Don Quixote Update

A Challenge - Read 'Don Quixote' in Spanish

"This greatest of all literary works to come out of Spain, written by Miguel de Cervantes some 400 years ago, is a challenge to read even in English translation because of its sheer size. Reading it in its original language will definitely tax your abilities. But assuming you've advanced far enough in your studies to tackle it, you will be richly rewarded".

"The story of that maddened gentleman, the would-be knight Don Quixote, and his hapless "squire" Sancho Panza, brims with humor and rollicking adventure. It is the original buddy story and road trip tale rolled into one".

"Reading Don Quixote in Spanish will impress you with the full magnificence of the original language. You will have to navigate through some archaisms -- words and sentence constructions that you won't encounter in modern Spanish -- but they are not so many as to constitute a barrier to enjoying the book".

"The complete text is available on the Web; just do a search on "Don Quixote in Spanish." Project Gutenberg has it in plain text format. The site issuu.com has an online version that is formatted more like an actual book. Fusion-ebook.com offers a free bilingual edition (English and Spanish side-by-side). At cervantesvirtual.com you can hear an audio rendition of the book".

Read more
 

Meanderer said:
@oldiebutgoody Very ambitious project! What is your background or interest in the Spanish language?
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Was born in Puerto Rico and Spanish was my original language though I've now almost entirely forgotten it. Do understand much when it's spoken but cannot articulate or write it well at all.

Yet, somehow, I almost feel as if I'd like to try reading it in Castillian once again. Mebbe if I could get an illustrated volume in Spanish with large print - that would be cool.
 
Meanderer said:
"Reading Don Quixote in Spanish will impress you with the full magnificence of the original language. You will have to navigate through some archaisms -- words and sentence constructions that you won't encounter in modern Spanish -- but they are not so many as to constitute a barrier to enjoying the book".
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Fascinating quote.

This reminds me of the time I read Lorca's Death At Five In the Afternoon:



Cogida and death, also known by the title: At five in the afternoon, which I present below, is the first poem by Federico García Lorca for Ignacio Sánchez Mejías; in it the rhythmic and obsessively repeated verse “at five in the Afternoon” describes the desperation of the tragedy that takes place at five in the Afternoon, during the bullfight in which the torero and poet is killed by the bull, and transmits the pain for the death of the ‘friend, a pain consumed in the blood and dust of an arena.


F. GARCÍA LORCA poetry AT FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON English TEXT (yeyebook.com)



Outstanding poem. However, in English the refrain "at five in the afternoon" sounds repetitious and even sounds silly. The words "I shall not see it" sound almost laughable. But in Spanish the words "a la cinco de la tarde" when repeated sound powerful. The words "no lo quiero ver" when recited and repeatedly emotionally by a professional actor can make you cry. An incredible difference.
 

Fascinating quote.
oldiebutgoody said:
This reminds me of the time I read Lorca's Death At Five In the Afternoon:



Cogida and death, also known by the title: At five in the afternoon, which I present below, is the first poem by Federico García Lorca for Ignacio Sánchez Mejías; in it the rhythmic and obsessively repeated verse “at five in the Afternoon” describes the desperation of the tragedy that takes place at five in the Afternoon, during the bullfight in which the torero and poet is killed by the bull, and transmits the pain for the death of the ‘friend, a pain consumed in the blood and dust of an arena.


F. GARCÍA LORCA poetry AT FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON English TEXT (yeyebook.com)



Outstanding poem. However, in English the refrain "at five in the afternoon" sounds repetitious and even sounds silly. The words "I shall not see it" sound almost laughable. But in Spanish the words "a la cinco de la tarde" when repeated sound powerful. The words "no lo quiero ver" when recited and repeatedly emotionally by a professional actor can make you cry. An incredible difference.
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Thanks for the link. I enjoyed reading the poem "Five in the Afternoon"! Some years back we had friends who lived in Spain for awhile. They had a large picture of a bull fighter in the ring, painted in bull's blood, hanging on the wall! It was magnificent!
 
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oldiebutgoody said:
Was born in Puerto Rico and Spanish was my original language though I've now almost entirely forgotten it. Do understand much when it's spoken but cannot articulate or write it well at all.

Yet, somehow, I almost feel as if I'd like to try reading it in Castillian once again. Mebbe if I could get an illustrated volume in Spanish with large print - that would be cool.
Click to expand...
You make me feel marginally better about not remembering more from my 4 yrs of French, and the bits of other languages i've picked up when around them a lot. Like you i understand more, both spoken and written, then i can formulate thoughts in the other languages. Tho there is a short, poignant Montaigne poem that always comes to me in the French. Weird.

But for both of us it probably comes down to losing a lot of it because we haven't used as much in more recent years.
 
Don Quixote in English Language Translation
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"It’s hard to say exactly how many English language translations of Don Quixote have been written. The reason is that there have been a small number of quasi-translations: effectively translations of translations. But, in general, there are 13 of what I think of as real. The very first, by Thomas Shelton, was published just seven years after the original Spanish language edition. And the most recent, by Gerald J Davis, was published just a few years ago in 2012. What’s remarkable about them is just how different they are. In many ways, my obsession with Don Quixote has taught me more about the art of translation than about the book itself".

What Is Don Quixote?​

"It’s sad that we refer to Don Quixote as a novel. It isn’t. It is two novels. The first one, Part I, was published in 1605. There is no indication that Miguel de Cervantes had intended it to be anything but a single novel. It’s just that the novel was an instant success. You can see that in the quickness that it was translated into English in 1612, followed closely by French, Italian, and German versions. Cervantes — or at least his creation — became a star “over night.”
(Read More)
 

A Psychological Assessment of Don Quixote​

Wendy Brunt
"Writer’s comment: After I did poorly on my first paper for Comp Lit 2, Dr. Earnshaw helped me realize why my paper wasn't top rate. All of my wonderful observations and thrilling conclusions had already been reached and written about by thousands of people before me. My paper lacked the insight that originality and creativity can yield. I finally discovered that I need a topic that interests me in order to write well. Since psychology is my major, it seemed natural to psychoanalyze the character of Don Quixote. What was supposed to be a 2-3 page essay rapidly blossomed into a five page account that only outlines some of my thoughts on the subject. I enjoyed writing this unconventional paper and would like to thank all of my past English teachers who have given me faith in my writing abilities".
—Wendy Brunt
"Instructor’s comment: Under the influence, perhaps, of Renaissance exuberance, I suggested nine topics for my Comparative Literature 2 essay on Hamlet and/or Don Quixote. Wendy’s dialogue addresses two questions partially: Compare the madness of Hamlet and Quixote, and Is Quixote a Christian martyr, a dangerous revolutionary, an alienated modern man? In her astute analysis of the Quixotic character, she shows a thorough knowledge of the text, to the extent of creating her own “frame story” of discovering her manuscript, and a sympathy for the man who values liberty and goodness in his mistaken efforts to right wrongs. What shines, through, however, is the reality of the search for meaning that is part of everyone’s life; in that effort Quixote and the student at UC Davis are one".
—Doris Earnshaw, Comparative Literature

"Readers of Cervantes’ Don Quixote come away wanting one question answered: Is Don Quixote sane? The following is a detailed account of Quixote’s visit with a psychiatrist upon his return to his village. This incident was apparently not recorded in the original novel for fear that Quixote’s reputation might be tarnished. Documentation of his visit was recently recovered by researchers who discovered the incident in a psychiatrist’s manuscript. The practitioner was evidently very interested in the meeting as he transcribed the conversation word for word. The recovery of this important information reveals some shocking revelations about Quixote’s state of mind. The psychiatrist’s analysis of Don Quixote’s personality allows the reader to understand the rationale behind his behaviors. Quixote’s hallucinations, megalomania, paranoia and evident mid-life crisis are analyzed to determine his sanity".

Psychiatrist: Welcome, Mr. Quixote. Please be seated.

Quixote: My title is Don Quixote de la Mancha, but you may call me Don Quixote.

Psychiatrist: Very well, Mr. Quixote. Now tell me, what is it that brings you here?
(Continue)
 

Ballet West: The crazy love of 'Don Quixote'​

Profile • Choreographer Anna-Marie Holmes brought the classic Russian steps of "Don Quixote" to Utah — here's how she did it.
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"The valiant and eccentric Don Quixote and his comic sidekick-squire, Sancho Panza, lead the well-known cast of characters from Cervantes' novel — Lorenzo, Gamache, Kitri and Basilio — through the classic ballet love story. The father (Lorenzo) chooses a wealthy suitor for his daughter (Kitri) to marry, but she is in love with the poor, handsome town barber (Basilio). The high-speed romp includes jousting with windmills and ends with the knight errant continuing on his deluded yet romantic quest for the elusive Dulcinea". (READ MORE)
 
Don Quixote embraces the eBook


"The great Don Quixote sits astride his charger, Rocinante, and has obviously stopped reading from those tasteless books printed on paper and bound in leather. Note that he appears to have switched to the eBook reader, Kindle, or such. No man should be seen living in the past, so he proudly, emphatically embraces the newest technology; the better to explore and discover the vast reaches of the world around him without lugging books...or weighing down his magnificent steed, or even life itself. Heavens no. Quixote is clearly shown here comparing the heavy tome under one arm with the devilish splendor of the much smaller, and smarter electronic device. What his trusted squire, Sancho Panza, may think we cannot tell from the statue."


This life-size statue of Quixote stands in the center of the lobby of the SunTrust Financial Centre building in Tampa's downtown.
 
Don Quixote in the 20th Century (ca. 1905) (scroll down in link)

"The series of postcards closely follows the adventures of Cervantes’ Quixote, beginning with the gentleman reading too many books of chivalry in his study and proceeding through his many adventures to his death. In fact, the series takes part in a long tradition of illustrating the exploits of the hapless knight — see our essay “Picturing Don Quixote” by Rachel Schmidt for more on the book's iconography through the centuries."

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