Don Quixote
Translated by Edith Grossman
Summary
Don Quixote, the seminal novel by Miguel de Cervantes, is widely considered one of the greatest works of literature ever written and a founding text of modern Western literature. First published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel tells the story of Alonso Quixano, a Spanish hidalgo who loses his sanity from reading chivalric romances and sets out to revive chivalry under the name Don Quixote. Renowned for its exploration of reality versus illusion and its innovative narrative techniques, Don Quixote has profoundly influenced writers for centuries. The novel's enduring cultural impact is reflected in numerous adaptations across media, most famously the musical Man of La Mancha.
Plot
Don Quixote follows the adventures of Alonso Quixano, an elderly gentleman from La Mancha in central Spain. Obsessed with chivalric romances, Quixano loses his sanity and decides to become a knight-errant named Don Quixote. He recruits a simple farmer, Sancho Panza, as his squire. In his delusional state, Don Quixote mistakes windmills for giants, inns for castles, and peasant girls for noble ladies. He embarks on a series of quests to gain fame, right wrongs, and win the heart of the peasant woman he imagines to be the beautiful Lady Dulcinea.
Don Quixote's misadventures lead to frequent beatings and humiliations. He tilts at windmills, attacks a flock of sheep he believes to be an army, and frees a group of convicted criminals. Meanwhile, Sancho Panza provides a pragmatic and comedic counterpoint to Don Quixote's idealism. In Part Two, published 10 years after the first, many characters have read the first part of Don Quixote's adventures. A duke and duchess play an elaborate prank on Don Quixote, pretending to treat him as a real knight. Sancho is made governor of a fictitious island as part of the hoax.
Ultimately, Don Quixote is forced to return home after being defeated in combat. He falls ill, renounces chivalry, and regains his sanity before dying. Throughout his adventures, the novel explores themes of reality versus illusion and idealism versus pragmatism through the contrast between Don Quixote's madness and Sancho's earthy wisdom. The story is told with humor and pathos, becoming one of the most influential works of Spanish literature.
Themes
• Illusion versus reality
• The transformative power of imagination
• The blurred line between sanity and madness
• Idealism versus pragmatism
• The nature of chivalry and heroism
• Class distinctions in Spanish society
The interplay between fiction and real life
Setting
Cervantes' masterpiece Don Quixote is set in late 16th century Spain, primarily in the central region of La Mancha. This dry, unremarkable area serves as an ironic backdrop for the protagonist's fantastical delusions of chivalric grandeur. The novel unfolds across the dusty plains and small villages of La Mancha, with a particular focus on the comarca (county) of Campo de Montiel.
While much of the action takes place in rural settings as Don Quixote embarks on his quests, the story also ventures into towns and cities like El Toboso, Barcelona, and Madrid. Cervantes deliberately leaves the name of Quixote's home village ambiguous, allowing readers to imagine it could be any number of places in La Mancha. This technique adds to the story's mythical quality while grounding it in a recognizable Spanish landscape.
Beyond the physical setting, Cervantes situates his tale against the backdrop of Spain's declining imperial power and cultural influence. The age of chivalry was fading into history, replaced by more pragmatic concerns as the country faced economic troubles and waning international prestige. This transitional period in Spanish society provides rich thematic material for Cervantes to explore through his delusional would-be knight and the people he encounters on his journeys.
Characters
• Don Quixote: The middle-aged gentleman from La Mancha who becomes obsessed with chivalry books and decides to become a knight-errant. His idealistic and delusional view of the world leads to many comedic adventures.
• Sancho Panza: Don Quixote's loyal squire. A simple farmer who is initially motivated by promises of reward, but grows to admire Quixote. Provides much of the novel's humor through his earthy wit and proverbs.
• Dulcinea del Toboso: Don Quixote's imaginary love interest. In reality a peasant girl named Aldonza Lorenzo whom Quixote reimagines as a noble lady.
• Rocinante: Don Quixote's old and worn-out horse. Portrayed as loyal but past his prime.
• The Priest: A friend of Don Quixote who tries to cure him of his delusions. Helps burn many of Quixote's chivalry books.
• The Barber: Another friend who assists the priest in trying to bring Quixote back to sanity.
• The Housekeeper: Don Quixote's concerned housekeeper who worries about his mental state.
• The Niece: Don Quixote's young niece who lives with him and is distressed by his apparent madness.
• Cardenio: A heartbroken young man encountered in the Sierra Morena. His story intertwines with Don Quixote's adventures.
• Dorothea: A clever young woman who poses as a princess to help bring Don Quixote home.
• The Duke and Duchess: A noble couple who invite Don Quixote to their castle and play elaborate pranks on him.
• Altisidora: A maiden at the Duke's court who pretends to be in love with Don Quixote.
• Sansón Carrasco: A university graduate from Quixote's village who tries to cure him by defeating him in combat.
Quick facts
• It is considered by many to be the first modern novel and one of the greatest works of fiction ever written.
• The novel was published in two parts - Part 1 in 1605 and Part 2 in 1615.
• Cervantes wrote the novel as a satire of chivalric romances that were popular at the time.
• The phrase “tilting at windmills” originates from a famous scene in the novel where Don Quixote attacks windmills he believes to be giants.
• The character of Sancho Panza was not originally planned, but was added after Cervantes had written several chapters.
• Edith Grossman's 2003 English translation is considered one of the most acclaimed modern renderings of the novel.
• The novel contains several stories-within-the-story, a metafictional device that was innovative for its time.
• In Part 2, the main characters become aware that their adventures from Part 1 have been published and read by others.
• Cervantes claimed he wrote the novel in prison, though this is likely an exaggeration.
• The novel's influence spread rapidly, with the first English translation appearing just 7 years after Part 1 was published in Spanish.
About the author
Edith Grossman
Edith Grossman is a renowned American translator best known for her acclaimed English translation of Miguel de Cervantes' masterpiece Don Quixote. While Cervantes wrote the original Spanish text in the early 17th century, Grossman's modern translation published in 2003 brought new life and accessibility to this classic work of literature for English-speaking readers.
Grossman faced the monumental task of translating Cervantes' notoriously difficult prose, filled with wordplay, regional dialects, and cultural references from 400 years ago. She aimed to create a translation that captured both the humor and profound themes of the original while making it engaging for contemporary audiences. Critics widely praised Grossman's translation for its readability and faithfulness to Cervantes' intentions.
Beyond Don Quixote, Grossman has translated works by many other prominent Spanish-language authors, including Gabriel García Márquez, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Carlos Fuentes. Her translations have helped introduce English-speaking readers to some of the most important literary voices from Spain and Latin America. Grossman's skill lies in her ability to convey not just the literal meaning, but the tone, style, and cultural context of the original works.
Grossman's contributions to literature through translation have earned her numerous accolades, including the PEN/Ralph Manheim Medal for Translation. Her work on Don Quixote and other Spanish classics has cemented her reputation as one of the most respected and influential translators working today. By bridging linguistic and cultural divides, Grossman plays a vital role in making great literature accessible to wider audiences.