Don Quixote (World Literature Library)

Author: Miguel de Cervantes
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-06-01
Features: Dostoevsky once commented on Cervantes' Don Quixote in this way: "If you were to ask people at the ends of the earth, 'Have you understood the meaning of your life on earth? How would you summarize this life?' Then, they could silently pass Don Quixote and say, 'This is my summary of life. Can you blame me for this?'" Don Quixote describes a seemingly absurd knight, but it is not merely a satirical novel about chivalric literature. It is quite different from other literary works. From the perspective of creative techniques, its inherent duality, or its various stark contrasts, perhaps illustrate this point. The protagonist is a madman who ignores social reality and dreams day and night of reviving the chivalric code; yet, as the book introduces, as long as it does not involve the chivalric code, he is very clear-headed and wise, often offering insightful critiques of the times and revealing many subtle truths. Some critics have said that Cervantes pushed the boundaries of human imagination in Don Quixote, inventing various unconventional adventures. However, the book also employs a nearly documentary style to record historical events. The Battle of Lepanto, which is introduced in the book, is a very famous battle in world history. At that time, Spain and Venice formed a "Holy League" and fought an extremely fierce battle against the powerful navy of the Ottoman Empire in the Gulf of Lepanto in the Aegean Sea in 1571, weakening the naval power of the Turks and leaving a glorious page in history. After readers finish the book, if they glance through the postscript "Biography of Cervantes," they can easily recall which parts of the book reflect the author's own life. In the words of Hamid Benchenhali, he repeatedly asserts to the readers that what he wrote is well-grounded. Don Quixote, despite his remaining spirited, ends up in a ridiculous state, causing laughter, and ultimately returns to his homeland, only regretting his actions before his death. It seems like a comedy, yet it is more like a tragedy. Whether it is comedy or tragedy, readers can draw their own conclusions. But the translator believes, much like people say about Dream of the Red Chamber, that laughter and scorn are all part of the art. People will surely appreciate its profound depth from the dramatic and humorous storyline. Cervantes was one of the important writers influenced by Renaissance humanism. At the same time, Don Quixote also influenced some famous writers later on. Defoe proudly claimed that Robinson Crusoe had a spirit of Don Quixote; Fielding wrote a comedy titled Don Quixote in England; Dostoevsky said that one must first read Don Quixote to understand his The Idiot; and Faulkner read Don Quixote every year, claiming, "It's like others read the Bible." Cervantes' life was fraught with misfortune, and he faced many hardships. He served as a soldier, a supplier, a tax collector, spent years as a captive, and was imprisoned multiple times. It is said that even Don Quixote was written while he was in prison. In the end, Cervantes ended up with an unknown grave, which only added to the sense of sorrow. In the dedication of the second volume, "To Count of Lemos," Cervantes playfully writes that the Chinese emperor hopes to send Don Quixote to China. The translator believes this expresses the author's wish for his work to be spread throughout the world. In the Western mindset, China is the most distant place, and being able to reach China meant it had reached the entire world. What can bring the author some comfort is that this universally recognized immortal masterpiece has always been the most well-known Spanish literary work in China.