Jose Rizal, regardless of certain views later on in
his life that were controversial and somewhat contrary to the Roman Catholic
faith, was brought up Catholic. He composed this sonnet during his stay at the
Ateneo Municipal de Manila, when he was about 15 years old.
Mary, sweet
peace, solace dear
Of pained mortal!
You're the fount
Whence emanates
the stream of succor,
That without
cease our soil fructifies.
When
spoken in modern English, this first stanza reads, “Mary, sweet peace and dear
solace, You are the fount of pained mortal. It is from you that the stream of
succor emanates, which, without ceasing, gives life to your soil.” It is
clearly in praise of the Virgin Mary, whom Rizal says in this verse is the
reason for a prosperous yield, and without the help of whom no hard working man
can prosper. His high regard for the Virgin Mary is evident in these four
lines.
From thy throne,
from heaven high,
Kindly hear my
sorrowful cry!
And may thy
shining veil protect
My voice that
rises with rapid flight.
These
next four lines are more straight to the point. He prays to Mary who sits in
what he imagines is her glorious throne above, and begs her to hear his plea.
This indicates a sense of eagerness and desperation. “My voice that rises with
rapid flight,” signifies a sense of urgency to the words in his sorrowful cry.
Thou art my
Mother, Mary, pure;
Thou'll be the
fortress of my life;
Thou'll be my
guide on this angry sea.
If ferociously
vice pursues me,
If in my pains
death harasses me,
Help me, and
drive away my woes!
The
last stanza sounds more like a prayer. It is evident in these verses that even
though Rizal was still at such a young age, he had felt and foreseen that life
to him would be difficult.
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