# Plácido Penitente — El Filibusterismo character guide

> Plácido Penitente in El Filibusterismo by José Rizal.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Penitente, XII Plácido Penitente

**First appearance:** 0014-xii-pl-cido-penitente

## Snapshot

A student worn down by humiliations and his mother's litany of patience, who tells her he would rather become a tulisan than return to the University.

## Who they are

Plácido endures the classroom, the contributions, and the small daily degradations of a colonial student's life, while his mother begs him to be humble and silent like the others who rose by kissing hands. He has already suffered for months and can no longer pretend. His refusal of patience marks the point where quiet endurance gives way, and it places him near the center of the discontent the novel is tracing.

## Relationships

### [Simoun](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/characters/simoun)

_psychological_

Simoun recruits Plácido Penitente for his revolution, preying on his disillusionment with the colonial system.

### [Juanito Pelaez](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/characters/juanito_pelaez)

_social_

Juanito and Plácido are fellow students who interact in the university setting, often with casual rivalry.

### [Padre Irene](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/characters/padre_irene)

_professional_

Padre Irene interacts with Plácido as a priest and school authority, often with condescension.

### [Padre Irene](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/characters/padre_irene)

_professional_

Padre Irene interacts with Plácido as a priest and school authority, often with condescension.

### [Juanito Pelaez](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/characters/juanito_pelaez)

_social_

Juanito and Plácido are fellow students who interact in the university setting, often with casual rivalry.

### [Simoun](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/characters/simoun)

_psychological_

Simoun recruits Plácido Penitente for his revolution, preying on his disillusionment with the colonial system.

### [Juanito Pelaez](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/characters/juanito_pelaez)

_social_

Juanito and Plácido are fellow students who interact in the university setting, often with casual rivalry.

## In the story

### [El Filibusterismo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/chapters/el-filibusterismo)

A student who faces humiliation in class, reflecting the educational oppression under colonial rule.

### [XII: Plácido Penitente](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/chapters/xii-pl-cido-penitente)

Reluctantly attending university, he is pressured to sign a petition and arrives late to class, earning the professor's displeasure.

### [The Class in Physics](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/chapters/xiii-the-class-in-physics)

Insulted and falsely marked with absences by Padre Millon, he loses his temper and walks out of class.

### [XIX: The Fuse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/chapters/xix-the-fuse)

Humiliated in class, he burns with revenge and considers leaving the University, even contemplating becoming a tulisan or fleeing to Hong Kong.

### [XXVIII: Tatakut](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/chapters/xxviii-tatakut)

Mentioned as boarding in the silversmith's house where events are discussed.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/characters/placido_penitente
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/el_filibusterismo_se/characters