The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha: A Literary Analysis
The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha
1. Introduction
Undoubtedly, the work that has immortalized Cervantes is the story of The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Its initial purpose was to parody the chivalric novels, a popular genre at the time. However, it also serves as an invective against books of chivalry. Censorship of this type of novel was not exclusive to Cervantes; a series of authors and critics considered this genre harmful because it told stories to the common people, who believed them to be true, and because it invited sensuality. But the work goes beyond this initial purpose. Cervantes creates a great novel that does not lose its impact even after the disappearance of chivalric novels.
To achieve this parody, he invents a character who becomes a knight in the style of those who appeared in such novels. The novelty lies in the contrast with the conventional heroes of these books: its contemporaneity. Don Quixote is a gentleman who lives at the same time as the author, making him an anachronistic character that causes laughter in those who know him.
2. Life and Work of Miguel de Cervantes
The life and work of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra span the 16th and 17th centuries. Born in Alcalá de Henares in 1547, he moved to Rome in 1569 to serve Cardinal Acquaviva. He participated as a soldier in the Battle of Lepanto (1571) and, as a result of his wounds, was left with a disabled left hand.
While returning to Spain, he was captured by the Turks and imprisoned in Algiers for five years, where he was rescued by the Trinitarian Friars. In 1587, he held the post of collector of wheat and oil in Andalusia to supply the Armada. Twice he was imprisoned on charges of misappropriating the proceeds.
After settling in Valladolid, he was imprisoned again in 1605 when a man was murdered at the gates of his house. In the same year, he published the first part of Don Quixote, achieving remarkable success. Subsequently, he moved to Madrid and continued to write despite great hardship. On April 23, 1616, he died and was buried in the nearby convent of the Trinitarians.
3. Characters
Don Quixote
The protagonist, Don Alonso Quijano, is a gentleman from La Mancha who loses his mind due to his fondness for reading books of chivalry. From that moment on, he confuses reality and fiction. He is driven by ideals such as justice, nobility, and honor, and behaves like a knight-errant in an age when they no longer existed. Dulcinea del Toboso is always in his thoughts, and he dedicates his efforts to her. Don Quixote has become a symbol of idealism and the struggle for a better world.
As the story progresses, Don Quixote goes from being deceived by his senses to being deceived by others. This results in a process called the “sanchification” of Don Quixote.
Sancho Panza
Sancho Panza brings realism to the story. He is a naive and good-natured farmer who possesses great wisdom. He aspires to govern the island that his master has promised him and, increasingly, becomes infected by Don Quixote’s madness. This process is referred to as the “quixotization” of Sancho.
Dulcinea del Toboso
Dulcinea del Toboso is an invention of Don Quixote’s mind. She is a common girl from his surroundings who has nothing to do with the sweet lady the gentleman has invented.
The characters in the story, especially the main characters, are no longer archetypes (as in previous works) but become real people, complex and evolving throughout the work.
4. Composition
The work is divided into two parts, and its action is organized around the three outings of Don Quixote. The first two are narrated in Part I, and the last in Part II.
Part I
In Part I, the knight of La Mancha, Don Alonso Quijano, loses his mind from reading books of chivalry and decides to go in search of adventure under the name of Don Quixote de la Mancha. He seeks to right wrongs and earn the love of the lady Dulcinea del Toboso, who is actually a girl from a nearby village known as Aldonza Lorenzo. In this, his first outing, he is knighted in an inn, which he mistakes for a castle, and frees a young man from the abuse of his master. Finally, he returns home to find a housekeeper.
In his village, the priest and the barber burn certain books from Don Alonso’s library, believing them to be the cause of his madness.
In his second outing, Don Quixote is accompanied by Sancho Panza, a neighboring farmer who will serve as his squire. Don Quixote has promised Sancho the governorship of an island. The inclusion of this character enriches the work through the dialogue between the two protagonists. Don Quixote’s senses deceive him, despite his squire’s attempts to reason with him on several occasions.
They experience many adventures until the priest and the barber, who have come looking for him, return him home in a cage.
In this first part, Cervantes inserts some short stories: the story of Marcela and Chrysostom, the story of Cardenio, the Curious Impertinent, etc.
Part II
In Part II, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza set out again to experience new adventures. This time, Don Quixote not only confuses reality with fiction due to his own folly, but there are characters who take advantage of it to make fun of him. The setting expands, as the characters travel to Aragon and Barcelona. In the latter city, the protagonist is defeated by the Knight of the White Moon (who is actually his friend Samson Carrasco), who forces him to return to his village. He dies after regaining his sanity.