Characters in the Noli Me Tangere

Juan Crisostomo Ibarra

- represented the affluent and liberal European-educated Filipino
- Civic-minded, liberty-minded and patriotic
- he desired the education of his people
Elias
- Ibarra's mysterious friend, a master boater, also a fugitive.
- represented the Filipino masses in the novel
- As the symbol of the common people, he did everything to vindicate
them from the injustices suffered from the Spaniards.
Maria Clara
- Ibarra's sweetheart; the illegitimate daughter of Father Dámaso and
Pía Alba.
- represented Filipino womanhood trained in a convent and immersed in
education basically religious in orientation.
Don Rafael Ibarra
- Crisostomo’s father, was jailed for helping a young boy being harmed
by an ignorant Spanish tax collector.
- He was used by Rizal in the Noli Me Tangere to symbolize an affluent
landlord with social conscience.
Father Dámaso
- Franciscan friar and María Clara's biological father.
Sisa
- mother of Basilio and Crispin
- She was used by Rizal to illustrate the typical characteristics of Filipino
mothers, willing to defend her children from all forms of injustice and
accusations.
Capitan Tiago
- a rich landlord whose wealth was derived from his involvement in the
illegal opium trade
- was used by Rizal to represent the subservient Filipino to the
authorities to protect his personal and business interest
Dona Victorina
- She despised everything Filipino; married Don Tiburcio to support her
claim of being a Spaniard
- was used by Rizal to symbolize colonial mentality among Filipinos
during his time.
Dona Patrocinio
- She was noted to be imprudent, vulgar, cruel, and quarrelsome.
- She symbolized the mentality of the Guardia Civil.
Pilosopo Tasyo
- represented Rizal’s epitome of a philosopher
 - was perceived to be a sage by the educated and a weird or lunatic by
those who did not know him
School Master of San Diego
- symbolized the intellectual dissatisfaction in Filipino society during
Rizal’s time
- As an educated individual, he dreamed of changing the methods of
teaching to facilitate greater learning of pupils