A madman shining with the brilliance of human nature: a brief comment on Don Quixote

abstract

A country gentleman who was fascinated by knight stories, named Don Quixote of Mancha, came back with his servant-actually his peasant neighbor-Sancho in inappropriate armor and paper helmet. He acted like a knight errant in the country, but helped many people in the meantime, which led to a series of funny things. After three expeditions, Don Quixote finally realized that his enemies and lovers were fictitious, and finally made a will and died peacefully.

signature analysis

Don Quixote is a madman. This point is constantly emphasized in the book. He thinks the windmill is a giant. Despite Sancho's repeated reminders, he chose to ignore it and thrust his spear at the spinning windmill. As a result, the spear broke into three pieces, and he fell off his horse, black and blue. He regards the inn as a castle and prostitutes as ladies. On the eve of the title, he grasped the spear and carefully cared for the armor. He is carrying out his glorious mission, and he is proud of it, but in the eyes of others, he is just a madman and a deranged patient.

Although Don Quixote is crazy and absurd, he is still honest and kind at heart. Every funny incident happened because Don Quixote saw what he thought was "injustice". But because he abides by the so-called "chivalry", every time he is brave, he becomes a joke. He tried to help Andres, a beaten child worker, and make the farmers who abused Andres pay back in full. However, he did not stay until Andres left safely, so Andres was whipped more viciously and almost died. No one regards him as a hero, and his servants and friends hope that he will not go out to make trouble again.

How sad this is. Don Quixote just sticks to his own truth and what he thinks is right, but in the eyes of others, he is just a joke. He indulged in his own fantasy, and what he did was ridiculous. What he is proud of is nothing but the talk of others after dinner.

Sancho, a follower of Don Quixote, is a hedonist who is satisfied with reality.

In Don Quixote's simulation novels, when he misses his lover and the plot of Dulcinea in Toboso, Sancho is just full and sleepy; When Don Quixote was intoxicated by the shepherd's song, Sancho was sleepy and wanted to sleep. Sancho followed Don Quixote only to be an island governor (actually a small village). He is illiterate and a little selfish, but when he became governor, he managed the village in an orderly way and won the love of the people. He and Don Quixote are complementary. When Don Quixote is crazy, he is responsible for helping him understand the reality (although Don Quixote never listens); When he has bad ideas, Don Quixote will enlighten him with his tenacity, nobility and wisdom. They are both masters, servants and friends.

The satirical experience of these two people, like a small mirror, reflects the Spanish Empire at that time. After a short period of strong lag, the society gradually declined and the chivalrous spirit became vulgar. And the rulers are still blindly optimistic. The kingship colluded with the power of the church, like a messy wool, wrapping innocent people in it. The darkness of society and the struggle of the people are presented to us bit by bit through their interesting and ridiculous experiences.

Don Quixote finally recognized the reality and died, perhaps because of the author's beautiful expectations for the Spanish Empire, hoping that people would wake up from the declining chivalry, that the rulers would be free from illusion, and that the people would no longer be oppressed. The death of Don Quixote is a condemnation of chivalry and a joy of humanism. However, his failure to resist feudal class rule seems to be a tragic ending.

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