Cervantes

1) His Biography:

Miguel de Cervantes (September 29, 1547 – April 22, 1616) was a Spanish novelist, playwright, and poet who created Don Quixote (1605, 1615) and is widely regarded as the most important and celebrated figure in Spanish literature. His novel Don Quixote has been translated into more than 60 languages, in whole or in part. Since the 18th century, editions have been printed on a regular basis, and critical discussion of the work has continued unabated. At the same time, due to their widespread representation in art, drama, and film, the figures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza are probably more visually familiar to the general public than any other fictional characters in world literature.

Cervantes was a master of experimentation. Except for the epic, he experimented with all of the major literary genres. He was a notable short-story writer, and a few of his Novelas exemplares (1613; Exemplary Stories) reach a level comparable to Don Quixote on a miniature scale.

Unlike most Spanish writers of his time, including some of humble origin, he did not appear to have attended university. What is certain is that he became a voracious reader of books at some point. Juan López de Hoyos, the head of a municipal school in Madrid with Erasmist intellectual leanings, refers to Miguel de Cervantes as his “beloved pupil.” At this time, his first published poem, on the death of Philip II’s young queen, Elizabeth of Valois, appeared. Despite the success of his masterpiece Don Quixote, which was published in 1604, Miguel de Cervantes died in poverty 12 years later, having never been paid for its publication

2) Main Works:

La Galatea:

First part of La Galatea, which is separated into six novels, is what is published; however, a second part was only planned to be published. It is sometimes compared to the pastoral novel, although it varies from it in that love is treated psychologically rather than in anecdotally. Galatea is a stunning shepherdess who values her independence and shares Elicio’s and Erastro’s sentiments.

Don Quixote I:

The narrative of an elderly guy who goes crazy after becoming infatuated with cavalry novels is told in the first section of this Spanish literary masterwork. In order to show his courage and confront injustice, he makes the decision to venture out into the world. What starts out as a parody of this genre, developed into an allegory of humanity that still hasn’t lost its power even after four centuries.

The little gypsy:

The longest one within twelve o’clock centres on a young aristocrat and a gypsy’s romantic relationship. In order to follow Preciosa, he uproots himself from his cushy existence. It is revealed towards the book’s conclusion that Preciosa was abducted by people who thought they were her biological relatives.

The Generous lover: 

It discusses conflicts and interactions between Muslims and Christians, just like in the Moorish books, although the second one stands out in this instance. Before they can reunite and recognise their love, Ricardo and Leonisa, two young men who were abducted by Moors, must endure a number of challenges on their own.

Rinconete & Cortadillo:

Diego Cortado and Pedro del Rincón are two young men who leave their homes in search of adventures and fortune. In their pursuit of freedom, they wind up interacting with a group of criminals who are a representation of the era’s underworld.

The English Spanish lady:

This is about a young girl who is seven years old, and is relocated from Cadiz to London and welcomed by a family that must conceal its Catholic faith. It is one of the “exemplary novels” that is unleashed once more by the rapture. You will learn important lessons about real love from Queen Elizabeth I of England as it concludes under her protection.

The lawyer of Glass:

Tomás Rodaja is a young man who comes to Salamanca to study law and discover new things. Afterwards, an angry woman forces him to swallow a mixture that would ultimately give him the impression that his body is made of glass, a delusion that will earn him renown and a good reputation as a counsellor.

The Power of Blood:

It is a tale about the rape of a little girl and how the masked guys who committed the crime are ultimately apprehended. Leocadia’s kidnapping, the ensuing outcry, and the psychological harm the young woman would suffer set the stage for the rest of the narrative. When she learns she’s pregnant and decides to become a mother, the plot begins to unfold.

The jealous Man from Extremadura:

One of the collection’s best stories, this compelling story is about a jealous husband who keeps his young wife near to prevent infidelity. However, his cunning lover makes light of the slave in charge of his surveillance with ease. This article was published in two different forms. The one by Cervantes stays away from references to the sexual act’s completion.

The illustrious Kitchen-Maid:

It once again uses the agnición, a literary device first employed in “The Little Gypsy”, which entails revealing a significant fact about the origins of some of the characters at the book’s conclusion. A joyful and attractive maid meets Avendano and Carriazo, two adventurers of noble descent, at an inn in Toledo.

3) Main Themes:

Perspective and Narration:

Don Quixote, divided into three sections, is a rich exploration of the possibilities of narration. The first of these sections, which includes the chapter on Don Quixote’s first expedition, serves primarily as a parody of contemporary romance stories. The second section, which comprises the remainder of the First Part, is written in the style of a history, plodding along in chronological order and breaking up chapters episodically, meticulously documenting every day’s events. The third section, which covers the novel’s Second Part, is unique in that it is written in the style of a traditional novel, organized by emotional and thematic content and filled with character development.

Cervantes informs us in the second section that he is translating Cide Hamete Benengeli’s manuscript and frequently interrupts the narration to mention Benengeli and the internal inconsistencies in Benengeli’s manuscript. Cervantes employs Benengeli primarily to support his claim that the story is based on true events.

Cervantes, on the other hand, enters the novel as a character in the third section, as a hybrid of Benengeli and Cervantes the author. The characters, who are aware of the books written about them, attempt to change the content of subsequent editions. This convoluted and self-referential narrative structure confuses us, leaving us unsure of which plotlines are internal to the story and which are factual. This disorientation immerses us in the story and emphasizes the sanity question that arises throughout the novel. If someone as insane as Don Quixote can write his own story, we’re left wondering what’s stopping us.

Cervantes forces us to question fundamental narrative principles, just as Quixote forces his contemporaries to question their lifestyles and principles. In this way, the novel’s form reflects its function, creating a universe in which Cervantes entertains and instructs us, manipulating our preconceptions in order to force us to examine them more closely.

Incompatible Systems of Morality:

Don Quixote attempts to be a flesh-and-blood example of a knight-errant in order to force his contemporaries to confront their own failure to uphold the old moral system, the chivalric code. This conflict between old and new reaches a stalemate: no one understands Don Quixote, and he understands no one. Only Sancho, with self-motivated desires and a basic understanding of morality, can mediate between Don Quixote and the rest of the world.

We see the impasse between Don Quixote and those around him in the first part of the novel. Don Quixote, for example, cannot identify with the priest’s rational perspective and objectives, and the priest finds Don Quixote’s belief in enchantment ridiculous. Cervantes, however, makes a compromise between these two seemingly incompatible moral systems near the end of the Second Part, allowing Don Quixote’s imaginary world and the Duke and Duchess’s commonplace world to infiltrate each other.

The Distinction between Class and Worth:

Distinguishing between a person’s class and their worth was a fairly radical concept in Cervantes’ time. Cervantes challenges the conventional notion that aristocrats are automatically respectable and noble in Don Quixote. The contrast between the Duke and Duchess’ thoughtless malice and Sancho’s anxiety-ridden compassion emphasizes this class problem. Sancho, despite his low social standing, is wise and thoughtful. Similarly, lowly goatherds and shepherds frequently appear as philosophers. In contrast, cosmopolitan or aristocratic characters such as the Duke and Duchess are frequently frivolous and cruel. Cervantes’s emphasis on these disparities between class and worth is a primary reason that Don Quixote was such a revolutionary work in its time.

4) Don Quixote and the Spanish Golden Age:

Apart from its literary accomplishments, “Don Quixote” casts a hazy light on a period when Spain’s Islamic culture was ruthlessly suppressed. “As his views did not fit the narrative the Catholic Church wanted to create,” Kevin Bullard Quiones of the Universidad de Puerto Rico wrote to me in an email, “Cervantes spoke of Islam and Judaism in his novels in discreet and subtle ways.”

Cervantes’ masterpiece has several facets, many of which originate from his deft narrative approach, which Quiones describes as “discreet and subtle.” Cervantes can avoid the probing eyes of Inquisition censors by portraying Don Quixote insane, for example. As part of the protagonist’s insanity, he could criticize clergy or even the Bible. As a result, he was able to hide a lot of the information. This results in scores of puns, one-liners, and parodies.

Nonetheless, Don Quixote’s portrayal of Islam is ironic rather than parodic. Cervantes worships a lovely, forgotten Spain that was destroyed by the Inquisition. The narrator says that Don Quixote is an Arabic manuscript (perhaps aljamiado, Spanish written in Arabic characters); it was discovered in Toledo—holy Toledo! ; and it was authored by Cide Hamete Benengeli, a Spaniard and an Arab from La Mancha. If Don Quixote is a Spanish story written in Arabic, however, what we read is transcribed or translated into the Roman script (Borges jokingly referred to it as “a bad translation”). Many academics believe the entire storyline is a joke. In any event, the narrator wants the reader to realize that Quixote is a native Arabic speaker.

The story also makes a reference to Muslim living in the context of Catholic legislation. The fatwa of Ahmad ibn Abi Jum’ah issued in Oran in 1504 declared that under duress, Spanish Muslims could pretend to be Christians and drink alcohol and pork. Quixote’s hidden pain may be conveyed by a weekend dinner of duelos y quebrantos, or bacon and eggs. According to Carolyn Nadeau, the dish’s name (“trials and sorrows” in English) references to the ingestion of pork as a means of proving Catholicism, as well as the “physical and moral pain” that duty entails.

Furthermore, the Muslim prophet and Quixote have some striking physical characteristics. Mohammed was recognized for a birthmark or mole in the center of his back, dubbed “the Mark of Prophethood” by some. “What does your worship wish to strip for?” Dorothea wonders as Quixote responds, “Sancho… help me to strip.” “To see if I have that mole,” Don Quixote replied. Sancho interrupts, “There is no occasion to strip.” “I’m sure your worship has a mole in the middle of his backbone, which is a sign of a strong guy.” Mohammed and Quixote both died in the same way. Their fevers break after nine days of delirium: in a final moment of clarity, they offer final property advice before passing away.

In a way that emphasizes the distinction between fact and fiction, between perception and reality, Cervantes’ story asks questions about Spain that would otherwise remain unspoken—questions about state policies and religious beliefs, about personhood and belonging. Cervantes realized that there would be imagination after the horrible, rigid reality in which he lived. But he didn’t have to envision the power, beauty, wit, and eloquence of Islamic Spain.

5) His Legacy:

Miguel de Cervantes, popularly known as the “Prince of Wits,” left behind a literary legacy that is still felt in many facets of modern life. This author, who is regarded as the founder of the modern novel, is chiefly responsible for the influence of modern culture. The Guardian named his magnum opus Don Quixote as the greatest book ever written. His lengthy book, which follows the follies of a would-be knight as he travels through the crumbling society of 16th-century Spain, gave rise to a variety of idioms, truisms, and slang terms.

Furthermore, Cervantes’ writings are thought to have had such a significant impact on the development of the modern Spanish language that it is frequently referred to as the “language of Cervantes” in Spain, not dissimilar to how British playwright William Shakespeare had a similarly profound impact on the development of the English language.

Late in his life, after multiple stints in prison for insolvency, a catastrophic military career, and numerous cases of exile, Cervantes found literary success. Just a few years before he passed away, Don Quixote was published, and the author was able to observe the instant effect this very first of novels had on the reading audience.

The epic portrayal of a civilization that was obviously in decay, along with Cervantes’ merciless satire of the nostalgic nationalists and naive idealism of the governing class, ignited a fire under the chattering classes, and he was able to enjoy a little amount of fame before passing away in 1616. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the work later gave rise to the term “quixotic,” which became well-known during the French Revolution and is aptly used to describe the impractical pursuit of ideological aims.

Up until the middle of the Victorian era, Cervantes’ writings floated in the dark waters of obscurity. Then, a Europe riven by revolution and turmoil attracted to the lofty ideals and cynicism he conveyed. From the 1850s onward, the book became somewhat popular, with the most well-known works of such renowned authors as Flaubert and Dostoyevsky directly borrowing influence from Don Quixote. Cervantes is now regarded as a modern legend. There are numerous similarities between the lives and works of Shakespeare and Cervantes in addition to the fact that they both passed only a short time apart. Booker Prize-winning author Salman Rushdie goes so far as to claim that he and the other man “wrote the modern literary rulebook” jointly in an article for The New Statesman.

According to the Financial Times, Don Quixote alone has gone on to sell an estimated 500 million copies since its initial publishing run more than 400 years ago, making it by far one of the most popular books ever written. The writings of Cervantes have been adapted for modern audiences, with a noteworthy example being the creative and wildly successful comic book adaptation of Don Quixote by Rob Davis, which was released in 2011. The 1984 laserdisc release of Super Don Quixote by Universal, one of the first mass-produced video games in history, is likewise based on that book.

The influence of the Spanish author extends beyond Don Quixote; according to the history of blackjack blog at Betway Casino, his novellas, known as Novelas Ejemplares, are thought to contain the earliest representations of the card game that is now known as blackjack. It is well known that Monty Python director Terry Gilliam repeatedly tried to make a film about Don Quixote over the course of 29 years until finally succeeding in 2018 with the release of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.

Additionally, hundreds of terms from these works—including Don Quixote—continue to be used often in Spanish-speaking nations all over the world each and every year. But his writings’ concepts are the ones that endure the most. Following an enduring portrayal of the author by Franz Kafka and, of course, Pablo Picasso’s iconic drawing of Don Quixote, Cervantes’ fame skyrocketed in the 20th century. In addition, as we’ve seen above, elements of his writings have influenced popular culture in the twenty-first century. It is evident that Cervantes was the very first example of a nihilist, anarchist, and realist who does not shy away from the truth behind high philosophy and political structures beneath the grandiose veneer of romantic adventure that his works initially appear to be.

6) Some Quotes:

“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”