Don Quixote

Don Quixote is a novel by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, first published in two parts in 1605 and 1615. It is often considered the first modern novel and one of the most influential works in world literature. The story follows Alonso Quixano, an aging man who becomes so obsessed with chivalric romances that he decides to become a wandering knight-errant, calling himself Don Quixote. He sets out to revive knighthood, accompanied by his practical and loyal squire, Sancho Panza. Don Quixote’s adventures are both comedic and tragic. He misinterprets ordinary situations as grand heroic quests—for example, famously attacking what he believes are giants but are actually windmills. These episodes create much of the novel’s humor while also highlighting deeper questions about perception, reality, and imagination. A key feature of the novel is the contrast between Don Quixote’s idealism and Sancho Panza’s realism. Over time, however, the boundary between their worldviews becomes blurred, and both characters influence each other in unexpected ways.