Tuesday, February 23, 2010

day two of Don Quixote

In chapter 15, Don Quixote tries to fight a group of men from Janguas after his horse tried to mingle with their ponies. Then, Sancho follows him in the ridiculous fight that ensued. I interperate Sancho's reaction as honest and true, and also shows true chivalry when he says:

"I'm a peaceful man, sir, meek and mild, and I can overlook any insult, because I've got a wife to support and children to bring up. So even though it isn't up to me to give any orders, you bear this in mind, too - in no way am I going to draw my sword against anyone, peasant or knight, and I hereby, before God my Maker, forgive all affronts that anybody ever has offered me or ever will offer me, whether the person who has offered them, offers them or will offer them is of high or low birth, rich or poor, a gentleman or a commoner, not excepting any estate or condition whatsoever." (pp 117-118).

Don Quixote uses his delusional knight code to explain the defeat as his own fault. Logically, according to his knight code, he shouldn't have fought those who were not true knights themselves. Sancho is simply true and honest - that all affronts should be forgiven.

In chapter 17, after causing a fight, Don Quixote refuses to pay the innkeeper (page 134), saying that he thought that the inn was a castle. Once again, Sancho takes further abuse because he is left behind to pay, but he refuses on the grounds that his master wasn't going to pay and neither will he. Here again, Sancho takes further abuse in an almost comical scene with the innkeeper and the people of the inn.

In the beginning of the next chapter, Don Quixote says that the inn or "castle" must be haunted or enchanted.

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