Ancient Foreign Literature Volume - Appreciation of Literary Masterpieces

Author: Ji Shuihe
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The article despises fate and pursues success. Despite Cervantes' (1547–1616) life of poverty and hardships, he left behind a great masterpiece for the world literary scene—Don Quixote. As time passes, with societal development and human progress, the significance of this novel has been increasingly recognized. The original intention behind Cervantes' creation of Don Quixote was to "rid the world of chivalric romances," yet in reality, the social significance and artistic value of this novel far exceeded the author's original intent. "Like all outstanding works in literary history, the significance of Don Quixote transcends time and space; its position in traditional European fiction is, of course, undeniable. What is noteworthy is that many modern writers have also found in this work rich, modern-inspired thoughts and aesthetic enlightenment." Its absurdity and humor have had a profound influence on absurd drama and black humor fiction in modernist literature. The primary contribution of Don Quixote to literary history is the creation of a comedic tragic character. Through Don Quixote, the mismatch between the purpose and means, as well as the phenomenon and essence, is embodied. From the perspective of societal development at the time, Don Quixote's adventures as a knight-errant were laughable, the means he chose to resolve social conflicts were outdated, and they defied the course of history. In this sense, Don Quixote is a "clown who runs counter to the laws of historical development," a comedic figure. However, unlike ordinary comedic characters, the comedic behavior of Don Quixote contains tragic grandeur. Lu Xun said, "Don Quixote's determination to fight for justice cannot be said to be wrong; nor can his overestimation of his own abilities be considered wrong. What is wrong is his method of fighting." Don Quixote hates oppression and sympathizes with the oppressed, embodying the noble qualities and lofty spirit of pursuing truth and beauty. These represent the progressive demands of the era. In this sense, Don Quixote's character also carries a tragic hue.