Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Published in two parts (1605 and 1615), Don Quixote is widely hailed as the first modern novel and a cornerstone of Western literature. It follows the delusional yet noble Alonso Quixano, a gentleman who renames himself Don Quixote and sets out as a knight-errant to revive chivalry. His misadventures—tilting at windmills he believes are giants, mistaking inns for castles—blend satire, tragedy, and comedy. Yet beneath the humor lies deep humanity: Quixote’s idealism challenges a cynical world, making him both absurd and heroic. Cervantes revolutionized narrative by blurring fiction and reality, using metafictional techniques centuries ahead of their time. The novel critiques romantic literature while exploring madness, perception, and the search for meaning. Its influence spans genres and eras, inspiring countless adaptations and philosophical reflections. More than a parody, Don Quixote is a meditation on dreams versus reality, urging readers to question what is truly “mad”—to believe in ideals or to accept the world as it is. Its enduring relevance proves that literature can be both wildly entertaining and profoundly wise.
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