INTRODUCTION:-
Don Quixote de la Mancha is a parody of the medieval romance genre: a type of literature that flourished from the 12th to the 14th centuries. Don Quixote was written when this genre was already in decline (15th cent.) but a detailed knowledge of the characteristics of the ‘medieval romance’ is necessary for a profound understanding of the work.
WHAT DOES ‘MEDIEVAL’ MEAN? [A brief history of the middle ages]:-
The Roman Empire started declining towards the AD 300’s and its crumbling gave rise to the Medieval Ages, or Middle Ages. This period lasted from AD 500 to 1500 and is referred as ‘middle’ because it was the time when the European nations began to form. Since the borders of present day European nations were being set, the middle Ages were a period of great warfare. The initial lack of strong government divided the people into feudal states. Because of the constant warfare between these states, the concept of the knight came into being. A knight is simply a mounted warrior. Young men were taught to wear heavy armor, ride a war-horse, and fight with sword and lance. With the rise of the knight came the rise of chivalry, the knightly code of behavior. The chivalrous knight was supposed to be loyal to his feudal state, virtuous, brave, selfless, and protector of the weak.
WHAT DOES ‘ROMANCE’ MEAN? [The beginnings of the genre]:-
In the beginning of the middle Ages, the word “Romance” (in old French “romanz”) was a term used indiscriminately to any kind of long narrative in French verse. “Romanz” meant,
“the speech of the people” Or
“the vulgur tongue.”
For instance, the “Roman de la Rose” a chronicle of aristocratic courtship and “Roman d’Alexandre”, a semi fantastic chronicle of the adventures of Alexander the Great, are two romances that were known by the vulgate. By the end of the Middle Ages the term “romance” had been narrowed down to describe a kind of knightly prowess, usually set in remote times or places, and involving some element of the supernatural.
Several factors contributed to what “romance” meant during the Middle Ages: legends of the now deceased Roman Empire, the curriculum of rhetoric used by the Catholic Church education system, and the transformation in perception that man was not a static object but a mobile one in a continuous spiritual journey. The classical Roman poet Ovid had postulated during his lifetime that love was a “restless malady”. Medieval writers took this concept of love and interwove it into romantic classical stories by such greats as Virgil and Homer. Virgil’s “The Aeneid” was transformed into the ‘Roman d”Eneas’ and Homer’s tale of ‘Troy’ was transformed into the, “Roman de Troie”. They in turn would copy classical stories, like the ones mentioned above, into the medieval romance format (described below) where exactly these writers got the idea to interweave them with classical stories is still a mystery.
Finally, there occurred a change in perception about man during the middle Ages. Towards the end of the Roman Empire, man had been perceived as a mobile object, one that would accrue spiritual meaning. Instead of being “hit” by random life events, man would be in search of these “hits,” therefore becoming the architect of his own spiritual world. For this reason, the imagery of “journeying” and the “Knight errant” became popular during the middle Ages. The Knight is in search of spiritual meaning. In Arthurian romances, this spiritual meaning is usually portrayed as the unattainable Holy Grail. It is for this reason that Don Quixote leaves his home by emulating medieval Knights, he is in search of spiritual meaning. In the middle Ages, action was only a means to a spiritual end.
v The Characteristics of a Medieval Romance:-
We have talked much about the origins of medieval romance, but we have not touched upon the common characteristics, which make up such a work. Here are than, the characteristics and themes that are found in most medieval romances.
v Journeying:-
The journey is a metaphor for the quest of man during the Middle Ages. In Arthurian romances, all of King Arthur’s Knights are in search of the Holy Grail, a metaphor for spiritual fulfillment. In the medieval romance of Tristan and Isolde, a story of young star-crossed lovers, Tristan and Isolde are in a continuous journey trying to escape situations that try to keep them apart and fulfill their romantic destiny.
v Love:-
The medieval Knight usually swears his undying love to a beautiful maiden. (Don Quixote swears his undying love to Dulcineo del Toboso.). It is this love which keeps the Knight alive in the course of his wanderings and also keeps him from entering into any relationship with women he encounters along the way. The maiden may sometimes submit the Knight to “feasts” so that she can be sure that he loves her. For instance, in Arthurian romances, Lady Guinevere, King Arthur’s wife, is actually in love with one of her husband’s Knight’s Sir Lancelot. In Sir Thomas Malory’s romance “le morte D’Arthur,” Guinevere MAKES Lancelot undergo perilous tests at a tournament to see if he really loved her.
v Virtue:-
A medieval Knight has to prove his virtue, specially his purity of heart and purpose, time and time again during his journey. This purity of heart will give the Knight fame and respect back at home. But most importantly, it will make it easier for him to find spiritual fulfillment. In the romance Queste del Saint Graal, we learn of sir Galahad, the perfect Knight. His perfection lies in his perfect morality and physical virginity, two Christian values. It is his perfection in virtue that allows him to find the Holy Grail and die in ecstasy. No other knight had ever or will ever achieve this accomplishment in medieval literature.
v Man and God:-
In their journey knights have to prove that they are pure of heart, specifically by not succumbing to any temptations or abstinence which will save the knight’s soul when he dies. This theme of abstinence becomes more and more prevalent as medieval romances came to be influenced by Christianity. For instance: when Arthurian romances became impregnated with Christian ideals, the illicit love affair between Lady Guinevere and Sir Lancelot came to be seen as the ultimate sin which leads to a falling out between Lancelot and King Arthur; a breakdown between the knight of the Round Table, and finally to the destruction of King Arthur’s Kingdom. It also puts Sir Lancelot’s soul in a perilous situation with God.
v Supernatural:-
Medieval romances are ridden with supernatural beings such as dwarves, fairies, magicians, and giants, to name a few; these beings were created by the author themselves to add excitement to the story but also to test the knight’s virtue. In Don Quixote, the protagonist encounters some windmill, which he believes to be a giant. Although funny, this scene shows that elements of the supernatural arean integral part of medieval romances.
v Amadis de Gaula: The Spanish Medieval Romance:-
In Amadis de Gaula. Many people have never heard of this man and usually continue reading without paying much attention. But, sure enough, the name pops again and attention must be given to understand why Gaula is always being mentioned and why Don Quixote is always comparing himself to him. Amadis de Gaula is the product of Arthurian romances. Gaula is the Spanish medieval knight, who likes any Arthurian knight encounters supernatural adventures in his journey. For spain, Gaulawas the epitome of what a perfect knight should be. This work first appeared towards the late 13thcentury. But it was finally published in 1508 by Garei-Robriguez De Montalvo. This work revolved around the concept of chivalry and the exercise of such a concept. After being published it was translated into many languages and it is said to have affected the concept of chivalry which we have today. Don Quixote adopts Amadis’ habit because he wants to become a perfect knight. Today the term chivalry connotes virtuousness, honor and gallantry.
v“DON QUIXOTE” AS PARODY OF ROMAN:-
v INTRODUCTION:-
Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra was a Spanish novelist and dramatist. He was an outstand inggenius and supreme innovator of Spanish literature. Along with being a playwright, poet novelist, he was also the inventor of the psychological short story in Spain. His influence, on the English novel was profound, especially of Fielding, Sterne and Smollett. From the long record of struggle and achievement in the face of consistently hostile circumstances he emerges as one of the noblest characters in his country’s story. Cervantes’s writing reveals his insights into the nature of reality and the meaning of life in general. Even his fame is as assured and universal as that of the hero of his great novel, ‘Don Quixote’. The popularity and the universality of the book can be assumed by reading the following words, “except for the bible, No book has been so Widely diffused into Many different languages In addition to ‘Don Quixote’.”
v Don Quixote:-
“Don Quixote” is a novel whose full original title “EL Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote De La Mancha.” It is one of the earliest novels in a modern European language and many people consider it the best book in Spanish. The novel actually consists of two parts: the first was published in 1605 and the second in 1515. The imagination, satirical spirit, humanistic culture and many colored genius of Cervantes all met and found their highest expression in it. He gave to this work the form of a burlesque of the romances of chivalries, which was already losing its popularity with his countrymen. But along with its parody, the work also becomes a criticism of life which Spaniards accept as permanent and universal. It has also the element of picaresque, heroic and romantic novel.
v What’s a Romance?
Oxford English dictionary defines the term ‘Romance’ as:
“A Romantic imaginative Unrealistic story.”
In the beginning of the middle ages, the world ‘Romance’ (in old French “Romanz”) was a term used indiscriminately for any kind of long narrative. In French verse “Romanz “ meant,
“The speech of the people- or The vulgar tongue.”
Romance were at first written in verse but later in prose as well according to M.H Abrahams, “The romance is distinguished From the epic in that it Represents not heroic age Of tribal wars, but a, Country and chivalric Age; its standard plot is One of quest and adventure Undertaken by a single Knight.”
By the end of the middle ages the term “Romance” had been narrowed down to describe a tale of Knightly process. Several factors contributed to what ‘Romance’ meant during the middle ages; it carries the legend of the now deceased Roman Empire and the transformation in perception that man was not a static object but a mobile one in a continuous spiritual journey. For this reason the imagery of “journey” (ing) and the “Knighterrant” became popular during the middle ages. It is for this reason that Don Quixote leaves his home by emulating medieval knights, he is in search of spiritual meaning.
v Parody of Romance:-
Cervante’s narrative technique and style reveals Don Quixote as more of a parody than Romance itself. He rather mocks at the knighthood and chivalry of medieval romances by blending the comic aspects with a touch of exaggeration.
The imitation using exaggerated means is found in the name of the character itself. For instance, Don’s real name is Alonso Quejana, but he called himself by the noble name of Don Quixote de la mancha. The name was updated by Don himself as he was under the influence of romances he had read which had described the place where they belonged; so he also fused ‘De la mancha’ to his name to show his patriotic feelings.
Ironically, like a true knight he also selected a horse and gave his horse a reverencial name “Rocinante” though the description of the horse, is the parody of horse that are formed in real romances. His armour is in a way exaggerated to create a comic effect because the armour of the Knight of popular romances was not rusty and makeshift as that of our Knight Don Quixote.
As a true Knight, he (Don) also thought that he must have a fair lady and so he selects a humble farm girl, Dulcinea del Toboso. Book I expresses the note of 7 criminals who are punished for their crimes like making love, singing, bankruptcy and so on. The very description bears that this is nothing but a parody of knighthood. Don’s tumbling down when he reached his village falls in this type. Like other romances there is not as such presence of supernatural elements but they are only mentioned. For example Quixote misunderstands Dulcinea as changed into a peasant girl by some evil spell (in chap, 4 book 1). He also assumed windmills as the giants; this arouses only mirth comedy for readers instead of terror and suspense.
Cervantes intermingles the romantic and the comic. Though no longer into our taste these tales are well told and reveal his (Cervantis’s) mastery of narrative techniques. Indeed the handling of suspense, paces style, effect dramatic immediacy and plot in this romantic fiction have notable repercussions on his comic fiction; manifest in the fact that the comic and the romantic strands are inseparably intermeshed in Don Quixote.
Hence, Cervantes’s standpoint was, in attacking chivalry which has lowered public taste.
v Summing up:-
Thus, it can be said that indisputably Spain’s greatest work ‘Don Quixote de la mancha ’ has been the beloved of readers because of its parodying style which is the genre of medieval romances. Cervantes intensely imitates to attack on chivalry and knighthood of the age by using comic aspects. Even while translating it many translators keep in mind this genre and try to maintain it in their own language. As in 1687, John Milton’s nephew John Philip retranslated ‘Don Quixote’, and announced that it was, “made English according To the humor of our Modern language.”
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