Don Quixote: Penguin Classics

...consequenceYes, it's a nice story. Yes, we see over the course of a thousand pages the blossoming of one of history's classic comic partnerships. Yes, the chapters are nice and short so if you want to this makes a convenient adult bedtime story. But the whole point of this book is about all and none of those things. In Don Quixote we can see a vast store of literary tools and techniques, extant to this day, which bring the story alive and imbue it with its timelessness.There's the literary syllogism, the story within the story, and any number of plot delivery devices for us to savour, enjoy, and steal shamelessly. There are whole tranches of the novel which do not feature the hidalgo or his trusty squire Sancho Panza at all, relating tales of military derring-do, the trials of unrequited love, and escapes from hostile places. It reflects the class-ridden environment of 17th Century Spain, the omnipresence of the Catholic church and its enforcers, and the myriad legacies of Moorish dominance, the Reconquista, and the bigger picture of Spain's multicultural composition. It deals with international trade, law and order, and the opening up of the New World by Iberian or Iberian-sponsored adventurers. It may be the first example of the Media Effects theory, with Quixote's locura widely attributed not to creeping dementia but to his corruption by tales of chivalric deeds. And of course there is the admonition at the beginning for authors, if they are to impress, to have lots of stuff in a foreign language, interject with copious poetic bits, and to drop names (including a myriad of classical and Spanish national lore allusions) like they're too hot to hold, all items you'll find in use today, as for example in Umberto Eco's hilarious satire Foucault's Pendulum (well, I think it's a satire).It also has a delightful self-awareness, which adds immensely to the humour, as in its constant reference to the "real" author, Cervantes being merely a vessel for delivery of this mysterious scribe's telling of a remarkable "true" story, the speculation in one of the more bizarre episodes that the story may need to be discounted as being apocryphal, and at the beginning of Part II the Don and Sancho are amazed by the revelation that their story has found itself into print and that the author has been able to relate even the parts to which only the two of them were witness, an apparent "anomaly" in any number of works of fiction.The beginning of Part II sees the slapstick change somewhat in nature, so whereas in Part I the hapless hidalgo is the Knight of the Sorry Face and constantly, along with his suffering squire, on the receiving end of thorough duffings, in Part II he is the Knight of the Lions and more often than not comes out best, whilst Sancho finds more opportunities to stuff his face. They also sally out in Part II slightly better provided for financially, so rather than imposing on their hosts they tend more often to be paying their own way. One of the effects of this on the reader is to alter expectations, so that outcomes remain unpredictable throughout, as when the lion that gives Don Quixote his new nom de guerre, rather than give him a mauling, stands up, stretches, and then goes back to sleep. (A later feline encounter goes less well, however.)The two main characters are a mass of contradiction, one minute deluded, deranged, gullibility personified, totally estranged from reality, the next the very image of perspicacity, perceptiveness and cunning. Sancho's deception regarding Quixote's beloved Dulcinea del Toboso is genius itself (you have to read it to find out more, sorry), and only mildly upstaged in the comedy stakes by the incident shortly afterwards in which the student Sansón Carasco deceives himself into a good hammering at the hands of the Don. The squire is constantly pilloried by his master for his overuse of proverbial expressions, generally with the overuse of proverbial expressions. And many onlookers are scandalised by Sancho's frequent open criticism of Quixote, in open flouting of the norms of propriety, but they are as often followed by tearful repentance.Through modern eyes some of the humour can be interpreted as cruel, and some of the narrative as elitist. Don Quixote is one very long example of mocking the afflicted, mostly the two principal characters, and the discourse is highly biased towards wealth, Christianity and the nobility. In Part II much of this comes together in the extended joke played upon Quixote and Sancho by a Duke and Duchess who employ a sizeable army of characters and splurge the equivalent of the national product of a small nation on the enterprise, along the way allowing Sancho to fulfil his dream of becoming the governor of an "island". Then there's the thing with blondes. Most of the women of any value are not only beautiful but also possess flowing golden tresses. Nevertheless, whilst there is a clear cultural bias towards "European" values, Don Quixote is not rabidly anti-Arab or Islam: the "real" author is, in "fact", a Moor, and a Moorish woman who appears in Part I is unanimously judged to be the equal of any of the blondes in the room whose physical attractiveness has already been noted. As with Shakespeare, you accept that this is a work of another time with different sensibilities, and also note the absence of Shylocks.It would, of course, have been preferable to have read the whole thing in its original language, but my Spanish is far too restricted to be able to tackle the equivalent of a madrileño reading the works of Shakespeare. The translation we have here is very readable, for sure, and in his introduction the translator lays out his rationale for rendering the whole thing in modern language rather than attempting to create a faux 17th century English version. Inevitably, therefore, some of the devices have to be of the translator's doing. Sancho's malapropisms, I suspect, probably only work in English, as when he confuses palfrey for poultry, and similarly with the plays on words, as with the squire talking about a "sin tax" when what is being criticised is his "syntax". Doubtless there are those who would prefer a different approach, but hopefully John Rutherford has captured the essence of the humour even if not the precise wording.So for sure read it for the story's sake, but even better read it and marvel at the craftsmanship that has made "Don Quixote" and "quixotic" shorthand for a complex myriad of personality flaws, literary creativity and outlandish adventures. It isn't until you actually read the work that the depth, range and subtlety of meaning of those two concepts become truly clear.

Really loved it and good translation

Conscious of its status as a pre-eminent work of Spanish (even world) literature, I asked for this for my birthday last month, prior to last week's trip to Seville (in whose prison, it's believed, Cervantes first conceived of this novel circa 1597). Not realising the heft of the book, I was surprised to find that the parcel was roughly the shape and weight of a housebrick; my copy has 1023 pages, only a few of which are taken up by the (very helpful) introduction and notes. Plunging in to read it, I was surprised once more when the episode of Don Quixote tilting at windmills (just about the only thing I knew about this tale) turned up so soon (on p63) and so briefly.I found that reading the remainder of the story was a pleasant enough experience: like 'Moby Dick', which I read earlier this year, the chapters are short, the language is luminous and the characters have depth. But - unlike 'Moby Dick' - there are numerous episodes which have similar structure: Don Quixote and Sancho Panza meet a group of characters (or animals), Don Quixote believes that that dark forces are at work (despite Sancho's protests) and starts a fight in which he's defeated and, after licking his wounds, moves on undaunted to the next encounter. Along the way, there are tales told by other characters which don't involve our heroes; these are interesting diversions (particularly the "Tale of Inappropriate Curiousity", featuring a reluctant Lothario) but - as even the translator (who clearly loves this book) points out in his introduction, "can be skipped by the reader who finds them tedious" [p xi]. As a result of the repetition and diversion, I spent some time wondering whether (sacrilege, I know) this novel would benefit from an abridgement.Having completed the book, I'm somewhat more reluctant to take that view: there's a richness in characterization (particularly in the second part) which develops over time, and there are connections with contempraneous history and culture (besides the references to chivalric romances) such as the Church, the Spanish Empire and its wars with the Turks - including the battle of Lepanto, in which Cervantes fought. There are also metafictional aspects which are extraordinary, considering how long ago the book was published. Thus, the author initially claims that his text has been written by a Moorish historian, and has his characters refer to other novels (some of which get burnt in chapter VI, indicating the author's likes and dislikes). But the most remarkable aspects of the book come in the second part. This was (eventually) published ten years after the first part, and contains characters (most notably the Duke and Duchess) who've read the first part, and are delighted to meet "the real" Don Quixote in order to play a series of elaborate tricks on him.Matters are further complicated when, in the course of writing chapter LIX in the second part, Cervantes discovered that an unauthorized sequel to the first part had been published by an unidentified writer. In addition to responding to the ad hominem comments of this writer in his prologue to his second part, Cervantes is able to work this into his story, changing Don Quixote's destination from Saragossa (as specified in the first part, and used in the unauthorized sequel) to Barcelona on a whim, having him visit the printing-house which is producing the sequel, and even meeting one of the sequel's characters and making him realise that the "other" Don Quixote and Sancho Panza are nothing but imposters.There are some nice turns of phrase in this translation - thus, when Don Quixote thinks that Sancho has soiled himself on p161 he asks him to move further back because "it is my familiarity with you that has given rise to this contempt". Sancho, on meeting Dorotea (who's pretending to be something she's not) comments that "she's a bit of all right, she is, the Queen! I wouldn't complain if the fleas in my bed were like her!" [p274]. And the innkeeper on p293 points out that he knows "how many beans make five", which is a favourite expression in our family.So - in spite of finding parts of it a slog and not being entirely unhappy to reach its conclusion - I enjoyed reading this book, but am looking forward to something a bit shorter (and more portable) next time.

Received in time and my son is enjoying it!

A tale of chivalry and adventure. Don Quixote has something for everyone. Originally bought for a module at university (which didn’t go ahead eventually). Not that it was an issue as I found myself that fascinated by the story I continued to read it for pleasure. The comedic, loyal sidekick of Quixote - Sancho Panza - makes the story hilarious to read, as does the gallant knight’s delusionary ideals of grandeur. Guaranteed to play on your heartstrings towards the end as well. A good book but a heavy one for some younger readers. Still something that can be enjoyed by all. Cervantes’s finest masterpiece as translated into English by the marvellous people at Penguin Classics publishings.

Writing of the high standard to be expected of a Classic. This translation brings the subtleties of the humour right up to date.

I understand that this is a paperback and won't withstand the same wear and tear as a hardcover however, this book has some very obvious signs of damage that were previously undescribed, doesn't exactly look new or even 'good as new'. Damage includes grease/adhesive build up, bending, dents and light cuts. Not what I paid for

This is a book for the ages, prepare yourself for a long haul as this is quite a door stopper, Don Quixote is one of those characters who will make you smile and sometimes scratch your head at the baffling situations he finds himself in alongside his side-kick Sancho, who have quite the journey together. Invest some time into this story of the great Don Quixote and immerse yourself into this classic tale, it'll be worth your while.

Penguin Classics' edition of "Don Quixote" is an absolute literary treasure. Cervantes' timeless masterpiece is brilliantly preserved in this meticulously crafted edition. The translation captures the essence of the original Spanish, making it accessible to modern readers without losing the charm of the original prose. The extensive footnotes and introduction provide valuable context, enriching the reading experience. The durable cover and high-quality paper ensure this classic will endure for generations. Penguin Classics has truly done justice to this iconic work, making it a must-have for any bookshelf. Reading "Don Quixote" in this edition is a delightful journey into the world of chivalry, humor, and profound insight.

Product met my expectations. Delivered on time

Ottima edizione di un classico senza tempo che ha portato alla nascita del romanzo moderno. Arrivato in ottime condizioni. Consigliato.

I'm happy with the book.The only thing that was disappointing to me is that there is some damage to the book.The cover had a bent corner and several silvering spots, which is probably because of the packaging which wasn't too protective of any content inside of it. refer to photos for an example.

This is so misleading.The book description on the web and the coverpage don't say anything about it as actually only the book of volume 4 starting at chapter 37???I was expecting the holistic book! Amazon do your job please.Although am I the only one who have this situation? Why do others seem to have the entire book .... ?