Reading and Thinking: Miguel de Cervantes' 'Don Quixote' — The First Modern Novel! — V. N. Giritaran

The first modern novel, considered a cornerstone of modern literary fiction, is the famous Spanish novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, written in the 17th century. The novel, consisting of two parts, has been translated into Tamil under the title Daan Kuyiksaat and published by Nattrinai Publications. The novel was beautifully translated by Professor Siva Murugesan.
 

Don Quixote is one of the most fascinating and unforgettable protagonists in literary history. The novel narrates his adventurous journey.

The story goes like this: Don Quixote is an avid reader, especially of chivalric tales filled with heroic deeds and daring adventures. Due to his obsession with these stories, he begins to imagine himself as a knight-errant, believing it is his mission to save the world. Blurring the line between fantasy and reality, he perceives his imaginary world as the real one.

One day, he dons an old suit of armor from his house, grabs a lance, and mounts his frail, aged horse to embark on a quest to protect the world. The first place he encounters is an inn, but in his mind, he sees it as a grand castle. He decides to stay there. The people at the inn find his strange appearance amusing and assume he is a madman.

The innkeeper, wanting to get rid of him, "knights" Don Quixote in a mock ceremony to satisfy his delusions. Pleased with his new title, Don Quixote returns home.

On the way back, he mistakes a group of merchants for an army of knights and attacks them. The merchants beat him up and leave him lying on the road. A villager finds him and carries him home.

Convinced that Don Quixote's erratic behavior stems from his obsession with chivalric books, his family and a local priest burn all his adventure novels to "cure" him.

Once recovered, Don Quixote decides to resume his quest. He persuades his neighbor, Sancho Panza, to join him by promising to make him the governor of an island they would "conquer" from their enemies. Don Quixote rides his horse, while Sancho follows on his donkey.

In one famous episode, Don Quixote mistakes a windmill for a fearsome giant and charges at it with his lance, only to be knocked down by its rotating blades.

The novel is filled with such delightful and whimsical incidents. Cervantes masterfully describes each event, the surrounding atmosphere, and the emotions of the characters. Even without reading the entire novel, encountering these moments gives readers a sense of joy and wonder.

Despite living in his imaginary world, Don Quixote is also deeply in love with a woman he has never met, believing her to be the lady of his heart.

At the novel's conclusion, Don Quixote finally regains his sanity. Facing death, he seeks forgiveness from a priest for his past, instructs Sancho to keep the money he had promised him, and bequeaths his property to his niece — with one condition. If she wishes to marry, she must never wed a man who reads chivalric romances.

The novel’s impact inspired numerous works of fiction. When I read Voltaire's Candide, published in the 18th century, I was reminded of Don Quixote.

Considered the first modern novel in world literature, Don Quixote has retained its place in global literary history to this day. It continues to be published in various languages year after year.

In a way, this novel is a timeless classic. It highlights the profound influence of imaginative writing on human emotions. Without hesitation, I can say it remains one of my favorite novels.