The Meaning of Josephine Essay Example

be skilled at uncovering documentary sources that allowed him to debunk certain myths about Josephine. This has been noted by several biographers of Rizal, including Leon Ma.

Guerrero has continued to spread the falsehoods about Josephine's background and her alleged marriage to Rizal before his execution by Fr. Vicente Balaguer, relying on her fabricated autobiography. However, Coates uncovered evidence from Hong Kong archives that reveals Josephine was actually the product of an illicit relationship between James Bracken, an Irishman in the 28th Regiment of Foot stationed in Hong Kong, and an unidentified Chinese woman. Shortly after her birth, Josephine was adopted by George Taufer, an American expatriate residing in Hong Kong.

Coates (1968: 347) argues that Josephine's supposed autobiography is a complete forgery. He highlights inconsistencies in the handwriting and points out a syntax error that indicates it was written by someone whose native language is Spanish, which Josephine did not speak. Coates joins Runes and Buenafe (1962) in questioning the authenticity of both Josephine's autobiography and Rizal's retraction, thereby casting doubt on Rizal's claimed marriage to Josephine.

Coates has discovered additional evidence regarding Josephine’s marriage to Vicente Abad in the Catholic Cathedral of Hong Kong in 1898. Coates notes that the Church Register of Marriages, which serves as legal proof of marriage, describes Josephine as “Josephine Brackin [sic], daughter of James Brackin,” with no mention of Rizal or her widow status. The ecclesiastical document listing her marriage under “Vicente Abad and Josephine Brackin” describes her as “Josephine Brackin, widow Rizal, daughter of James Brackin.”

According to Coates, if Josephine had married Rizal, her marriage text would have listed her as

"Vicente Abad and Josephine Rizal" and her identification in both the ecclesiastical and legal documents would have stayed the same, specifically as "Josephine Rizal, widow, born Bracken, daughter of James Bracken" (Coates, 1968: 343). However, Coates' interpretation of Josephine becomes problematic when he goes beyond the available documentary evidence without consistently citing his sources.

Coates (1968) suggests that George Taufer and his wife, Josephine's adoptive parents, were unable to conceive due to their syphilis infection. Additionally, Coates claims that Taufer made advances towards Josephine. Consequently, when Taufer and Josephine visited Rizal in Dapitan for his blindness treatment, Josephine saw it as an opportunity to escape from Taufer's clutches and sought solace in the arms of Rizal (Coates, 1968; Ocampo, 19901).

The first biographer to propose Josephine Bonaparte's questionable past and strained relationship with Rizal's family is Coates. According to Coates, during her time in the Lopez-Rizal household in Binondo, Manila, Josephine exhibited flightiness, unreliability, a lack of domestic skills, and superficiality as a result of the tense atmosphere caused by persecution.

The younger sisters, particularly Trinidad, suspected that Josephine's association with Manuela Orlac, a friar's mistress, meant she was a Church informant and posed a danger to their brother. They struggled to be civil towards her and only maintained a controlled politeness. Coates offers no proof for this allegation, but it is probable he acquired the information from the Rizals without specifying his sources.

Although Ambeth Ocampo and Isagani Cruz are experts in Philippine history and culture, they heavily depend on Coates' narrative instead of critically analyzing it. In his acclaimed play Josephine (1978), Cruz takes this reliance a step further

by depicting a scene in Dapitan explicitly. During the scene, Josephine is with her adoptive father George [Taufer]. Suddenly, George covers his face with his hands and silently weeps while Josephine sits next to him, placing her arm around his shoulder and hugging him tightly. Eventually, he holds her hand and embraces her.

The text captures Josephine's response to George's advances, beginning with him kissing her neck, hair, face, and ultimately her lips. Throughout the encounter, Josephine goes from showing affection to disbelief and then to lust. George proceeds by touching her breast and undressing her, prompting Josephine to indicate her willingness to sleep with him. However, he suddenly stops and breaks away. This portrayal of Josephine indicates that she willingly submits to Taufer's sexual advances despite his depravity. The intensity of her willingness shocks Taufer so much that he feels compelled to abruptly end the encounter. This surprising outcome suggests that despite being blind, the debauched old man possesses more morals than Josephine!

Coates, the first biographer of Rizal, depicted Josephine in a sorrowful and unheroic light. According to him, once Josephine felt obligated to maintain the facade of her marriage to Rizal, she disappeared from the lives of the Rizal family forever. After Rizal's demise, she briefly resided at the insurgent headquarters in Cavite province but found the challenging life there unbearable and returned to teaching. In early 1898, following her adoptive father's death in Hong Kong, she went back to her hometown where she eventually wed a Filipino named Vicente Abad and bore a daughter with him.

During her time in Manila, she stayed with her husband's family; however,

she was already seriously ill. Eventually, she returned to Hongkong and passed away in 1902 at the age of 25 from milliary tuberculosis (Coates, 1968: 348). Ocampo (1990:139) states that Coates has an unpublished monograph on Josephine Bracken but chooses not to publish it due to the sadness and pathos of her story. Nevertheless, Coates willingly shares his knowledge with Ocampo, who then spreads it through his columns in the popular Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Therefore, in his column on 26 March 1997, Ocampo aims to discredit the revolutionary image of Josephine. Based on two arguments—1) that her visit to Cavite had no connection to the revolution, and 2) that she was not comparable to Florence Nightingale or Joan of Arc—Ocampo asserts that, like Rizal, Josephine was an unwilling heroine placed in a position she neither sought nor desired. It is important to address this argument as it not only follows the misleading viewpoint of Nick Joaquin and Renato Constantino regarding Rizal as a reluctant hero,[1] but also contradicts the accounts provided by historian John Foreman and revolutionary general Artemio Ricarte.

Josephine has intrigued various individuals such as journalists, historians, and revolutionaries. They have constructed captivating narratives about her, which diverge significantly from the unconventional perspectives of Coates, Ocampo, and Cruz. However, before delving into Ocampo's viewpoint, it is important to examine the accounts of Josephine during the turn-of-the-century. These anecdotes encompass events from the period leading up to Rizal's execution to Josephine's arrival in Cavite.

On the eve of Rizal’s execution, Josephine had one final meeting with him. The content of their conversation remains unknown, but according to eyewitness accounts reported by

Manila daily El Imparcial, when asked about her future plans, Josephine supposedly replied that she would join the insurgent group. As Josephine was forcibly separated from Rizal, witnesses claim she angrily stomped her feet and shouted, "Miserables, crueles!" Surprisingly, Josephine did not stay in Manila to witness Rizal's execution or dwell in sorrow afterwards.

Immediately, she leaves with Paciano to join the revolutionary forces gathering at Imus town in Cavite province, approximately 50 miles from Manila. According to General Santiago Alvarez's memoir (1927/1992), Josefina and Trining, the widow and sister of Dr. Rizal, arrived at San Francisco de Malabon with Mr. Paciano Rizal on the same day, December 30, 1896. They were received by the Supremo [Bonifacio] at Mrs. Estefania Potente's house. The Rizals had brought with them two small sheets of folded paper that they had found under a burner they had taken from Dr. Rizal's cell during their previous visit. One of the sheets contained the "Last Farewell," written in Spanish with very fine script.

The Supremo requested to retain it temporarily in order to translate the poem into Tagalog, making his translation the initial one of the farewell poem (71). Alvarez neglects to depict the dramatic significance of Josephine's arrival into rebel territory. John Foreman presents a more vibrant narrative: Along her journey, she frequently faced inquiries of "Who are you?" but her response of "Behold! I am your sister, the widow of Rizal!" not only permitted her passage but also caused every head to bow in silent reverence.

In the midst of mourning and triumph, she was introduced to Emilio Aguinaldo, the rebel commander-in-chief. He greeted her respectfully

as the grieving relic of their fallen hero. However, after expressing condolences, there was a joyous celebration in the camp. She was the only free white woman within rebel territory and they praised her as if she were a celestial being sent from above. They sang her praises like a modern-day Joan of Arc sent by heaven to lead them to victory against Castille's forces.

Foreman provides two fascinating anecdotes that offer insight into Josephine's character, as perceived by journalists and historians like Foreman. One story recounts an incident during the battle of Dasmarinas town, where Josephine courageously rode on horseback with a Mauser rifle, ultimately killing a Spanish officer (537). The other anecdote describes her encounter with the Governor-General, in which he inquired about her presence at the rebel camp in Imus. Foreman creatively reconstructs their confrontation in the following passage:

Fearlessly, she responded affirmatively and engaged in an amusing and intriguing conversation with the Governor-General. She relied on her gender and foreign nationality to feel secure from violence. The General asked, "Why did you go to Imus?" Josephine replied, "Why did you go there?" The General stated, "To fight." Josephine countered, "So did I." The General questioned, "Will you leave Manila?" Josephine asked back, "Why should I?" The General explained, "Well, if you stay here, the priests will harass you and fabricate false evidence against you. I lack the authority to override them."

The protagonist inquired about the purpose of the Governor-General, questioning why he was needed. The General dismissed their discussion to avoid further embarrassment, but later instructed her to leave the Colony. During their second encounter, emotions escalated

as the General became furious and our brave heroine fearlessly stood her ground by asserting that she did not care for him and was unafraid (537). In his account written during his solitary confinement in Bilibid prison from 1904-1910, General Ricarte effectively portrays Rizal's dulce extranjera as both heroic and tragic.

Despite facing adversity and hardship, the widow of Dr. Rizal, born in Hongkong, showed her tangible support for her husband's beloved country by providing significant assistance to the insurrection. At her request, a field hospital was established at the estate house in Tejeros, San Francisco de Malabon. Day and night, she tirelessly cared for the wounded soldiers who came to visit their recovering comrades in the hospital, instilling hope in their hearts.

When the Spaniards captured San Francisco de Malabon, she managed to escape to Naik and then sought refuge in the Maragondon mountains. She was accompanied by other women as well as her brother-in-law, Paciano. Together, they journeyed to Laguna, enduring treacherous terrain and often traveling barefoot. Despite her feet becoming blood-soaked, she persisted onward without pause. On some occasions, she would ride a carabao with Paciano leading it by a rope. Eventually, she reached the town of Bay where she was warmly received by Venancio Cueto, the Katipunan chief. Cueto arranged for her to board a boat destined for Manila, from where she traveled to Hongkong. Tragically, she passed away in 1902.

The inquiry into Josephine’s involvement in the Revolution prompts several important questions. What motivated her to join the rebellion? Was Rizal influential in her decision? These inquiries hold significance, especially in relation to Renato Constantino’s widely accepted

claim that Rizal disapproved of the revolution. However, simple answers must be approached with caution. Regarding the first question, Ocampo suggests that Josephine may have departed from Manila due to escalating tensions between her and the Rizal family. These tensions likely intensified when news outlets reported her marriage to Rizal shortly before his execution in Luneta.

Bonifacio's invitation to Cavite, if it occurred, remains uncertain. However, Josephine sought refuge in Magdiwang territory. Ocampo's historical interpretation contradicts common sense and existing documentary evidence, some of which he references in his popular book (1990). The Rizal family's strong reaction towards Josephine raises questions about her relationship with Rizal while they were living together as husband and wife in Dapitan. This reaction stemmed from an unverified newspaper report of their marriage before Rizal's execution.

According to Josephine's letter to Rizal, dated 13 August 1896, their unmarried status was causing problems. In the second paragraph of the letter, Josephine expresses her distress about the situation in Trozo. She acknowledges that she is being criticized by others, including Sra Narcisa and her children, for not being married to Rizal. Ocampo's argument relies on Coates' assertion that Rizal's sisters, especially Maria and Trinidad, were unhappy about his relationship with Josephine.

Rizal consistently urged his family to be kind to Josephine throughout their relationship, possibly because he believed this. In a letter of introduction written by Rizal in March 1895 for Josephine's visit to Dona Teodora in Manila, he requested that they all treat Miss Josephine with respect and care. He held her in high regard and did not want to see her exposed or abandoned (cited in Guerrero,

1963: 363). In his last letter to his family before his execution, Rizal pleaded with them to have pity on poor Josephine.