Research+Notes

Don Quijote is a man in his 50's whose brain dries up from reading too many books of chivalry. The novel //Don Quijote de la Mancha// is written as a parody of books such as these, as well as pastoral novels. Moreover, it is a novel of idealism and reality, perceptions, loyalty, goodness of heart, and many more things.

The pastoral genre originated in Greece and Rome, and romanticizes the lives of shepherds or cowherds. Usually, the novels/poems take place in beautiful rural landscapes, where the shepherds spend all their time chasing pretty girls/boys (Greeks and Romans were openly homo- and bisexual). Pastoral shepherds/maidens usually have Greek names like Corydon or Philomela. Don Quijote is mainly a parody of chivalresque novels, however. i.e. Don Quijote decides to become a knight-errant and designates himself a lady love and a new name for his horse; and takes quests.  Don Quijote is decidedly the first modern novel, as instead of flat characters as was common in most literature in those days (Byzantine, pastoral, and chivalresque novels), Don Quijote is multi-layered character.

Miguel de Cervantes:

- nacio en 1547 - 1571: interviene heroicamente en la batalla de Lepanto, recibiendo heridas en el pecho y la mano izquierda. -En otra batalla, junto con su hermano, fue apresado por los piratas berberiscos por mas de cinco anos. Su obra fue creada como un medio de adelantar una vida llena de sinsabores y privaciones -

The Golden Age of Spain: 15th-17th centuries -Began in 1492 when Spanish Rulers Isabelle and Ferdinand sent Italian explorer Christopher Columbus to the route that led to the discovery of the New World. For the next 50 years, Spanish explorers flocked to the New World, often brutally conquering the indigenous peoples. -By 1550, Spain controlled Mexico, Central America, nearly all the West Indies, part of what is now the southwestern United States, and much of western South America. They also took much of Italy, the Canary Islands, and land in northern Africa. in 1516, King Charles I of Spain brought in what is now Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands into Spain.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 15px;">However, while the empire was at its biggest expansion, inside it was strained. People were starving, wars were fought, and eventually most of this territory was lost. The Spanish Inquisition was a part of this golden age (5000 people were burned at the stake). It was during this time that Miguel de Cervantes was alive. Possibly, he was influenced by the empire's reality-outwardly, it was a rich time period filled with music, art, and literature development. Internally, however, the empire was splitting at the seams. Such is the case of the character of Don Quijote-outwardly, he believes he is a brave knight set out to do good. Inside, however (it is apparent to all who meet him) he is nothing but a poor madman.

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 15px;">Hidalgo- social position in Middle Ages "hijo de algo/alguien" /fidalgo (fijo=hijo before phonetic changes). Son nobles con armas y reciben propiedades/ terrenos por los reyes. Puedes investigar este punto un poco mas. Algunos son escuderos. <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">-hidalgo=spanish nobility-have privileges, but not necessarily wealth/property...Don Quixote is a hidalgo- Quijano- but he has no real wealth-what he has he uses up to pay for his chivalry books.

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Busca un poco sobre la sangre no pura de Cervantes y la profesion de ser doctor que implica ser judio...