Don Quixote

Image credit: The Nile

There are all kinds of answers to the question ‘why do we read?’. For some, it’s the voyeurism and escape from the everyday that entices them to turn pages. For others, it’s the broadening of literary, cultural, social, or even vocabulary horizons. There are some who like the challenges that reading can pose and thus, the thrill of overcoming those challenges when you close the cover on the book now read. For myself, it’s all of these things, but in regard to the latest book that I have closed the cover on, it is certainly the latter.

After a couple of months, I have finished reading Don Quixote.

This classic Spanish work from the 1600s chronicles the humorous and bizarre tale of Senor Don Quixote who develops a madness after reading too many novels about knights and chivalry that he believes them to be histories and determines to re-establish the golden age of knights errant in modern Spain. With armour made from a pasteboard, a noble steed (actually a broken-down old nag) and a loyal squire (a simple-minded neighbour), he leaves his village in search of adventures in which he can right wrongs, save damsels, and raise his good name of Don Quixote, Knight of the Sorrowful Face, into the famed realms of those good knights he has read about.

Miguel de Cervantes is credited with inventing the form of the novel by first creating the role of the reader in literature. The book’s prologue begins with addresses to the ‘idle reader’, the hero’s trials and quests are determined by his understanding of the narrative form of such stories, having read an abundance of them, and in the second instalment of his adventures, it is made clear that the inhabitants of Spain have read about his adventures and misadventures, indeed making him a famous knight errant – though not for the reasons he wishes.

Despite its date tag of the 1600s, Don Quixote is really a thoroughly modern book. It’s the first example of a number of meta techniques that other famous authors would go on to use. First, we have the idea of the fictional history, Cervantes constantly refers to the work as a history chronicled by someone else, establishing the bizarre Don Quixote as a real person rather than a fictional character. This heightens the humour in the second instalment of the knight’s adventures as characters recognise Don Quixote, having read the first published chronicle of his trials and deeds, thus mirroring the reader's own experience.

Second, we have a constant underlying current of social commentary focusing on society’s relationship with literature as well open discussions about the nature of literature as well as its makeup. There are many scenes in which Don Quixote confuses characters by speaking about literature so eloquently that he causes them to forget that he is indeed mad.

Finally, we have the constant references and addresses to the reader. Cervantes consistently reminds us that these chronicles were written down by another and brings us out of the voyeuristic riptide of the book by referring to the thoughts of the author on the hero’s misadventures, as well as commenting on or drawing attention to details that have been omitted or summarised for the sake of the novel.

Despite there being many layers to process and pass through on an academic or critical-thinking level, the book also offers its readers a delightfully chaotic and humorous voyage of action, drama, suspense, romance, and fantasy. Through Don Quixote’s misadventures, we get to enjoy stories within stories such as the great romance of Cardenio and Luscinda, and the tragic tale of curious Anselmo, as well as the humorous tricks of the duke and duchess who seek to play on Don Quixote’s madness for further entertainment.

Image credit: Britannica

While absolutely a challenge, the story/stories of Don Quixote are true classics filled with action, adventure, romance, chivalry, and comedy. They have inspired novellas and plays, continue to be referenced and adapted, and have been canonised in literary history as the birth of the novel and the reader.

Author: Miguel de Cervantes

Published: Juan de la Cuesta, Madrid, 1605-1615. Pictured edition published by Vintage, Random House, London, 2005.

Translation: Edith Grossman