Reader discussion: Don Quixote

Public reader discussion about Don Quixote in the WeRead Catalog by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.

Some Hispanic servant concepts

By Mystax

Quick takes on a bunch of these guys/people: - Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, aka El Cid Campeador. Honestly feels like one of the biggest Hispanic figures ever. Like if King Arthur or Charlemagne had swords like Tizona and Colada and a famous horse in the mix. - Don Pelayo de Asturias. Supposedly the mythical king tied to Asturias, and kind of treated as Spain’s first real monarch. - Santiago Matamoros. Saint James, the Moor-slayer thing. Patron saint of Spain and the one people say backed the Spanish side against the Moors at Clavijo. - Alonso Quijano / Don Quijote de la Mancha. In my head he’s the best “Grand Berserker” pick. Like, no question. - Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. The guy who wrote Don Quixote, and he fought at Lepanto too. Also got captured and was a slave in Algiers for almost five years and tried to escape a few times. - Aldonza Lorenzo de Valladares. Just a woman from the countryside in her 40s that Quixote totally misread as a princess. And Dulcinea feels like basically the opposite of the real Aldonza. - Diego García de Paredes y Torres, El Sansón de Extremadura. Brutal knight who supposedly won 300 duels undefeated. (And yeah, that’s like way more than Musashi—at least on paper.) - Sancho Panza. Quixote’s loyal squire. More like a solid supporter/sidekick, with some kind of boost for Quixote. - The bachelor Sansón Carrasco, El Caballero de la Blanca Luna. He beats Quixote as part of trying to get him to snap out of it. - Blas de Lezo y Olavarrieta, El Mediohombre. Basque commander, and he’s mostly remembered for embarrassing the British when they tried to take Cartagena de Indias with only six ships. - Francisco de Quevedo. Golden Age Spanish stuff, but also apparently he was a spy in Venice. - Diego Velázquez. One of the most important Spanish artists from the Baroque period.

Should I keep reading Don Quixote?

By harmony-candle3

I’m around 200 pages into the John Rutherford translation, and honestly it feels like nothing in the story really matters. It just keeps replaying moments that are basically there to show that Don Quixote is losing it, and I’m starting to get tired of that. It also feels like if I skipped ahead another 200 pages, I wouldn’t miss much, because nothing from earlier ever seems to come back or get referenced later. The only “real” conflict I’m seeing is him just being insane—unless I’m totally missing something. I don’t know if I can make myself read the remaining 700 pages if it doesn’t feel like it’s going to build to anything or mean anything.

[deleted by user]

By spring-copper1982

So basically /r/Classicliterature is for talking about and nerding out over classic books—like plays, poems, short stories, novels, all that. People can do analysis or criticism, but also history stuff about the work or the author, and even the social/political context around when it was written. Also there’s that related sub /r/lickerish, not sure how close they line up though.

Spanish flag with Don Quixote

By RainScene

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra died 400 years ago today, and it’s kind of wild to think about how much impact *Don Quixote* has had in literature. I also stumbled across this flag on Google Images a while back and thought it’d be fun to post it here! Some of my favorite quotes are: “Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.” “A tooth is much more to be prized than a diamond.”

What advice would you give a first time Don Quixote reader?

By windowOrange

I basically know nothing about this book, other than it’s Spanish and that he goes off the rails and starts bashing windmills. I’d honestly rather just jump in without knowing the plot or how it’s laid out. That said, I keep wondering: why windmills specifically? At the market I was like, maybe he sees them as a symbol for a life that just keeps going in circles and doesn’t really mean anything. How off am I? 😅

What Don Quixote Reveals About an Empire At Its Peak

By bardticket

I was really annoyed with how the article basically didn’t analyze the novel at all. It felt like it was just laying out a history of 16th-century Spain. I’m not a fan of these new historicist takes like this either—they don’t actually show you anything about the book itself. Don Quixote isn’t really about the decline of the Spanish empire. I’m reading it for the first time right now, and if anything, it seems like the novel has a lot more going on with people who end up fleeing to Europe from the “evil” Moorish lands. Like Zoraida—she leaves Islam for Christianity and ends up leaving her home country for Spain/France. This is honestly a pretty good example of why historicism just doesn’t work.

Don Quixote, waste of time or life changing?

By ivory-lynx67

I’m only about 400 pages in, but I already feel like I’m gonna be pretty wrecked by the time I’m done. And honestly, if people are saying it’s just some crazy guy being crazy, I doubt they really read it. I’m also curious what everyone thinks the biggest takeaway is, and what parts you’re still thinking about after all this. Like, what’s the stuff that sticks with you—favorite moments or stuff you didn’t like as much? And does anyone have an idea what Cervantes was even trying to do with it?

Trying to find an illustration of Don Quixote

By CloudBottle

I know this probably isn’t what this place is for, but the art sub rules were stressing me out, so I’m just gonna ask here. A little while ago I saw an illustration—pretty sure it was Don Quixote—sitting in a library, like imagining a knight charging at him with a lance. I’ve looked everywhere and I still can’t track it down. Does anyone know what it’s called, or if you’ve got the image? I’d really appreciate it. Thank you!

Don Quixote

By Coral_Brush5

Ok, I love classic lit—stuff like Moby-Dick, Huck Finn, War and Peace, Dickens, Steinbeck, Joyce, all that. But I’m really struggling with Don Quixote. I’m about at page 200 in Grossman’s 945-page translation. It’s definitely funny at times, but man… it moves so slowly. I understand what’s going on—he’s basically stuck in his chivalry mode and Sancho is trying to rein him in—but it feels like it’s just the same kind of encounter and then the same kind of awkward wrap-up again and again. Quick question: does it pick up after page 200? I don’t want to bail if there’s more substance ahead. And please no spoilers—just an honest take. I’m usually pretty stubborn about sticking with books, but lately I’ve been tempted to skip whole paragraphs or even pages just to keep the pace up.

Having just finished Don Quixote, I have some thoughts

By Ink_Teal1989

I grabbed this book because it’s been on my reading list forever, and I was honestly pretty excited to start the whole Ingenious Hidalgo thing. But once I got into it, two things stood out to me. First, I just can’t say enough about Sancho Panza—I love him. He’s honestly one of my favorite characters. Second, I felt like Part Two was way better and stronger than the first. I ended up enjoying it way more, and I’m not totally sure why, but after finishing I was like… yeah, Part Two really worked for me. Did anyone else feel the same way?

Just read Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. It was so dense, but what a ride!

By trail-pale

Last December I told myself I’d spend 2018 reading more classical stuff, and I kicked it off with *Don Quixote*. I ended up loving it way more than I expected. It’s genuinely funny and witty, and the social commentary is sharp. At the start I was basically side-eyeing all of his choices—he comes off like a total nutcase. But as it goes on, I started to buy into the whole illusion he’s built for himself. I also thought both of the main guys were super likable. Quixote’s way of seeing the world is wild and detached, but he’s also clearly smart and well read, and honestly he’s really dedicated to helping people, which feels pretty refreshing compared to a lot of today’s cynical, misery-for-everyone anti-heroes. That ending, though… it felt like a real gut punch, like he and Sancho had been through all that and then it just turned into a betrayal. If you’ve read it, what did you think and what were your favorite parts?

Currently reading Don Quixote and I can't get enough of his (mis)adventures.

By chillyhawk2001

I kept running into Don Quixote getting called “the guy who fought the windmills” way too often, and I never really felt like picking it up—until recently. A friend finally convinced me, and honestly it’s way better than I expected. I was nervous to read it because big books usually overwhelm me, and I don’t always stick with them. But this one somehow holds my attention nonstop. I’m still pretty early on, but it’s already funny in a way I didn’t expect at all. The humour feels like it’s ahead of its time, and I genuinely laughed hard enough to get stomach aches. And ever since Sancho was introduced, he just adds to Don Quixote’s whole ridiculous vibe. I’m curious how your reading experience was—does it stay good from here, or does it start getting worse? Also, quick question: why does Cervantes make Don Quixote seem like he’s a real person instead of clearly being fiction? Is it mostly to push the parody angle about those knight stories, or is there another reason? (Also, I’m reading the John Ormsby translation—should I stick with it, or does it matter?)

what are some classics that you have actually enjoyed reading?

By gladPlate43

Honestly, I had a genuinely great time reading it. I’m not even sure it’s perfect—there might be a couple plot holes and some parts feel like filler that go nowhere—but once I started, I couldn’t really stop. The whole reading experience was just that engaging.

What's exactly "shoegaze" to you? Please mention 3 songs to summarize your idea of what shoegaze is.

By VelvetBookworm

Mods, please don’t nuke this. I’m not trying to start a fight or break rules—I just really want to talk about something I care about. But a whole thread got deleted, and I’m kinda shocked how different people seem to think what shoegaze even is, especially younger folks. I’m not ancient (born in the mid 90s, “zillenial”), and this is literally the music I grew up with. It’s not like I’m “finding” it now from TikTok or Instagram like 30 years later. To me, mashing it with metal/grunge, doing basically 1–2 chords, mumbling through nonsense, and then acting like it’s a new or “better” thing (nugaze/doomgaze/grungegaze/etc) is just not it. Or calling something else by the same name—also feels wrong. I’m honestly a purist. Real shoegaze is the sound I know. So when I hear newer bands, I don’t get how they’re “improving” it and not just flattening it. I keep checking out newer acts and it’s mostly mediocre tracks with less skill. Like, that Drop Nineteens song actually takes some real guitarist chops—it even has a proper lead and a long solo at the end. Drop Nineteens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXHHqcNqllo&list=RDiXHHqcNqllo&start_radio=1 Lilys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYVMLnVJYrc&list=RDdYVMLnVJYrc&start_radio=1 Mercury Rev (with David Baker, c’mon—not Donahue): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztKNzjgshfY&list=RDztKNzjgshfY&start_radio=1

I read Don Quixote in 3 days and now my brain is fried-up.

By juniper_novel

This is definitely one of my new favourites. It was honestly incredible. I’m the kind of teenager who basically lives in fantasy and science fiction, and I still love those, but this book just felt really fresh. I kinda just want to talk about it for a bit and hear what you all think too. I picked it up because two YouTubers had really strong reviews: Pewdiepie and John Fish. The summary makes it sound like it’s super funny, and it is in a way, but it doesn’t come off as naturally hilarious—at least that’s how it felt to me with the translation. Still, none of that mattered. After I finished it, the humour felt kind of small compared to everything else, and I’m just kinda speechless. Okay, your turn.

Don Quixote by Cervantes

By redbird1988

I kept seeing people mention this book for ages, but what finally pushed me to grab it was that Franz Kafka passage, so I figured I’d better read it. I’m kind of annoyed I didn’t pick it up sooner. I thought an old book like that was going to feel like a slog, but the first paragraph hooked me right away and I actually had a good time reading. That opening is probably my favorite one I’ve come across so far, and the whole preface just felt like Cervantes was in a great mood or something. Throughout the book he somehow kept it interesting and really likable—I never once felt like I was just trudging through pages, I genuinely wanted to keep going. And the ending? Honestly, one of the most satisfying ones I can remember. No clue how he pulled it off, but I just feel better having read it. Anyway, if you’ve read it, I’d love to hear what you thought.

Don Quixote: does it get better, or am I perhaps missing something?

By Proud_Fox70

I just started *Don Quixote* for the first time after my local library recommended it as one of the funniest *and* saddest books ever, and I grabbed the John Ormsby translation from Project Gutenberg. I’m only around chapter XVII, and I’m genuinely not getting the joke. Like, I just got to the part where he kills seven sheep because he thinks he’s part of this huge war, and I can’t see how that’s supposed to be funny. Or any of the other moments where people get hurt (or worse) because he’s doing his thing. At this point, it mostly feels like Don is dealing with some serious mental stuff and has no sense of what’s real, and he’s causing a ton of harm—so I just don’t feel any humor in it at all. I know I’m not super steeped in “classics” yet. Most of what I’ve read is genre stuff—Stephen King, Douglas Adams, Lovecraft, and when I was younger basically a mountain of Star Wars and sci-fi. I’ve also been branching out recently, though, and I actually liked *Frankenstein*, loved how smart the monster came across (not the dumb pop-culture version), got through *Middlemarch* slowly but ended up thinking it might be the best-written thing I’ve read, enjoyed *Infinite Jest* but found it kind of hard to follow (planning to reread), and thought *Fahrenheit 451* was incredible. So I *expected* to love *Don Quixote*… and instead I’m sitting here confused and wondering what I’m missing. Does it get more consistently funny later on, or is it always basically tragic/bleak with flashes of comedy? And would switching translations help? I’d really like to enjoy it, but right now the idea of pushing through the remaining ~1400 pages sounds kind of brutal.

TIL the best selling single (non religious) book of all time is "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes, selling an estimated 500 million copies. It is also the oldest book on the list, being first published in 1605.

By VioletHeron15

It kind of makes sense since they’ve had like 400 years to sell it.

Cervantes makes Don Quixote a reflection of the reader himself...

By rhoding8

I’ve been rereading Don Quixote lately, and I keep wondering about something. Even though it’s supposed to be poking fun at chivalry, it feels like Cervantes has Don Quixote say a lot of things that actually make sense, and then he’s also pretty honorable and behaves like a real legendary knight. Meanwhile, the people who try to laugh at him in the story end up looking kind of foolish. By the time I got further in, it honestly felt like the author was getting more and more on Don Quixote’s side, to the point where you’re supposed to start seeing it his way instead of agreeing with the mockers. Does that track for you?

Just finished Don Quixote part 1

By Garden

Holy crap, this is hilarious. For something that’s about 400 years old, it absolutely hoses a good chunk of what people call comedy now. I’m also reading the John Rutherford translation, and it has some background on how chivalry novels were being viewed back then, plus a bit on Cervantes. It even points out where some of the legends and stories mentioned in the book come from, so I guess that stuff is probably important if you want to really get everything. But yeah—no matter what, it’s still really, really funny.