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.