Don Quixote: A Literary Analysis & Guide
Don Quixote: A Literary Analysis
Purpose and Structure
Cervantes’s masterpiece, Don Quixote, was published in two parts (1605 and 1615). It aimed to critique the popular chivalric romances of the time.
Part 1: Inspired by chivalric tales, an aging Alonso Quixano decides to become a knight-errant, adopting the name Don Quixote. He chooses a “lady love” (Dulcinea) and a feeble horse (Rocinante), embarking on a series of misadventures. He enlists Sancho Panza as his squire, promising him governorship of an island. The first part concludes with Don Quixote’s neighbors deceiving him and bringing him home.
Part 2: Don Quixote sets out on a third adventure with Sancho, who briefly experiences the governorship he craved. Eventually, Don Quixote is defeated by the Knight of the White Moon (a neighbor in disguise) and returns home disillusioned. He recovers his sanity and dies.
Narrative Techniques
The novel’s structure mirrors the chivalric romances it parodies. However, the narrative is frequently interrupted by interpolated stories (pastoral, Byzantine, and Moorish tales). Each episode typically features a dialogue between Don Quixote and Sancho, followed by an adventure and a concluding dialogue.
Themes
- Utopia and Reality: The conflict between Don Quixote’s idealistic dreams and the constraints of reality is a central theme.
- Justice: Don Quixote’s strong sense of justice drives many of his actions.
- Love: Inspired by chivalric conventions, Don Quixote creates an idealized love interest, Dulcinea del Toboso.
- Literature: The novel is filled with literary references and serves as a parody of various genres, particularly chivalric romances.
Characters
Don Quixote features a vast array of characters representing 17th-century Spanish society. The two most prominent are:
- Don Quixote: A nobleman driven to madness by reading chivalric romances. He possesses a unique blend of delusion and wisdom.
- Sancho Panza: A pragmatic peasant who serves as Don Quixote’s squire. He is initially driven by self-interest but develops loyalty and affection for his master.
Character Development
The relationship between Don Quixote and Sancho is dynamic. Sancho’s realism gradually influences Don Quixote (“sanchification”), while Don Quixote’s idealism affects Sancho (“quixotization”).
Style
Cervantes masterfully blends various styles and techniques. He employs a colloquial style for Sancho’s proverbs and a more elaborate style for descriptive passages. The novel incorporates humor, irony, parody, and extensive dialogue to develop the narrative and characters.
Narrative Perspective
Cervantes presents the story as a found manuscript written by the fictional historian Cide Hamete Benengeli. This technique, known as the “manuscript technique,” adds a layer of realism and humor to the narrative.
Don Quixote and the Modern Novel
Don Quixote is considered a foundational work of the modern novel. Its innovative structure, complex characters, and exploration of human nature significantly influenced the development of the genre.