Ipaghiganti Mo Ako...!
Encyclopedia
Ipaghiganti Mo Ako...! ("Avenge Me…!") is a 1914 Tagalog-language novel written by Filipino
novelist and dramatist Precioso Palma
. The 207-page book was published in Manila
by Limbagang Banahaw during the American era in Philippine history (1898-1946). The 1914 version of the novel has an afterword
written by Julian C. Balmaceda.
. It is a political novel because, according to literary critic Soledad Reyes
, Palma’s novel “offers one of the strongest indictment
s against American colonialism”.
In 2004, the Ateneo de Manila University
Press republished Ipaghiganti Mo Ako...! by pairing it with Isabelo de los Reyes, Sr.'s Ang Singsing ng Dalagang Marmol
("The Ring of the Marble Maiden"). The combined short novels or novelette
s have similarities. Both tackles romance and relationship during wartime, wherein the characters "deal with forked road of separation" and reunion after the revelation of secrets.
after five years. They were reunited under tragic circumstances. Geli was dying. Geli was also pregnant after becoming a victim of rape during the war. Geli’s rapist was a Katipunan
member. Geli wants Pedring to become her avenger
.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
novelist and dramatist Precioso Palma
Precioso Palma
Precioso Palma was a distinguised novelist and playwright in the Philippines. He wrote the novel Ipaghiganti Mo Ako…! . He authored the 1919 zarzuela entitled Paglipas ng Dilim ....
. The 207-page book was published in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
by Limbagang Banahaw during the American era in Philippine history (1898-1946). The 1914 version of the novel has an afterword
Afterword
An afterword is a literary device that is often found at the end of a piece of literature. It generally covers the story of how the book came into being, or of how the idea for the book was developed....
written by Julian C. Balmaceda.
Description
Ipaghiganti Mo Ako…! is a romance, war, historical, and political novel. The love story revolves around a couple named Pedring and Geli. As a war and historical novel, the time was set before, during, and after the Filipino-American War. It depicted the effects of war on the Filipino peopleFilipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
. It is a political novel because, according to literary critic Soledad Reyes
Soledad Reyes
Soledad Sarmiento Reyes is a distinguished and recognized Philippine literature scholar, literary and art critic, author, anthologist, consultant, professor, instructor, editor, annotator, researcher, and essayist in the Philippines...
, Palma’s novel “offers one of the strongest indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
s against American colonialism”.
In 2004, the Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
Press republished Ipaghiganti Mo Ako...! by pairing it with Isabelo de los Reyes, Sr.'s Ang Singsing ng Dalagang Marmol
Ang Singsing ng Dalagang Marmol
Ang Singsing nang Dalagang Marmol , contemporarily rendered as Ang Singsing ng Dalagang Marmol in the Tagalog language, is a historical novel written by Filipino novelist, scholar, and labor leader Isabelo Florentino de los Reyes before 1905...
("The Ring of the Marble Maiden"). The combined short novels or novelette
Novelette
A novelette is a piece of short prose fiction. The distinction between a novelette and other literary forms is usually based upon word count, with a novelette being longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella...
s have similarities. Both tackles romance and relationship during wartime, wherein the characters "deal with forked road of separation" and reunion after the revelation of secrets.
Plot
The novel begins months before the onset of the Filipino-American War. Because of the war, Pedring and Geli got separated from each other. Geli and her mother, together with other Filipinos in the affected provinces in Luzon, had to flee their homes and became displaced. Pedring and Geli meets again in AntipoloAntipolo
Antipolo is a city in the Philippines located in the province of Rizal; about 25 kilometers east of Manila. It is the largest city in the Calabarzon Region in terms of population...
after five years. They were reunited under tragic circumstances. Geli was dying. Geli was also pregnant after becoming a victim of rape during the war. Geli’s rapist was a Katipunan
Katipunan
The Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-Spanish Filipinos in Manila in 1892, whose primary aim was to gain independence from Spain through revolution. The society was initiated by Filipino patriots Andrés Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, and others on the night...
member. Geli wants Pedring to become her avenger
Avenger
Avenger may refer to:-Military:* Avro Avenger, biplane fighter design* The SP 17pdr, A30 , a variant of the Cruiser Mk VIII Challenger British self-propelled gun* Avenger-class escort carrier, a British aircraft carrier...
.
External links
- Ipaghiganti Mo Ako...! (Chapters I to XIV) at Filipiniana.net