Isagani

**Isagani** was one of the members of the student organization attempting to establish the Castilian Academy. The adopted nephew of Padre Florentino, he joined the other students in their efforts to establish the academy, becoming entangled with the group's affairs alongside his close friend Basilio.

## History

### Early History

Isagani was an orphan taken in by Padre Florentino, rumored to be his own son by a female cousin or a son of his widowed former sweetheart. At some point, he became lovers with Paulita Gomez.

### Trials of Fate

Around Christmas of 1894, Isagani along with Padre Florentino boarded the steamship Tabo to visit his hometown of Tiani, Laguna. While below deck, he and Basilio attempted to pitch the idea of the Academy to the elderly Capitan Basilio, who expressed his doubts.

Later on, the Governor-General assigned the deliberation over the school to a commission headed by Don Custodio. Isagani soon after volunteered to curry favor with Custodio through his uncle's friend, the lawyer Señor Pasta, whom Don Custodio often consulted. When he attempted to do so, Pasta refused out of fear of angering the friars.

After the debut of Las Coches de Corneville in Manila, Isagani met with Paulita and confronted her about her watching the show with Juanito, as Paulita accused him of possibly ogling the French dancers. The conversation soon turned to Isagani's dreams for the country, which Paulita dismissed due to her pessimistic views, instilled by her aunt, Dona Victorina.

After many of the students in the association were jailed for supposedly posting seditious posters, Isagani met with the Jesuit Padre Fernandez in his office, arguing with him about the friars' education of the students. He later turned himself in and was jailed like the others.

Following Isagani's release thanks to Padre Florentino, he learned that Paulita had been engaged to Juanito. He thus watched their wedding reception from afar. As he did, he ran into Basilio, who urged him to flee. Isagani refused, wanting to see Paulita one last time. When Basilio informed him that there was a bomb in that house that was going to kill everyone inside, Isagani rushed in to save Paulita, throwing the lamp in the river before escaping himself. The day after, he hid with the Orenda family, evading the authorities.

### A New Life

After his uncle was transferred to the town of Pili as the assistant parish priest, Isagani moved there as well, becoming a tribunal clerk. There, he encountered the gobernadorcillo's daughter Cecilia, and entered into a flirtation with her. He also, during that time, reunited with his real father. When the town's curate, Padre Agaton, displayed an uncharacteristically foul mood while giving Mass, Isagani was among the townspeople concerned, discussing it with the other men in the town square.

## Personality and Traits

Isagani was an idealistic young man. Influenced by Padre Florentino's liberality as a Jesuit, he sought for genuine progress of the Philippines and was quick to vocalize said ideals. He was one of the active members of the student organization and described to be an optimist in contrast with the student Pecson. He was also devoted to his loves, namely poetry and Paulita, and displayed an interest in studying law. Isagani's devotion to Paulita eventually led to him giving up his ideals, presumably causing him much guilt and heartache. Isagani's idealism became the reason why Señor Pasta and Padre Camorra belittled him, but the same thing earned the respect of Padre Fernandez. Despite this, Isagani was not without flaws; his emotional intensity lead to him being rude to Simoun and jealous towards other men who found Paulita beautiful.

## Character Connections

Paulita Gomez: Isagani's lover. As his first love, Paulita stood as one of the most significant figures in Isagani's life, becoming the muse for his poetry. He was thus hurt by her rejection of him in favor of Juanito. However, his devotion to her was so strong that he was able to put aside his feelings when her life became endangered.

Padre Florentino: Isagani's adopted uncle. Florentino served as Isagani's only family as he was an orphan, and, as a liberal Jesuit priest, influenced many of Isagani's ideals. Isagani did not appear to be visibly affected by the rumors surrounding his possibly being Florentino's actual son.

Basilio: Isagani's close friend. Meeting sometime before the 1894, the two became close due to being from adjacent towns. Such was their closeness that Isagani became more talkative around Basilio despite his usual silent nature. This friendship, however, was ultimately sacrificed after Isagani refused to heed Basilio's advice in favor of saving Paulita.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *El Filibusterismo* – Chapter 2
2. ↑ *El Filibusterismo* – Chapter 14
3. ↑ *El Filibusterismo* – Chapter 15
4. ↑ *El Filibusterismo* – Chapter 24
5. ↑ *El Filibusterismo* – Chapter 27
6. ↑ *El Filibusterismo* – Chapter 28
7. ↑ *El Filibusterismo* – Chapter 35
8. ↑ *El Filibusterismo* – Chapter 36
9. ↑ *Makamisa* – Chapter C
10. ↑ *Makamisa* – Chapters A & B