The Adventures of Don Quixote de la Mancha is a classic novel written by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra in the early 17th century.
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| The Adventures of Don Quixote de la Mancha |
The story follows the adventures of a middle-aged man named Alonso Quixano who becomes obsessed with the chivalric romances of old and decides to become a knight-errant, taking on the name Don Quixote de la Mancha.
Don Quixote sets out on his adventures accompanied by his loyal squire, Sancho Panza, who provides comic relief and serves as a voice of reason to his master's delusions. Throughout the novel, Don Quixote encounters a series of misadventures as he tilts at windmills he believes to be giants, mistakes inns for castles, and battles imaginary foes.
Despite his many defeats and humiliations, Don Quixote remains steadfast in his belief in the code of chivalry and his quest for honor and glory. Along the way, he meets a colorful cast of characters, including the beautiful Dulcinea del Toboso, whom he believes to be his lady love, and the cunning Duke and Duchess who play tricks on him for their own amusement.
As the novel progresses, Don Quixote's madness becomes increasingly apparent, leading to moments of both humor and poignancy. Through his adventures, Cervantes explores themes of reality versus illusion, the nature of heroism, and the power of imagination.
The Adventures of Don Quixote de la Mancha is a timeless work of literature that has captivated readers for centuries with its wit, humor, and profound insights into the human condition. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's masterpiece continues to be celebrated as one of the greatest novels ever written, and its enduring legacy has inspired countless adaptations, interpretations, and homages in literature, art, and popular culture.
Excerpt :
In a certain village in La Mancha, of which I cannot remember the name, there lived not long ago one of tho;se old-fashioned gentlemen, who are never without a lance upon a rack, an old target, a lean horse, and a greyhound.
His diet consisted more of beeft than and, with minced meat on most nights, lentiles on Fridays, and a pigeon extraordinary on Sundays, he consumed three-quarters of liis revenue ; the rest was laid out in a plush coat, velvet breeches, with slippers of the same, for holidays ; and a suit of the very best homespun cloth, which he bestowed on himself for working-days. His whole family was a housekeeper something turned of forty, a niece not twenty, and a man that served in the house and in the field, and could saddle a horse, and handle the pruning-hook.
The master himself was nigh fifty years of age, of a hale and strong complexion, lean-bodied and thin-faced, an early riser, and a lover of hunting.
Some say his surname was Quixada, or Quesada (for authors diflfer iu this particular) ; however, we may reasonably conjectm-e, he was called Quixada {i.e., lantern-jaws), though this concerns us but little, provided we keep strictly to the truth in every point of this history.
Be it known, then, that when our gentleman had nothing to do (wliich was almost all the year round), he passed his time in reading books of knight-errantry, which he did with such application and delight, that at last he in a manner whoUy left off his country sports, and even the care of his estate.
