SPAN 250: Quixotic Narratives (HC) Fall 2015

Beginning from a review of Don Quixote's relation to Cervantes's life, literary career, and its social and cultural context, Anthony Close goes on to examine the structure and distinctive nature of Part I (1605) and Part II (1615), the conception of the characters of Don Quixote and Sancho, Cervantes's word-play and narrative manner, and the historical evolution of posterity's interpretation of the novel, with particular attention to its influence on the theory of the genre.

Cervantes and his contemporaries ceaselessly imitated one another - glossing works, dismembering and reconstructing them, writing for and against one another, while playing sophisticated games of literary one-upmanship. The result, says Gerli, is that literature in late Renaissance Spain must be understood as a far more subtle, palimpsest-like process of forging endless series of texts from other texts, thus linking closely the practices of reading, writing, and rewriting.

Don Quixote de la Mancha (1605) is one of the classic texts of Western literature and the foundation of European fiction. Yet Cervantes himself remains an enigmatic figure. The Cambridge Companion to Cervantes, first published in 2002, offers a comprehensive treatment of Cervantes' life and work, including his lesser known writing. The essays, by some of the most outstanding scholars in the field, cover the historical and political context of Cervantes' writing, his place in Renaissance culture, and the role of his masterpiece, Don Quixote, in the formation of the modern novel.

This reference is a comprehensive guide to Cervantes' stunning achievements. Included are hundreds of alphabetically arranged entries on: BL His works, characters, and allusions BL Historical persons who figured prominently in his life and works BL Concepts and terms central to his literary career BL Authors, artists, and musicians who were influenced by his writings. Each entry closes with a brief bibliography. A chronology and a selected, general bibliography of major editions and critical studies are included.

Written by a leading Cervantes scholar yet accessible to students and general readers, this book conveniently introduces Cervantes' masterpiece. Included along with a detailed plot summary are chapters on the novel's background, themes, style, and reception. The volume closes with an extensive bibliographical essay and a selected, general bibliography.