Don Quixote was publicised 400 years ago in 1605 
Spain.nu 2006

The Spanish people are celebrating the 400th anniversary of the birth of the fictional figure, Don Quixote, with the enthusiasm that we celebrate Shakespeare. In Spain, though, the interest is not in the author but the main figure in the novel.

Cervantes literary masterpiece The Errant Knight Don Quixote de la Mancha from 1605 is often mentioned as the first modern novel even though Cervantes called it a story. The novel was published in two parts. One in 1605 and the last one in 1615.

A short resumee.
The novel Don Quixote is about a poor Spanish member of the aristocracy who is reading so many books about knights that he goes insane. The evil and lack of academic awareness is getting to him and he decides to travel out in the big wide world as a travelling knight helping the weak and  poor and to right all wrongs in the way of a valiant knight.  Together with his squire - Sancho Panza - one of the peasants in the village he rides out on his adventure.

This poor member of the Spanish  aristocary,   Don Quixote de La Mancha has read too many books about knights and he has got the urge to do his own acts of valour. He is definitely not a knight and he only just qualifies as a member of the aristocracy. Don Quixote is being knighted by an inn keeper who  believes him to be "lord of the castle". He decides to worship the marvellous Dulzinea del Toboso who was an ordinary country girl whom he considered to be a desirable maiden. Don Quixote - in his fantasy world - fights windmills which he believed to be giants, castles which were actually inns and he believed that sheep in the fields were whole armies.

In the second volume of the novel,  Don Quixote is going out on new adventures together with Sancho who is getting more and more captured by the mad ideas of Don Quixote. Something has changed though because their previous adventures are published in a book and a Duke and Duchess whom they meet on their way now know of the strange madness of Don Quixote. They are playing the knight and his squire and soon they have transformed the reality to a theatre that are following the visions of Don Quixote and Sancho.

Don Quixote is knighted by an innkeeper

In 1605 Miguel Cervantes (Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra) published the book about "Don Quixote de la Mancha", it is being celebrated in Spain throughout 2005

Exerpts from the book
»It is all in the hands of God« said Sancho. »I believe everything your Lordship says, but sit up straight now, because it looks as if you are dropping off the horse and that must be because of the pain of the fall.«

»That is true enough« answered don Quixote, »and if I am not crying out in pain then it is because knights are not meant to complain even if their innards are falling out .«

»If that is the case than I have no objections « answered Sancho » but by God I would be pleased if your Honour would be good enough to winge if something hurts. About myself I can say, that I intend to complain even about the slightest pain I encounter unless it also is expected that the same is true for the riding Knights' squires not to complain.«
 
Don Quixote could not help laughing at the naivity of his squire and therefore gave him permission to complain when and how he wished and whether he felt like it or not because until now he had read nothing about anything that hindered that within The Order of the Knights. Then Sancho said to him that it was time to consider that it was dinner time.
Author: Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616)

Follow in the footsteps of Don Quixote
It is possible to follow Don Quixote's footsteps of the journey  "Ruta del Quijote" in the Spanish province Castilla la Manche and experience some of the areas described in the book.

Read more
Official homepage
Tourist information from Castilla la Mancha with
Beautiful pictures from the journey of Don Quixote  (Spanish)