He is the only son of Don Rafael Ibarra, the richest person in San Diego.
   He studied in Europe for 7 years, and is the sweetheart of Maria Clara.

Maria Clara

   She is the girlfriend of Ibarra.
   As far as the society is concerned, she is the daughter of Kapitan Tiyago and Doņa Pia Alba, but biologically, her father is Padre Damaso.

Sisa

   Mother of Basilio and Crispin.
   She has a drunkard for a husband. In the novel Sisa portrays a loving mother, and it could be assumed that Rizal likened her to his own mother.
   Sisa is being maltreated by the Spaniards; similarly, our country is being abused by the Spaniards.

Doņa Pia Alba

   She is the mother of Maria Clara and the wife of Kapitan Tiyago.
   She symbolizes our country, which ceaselessly gives in to foreign power.

Capitan Tiago

   The father of Maria Clara, as far as the society knows.
   Sometimes lovable, and sometimes annoying.
   He is very biased and is only obedient to those who are higher in rank than him.
   He has money on a pedestal.

Fray Damaso

   He is the first parish priest in San Diego; he is very abusive.
   He symbolizes the Spanish friars of Rizal's time.

Fray Salvi

   He is a Franciscan parish priest of San Diego.
   Because he is interested in Maria Clara, he and Padre Damaso devised a plan to break Ibarra and Maria Clara apart. They were successful.

Doņa Victorina

   Her fanatical adulation of the Spaniards leads her to imitate the very actions and attitudes of the Spanish women.
   It may be said that she symbolizes the Filipinos in our society who are ashamed of their own race and nationality.

Doņa Consolacion

   She is a Filipino woman married to a Spaniard.
   Her very actions and way of dressing will lead people to think that she is a whore.

Elias

   He believes that justice can be obtained only through revolution --- reforms simply won't do.
   He symbolizes the very root of the Filipino culture before the coming of the Spaniards, which remained strong and unbroken by the Spanish culture.

Pilosopong Tasyo

   He is a wise man.
   He embodies the intelligent people, who never left the country but instead educated themselves in a religious institution.

synopsis   main points

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