Don Quixote de la Mancha: glorious knight or lunatic?

by Rosa Rietzler · 2019-04-16 · Report · Toledo

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Don Quixote
Photo: Fondo Antiguo de la Biblioteca de la Universidad de Sevilla, CC BY, flickr.com

The adventures of Don Quixote are well-known all over the world. A lot of people make fun of the strange guy, who just wants to be a real knight. What a lot of people don't know: With his books “El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha” or “The Ingenious Nobleman Sir Quixote of La Mancha” Miguel de Cervantes parodies the popular knight tales of the 16th century that – according to scholars of the time – clouded the mind of readers…

„En un lugar de la Mancha, de cuyo nombre no quiero acordarme…“ – “In a village of La Mancha, the name of which I have no desire to call in mind…” With these words, Cervantes begins his novel. According to a popular theory, this introduction refers to Argamasilla de Alba in the province of Ciudad Real, where he spent some time in prison. Others believe that it references Villanueva de los Infantes.

The bold adventures of Don Quixote

The nobleman Alonso Quijano is so obsessed with novels about knights that one day he is no longer able to distinguish between reality and fiction. Thus, the gaunt man decides to set out as a knight and to fight for justice. For his adventures, he is accompanied by his exhausted horse Rocinante and the loyal, pragmatic thinking farmer Sancho Panza. He designates the beautiful Dulcinea del Tobosco as his lady love – despite never having met her.

Don Quijote und sein Gefährte Sancho Panza

Photo: Fondo Antiguo de la Biblioteca de la Universidad de Sevilla, CC BY, flickr.com

He renames himself Don Quixote. The novels have bewildered him so much so that he associates everything with chivalry – the inn becomes a castle, the wineskins turn into opponents and the mutton herd transforms into a mighty legion that needs to be defeated. But in most cases, Don Quixote gets beaten up. That is why he is also called “Sir Knight of the Sorrowful Figure”.

Fight against the windmills

The most known story of the novel is Don Quixote’s fight against the windmills. Despite Sancho Panza’s calming words, Don Quixote steps up for the duel with the alleged giants — and loses. In Consuegra, visitors can take a closer look at the windmills.

On the Ruta de Don Quixote

Die Ruta de Don Quijote

Photo: M.Peinado, CC BY, flickr.com

Cervantes and his protagonist are present all over La Mancha. The Ruta de Don Quixote is officially named after the book character and takes you across the region to get to know both author and figure. Meanwhile, you get to know the natural landscape of La Mancha. If you want to visit as many places as possible, you should take a car. But the route is also ideal for hikes, cycling tours or for horseback riding.

The stages take you from the birth house and museum on Cervantes in Alcalá de Henares via the National Library in Madrid with the first edition of the novel and via Toboso, home of Don Quixote’s lady love, to Ciudad Real with the Museo del Quixote. The city of Alcázar de San Juan has declared Cervantes an honorary citizen.

End of the story

On his deathbed, Don Quixote regrets that he wasted all his time with the nonsense of the novels. His contemporaries, however, come to a different conclusion: For them, Don Quixote has turned from lunatic into a hero who tirelessly fought to make this world a better place. The reader is forced into a state of constant conflict: Is Don Quixote idealistic, insane or simply ridiculous? What is made up and what is real?

And let's be honest: Who doesn't want to be a knight sometimes?

Don Quijote to go (Cervantes in 13,75 Minuten)

Video: Sommers Weltliteratur to go