Skip to main content

What episodes in Don Quixote display bewilderment, dismay, hilarity, violence, or suspense? Why are those episodes interesting?

An apt episode from Don Quixote comes from Don Quixote's showdown with a windmill. The episode consists mostly of absurd violence: after all, Don Quixote's opponent (a windmill) is entirely unable to (1) take any damage, or (2) consciously fight him back. The image of Don Quixote fighting a windmill (and losing) is one of maximum absurdity.


One interesting idea this raises can be tied into the question of violence at large: is regular violence...

An apt episode from Don Quixote comes from Don Quixote's showdown with a windmill. The episode consists mostly of absurd violence: after all, Don Quixote's opponent (a windmill) is entirely unable to (1) take any damage, or (2) consciously fight him back. The image of Don Quixote fighting a windmill (and losing) is one of maximum absurdity.


One interesting idea this raises can be tied into the question of violence at large: is regular violence any different from what we see in this episode? More specifically, are all objects toward which one acts violently simply inane delusions, pointless and unconscious windmills? By painting Don Quixote's violence in such an absurd backdrop, Cervantes seems to be saying something about the pointlessness of violence as a whole.


Don Quixote's conclusion -- after losing to the windmill, he rationalizes his vision of giants and states that some evil force had, at the last minute, turned his imagined giants into windmills -- seems to answer a 'yes' to the question of whether Cervantes is working with a broader idea of violence here: are not all enemies at first seen as giants and only later realized to be harmless windmills?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Discuss movements that were inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and list one success for each group.

African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change... African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change for their agendas. Two examples of moveme...
Post a Comment
Read more

In Martel's Life of Pi, how does writing a diary help Pi Patel build on his leadership skills?

At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can... At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can do this by writing down events, problems and solutions, and reflections to look back on when confronted with repeated problems. It can ...
Post a Comment
Read more