I will begin with a short digression: Though the book was published in two parts, the first in 1605 and the second in 1615, the story is by nature episodic and some episodes may have been published in the 1500's in periodicals. In Spain, as with most of Europe, these misadventures were the source of much derisive laughter and even disdain for the knight. The author encouraged this attitude -- at least in the beginning. Cervantes noticed his readers' reactions and noticed his imitators who wrote their own episodes for the knight-errant. He may have thought that the readers are missing part of this. I'm sure he thought his imitators were humiliating the knight far too much. This is supported by the second part of the book where the author has apparently changed in his view -- in fact their might be a slight hint of admiration for Uncle Alonso. There is the charm! Could this character have changed or even educated his own author? You decide. End digression.
An ageing Spanish gentleman, Alonso Quixano, has an extreme fondness for books of chivalry. He read books of chivalry every waking hour. He liked them. He thought about them. Then he acted on them. He sold some land for funding and went to see his neighbor Sancho Panza, a peasant. After some prodding he was able to talk Sancho into being his squire and accompanying him on a quest. Alonso would change his name to Don Quixote de La Mancha, a knight-errant.
First on the list is getting knighted. After all, one cannot knight oneself. This will be quite a task since the last knight in Spain was at least 120 years earlier and the feudal system has relaxed a bit since the eleventh century. However Uncle Alonso gets knighted as easily and quickly as if it was done every Saturday morning at the local convenience store.
They have barely begun their journey, and not knighted yet, when they come upon some giants blocking their way. The noble knight immediately charges on faithful Rocinante, his horse, with lance lowered toward the villains. Of course the giants are really windmills and the arms are really the blades of the windmill. The lance is caught in one of the windmill blades and the knight is taken high in the air. ...Well, I can't tell whole story can I.
The scenery and sets are beautiful and the cast is first rate. The ending is very close to the book. The book's ending is not like Man of La Mancha, the musical. That's all I can say about it or you'll hate me. Keep in mind that this is a founding work of Western Literature and one of the first novels. Cervantes was about seventeen years older than Shakespeare. Jousting anyone?
An ageing Spanish gentleman, Alonso Quixano, has an extreme fondness for books of chivalry. He read books of chivalry every waking hour. He liked them. He thought about them. Then he acted on them. He sold some land for funding and went to see his neighbor Sancho Panza, a peasant. After some prodding he was able to talk Sancho into being his squire and accompanying him on a quest. Alonso would change his name to Don Quixote de La Mancha, a knight-errant.
First on the list is getting knighted. After all, one cannot knight oneself. This will be quite a task since the last knight in Spain was at least 120 years earlier and the feudal system has relaxed a bit since the eleventh century. However Uncle Alonso gets knighted as easily and quickly as if it was done every Saturday morning at the local convenience store.
They have barely begun their journey, and not knighted yet, when they come upon some giants blocking their way. The noble knight immediately charges on faithful Rocinante, his horse, with lance lowered toward the villains. Of course the giants are really windmills and the arms are really the blades of the windmill. The lance is caught in one of the windmill blades and the knight is taken high in the air. ...Well, I can't tell whole story can I.
The scenery and sets are beautiful and the cast is first rate. The ending is very close to the book. The book's ending is not like Man of La Mancha, the musical. That's all I can say about it or you'll hate me. Keep in mind that this is a founding work of Western Literature and one of the first novels. Cervantes was about seventeen years older than Shakespeare. Jousting anyone?