Satire in Don Quijote Essay Example

Don Quijote was a tall, skinny "wanna-be" who found himself morally obligated to involve himself in other people's business for the sole purpose of acting as a proper knight errant would. Although he believes that his "battles" help solve situations (though the results is usually the opposite), what it comes down to is that he wants to be famous, to be in love with his woman, to be accomplished, recognized, and adored. Therefore, Don Quijote's motives are self-serving, and not "by-the-book" as a knight errant should be. "As much for the sake of his own greater honor as for his duty to the nation, he decided to turn himself into a knight errant..." (p. 15) The thing was, this was how knights generally were - a selfish man looking for trouble to fix so people will respect him and give him things, and women will sleep with him. The reader sympathizes with Don Quijote, though, because his insanity prevents him from seeing his reality as fake and inappropriate to actual societal needs. In chapter eight, we find our "wanna-be" hero attempting to beat up windmills, or so the reader is led to think. But what if it was all a ploy? He may have really believed that these windmills were giants and wanted to attack them, but purpose had he for doing so? They did not speak to him or threaten him, until Don Quijote started in with them. "Flee not, oh cowards and dastardly creatures, for he who attacks you is a knight alone and unaccompanied." (p.44) It was after Don Quijote's threatening words that the windmill's arms began to move in the wind. What proper knight errant would beat up someone, claim the victory, and then of course, claim its spoils? I guess that's just it - knights did that. But how do we know our "hero" wasn't just pretending to be crazy to get away with this? In chapter sixteen, Don Quijote and his sidekick, Sancho, arrive at an inn, all beat up from their battles, and from falling down a lot. The hero thinks the inn is a castle, and deems that