Leonor Rivera: Why Rizal did not end up marrying his true love
© Jensen DG. Mañebog
Editor’s note: This is the sequel to the author’s well-read article, “Leonor Rivera: Jose Rizal’s True Love“
Before his second departure from the country in 1882, Jose Rizal wanted to marry the uncomplaining Leonor Rivera, his “true love,” and leave her in his sister Narcisa’s care.
Don Francisco however consistently disapproved of Jose’s plan. Paciano also thought that it was selfish of his brother to marry Leonor only to leave her behind.
In foreign lands, Rizal kept on sending letters to Leonor but received no reply. The lovers had no idea that Doña Silvestra—who understandably did not like the controversial Filipino for a son-in-law—had been hiding from Leonor all the letters sent her by Rizal. It was said that Mrs. Rivera bribed two post office officials to give her all of Jose’s letters and gifts for her daughter.
The mother convinced Leonor to marry Charles Henry Kipping (later became Sr), an English railway engineer who was responsible for the completion of the railroad from Bayambang to the ‘Ferrocarril de Manila’ (railroad from Manila-Dagupan).
Mrs. Rivera and Kipping were said to have connived in making Leonor believe that Jose had already fallen in love with other women in Europe.
Leonor desolately consented to marry her mother’s choice on supposed conditions that she would never play the piano again, all her and Jose’s letters to each other which had been gathered be burned and the ashes be deposited in her jewelry box, and that her mother stand beside her at her wedding.
The marriage ceremony happened two days before Rizal’s birthday in 1891. (Read: Jose Rizal Birthday)
Six months before the ceremony, Rizal had received a letter announcing this imminent Kipping-Rivera wedding. The letter was from his true love herself who was also asking for his forgiveness.
Rizal described the news as a great blow to him as he was “stunned, his eyes dimmed with tears, and his heart broke.” The mail signaled the death of Rizal’s 11-year love affair with Leonor.
After two years of her married life, Leonor died on August 28, 1893 from complications of childbirth, while Jose was serving his term as an exile in Dapitan.
To know more about all of Rizal’s girlfriends, read: The Colorful Love Affairs of Dr. Jose Rizal by Jensen DG. Mañebog
Rizal’s mourning heart was injured even more upon learning that “Leonor had asked to be buried in the saya (native skirt) she was wearing when he and she had first come to an ‘understanding.’ She had also asked for the silver cup which held the ashes of the few letters from him which had reached her” (Bantug, p. 115).
Rizal’s Life, Works, and Writings: Online Syllabus and Articles
While walking toward the place of his execution on December 30, 1896, Rizal turned towards the sea and was said to have uttered, “What a beautiful morning! On mornings like this, I used to take walks here with my sweetheart” (Ocampo, p. 228).
By the term “sweetheart”, Rizal was most likely referring to Leonor Rivera. On the record therefore, she was the girlfriend last mentioned by the hero before he died. In fact, Rizal was said to have “kept a lock of Leonor’s hair and some of her letters until his death” (Bantug, p. 115). (Read more about Rizal’s other girlfriends)
Rizal had a crayon sketch of Leonor which was preserved, the image of which can now be searched and viewed over the internet. On top of this, Rizal immortalized his true love by basing from her the character of ‘Maria Clara’ in his Noli and Fili.
As a postscript, Kipping and Rivera had a child named Carlos Rivera Kipping (who later became Carlos Rivera Kipping, Sr.) who married Lourdes Romulo, a sister of the former United Nation official and Boy Scouts of the Philippines co-founder Carlos P. Romulo.
Related: The Interesting Tales of the Jose Rizal Family
The descendants of the Kipping family donated to the Yuchengco Museum in Makati City the box which housed the ashes of burned Rizal’s letters to Leonor.. The box was covered with Leonor’s dress with the letters “J” and “L” embroidered on it … continue reading
– If you want to look for other topics about Rizal or history (e.g. Rizal’s girlfriends, etc.), search here:
Copyright © 2013-present by Jensen DG. Mañebog
Read the prequel to this story: Leonor Rivera: Jose Rizal’s True Love
Check Out: The Colorful Love Affairs of Dr. Jose Rizal by Jensen DG. Mañebog
READ ALSO
The Colorful Love Affairs of Dr. Jose Rizal by Jensen DG. Mañebog
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