SUMMARY
The story starts when Juan Crisostomo Ibarra arrives from Europe after seven years of studying. He is the son of the late Don Rafael Ibarra, whose death is later revealed to him by Lieutenant Guevarra because of protecting a young Filipino boy from a Spanish tax collector; dying in prison because of a friar named Padre Damaso.
In San Diego, a party prepared by Captain Tiago is held to welcome his arrival, which is attended by Padre Damaso, Padre Sibyla, Doña Victorina, and other important guests. Padre Damaso, being an adversary of Don Ibarra, starts to both indirectly and indirectly insult Crisostomo. He doesn't mind insults thrown to him by his enemies and kindly leaves to attend to important matters. In the following days, Ibarra talks to his sweetheart Maria Clara - daughter of Captain Tiago, and tries to visit his father's grave. Ibarra finds out the corpse was transferred to a Chinese cemetery and was thrown into the lake because there was a storm on the supposed day of transfer. He decided to forget his revenge and spends his time carrying his father's plan on establishing a school to show his good intentions. During the school's inauguration, an accident intended for Ibarra happens which ends in a death of a man. If it were not for a warning given by Elias, a strange man, Ibarra would be dead by now.
On the other hand, a whole other story was taking place. The story of Sisa, Basilio and Crispin. The two were accused of being thieves. Basilio was locked up in the church by the Sacristan-Mayor for his "crime". Basilio escapes from the church and runs away. Sisa, not knowing this, goes to church to get him only to find out that he is gone. She runs home to be arrested and Crispin nowhere to be found. After being released from jail, she tries to find her children only to find a bloody garment of Basilio. Due to horrifying sights, she loses her mind.
Going back to Ibarra, the occasion continues as if nothing happened. During dinner, Padre Damaso insults Ibarra and his father. Ibarra loses control and suddenly attacks the friar but he is stopped by Maria Clara.Due to the event, Ibarra was excommunicated. Because of this, he cannot be with Maria Clara and she is set up with another man, a Spaniard named Alfonso Linares. Ibarra finds out about this and is deeply saddened. Later, Ibarra is able to lift the excommunication through the help of Captain General. However, an uprising happens and this is blamed on him resulting to his imprisonment in Manila. Meanwhile, a party is being held in Captain Tiago's house to celebrate the engagement of Linares to Maria Clara. That evening, Ibarra escapes with the help of Elias. He goes to Maria Clara and reproaches her for her betrayal. Maria Clara explains everything: Ibarra's letter which he sent to her before his departure for Europe was taken from her by Padre Salvi in exchange for two letters written by her mother to Padre Damaso about an unborn child; and that child was Maria Clara herself. Therefore, she is the daughter of Padre Damaso.
Ibarra leaves her with a hug While rowing in the river, Ibarra and Elias realize that a few Spaniards saw them from a ar. Elias tells Ibarra to hide under the 'zacate' and Elias jumps of the banca, pretending to be Ibarra, and gets shot. On the other side of the river, Basilio is grieving the death of his mother, Elias comes to him, shot and bloody, and tells him that he is going to die and that the young Basilio should burn the bodies. He tells the boy that there is gold under the land that they are standing on. Young Basilio does so. Ibarra was left alone to escape.
The news of Ibarra's death spread all over town and Maria Clara is in grief. In her despair, she begs Padre Damaso to place her in a nunnery or else she'll be dead. The reluctant friar agrees. He died soon after. Unknown to her, Ibarra is still alive.
The story starts when Juan Crisostomo Ibarra arrives from Europe after seven years of studying. He is the son of the late Don Rafael Ibarra, whose death is later revealed to him by Lieutenant Guevarra because of protecting a young Filipino boy from a Spanish tax collector; dying in prison because of a friar named Padre Damaso.
In San Diego, a party prepared by Captain Tiago is held to welcome his arrival, which is attended by Padre Damaso, Padre Sibyla, Doña Victorina, and other important guests. Padre Damaso, being an adversary of Don Ibarra, starts to both indirectly and indirectly insult Crisostomo. He doesn't mind insults thrown to him by his enemies and kindly leaves to attend to important matters. In the following days, Ibarra talks to his sweetheart Maria Clara - daughter of Captain Tiago, and tries to visit his father's grave. Ibarra finds out the corpse was transferred to a Chinese cemetery and was thrown into the lake because there was a storm on the supposed day of transfer. He decided to forget his revenge and spends his time carrying his father's plan on establishing a school to show his good intentions. During the school's inauguration, an accident intended for Ibarra happens which ends in a death of a man. If it were not for a warning given by Elias, a strange man, Ibarra would be dead by now.
On the other hand, a whole other story was taking place. The story of Sisa, Basilio and Crispin. The two were accused of being thieves. Basilio was locked up in the church by the Sacristan-Mayor for his "crime". Basilio escapes from the church and runs away. Sisa, not knowing this, goes to church to get him only to find out that he is gone. She runs home to be arrested and Crispin nowhere to be found. After being released from jail, she tries to find her children only to find a bloody garment of Basilio. Due to horrifying sights, she loses her mind.
Going back to Ibarra, the occasion continues as if nothing happened. During dinner, Padre Damaso insults Ibarra and his father. Ibarra loses control and suddenly attacks the friar but he is stopped by Maria Clara.Due to the event, Ibarra was excommunicated. Because of this, he cannot be with Maria Clara and she is set up with another man, a Spaniard named Alfonso Linares. Ibarra finds out about this and is deeply saddened. Later, Ibarra is able to lift the excommunication through the help of Captain General. However, an uprising happens and this is blamed on him resulting to his imprisonment in Manila. Meanwhile, a party is being held in Captain Tiago's house to celebrate the engagement of Linares to Maria Clara. That evening, Ibarra escapes with the help of Elias. He goes to Maria Clara and reproaches her for her betrayal. Maria Clara explains everything: Ibarra's letter which he sent to her before his departure for Europe was taken from her by Padre Salvi in exchange for two letters written by her mother to Padre Damaso about an unborn child; and that child was Maria Clara herself. Therefore, she is the daughter of Padre Damaso.
Ibarra leaves her with a hug While rowing in the river, Ibarra and Elias realize that a few Spaniards saw them from a ar. Elias tells Ibarra to hide under the 'zacate' and Elias jumps of the banca, pretending to be Ibarra, and gets shot. On the other side of the river, Basilio is grieving the death of his mother, Elias comes to him, shot and bloody, and tells him that he is going to die and that the young Basilio should burn the bodies. He tells the boy that there is gold under the land that they are standing on. Young Basilio does so. Ibarra was left alone to escape.
The news of Ibarra's death spread all over town and Maria Clara is in grief. In her despair, she begs Padre Damaso to place her in a nunnery or else she'll be dead. The reluctant friar agrees. He died soon after. Unknown to her, Ibarra is still alive.