Don Quixote Chapters 19-27

One scene that really seemed important was in Chapter 20, “I do not deny,” replied Don Quixote, “that what has happened to us is worth laughing at; but it is not worth telling, because not all people are intelligent enough to see things in the right perspective” (164). It is ironic that Don Quixote would say this because it seems he is on to something when he says that people are not intelligent enough to see things in the right perspective. This goes along with the theme that Don Quixote may not be able to distinguish fact from fiction, but maybe the way he sees the world is the right view. Maybe there is some truth behind what he says and he is actually the intelligent one. Don Quixote’s perceived madness could actually be revolutionary.

Another important scene was in Chapter 25, “At least, Sancho, I want you, because it is essential – what I mean to say is that I want you to see me naked, performing a dozen or two dozen mad deeds, which will only take me half an hour, so that having seen them with your own eyes you can safely swear to any others…” (218). Here Don Quixote has “gone mad” because of his love for Dulcinea. He is imitating Cardenio and how was pushed into madness. Don Quixote admits that he has gone mad, but it was not until now that he has realized this. He has been separated from her for so long that he questions her fidelity, pushing him over the edge. Again, Sancho knows her to be a peasant, but Don Quixote says she is a princess and what the knight says always goes.

Don Quijote Chapters 10-18

In chapter XV, Don Quijote and Sancho lose in a battle against a group of men from Yanguas, after Rocinante wanders off into the group of mares and tried to mate with them. While Sancho was lying on the ground he told Don Quijote that, “I’d like a couple swigs of that Fairy Brass’s drink, if you’ve got some handy. Maybe it’s good for broken bones as well as for sore wounds” (117). This statement by Sancho goes along with the notion that the world needs fiction to survive. Sancho is the one who usually sees the truth and tells Don Quijote what is actully there as opposed to what he is perceiving. Don Quijote believes that it was all his fault that they landed in that bad fortune, “I should not have drawn my sword against men who were not knights, as I am; and so I believe that, as a penalty for having broken the laws of chivalry, the god of battles has allowed me to be punished in this way.” Don Quijote’s halluciantions of living in a chivalrous world are shown here. He believes that he must follow the ethics of a knight or else bad things will come his way.

In chapter XVIII, Sancho calls Don Quijote for the things he is imagining, “Come back, come back, Don Quijote sir, I swear to God they’re sheep you’re charging! Com back! By the bones of my poor old father! What madness is this? Look, there aren’t any giants or knights…What ae you doing?” (142). In this scene Sancho tell Don Quijote that he is acting mad, but Don Quijote continiues to charge. He has two teeth knocked out by the sheperds. Sancho tells him that, “You’d have done better as a preacher, than as a knight errant.” Don Quijote puts his faith back in God at this point since he is “engaged in his service.” Even when Sancho tries to tell the truth to Don Quijote he still fails to see it and continues to pursue his adventures as a “knight” from one of his books.

Don Quixote Chapters 1-9

For this post, I'd like you to pick two scenes in which you see Don Quixote as a radical character within the novel thus far. What do you find radical about Don Quixote? Why? What do you think the text states about him as a character?


Thus far in the novel there are several instances that show Don Quixote to be a radical character. He reads far too many books on chivalry and now fails to see the world as it really is. An example of Don Quixote being radical is during his first fight in chapter 3. He notices in this chapter that he has not been properly dubbed a knight and since he was staying at the inn he requests that the innkeeper dubs him as one. The innkeeper notices that Don Quixote has gone mad so he honors his request, but first tries to cheat him for his money. Don Quixote does not carry any so he is commanded to start carrying some in the future. He was also told to keep his arms outside. Don Quixote’s first fight is ignited when guests from the inn remove his armor from the well to fetch water for their animals. He knocked one guest unconscious and smashed the skull of another. This extreme or radical act occurred because of Don Quixote’s failure to distinguish reality from the hallucinations of chivalrous situations.

Another example of Don Quixote acting very radically was in chapter 4 when a farmer was lashing a young boy. This farmer appeared to be a knight to Don Quixote, even though the boy tried to explain to him that “he isn’t a knight at all, and he’s never been admitted into any order of chivalry – he’s just Juan Haldudo, the rich farmer from Quintanar” (Cervantes, 43). Don Quixote has this illusion that Juan is indeed a knight and accepts his oath that he will not continue to whip this young servant child. Of course, Juan continues to whip the child. Don Quixote knows the importance of promises and oaths in knighthood, but unfortunately his hallucinations made him see something that was not really the truth, thus causing the boy even more pain. Don Quixote’s failure to see reality really just causes more harm for people than good.

Dante's Inferno (Canti 28-34)

There were several themes throughout this allegory, one of them being that you will receive the same punishment (or reward) after you die based on how you lived life on earth. The deeper Dante and Virgil went into hell, the worse the punishments became. In Canto XXXII, lines 1-6, “If I had rhymes both rough and stridulous, as were appropriate to the dismal hole down upon which thrust all the other rocks, I would press out the juice of my conception more fully; but because I have them not, not without fear I bring myself to speak,” Dante speaks about how horrifying it is to be that deep in hell that he cannot even find the words to describe it. It was becoming harder and harder to express the harshness of this dreadful place. At this point of the journey Dante and Virgil are in this first circle of the ninth ring of hell where the traitors lie frozen in ice. Traitors are the worst offenders to God, thus receiving the worst eternal conditions and punishment. The worse a person lives their life on earth, the more dreadful their afterlife will be. It is ironic that the very pit of hell is ice, not fire like everyone imagines. The ice symbolizes the hardening of hearts, perhaps. Fraud is the ultimate betrayal of life and love, so the ice represents the hardened hearts.

The last lines in Canto XXXIV really sum up the story and show how Dante’s life changed for the better, “The Guide and I into that hidden road now entered, to return to the bright world; and without care of having any rest, We mounted up, he first and I second…Some of those beauteous things which Heaven doth bear; thence we came forth to rebehold the stars” lines 133-139. Dante survived his long, eye-opening journey through hell and is now going to climb away from sin on earth. He is looking towards the stars, towards God and Beatrice. Love is the only thing that can get him there.

Dante's Inferno Canti 21-27

We have a reference (Canto 21, vv. 110-112) to the fact that Dante is following in Christ's path when he had his own descent into hell. What do you make of the fact that Dante puts himself here in the place where Christ once walked? (Don't forget that this journey takes place over Easter weekend, with the descent into Hell occurring on Good Friday). What can we tease out from all this?

In Canto 21, 110-114, “Pursue your way along upon this rock; near is another crag that yields a path. Yesterday, five hours later than this hour, one thousand and two hundred sixty-six years were complete, that here the way was broken,” it talks about how there was an earthquake in hell at the time of Jesus’ death and clues the reader to the time that Dante’s journey is occurring. The fact that Dante puts himself in the place where Jesus once walked may suggest that he equates himself to Jesus. Christ descended into hell on Good Friday before he was resurrected on Easter Sunday. Dante’s pilgrimage is following the same timeline. This can foreshadow the fact that Dante will rise from his journey on Easter Sunday, as well. This is supposed to be a learning experience for Dante. In the beginning he is very sympathetic towards all of these souls, but as he continues on it is clear that the sinners created their own destiny. The grafter from Navarre appeared in Canto XXII, “I in the Kingdom of Navarre was born; My mother placed me servant to a lord” (48-49). Here Navarre still will not accept his fate and it is clear he is the same person he was on earth. Dante is supposed to be growing and learning from this experience and must learn that he is in control of his own fate. It is not too late to change. Navarre decided to stay the same person and though he manages to deceive the demons to avoid his punishment from them, he cannot avoid the worst punishment of them all, eternity in hell. Good always overcomes evil. Dante wants to continue without the demons, “Pray let us go,” I said, “without an escort, If thou knowest how, since for myself I ask none” (XXI, 28-29). The demons were there to protect Dante, even though he was afraid them. Temptation will always be there. The real test comes down to who can overcome it. Jesus overcame evil and Dante can, too if he continues to follow in Jesus’ path.

Dante's Inferno Canti 14-20

The description of the Old Man of Crete in Canto 14. How do you "read" this Old Man? You might use the note on pp. 555 - 7 of the Durling edition as a source of inspiration.

There are a few ways to interpret the Old Man in Canto 14. “His head is fashioned of refined gold, and of pure silver are the arms and breast; Then he is brass as far down as the fork. From that point downward all is chosen iron” (14, 106-109). The first interpretation comes from the Book of Daniel in the Bible. There were four beasts mentioned in this book. The lion had a golden head, the bear had arms of silver, the leopard had a “belly and thighs of brass,” and the four headed beast had iron legs, all like this Old Man. These four metals represent the fours ages in history: the Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. The golden head could stand for Babylon, the “holy city.” The legs of iron on the beast in Daniel and on the Old Man signify the Roman Empire, which was strong. Just like Babylon and the Roman Empire were strong, they both crumbled at one point, just like this Old Man is doing.
Although, it seems as if there is no hope with mankind declining, but the statue “…looks at Rome as if it were his mirror” (14, 105). Rome is in the west so there is hope for change and to be rebuilt just like Rome and Babylon.

Dante's Inferno (Day 2)

A quote that seemed to stand out was, “A little after that I saw such havoc/ Made of him by the people of the mire, That still I praise and thank my God for it. They were all shouting, “At Philippo Argenti!” And that exasperate spirit Florentine…We left him there, and more of him I tell not” (VIII, 58-64). During this scene is the first time we do not see any pity coming from Dante, which was a reoccurring characteristic that came from him. The little that is known of Argenti is that Dante has hatred towards him because of some disagreement they had while on the streets in Florence. They were also from two different families and parties, which may explain their bitterness towards each other, as well. But still this is the first time Dante willingly watches someone tortured without any pity towards them.

A second quote that was significant was in Canto XI, verses 80-84, “Hast thou no recollection of those words/ With which thine Ethics thoroughly discusses/ The dispositions three, that Heaven abides not, - Incontinence, and Malice, and insane Bestiality? And how Incontinence Less God offendeth, and less blame attracts.” This importance of this quotation here is that it talks about the necessity and reason for the divisions of hell. Incontinence is what offends God the least, so the punishment is least severe. Dante was confused why some sinners were receiving harsher punishments, but the quote here explains why people are in the division of hell that they are. The theme that appears here is that how we act on earth affects where we go in the afterlife. We will have to endure the same treatment that we gave to our neighbors on earth.

Dante's Inferno Canti 1-6

1. Canto 1: How does Dante 'set up' the journey here? What themes / ideas does he bring forth to accomplish this? What kind of journey is this? What is the pilgrim's state of mind at this time? Why?

Dante’s journey is set up when his life loses direction and he gets lost in a dark forest. Dante says that he “cannot well repeat how I entered, so full was I of slumber at the moment in which I had abandoned the way” (1. 10-12). He the “planet’s rays” shining above the mountain and attempted to climb to it, but is stopped by three beasts. The Virgil appears to help guide him to heaven, but first having to go through hell to get there. While passing through the first three circles of hell he recognized some famous people. He learned what sent them to hell in the first place and the type of suffering they must endure. The different levels of hell signify the severity of one’s sins. Dante continues to become overwhelmed with pity and faints after going through the first and second circle of hell, but he will soon realize that a person’s sins corresponds with the punishment they receive. After the Last Judgment, however, all of creation will be perfected.
2. In the other canti that you read for this day, choose one canto which particularly strikes / interests you. What reading / interpretation of this canto can you bring to the discussion on Tuesday?

Canto IV seemed to be most interesting for the fact that the people were in Limbo because they were born before Christianity or they were never baptized, not because they did not lead virtuous lives. People may get the opportunity to leave Limbo like Noah and Moses did, but only upon Christ’s wish can they do so. It was ironic to see all of these influential and successful people there such as Homer, Horace, Aristotle, and Plato to name a few. These people all made a huge impact on earth through either poetry or philosophy, but they could not make it to heaven in the after life.