The first novel and a new kind of hero
Cervantes is given a lot of credit for creating a modern hero in Alonso/Quixote. The book is often credited with shaping the fiction world in numerous ways. For this project, I wanted to explore how Don Quixote changed the written landscape of the world, as well as how the knight errant still influences culture today.
Is Alonso/Quixote the model for other heroes in fiction?
Outside of the academic, literary world, I am not sure many people are familiar with Don Quixote and are even less familiar with the lasting impact of the book on some of their favorite modern stories. By looking at how Don Quixote came to be, and then comparing it to modern hero stories, I hope to connect readers to the past and encourage them to look deeper into their own favorite books. There are echoes of Cervantes in almost everything we read.
Is Alonso/Quixote the model for other heroes in fiction?
Outside of the academic, literary world, I am not sure many people are familiar with Don Quixote and are even less familiar with the lasting impact of the book on some of their favorite modern stories. By looking at how Don Quixote came to be, and then comparing it to modern hero stories, I hope to connect readers to the past and encourage them to look deeper into their own favorite books. There are echoes of Cervantes in almost everything we read.
Strengths & Limitations of Study
Strengths:
There is a lot of information about Cervantes and Don Quixote, as well as numerous articles on his impact on storytelling and even a pretty clear description of the early book cycle. Because it is a well-known book academically, it feels familiar, and there are plenty of sources to draw from.
Limitations:
Most of the academic research I have found acknowledges Cervantes role in shaping modern literature and Alonso/Quixote’s role in the greater cannon of literature. The jump to comparing Quixote to more current heroes and books has taken more personal opinion and leaps than are traditionally acceptable in an academic setting.
There has always been something about Alonso Quixano, his madness, and his magic that speaks to this world and the darkness within it.
I chose Don Quixote for this project because beyond the story, there is so much to the history of the book and story that it felt like a natural book to explore.
There is a lot of information about Cervantes and Don Quixote, as well as numerous articles on his impact on storytelling and even a pretty clear description of the early book cycle. Because it is a well-known book academically, it feels familiar, and there are plenty of sources to draw from.
Limitations:
Most of the academic research I have found acknowledges Cervantes role in shaping modern literature and Alonso/Quixote’s role in the greater cannon of literature. The jump to comparing Quixote to more current heroes and books has taken more personal opinion and leaps than are traditionally acceptable in an academic setting.
There has always been something about Alonso Quixano, his madness, and his magic that speaks to this world and the darkness within it.
I chose Don Quixote for this project because beyond the story, there is so much to the history of the book and story that it felt like a natural book to explore.