El Filibusterismo · Chapter
XII: Plácido Penitente explained
Plácido Penitente reluctantly goes to the University of Santo Tomás, having written to his mother twice about abandoning his studies.
What happens
Plácido Penitente reluctantly goes to the University of Santo Tomás, having written to his mother twice about abandoning his studies. His mother insists he finish his bachelor's degree. On the way, he meets Juanito Pelaez, who brags about his vacation with Padre Camorra and mentions Juli, Basilio's sweetheart. At the university, students gather, including Isagani, who is distracted by Paulita Gomez's arrival. Plácido is pressured to sign a petition against Makaraig's proposal for an academy of Castilian but hesitates. He enters class late, drawing the professor's ire.
Themes in this chapter
Education and Enlightenment
The chapter highlights the reluctance and disillusionment of students like Plácido Penitente, contrasting the ideal of education with the rigid, rote-learning system at the university.
Social Injustice and Corruption
Juanito Pelaez's remarks about using governmental orders to exploit locals and the pressure on Plácido to sign a petition without understanding it reflect systemic corruption and abuse of power.
Characters to notice
- Plácido Penitente
Reluctantly attending university, he is pressured to sign a petition and arrives late to class, earning the professor's displeasure.
- Juanito Pelaez
A roguish schoolmate who brags about his vacation with Padre Camorra and mentions Juli, Basilio's sweetheart.
- Isagani
Explaining refraction of light to a companion, he is visibly affected by Paulita Gomez's arrival.
- Paulita Gomez
Arrives in a carriage, smiling at Isagani and greeting Juanito Pelaez.
- Doña Victorina
Descends from the carriage with Paulita, smiling and bowing to Juanito Pelaez.
- Tadeo
A student who feigns illness to skip class and follows Paulita Gomez into the church.
Key passages
“Reluctantly, and almost with tearful eyes, Plácido Penitente was going along the Escolta on his way to the University of Santo Tomás.”
Plácido Penitente walked reluctantly and nearly in tears along the Escolta toward the University of Santo Tomás.
Establishes Plácido's deep aversion to his studies from the chapter's opening.
“His mother answered that he should have patience, that at the least he must be graduated as a bachelor of arts, since it would be unwise to desert his books after four years of expense and sacrifices on both their parts.”
His mother urged patience, insisting he at least earn a bachelor's degree rather than waste four years of effort and expense.
Highlights the familial pressure and economic sacrifice behind Plácido's education.
“He did not believe in the advice of the curates, laughed at Tandang Basio Macunat, had plenty of money and good clothes, yet he went to school reluctantly and looked with repugnance on his books.”
Despite having money, fine clothes, and rejecting clerical advice, Plácido still felt disgust toward his studies and attended school unwillingly.
Illustrates Plácido's internal conflict and the disconnect between material comfort and academic motivation.
“It concerned the presentation of a counter-petition, or rather, a protest. Don’t you understand? Makaraig and some others have asked that an academy of Castilian be opened, which is a piece of genuine foolishness—”
The petition was a protest against Makaraig's proposal to open an academy of Castilian, which the speaker considered foolish.
Reveals the political and social tensions among students regarding the academy.
