Research Paper On Don Quixote

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra’s Don Quixote is, perhaps, the most famous example of the literary genre called the picaresque novel. A picaresque novel is named for a “pícaro”, which is a Spanish term for someone we might describe today as a mischief-maker (Wheeler). This type of novel is a serialized tale describing the progress of the “pícaro”. Besides being mischievous, traditionally the “pícaro” is someone who was born into a poor and humble social class who then struggles to live in a society that is indifferent to his plight (Mancing).
In exploring the background of the picaresque novel, Atiqa El Alami describes this type of novel as being born at a time “when there was great surface wealth, but underneath poverty and starvation, at a time when romances were popular” (El Alami). The picaresque novel gained popularity because it represented an atypical counterpoint to the traditional storylines in which the
For the reader in the 1600’s as well as to the members of the Inquisition, Don Quixote’s adventures, taken at face-value, are comedic and were played up for a laugh. He is just a foolish old man acting in an irrational manner. However, Cervantes knew, just as we do, that the type of heroism displayed by Quixote is actually serious business and is a benchmark of the common man. Just like the average man with little or no influence over society, Don Quixote wanted to be taken seriously, but people mocked him or, at best, doubted him. Readers saw Don Quixote as a charming, though imperfect character. The laughter does not stem from ridicule, but instead from compassion and empathy. It is because of this that Don Quixote is viewed as a knight with stubborn determination who struggles against all odds; a hero who is unyielding in his honorable