Don Quixote - Summative Comments

I spent a large part of my summer -- pretty much all of July -- reading this novel. While it has stimulated my thinking and served as the catalyst for my bloggings, I must say that I am disappointed with the novel as a whole. Perhaps my hopes were set too high. After all, many critics place Cervantes among the top three writers of all time. That's a pretty high standard to meet, no matter who you are. For me, the novel lacked depth and consistency, was more sprawling than I care for, over-developed some themes, and plodded along like a broken-down mule in places. Not exactly what I would consider monumental.

On the flip side, the writing improved -- "matured" is a better word -- between the two parts, and Sancho Panza became a much more interesting character. The second half was more polished than the first, certainly, though it didn't really develop any new themes or provide a new perspective on themes developed in part one. I will remember some of the 400+ characters (Marcela, the duke and duchess, and of course Sancho and Quixote) as well as some of the stories and scenes (Quixote and Sancho vomiting in each other's faces, Sancho succumbing to the pressure in his bowels while standing next to Quixote, and Quixote's successful attack on the puppets), but largely I do not feel that my life was changed, nor my world-view dramatically altered after having read the book.

Rob points out that it is widely considered the first "novel," and as such Cervantes deserves kudos for attempting something so broad in scope when he had virtually no competition. Nowadays, authors must strive to be original in comparison to a few hundred years of literary history. Cervantes was original almost by definition, yet he still made his novel interesting in many creative ways. Overall, I am glad I read the novel, but I doubt very much if I will ever re-read it. I may seek some critical perspective on it to help enhance my understanding of its canonical prominence, however.

Probably the most enjoyable aspect of reading the novel was that I did so with two good friends. Their insights and comments have pushed me to consider the novel from a variety of perspectives and have ultimately helped me enjoy reading it. Honestly, if not for them, I would probably never have even picked it up much less finished it. Literary pursuits can be lonely: Reading is nearly always a solitary act, Italo Calvino notwithstanding. Discussing a work always yields both greater enjoyment and greater understanding, especially when that discussion involves experienced readers who care about literature.