the eerie Father Salvi? You don't have to be a historian or a student to enjoy this novel, and knowing nothing about that place or time period will not affect its intensity and pathos.