The wonderful word “quixotic” is used to describe someone who is idealistic to the point of being unrealistic or impractically so. Miguel de Cervantes gave us this word from the title character of his book who is given to unrealistic schemes and great chivalry. [1]
Don Quixote is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, the first on 16 January 1605, its full title is The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha.
A founding work of Western literature, it is often labelled as the first modern novel and one of the greatest works ever written. Its plot and dialogue distinguish it from earlier, less complex narratives and it is one of the most-translated books in the world.
A minor nobleman, Alonso Quixano, becomes so enamoured with tales of chivalry and knights that he decides to become one himself. He sets out on a series of adventures, accompanied by his squire, Sancho Panza, and adopts the name Don Quixote de la Mancha. Don Quixote is known for his bravery and his determination to right wrongs, but he is also prone to making mistakes and acting in ways that are ridiculous or foolish. Despite these flaws, he is a lovable and enduring character.
When first published, Don Quixote was often interpreted as a comic novel. In the 19th century, it was seen as social commentary, and by the 20th century it had become recognised as one of the foundations of literature. It has been translated into at least 50 languages and the story has been retold throughout the years in ballets, operas, plays, and the Broadway musical and 1972 movie, The Man of La Mancha.
When the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters asked writers around the globe what the greatest novel was, Don Quixote won by a landslide. An asteroid has been named Don Quixote, a supermarket chain in Japan has been named after him, the novel has created a tourist industry, and its influence has been incalculable – Hemingway, Goethe, Freud, Dostoyevsky, Fielding, Faulkner, Joyce, Kafka, Steinbeck, Melville, Flaubert, Smollett, Nabokov, Turgenev, Borges, Salinger, and the list goes on. The book has inspired artists, musicians, and countless authors.
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