Reading Don Quixote

Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra is well-known for his famous book “Don Quixote” which was written and published in two parts [part 1, 1605, and part 2, 1615]. I had attempted to read this e-book [translator: Edith Grossman] a few years back but did not accomplish it because I had heard about its complexity. This year I managed pieces of times during break time and daily read few pages of the books and taking about two months starting from November 22,  2020, to January 18, 2021 [Mangsir 7 to Magh 5] I completed the first part, with 52 chapters in the first week of December then took another month to complete 74 chapters of the second part. 

Here I briefly summarize the Don Quixote {DQ} in my understanding. 

[SPOILER ALERT] 

It is for my note only, readers are not encouraged to read further as it may spoil the original readings.

Part One:

DQ changed his name and departed to some places thinking he was a knight, thrashing people and punishing them for wrong-doings. Instead, he got a beating and returned home with a neighbor and they decided to cure DQ by burning all books which he had read all the years supposedly the reason for his madness. Books burnt, DQ convinced a farmer Sancho Panza {SP} for going with him, making him his squire.

They met goatherds and listened to stories of Marcela a lady and her dead lover. They fought with a traveler in the jungle. They took respite at an inn thinking it to be a castle where the further fights occurred. DQ mistook barber for knight and fulling hammers for giants etc on the way.

He freed the prisoners but got thrashed from them, found a traveling case with poems in it, met the owner, Cardenio, another mad man. They had more quarreling. DQ wrote a letter to his beloved Dulcinea, for finding whose love he had started all the adventures as a knight, which Sancho carried and left to convey. DQ remained in the jungle writing verses on trees, SP met a priest & barber (who burnt books) on the way to Toboso. Priest and barber decided to persuade DQ by imitating the prince. Barber and priest first met Cardenio and heard his story meantime a woman appeared, Dorotea, whom Don Fernando had betrayed and married Luscinda (who had claimed to be the wife of Cardenio). Together they plot a plan to bemuse DQ and took to the inn, where a novel is found about Anselmo-Camila-Lotario.

DQ smashed wineskin and spilled wine thinking it to be giant, at the same time, Don Fernando and Luscinda arrived at the inn and respective lovers rejoined. A captive and Zoraida arrived and told their story.

Brother of captive arrived with his daughter who is in love with the mule driver's son. DQ was tied by Dorotea and company to make fun of. The barber from whom DQ had snatched the basin thinking it to be a helmet arrived and claimed it. He got arrested for freeing the prisoner at this point. But they left him for madness then the priest devised a plan to pack DQ in a wooden box and take him to the village to cure him. On the way, they met a canon who talked extensively about reading books, while resting a goatherd came and accounted for his story.

Part Two

Part two begins with a discussion about part 1 among a bachelor Sason Carrasso; with DQ and SP. DQ wanted to go for adventures again, though his housekeeper and niece were worrying, bachelor Carrasso promised something and let DQ and SP go.

At the start of the journey to Toboso, three common peasant girls were seen and were taken for princess intentionally by SP. DQ met a group of actors and fought with them. Meantime a knight (of wood) and his squire appeared and joined them. The knight of wood claimed he won all knight errant including DQ describing everything about DQ, DQ challenged him for his lie and they decided to fight. His squire tried to convince SP for a similar fight. It was revealed the knight of wood to be Bachelor Sanson Carasco and his squire; Tome Cecil. They intended to win DQ and bring him back home but failed and returned injured. 

A lion keeper arrived with a lion, DQ tried to fight the caged lion only saved by the beast because it didn't take an interest. Then DQ and SP went to become guests of one Don Miranda and his poet son Don Lorenzo. They spent time in the wedding house and when departing found a cave, DQ convinced them to tie him with rope and jumped down the cave and returned unconscious. He recounted the lengthy story that occurred in the cave as if it occurred for three days, whereas he had only spent half an hour in the cave. There appeared a master Pedro with a soothsaying monkey who praised DQ at length. They established a puppet show but DQ destroyed it and later paid the compensation.

As war erupted between two villages DQ fled. They saw a boat and captured it, nearly drowning, and had to fight with millmen. 

They were well received by the duke and duchess. Later a man named devil said he had come for DQ and brought Dulcinea of Toboso. The supposed lady asked SP to lash himself 3300 in order for her to be disenchanted which SP agreed sorrowfully. These all acts were planned and played by the people of the duke.

Dolorus came and talked about a horse, Clavileno. They made DQ & SP blindfolded and ride the horse. Bruised were both at the end of the adventure. SP got governorship (DQ delivered the thought to him) by the duke and gave some verdicts on cases. There were various judgments SP delivered but all of them to fake problems. Even a confrontation was faked on the insula, and SP with worries and woes thought to leave governorship. 

Battle was organized between DQ and Tosilos, not to marry the daughter of Rodriguez. Tosilos declared defeat and wish to marry the maiden.

DQ and SP returned with a cursing song by Altisiodora. 

While moving on, at an inn some don named Juan was reading the second part of DQ, they discussed. A fight erupted between SP and DQ for whipping SP. They stayed at the place of Roque, captain of bandits. Roque along with DQ-SP traveled to Barcelona. At don Antonio's place, a head spoke. The speaking head which was constructed by Antonio himself for entertainment answered questions. 

At one place Knight of the white moon (again Carasso) fought with DQ with the same motive. But he couldn’t be successful to take DQ back for the cure. 

DQ and SP returning from Barcelona met Tosilos and talked that he was not a footman but an enchanted. Later DQ saw a meadow and proposed SP to become shepherds leaving all the adventures for later. Meantime some horsemen arrived and took DQ and SP and asked to slap SP to revive dead Altisidora who was pretending dead as planned by the duke and duchess. Then DQ and SP thought to return village. They met Don Alvaro who said the DQ he met and whose history was mentioned in the second part of history was a different one.

They entered their own village. DQ met Carasso and the priest and told the plan of being a shepherd. At home, DQ made some last will and died.

It was a great pleasure to read this book. It is wonderfully crafted, the translation is so vivid and the effects on the reader are strong.