Maria Clara

"When he was alive I could degrade myself; I still had the consolation of knowing that he lived and perhaps might think of me. Now that he is dead, I would rather be a nun or be dead myself."

- Maria Clara Maria Clara, full name Maria Clara de los Santos, was the daughter of Capitan Tiago and the fiancee of Crisostomo Ibarra. Following Ibarra's return to San Diego, Maria Clara faced numerous objections to their betrothal.

Early History
Maria Clara was born between Padre Damaso and Doña Pia. With her mother dying in childbirth, Maria Clara was raised the daughter of Capitan Tiago. Childhood friends with Ibarra, she was sent to study in the convent of Sta. Clara. Soon after, Ibarra left for Europe, with their parents agreeing to betroth them.

Ibarra's Return
At the end of October in 1881, Maria Clara attended her father's welcoming party, narrowly missing her fiancé. The following day, she was visited by Ibarra and the two spoke in private, with Maria Clara asking him if he was faithful to her and producing Ibarra's farewell letter to prove her own fidelity. As Ibarra was reminded of his All Saints' Day obligations, he suddenly left.

Later on, Maria Clara accepted Ibarra's invitation to a picnic in the woods. While they went fishing on the lake, Maria Clara witnessed the boat's pilot, Elias, jump into the water to kill a crocodile they encountered, with Ibarra jumping in soon after to save his life. Before the picnic, Maria Clara and her friends bathed in the river, discussing the ogling Padre Salvi.

On the eve of the town's fiesta, Maria Clara encountered a leper while walking with Ibarra and their friends. She then gave him her locket as an act of generosity. After Ibarra fell ill, Maria Clara wrote to him, expressing her worry.

Turn of Events
During the dinner celebrating the founding of Ibarra's school, Maria Clara intervened as Ibarra threatened to kill Padre Damaso. Later on, Capitan Tiago informed her and Tia Isabel of Ibarra's excommunication, and that Maria Clara would be betrothed to Padre Damaso's relative Alfonso Linares. She later watched a play with Don Filipo, Padre Salvi, and her other friends.

Afterwards, she fell ill, given confession by Padre Salvi; during this time, he revealed that Padre Damaso was her real father, threatening to spread the information if she did not give up Ibarra's farewell letter. She later entertained Linares at her father's house on one occasion. Later on, Padre Salvi informed Maria Clara, her father and Linares of Ibarra's excommunication.

After Ibarra was implicated in an attack using his farewell letter, Maria Clara holed herself up in her room, saddened by her impending marriage. Exiting to the balcony, she spotted Ibarra; he then climbed the wall and the two said their tearful goodbyes. During their conversation, Maria Clara related to Ibarra why she had given up his farewell letter. Ibarra soon after escaped with Elias.

Learning that Ibarra had been killed, Maria Clara became distraught. Visited by Padre Damaso, she begged him to let her become a nun in order to forget Ibarra, threatening to kill herself. With Padre Damaso reluctantly agreeing, Maria Clara entered the Sta. Clara convent as a nun. Sometime after, in a fit of apparent insanity, she climbed up on the roof of the church, spotted by some guards. In 1895, Maria Clara fell ill and died a few days later.

Personality and Traits
Maria Clara was a sweet and kindhearted young woman. Raised with affection, Maria Clara was well-loved by everyone around her, and could be moved into acts of charity as with the case of the leper. Despite this, Maria Clara was torn between her love for Ibarra and her love for her family, ultimately choosing to protect Capitan Tiago's reputation, although regretful of how her decision affected Ibarra. Following her fiancé's alleged death, Maria Clara became distraught, wishing to forget Ibarra and become a nun, even at one point desiring death.

Trivia

 * Maria Clara is theorized to be based on Leonor Rivera-Kipping, Rizal's childhood sweetheart.
 * In a draft of Noli Me Tangere, Maria Clara is named Amelia.
 * Maria Clara's fit of insanity at the end of the novel is based on a real-life incident in 1883 involving Sor Pepita Estrada, a nun at the Sta. Clara convent; the story goes that she was spotted by a military officer on the roof of the convent crying for help, claiming that she was being assaulted by the convent's vicar after being helped down.