The juxtaposed friendship of GMA’s two Maria Claras
The unexpected empowered duo of the faithful and the renegade — the juxtaposed friendship between two of GMA’s Maria Claras.
One of the best things about the TV show Maria Clara at Ibarra is the impressive comparison between two different types of women. While one is the stereotypical standard of domestic and sweet, the other goes against the odds in the name of justice. Despite having different backgrounds and personalities, Maria Clara (Julie Anne San Jose) and Klay (Barbie Forteza) still come together as women who surprisingly share similar experiences. Thus, they wonderfully capture the essence of womanhood through both traditional and modern lenses.
The juxtaposed friendship of GMA’s two Maria Claras
Disclaimer: Minor spoilers ahead.
Maria Clara as the Dalagang Filipina standard
Growing up, I was told to be like Maria Clara. I initially did not know what they meant by that given that I have not read Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere until 9th grade. But, I did learn to associate the name with a woman of grace, faith, and beauty.
Maria Clara has been our standard of what women should be in our Filipino society. Fair-skinned, obedient, polite, meek, and mild. People expected Filipinas to be this soft and submissive. However, things changed as women began to find their voice and common goals. Ignited by shared abusive and oppressive experiences, women eventually strayed from society’s expectations.
As the conservative meets the liberated feminine, Maria Clara and Klay clash within traditional and modern ideologies. Nevertheless, the strength they both have as women with full of love and kindness binds them together in a friendship like no other. They eventually show how powerful women can be when they choose also to support their fellow females.
The obedient and the rebellious
When the talkative Klay appeared in the bedroom of the quiet Maria Clara, we immediately see the dissimilarity between the two main female protagonists. Although it gets increasingly annoying and harmful later on, Klay’s vocal personality is highlighted as the main disparity between them. Prior to their friendship, this distinction caused them some conflicts which ultimately turned into an eye-opening lesson for the soft-spoken Maria.
During a time when women were expected to merely rely on faith and men, it was impossible for a young woman to speak her mind and do whatever she desires. Otherwise, it becomes a scandal and a disgrace to their femininity and upbringing. Furthermore, what added to Maria Clara’s struggle was her need to be a dutiful god-daughter to the wicked Padre Damaso. Thus, even if it goes against her will, she must follow them without hesitation. In return, Maria Clara grew to absorb their teachings, affecting the way she sees herself and her purpose in life.
Klay: Hindi po ba dapat tayong mga babae ay hindi lang nabubuhay para sa mga lalaki? [Shouldn’t we, women, not only live for the sake of men?]
Maria Clara: Kung hindi para sa kanilang mapapangasawa ay para pagsilbihan ang Panginoong Diyos sa kumbento. [If not for their husbands, then to serve the Lord God at the convent.]
Klay: ‘Yun na lang po iyon? Wala nang ibang option? Kasi diba dapat tayong mga babae kaya nating tumayo sa sarili nating mga paa, diba? Kaya nating tuparin ang mga pangarap natin — pumunta tayo sa kahit saan nating gustong pumunta. [Is that it? Is there no other option? Shouldn’t we, women, be able to stand up for ourselves? We can reach our dreams — go where our hearts desire.]
This shocked and disturbed the modern Maria Clara. After years of ill-treatment from her biological father, stepfather, and other superiors, Klay grew defensive against any form of unfairness. Even if it puts her in danger, she bravely (and impulsively) takes a stand for herself and for others. While it puzzled Maria Clara, she also became jealous of Klay’s courage and acquired knowledge. Then, in time, we witness how Klay’s words slowly crawled into her skin — making an impact on her morals.
Their shared empathy
Other than their attraction for Crisostomo Ibarra (Dennis Trillo), the two Maria Claras’ common ground is their shared passion to aid those in need. One example is when they both helped the same man suffering from leprosy. While Maria Clara gave him a necklace to exchange for food, the nursing student Klay provided him with the comforting knowledge that he was not contagious. Although they have different approaches to helping, their compassion connects them together as women with the same golden heart.
However, Maria Clara’s actions are always limited to what she can only do under the supervision of her Tiya Isabel (Ces Quesada) and father Kapitan Tiyago (Juan Rodrigo). Even when helping the leper, Tiya Isabel tried to pull her away to avoid contagion. Nevertheless, it did not stop Maria Clara as Klay’s words remind her of her power as a woman.
Kahit babae tayo, kayang-kaya nating sumagip ng buhay ng iba — lalaki man ‘yan, babae, bata, matanda. Dahil tayong mga babae ay isinilang na kapantay ng mga lalaki sa pag-iisip at lalong lalo na sa puso.
[Even though we’re women, we can also save other people’s lives — man, woman, child, elderly. Because we, women, are born as equals of men in mind and especially in heart.]
-Klay
The power of women supporting women
What I appreciate about Klay is how heavy her words are to the other characters. Her uniqueness in the story gave them a different insight into what could and should be, influencing them to heal the said “cancer” of their society. Among many things, what truly bothered her was the lack of support for women and the intense prejudice against one another. In fact, my favorite scene from the show is when she confronted Maria Clara about the suffocating morals of the women of San Diego.
Kitang-kita ko ang mga rehas na nakapalibot sa akin dito — sa akin, sa’yo. Wala kang mararating, Maria Clara, kung mananatili ka kalalagyan mo ngayon at hahayaang mong ikulong ang sarili mo. At alam mo ang pinakamasakit? Kayong mga babae rito… Kayo ang mismong nagkukulong, pinagkakait sa isa’t-isa ang halaga at kapangyarihan niyo.
[I see the bars that surround me in this place — to me, to you. You won’t get anywhere, Maria Clara, if you stay where you are right now and let yourself be imprisoned. And you know what’s more hurtful? You women here… you are the ones imprisoning, denying your worth and power to each other.]
Klay
You could tell how this heavily impacted Maria Clara. After being scolded for reading a non-religious novel, we see her grasping invisible bars as well. This shows that she realized how imprisoned she was in being the ideal woman. A woman she never asked nor wanted to be. As Klay exposed what she has been missing all along, Maria Clara came to terms that she is meant to be more than the expectations they have for her.
Their friendship proves how powerful women could be when they support each other. When Maria Clara met Klay, she became more open to other opportunities even if she ends up dressing like a man just to see her lover. The genuine bond they have makes their friendship incomparable to Maria Clara’s amigas. This is all because Klay allows Maria Clara to be herself. As Maria Clara finds her true self, she begins to realize her own potential outside of being a woman.
The fateful encounter of the namesake women
The two Maria Claras’ friendship represents how far women have come. Turns out, all it takes is for someone to show the other possibilities of the world outside a caged perception. If Klay never encouraged her to be expressive, Maria Clara would not have had the courage to fight for Crisostomo. Thus, if no women fought for their right to vote, we would not have any political representatives. Consequently, women’s rights would cease to exist.
So, I believe Mr. Torres (Lou Veloso) already expected Klay to change a lot of things in Noli Me Tangere. Knowing her vocal attitude and liberating ideals, she was meant to be the nurse of the story. In that way, she understands that being a nurse not only cures sick people but also takes part in healing a sick society.
