"Arts, Faculty of"@en . "French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies, Department of"@en . "DSpace"@en . "UBCV"@en . "Louis, Harry"@en . "2009-07-06T21:52:59Z"@en . "2000"@en . "Master of Arts - MA"@en . "University of British Columbia"@en . "The thesis is based on the premise that an author who provides expressions\r\nof literary opinion by the characters in his fictional work will also\r\ninclude his own views among the others\u00E2\u0080\u0094explicitly, vicariously, or by\r\ndemonstration. In Don Quixote, the purported attack on books of chivalry\r\nand the inclusion of poems and stories in variant styles provide\r\njustification for extensive commentaries on literary themes.\r\nTo distinguish Cervantes' views among the diverse literary opinions\r\nexpressed, such commentaries are evaluated on the basis of the information\r\nprovided by the author as to the background and interests of the speakers\u00E2\u0080\u0094\r\nthe characters, chronicler or narrator. Specific qualities carmended,\r\ncondemned, or demonstrated are identified. Stories and serious poems\r\ninserted in the novel, and literary comment in Cervantes' Galatea and\r\nViaje del Pamaso, are examined for corroboration or contradiction of the\r\nfindings. Relevant opinions of several generations of twentieth-century\r\ncritics are examined.\r\nConclusions summarize\u00E2\u0080\u0094for Fiction, Poetry and Drama\u00E2\u0080\u0094the features\r\nwhich satisfy the stated requirement to \"delight and instruct\" and those to\r\nbe avoided. A degree of ambivalence, between certain literary precepts\r\nwhich Cervantes promotes in Don Quixote and those demonstrated in his work,\r\nis identified. Special requirements for History are noted. Whether or\r\nnot, under the respectable guise of an attack on books of chivalry,\r\nCervantes sought to elevate the public taste in literature\u00E2\u0080\u0094an endeavour as\r\nquixotic as any undertaken by his protagonist\u00E2\u0080\u0094he claimed due recognition\r\nfrom the literary world for his perceptions of literary values and his\r\ncompetence as a writer."@en . "https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/10272?expand=metadata"@en . "3902346 bytes"@en . "application/pdf"@en . "PERCEPTIONS OF LITERARY OPINION IN DON QUIJOTE DE LA MANCHA by HARRY LOUIS B.A., University of Victoria, 1997 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies) We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard Dr. R. M.^Flores, Supervisor (Department of French,.Hispanic and Italian Studies) ^^JSF^^T'Q.. Carr (Department of FrenprfTiHispanic and Italian Studies) DrVR. Holdawajy (Department of French, Hispanicyand Italian Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA March 2000 (c) Harry Louis, 2000 In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. D e P a r t m e n t o f ^ 4, a ^ U _ ^ SfSfe The University of British Columbia Vancouver, Canada Date ( ^ W ^ _ j g J l M * 2 - ^ > - < ^ 0 DE-6 (2/88) 11 ABSTRACT The thesis i s based on the premise that an author who provides expressions of l i terary opinion by the characters in his f ic t ional work wi l l also include his own views among the others\u00E2\u0080\u0094expl ic i t ly , v icar iously , or by demonstration. In Don Quixote, the purported attack on books of chivalry and the inclusion of poems and stories in variant styles provide just i f icat ion for extensive corrrnentaries on l i terary themes. To distinguish Cervantes' views among the diverse l i terary opinions expressed, such corrrnentaries are evaluated on the basis of the information provided by the author as to the background and interests of the speakers\u00E2\u0080\u0094 the characters, chronicler or narrator. Specif ic qual i t ies carmended, condemned, or demonstrated are ident i f ied . Stories and serious poems inserted in the novel, and l i terary ccanrrnent in Cervantes' Galatea and Viaje del Pamaso, are examined for corroboration or contradiction of the findings. Relevant opinions of several generations of twentieth-century c r i t i c s are examined. Conclusions sunrnarize\u00E2\u0080\u0094for F ic t ion , Poetry and Drama\u00E2\u0080\u0094the features which sat isfy the stated requirement to \"delight and instruct\" and those to be avoided. A degree of ambivalence, between certain l i terary precepts which Cervantes promotes in Don Quixote and those demonstrated in his work, i s ident i f ied. Special requirements for History are noted. Whether or not, under the respectable guise of an attack on books of chivalry, Cervantes sought to elevate the public taste i n literature\u00E2\u0080\u0094an endeavour as quixotic as any undertaken by his protagonist\u00E2\u0080\u0094he claimed due recognition from the l i terary world for his perceptions of l i terary values and his competence as a writer. i i i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract i i L i s t of Tables i v Introduct ion 1 CHAPTER I L i t e r a r y corrment i n Don Quixote 5 CHAPTER II Poems and s t o r i e s i n Don Quixote 32 CHAPTER III La Galatea and Viaje del Parnaso 46 CHAPTER IV Review of re levant c r i t i c s m 54 Conclus ion 71 Bib l iography 83 iv L I S T OF T A B L E S Page Table I Literary Characteristics Corrrnended 29 Table II Literary Characteristics Condemned 30 Table III Compliance, in Poems, with Characteristics Corrrnended 38 Table IV Compliance, in Stories, with Characteristics Corrrnended or Condemned 45 Table V Weighting of Characteristics Corrrnended and Characteristics Condemned 76 Louis 1 INTRODUCTION En la elaboracion de esta novela.. .hay un sistematico, consciente y calculado proposito de combinar la invencion creadora con la meditaci6n c r i t i c a . i The enormous body of ccmnentary written on Don Quixote includes re lat ive ly l i t t l e as to what Cervantes discloses in the text regarding his own tastes and standards in l i terature. Many c r i t i c s refer to the books of chivalry and to those passages in the novel in which they are discussed. In these cases, the ambiguities in Cervantes' attitude to the heroic romances popular in the sixteenth century have been the main objects of wide-ranging c r i t i c a l speculation. The relat ive place that Cervantes occupied in the l i terary world of his day, the probable content of his l ibrary , and his possible creation of a theory of the novel, have also been matters of investigation and corrrnent. A l l these c r i t i c a l views touch only f leet ingly on the ident i f icat ion of Cervantes' personal l ikes and d is l i kes . This seems surprising, in view of the fact that the scope of l i terary opinion expressed, and the variety of genres included in the text, suggest that the author was prepared to convey his ideas on an extraordinarily wide f i e l d of interaction between writers and readers. Cervantes' opinions on Spanish l i terature of his time would constitute a signif icant catrrnentary on the state of the arts in his country and, less d i rec t ly , on the environment affecting creative work. i Gilman, \"Los inquisidores l i te rar ios de Cervantes\" in Adas del Tercer Congreso Internacional de Hispanistas (1970), pp.3-4. Louis 2 It i s not d i f f i c u l t to f ind examples of authors, from antiquity to the present, who declare their own views on l i terary values in their f ic t iona l works (Plato, Dialogues; Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales; Borges, Ficciones). It seems probable that Cervantes, by the inclusion of variant styles of l i terary composition and of discourse expressing l i terary judgements, has shown that he was not irrrnune to such temptation. In this thesis, I propose to show that Cervantes' views may be distinguished among, or derived from, the opinions expressed by his characters and those stated by his several voices in Don Quixote. The findings wi l l be checked against examples of his writings and the ideas of twentieth-century c r i t i c s . In Don Quixote, diverse characters, people of different backgrounds and social levels , declare appreciation or distaste for l i terary works and practices familiar to sixteenth-century Spain. Expl ic i t and reasoned opinions constitute value judgements on the part of the speaker; other opinions may represent hearsay, personal prejudice or the conventional wisdom of certain sectors of society. The novel also contains numerous poems and stories in a variety of genres, some of which are only marginally related to the main narrative. While i t may be argued that the interpolation of extraneous material represents economical u t i l i za t ion of work on hand, the practice does serve to demonstrate the author's vir tuosity and to provide examples against which to compare his c r i t i c a l statements. There are, moreover, many examples\u00E2\u0080\u0094in c lassica l and Renaissance l i terature\u00E2\u0080\u0094of the use of such digressions. The approach taken in this thesis to the ident i f icat ion of the l i terary qual i t ies which Cervantes promotes in Don Quixote, and the Louis 3 contemporary practices which he decries, i s based on the following postulates: A. Authors who provide diverse opinions on l i terary topics in their works of f i c t ion may be expected to include their own views, whether vicariously or otherwise. B. The relat ive va l id i ty of the statements made by the various characters in a work, or the extent to which they represent or d i f fe r from the views of the author, may be inferred from information provided in the text as to the background, interests, character and irrrnediate motivation of the speaker. C. Literary material of different genres introduced into a text, other than in a burlesque vein, i s direct ly indicative or suggestive of the author's tastes.2 D. Literary values established by examination of one work should be ver i f iab le in other texts written by the same author. In Chapter I, spec i f ic statements of qualitat ive opinion on l i terary works and pract ices\u00E2\u0080\u0094in Don Quixote\u00E2\u0080\u0094are collected and reviewed. To f a c i l i t a t e evaluation, these are reported according to the speaker, for the individual characters and for Cervantes, including his friend of the prologue, narrators and chronicler. Information provided in the text concerning the or igins, education, occupation, status, predilections and character of each source or opinion i s recorded and the comments are 2 I exclude burlesque material , since the author may employ deliberate technical error or exaggerated affectations of style in mocking sense. Louis 4 evaluated accordingly. The principal l i terary qual i t ies corn-ended, and those condemned, are collated and charted. In Chapter II, the diverse stories and serious poems interpolated in Dan Quixote are examined for features demonstrating or at variance with the corrnended l i terary qual i t ies ident i f ied in the novel. In Chapter III, Galatea and Viaje del Parnaso are reviewed, s imi lar ly , for corroboration or contradiction of the ccmnended qual i t ies . Chapter IV presents a range of relevant twentieth-century l i terary c r i t i c ism touching on Cervantes' concepts of l i terary merit. The Conclusion surrrnarizes the patterns of preference\u00E2\u0080\u0094in l i terary values and practices\u00E2\u0080\u0094which Cervantes disclosed in Don Quixote, the degree to which examples of his own work are consistent with such patterns, and the relevant opinions expressed in the works of cr i t ic ism l is ted in the Bibliography. Louis 5 CHAPTER I Literary ccrrment i n Don Quixote En sus obras se habla frecuentemente de l ibros: de lo que contienen, de lo que deberian contener y no contienen, cuales leer y como escr ib i r mejores.3 In this chapter, relevant statements and data from the text of Don Quixote are ident i f ied for evaluation, in consideration of the authority indicated for each source by the author. Some sources, inherently related by sector or by tenor of corrment, are grouped for convenience. The results are consolidated into tables of posit ive and negative qual i t ies to fac i l i t a te ident i f icat ion of areas of agreement and of difference. The v i l lage pr iest , Pero Perez The origins of the v i l lage priest are unstated, although he i s ident i f ied i ronica l ly by the narrator as \"docto\", having graduated from Sigiienza (I, 1, 37),4 one of the least prestigious universit ies of Spain. He is the governing figure in the enforced return, to his home, of the caged knight-errant\u00E2\u0080\u0094late i n Part I of the novel. Obviously familiar with the books of chivalry, since he argues with Don Quixote and the barber, Nicolas, as to the preeminence of the various chiva l r ic heroes (I, 1, 37), the priest i s entirely in agreement with Don Quixote's niece when she says, before her uncle's return from his f i r s t venture as a knight-errant, that such books should be burned (I, 5, 65): 3 Eisenberg, Estudios cervantinos (1991), p.11. 4 References for Don Quijote de la Mancha are to Volume, Chapter and Page of Martin de Riquer's edit ion (1955). Louis 6 hence, the scrutiny of Don Quixote's l ibrary of more than one hundred books (I, 6, 66) by the priest and the barber, and the condemnation of a l l but a few to the flames. The priest i s given much to say in l i terary matters, not only i n his management of the examination and destruction of Don Quixote's l ibrary. The f i r s t book considered in the scrutiny i s the i n i t i a l compilation, by Garci Rodriguez de Montalvo, of four ear l ier versions of tales of Amadis de Gaula (1508), later expanded into a long, imitative ser ies. The barber, who rarely states a personal opinion, successfully opposes the pr ies t 's condemnation of this work, on the basis of having heard i t said that i t was the best-written in the genre (I, 6, 67). Later volumes of the Amadis ser ies , some by other authors, are a l l delivered to Don Quixote's housekeeper for burning. Other books condemned by the priest include Antonio de Torquemada's Don Olivante de Laura (1564), for i t s falsehoods and arrant nonsense; Melchor Ortega's Florismarte de Hircania (i.556), for i t s s t i f f , dry sty le ;5 the anonymous El Caballero Platir (1533), for lack of redeeming merit; and, despite i t s t i t l e , El Caballero de la Cruz (1521). Lopez de Santa Catal ina's Espejo de Caballerias (1533), a prose translation and adaptation of Boiardo's Orlando innamorato (1495), affords the priest an occasion for discourse on French and I tal ian works relating to the period of Charlemagne, such as Ariosto's Orlando furioso (1532). He maintains that only poems in their original language would be worth preserving (I, 6, 70) but, nonetheless, condemns the Spanish poems Bernardo del Carpio (1585) by Agustin Alonso, and Roncesvalles (1555) by Francisco Garrida Vicena. 5 Martin de Riguer notes that, i n this work, the unassisted hero i s described as putting to f l ight an army of one mi l l ion , s ix hundred thousand combatants (I, 6, 69). Louis 7 Returning to tales of chivalry, the priest condemns Francisco Vazquez's Palmerin de Oliva (1511), but keeps Francisco Moraes Cabral 's Palmerln de Inglaterra, translated from the Portuguese by Luis Hurtado (1547), for i t s excellence, i t s c la r i t y , circumspection in discourse, and well-contrived adventures (I, 6, 71), as well as for the legend of i t s more distinguished authorship, rumored to be the work of a king of Portugal. He i s prepared to have the rest of the books burned without further examination but the barber objects, saying that he has in hand the famous Don Belianis by Jeronimo Fernandez. The priest concedes that this work, with some emendation, could be kept. He permits the barber to take home the several volumes of the work but ins is ts that he i s not to allow anyone else to read them. While the housekeeper hastens to dispose of the remaining books, the barber picks up Johanot Martorel l 's Historia del famoso caballero Tirante el Blanco (1490; translated from the Catalan in 1511), which the priest takes excitedly, saying how much he had enjoyed i t : [H]e hallado en el un tesoro de contento y una mina de pasatiempos...por su e s t i l o , es este el mejor l ibro del mundo. (I, 6, 72) He corrrnends part icular ly the rational quotidian act iv i t ies of the characters, a feature lacking in other books of the genre. He suggests that the barber take i t to read. Opening La Diana (1558) by Jorge de Montemayor, the priest declares i t to be a work of great understanding, that such pastoral poems are harmless and do not deserve to be burned. Don Quixote's niece, however, i s Louis 8 concerned about her uncle turning into a shepherd or, even worse, a poet\u00E2\u0080\u0094a state she considers to be an infectious and incurable inf i rmity. The priest i s incl ined to agree but thinks that i f the fanciful bi ts and much of the poetry were eliminated, leaving only the prose, the work would be acceptable: [Q]ue se le quite todo aquello que trata de la sabia F e l i c i a y de la agua encantada, y casi todo de los versos mayores, y quedesele en hora buena la prosa. (I, 6, 73) Next considered are two versions of La Diana, segunda del Salmantino, (1564) by Alonso Perez and Gi l Polo, of which only the second i s to be. preserved, \"como s i fuera del mesmo Apolo\" (I, 6, 74). Of Los diez libros de Fortuna de amor (1573) by Antonio de Lofraso, the priest says, admiringly, taking i t for himself: [T]an gracioso ni tan disparatado l ibro como ese no se ha compuesto...es el mejor y el mas unico de cuantos deste genero han salido a la luz del mundo. (I, 6, 74)6 El Pastor de Iberia (1591) by Bernardo de la Vega, Ninfas de Henares (1587) by Bernardo Gonzalez de Bobadil la, and Desengahos de celos (1586) by Bartolome L6pez de Enciso, are condemned without further comment. Luis Galvez de Montalvo's El Pastor de Filida (1582) i s kept for i t s refined sty le and language, being termed \"muy discreto y cortesano\"(I, 6, 74). 6 This constitutes i ronic corrrnent on the pr ies t 's poor jugement or taste in endorsement of a discredited work, according to Riquer; (I, 6, 74, Note 28). Cervantes mocks the book and author in Viaje del Pamaso. (Cap.I l l v.247-54) Louis 9 The priest states that Pedro de Padi l la 's Tesoro de varias poesias (1580) requires some weeding out of material of a gross character, but instructs the barber to keep i t because the author i s a fr iend, as i s Gabriel Lopez Maldonado, author of El Cancionero (1586) and much admired for other talents. Coming to La Galatea (1585) of Miguel de Cervantes, whom the priest also claims as an old fr iend. He has no very high opinion of Cervantes' poetry, but he concedes the book to contain \"algo de buena invencion\", although somewhat inconclusive or unfinished. He t e l l s the barber to keep i t private in his house unt i l i t i s seen i f the premised second part i s more acceptable. Of La Araucana (1569) by Alonso de E r c i l l a , La Austriada (1584) by Juan Rufo, and El Monserrato (1588) by Cristobal de Virues, the priest i s most laudatory, declaring that \"estos tres l i b r o s . . . s o n los mejores que, en verso heroico, en lengua castellana estan escri tos\" (I, 6, 75); these works are to be kept as the richest jewels of Spanish poetry. Again wearying of the task, the priest wants the remainder of the books burned without examination. However, the barber is holding Luis Barahona de Soto's Las lagrimas de Angelica (1586), whose inadvertent burning would have caused the priest to weep, \"porque su autor fue uno de los famosos poetas del mundo\". S t i l l , the rest of the books are sent to the flames.7 i The narrator notes that among those burned without consideration were La Carolea (Jer6nimo Sempere, 1560), Leon de Espaha (Pedro de la Vec i l l a Castellanos, 1586) and Los Hechos del Emperador by Luis de Av i la , a l l of which might have been preserved had the priest seen them. Louis 10 In a later episode, at the inn, the priest proposes that Don Ciringilio de Francia (1545) by Bernardo de Vargas and Felixmarte de Hircania (1556) by Melchor Ortega\u00E2\u0080\u0094among books le f t by a travel ler and much enjoyed by patrons of the inn\u00E2\u0080\u0094be burned as vain and false (II, 32, 323). He ins is ts that he could say \"cosas acerca de lo que han de tener los l ibros de caballerias para ser buenos\" but awaits a time \"en que lo pueda cornunicar con quien pueda remediallo\" (I, 32, 325) .8 The priest conrnends, as well-written, the Novela del curioso impertinente\u00E2\u0080\u0094included in Don Quixote\u00E2\u0080\u0094but finds the situation described, and the plot , unconvincing and incompatible with family relationships in Spanish society (I, 35, 371). In discussion with the Canon of Toledo regarding books of chivalry, the priest blames their authors for not paying attention to \"buen discurso, n i al arte y reglas por donde pudieran guiarse\" (I, 48, 484). He also expresses a long-standing complaint against the degenerate character of contemporary comedias, describing them as \"espejos de disparates, ejemplos de necedades e imagenes de lasc iv ia\" and contrasting them unfavourably with the work and standards of Cicero, \"espejo de la vida humana, ejemplo de las costumbres y imagen de la verdad\" (I, 48, 486). He complains, further, of geographic dislocations in such plays, of absurd anachronisms and of public acceptance of gross errors; even plays on rel igious themes are marred by faulty understanding, to the shame of Spanish theatre, considering i t s great potential: 8 It seems most interesting that many of Cervantes' characters, including a number of those opposed to books of chivalry, have been keen readers and would-be writers of such l i terature, with ideas for i t s improvement. Louis 11 [Pjorque de haber oido la cornedia a r t i f i c i o s a y bien ordenada, sa ldr ia el oyente alegre con las burlas, ensenado con las veras, adrnirado de los sucesos, discreto con las razones, advertido con los embustes, sagaz con los ejemplos, airado contra el v ic io y enamorado de la vir tud. (I, 48, 487) The priest blames the alleged demands of the publ ic, rather than the poets who had previously produced superior work: [C]on tanta gala, con tanto donaire, con tan elegante verso, con tan buenas razones, con tan graves sentencias y, finalmente, tan llenas de elocucion y alteza de es t i lo . (I, 48, 488) He favors censorship prior to publication or production to impose higher standards, which should apply, as well , to books of chivalry. The concept of censorship which he proposes i s i l lust ra ted by his corrments regarding the desirable emendation of La Diana and Tesoro de varias poesias to remove fanciful and gross elements, and regarding the imposition of rules for the guidance of authors. The evaluation of the opinions of the priest requires consideration of his indifferent education, as noted by Cervantes, who depicts him unsympathetically as an irresponsible destroyer of books, a self-assured meddler in the af fa i rs of others, and an admirer of infer ior work.9 The author cannot be considered as endorsing the judgement of the pr iest , whose tendency to parrot the opinions of the Canon of Toledo (I, 48, 486) confirms his subservience to authority. The somewhat less zealous and more rational approach of the Canon seems relat ively enlightened and more 9. See Note 6, page 8, of the thesis. Louis 12 authoritative. This i s not to suggest, however, that a l l of the pr ies t 's opinions are to be set aside; most of Cervantes' characters share a very human mixture of sound judgement and personal bias, which readers must distinguish for themselves. In his summary review of Don Quixote's l ibrary , the priest was prepared to burn Los cuatro de Amadls de Gaula because, as the f i r s t of a substantial ser ies, i t set the pattern for tales of chivalry in Spain. His accusations against the genre include the terms nonsensical, arrogant, dull and mendacious. While the complaints against the contemporary comedias for anachronisms and gross errors are of unquestionable va l id i ty , his concentration on moral issues may be attributed to his posit ion and outlook. The few works which he corrrnends\u00E2\u0080\u0094such as Palmerin de Inglaterra and Tirante el Blanco\u00E2\u0080\u0094are characterized as logical and decorous, with well-planned adventures, written r e a l i s t i c a l l y and with understanding of human relationships. Some of these views are shared by other characters; others are contradicted. The pr ies t 's recorrrnendation of censorship (actually existing at the time) i s not, for example, repeated by the Canon or by others. The Canon agrees in his strong support of moral content in l i terature, but states' that the infer ior dramatic presentations are not the fault of the public but of ignorant or misguided producers (I, 48, 485). It seems s igni f icant , and perhaps prudent, that Cervantes should include this recatrnendation for censorship; however, he makes i t s source one of the least favoured characters. Cervantes consistently presents multiple viewpoints, ambiguities and inconsistencies in his writings, to be resolved by the reader. Louis 13 The Canon of Toledo While his background is unstated, the Canon's superior status in the Church gives his corrrnents considerable authority even though, by his own admission, his self-expression i s restr icted by his of f ice (I, 48, 484). He demonstrates thoughtful interest in l i terary matters. In his discussion with Don Quixote, the Canon declares himself knowledgeable on books of chivalry (I, 47, 478). To the pr iest , he says that he considers them decadent and harmful, and that he had been unable to complete reading most of them, \"que atienden solamente a dele i tar , y no a enseflar\" (I, 47, 481), i n sharp contrast to fables of a Christian apologetic character. He claims that there can be neither beauty or harmony in the nonsense of incredible feats of arms; that even f i c t i o n requires a semblance of veracity, coherence, and proportion. He surrmarizes his objections as follows: [S]on en est i lo duros; en las hazarias, increibles; en los amores, lasc iv ios; en las cortesias, mal miradas; largos en las batal las, necios en las razones, disparatados en las viajes y, finalmente, ajenos de todo discreto a r t i f i c i o , y por esto dignos de ser desterrados de la republica cr is t iana. (I, 47, 482) He f inds, in such books, one good poss ib i l i ty\u00E2\u0080\u0094a broad f i e l d for edifying l i terary exercise, \"describiendo naufragios, tormentas, rencuentros y batal las, pintando un capitan valeroso con todas las partes que para ser tal se requieren\" (I, 47, 482); the depiction of diverse characters, noble and base; of arts and sciences, statesmanship, and the qual i t ies of great men. He believes that such elements, in restrained Louis 14 sty le , ingeniously composed, adhering closely to truth, could create beauty and perfection, instruct and del ight\u00E2\u0080\u0094in epic, l y r i c a l , tragic or comic form (I, 47, 483). As might be expected from so detailed a corrmentary, the Canon confesses that he had been tempted to write a book of chivalry along such lines but desisted, considering i t incompatible with his posit ion (I, 48, 484). In addition, he did not wish to be exposed to cr i t ic ism by ignorant readers who prefer absurd extravagance. Speaking of the productions of contemporary theatre, the Canon complains that the serious plays of the past have been replaced by nonsensical matter, \"asi las imaginadas como las de h is tor ia , todas o las mas son conocidas disparates\" (I, 48, 484). He had once argued with an actor regarding the prevalence of such infer ior productions, which were claimed to represent the popular taste. He had pointed out that three tragedies, which were presented some time ago, were eminently successful and prof i table, \"que admiraron, alegraron y suspendieron a todos cuantos las oyeron, asi simples como prudentes\" (I, 48, 485). The actor recognized these as La Isabella (1581), La Filis and La Alejandra (a l l by Lupercio Leonardo de Argensola). The Canon had remarked, further, that serious plays presented in the past, such as Lope de Vega's La ingratitud vengada, Cervantes' La Numancia (1583), Gaspar de Agui lar 's El mercader amante, and Francisco Agustin Tarrega's La enemiga favorable brought renown to their authors and prof i t to the producers; therefore, the Canon continues, \"no esta l a fa l t a en el vulgo, que pide disparates, sino en aquellos que no saben representar otra cosa\" (I, 48, 485). Louis 15 The Canon t e l l s Don Quixote that the books of chivalry are f u l l of nonsense and falsehoods (I, 49, 493-94), f i t only to be burned, as confirmed by their malign effect on Don Quixote's mind and the sad condition to which he has been reduced. In reply to the knight-errant's art iculate defence of the veracity of his books, the Canon differentiates pointedly between history and f i c t ion and, for h is tor ica l f igures, between truth and legend (I, 49, 498). The Canon, who has been taken by some c r i t i c s , including Riley and Eisenberg, as the voice of the author on l i terary matters, represents a sophisticated social and intel lectual order. He sees the potential worth of books of high adventure in depicting the best of human qual i t ies , but deplores the fantastic exaggeration in accounts of the deeds of heroes of chivalry, as well as the deficiencies in language and style of most examples of the genre. As a c l e r i c , he emphasizes the need to promote Christian moral values in l i terature (I, 49. 494). Though dealing comprehensively with deficiency in l i terary qual i t ies and c red ib i l i t y of content, his c r i t ic ism of the books of chivalry i s most concerned with their lack of posit ive didactic value\u00E2\u0080\u0094not just in a narrow moral sense but in their fa i lure to l ive up to their potential for inspiration of readers through r e a l i s t i c examples of human conduct in tales of high endeavour. The innkeeper Juan Palomeque, his daughter, and the servant Maritomes At the other social extreme of that of the Canon, we encounter these three characters, a l l of whom are probably i l l i t e r a t e (I, 32, 321). L i t t l e i s stated as to their backgrounds; the innkeeper i s somewhat hasty and violent , associated with the Santa Hermandad, and most concerned\u00E2\u0080\u0094not Louis 16 unnaturally\u00E2\u0080\u0094about the interests of his business; his daughter has a malicious sense of humour (witness the entrapping of Don Quixote I, 43, 447) and a romantic disposit ion; this incl inat ion i s shared by Maritornes, who i s stated to be rather i l l - favored and of loose morals. Their acquaintance with l i terature i s limited to hearing someone read aloud the books lef t at the inn by a vanished t ravel ler . The books of chivalry have their appeal for a l l three, albeit for different reasons. Their interest in the tales of knight-errantry ref lects the extension of the popularity of the genre, long favoured by the nobi l i ty , to unsophisticated members of society. The innkeeper questions the pr ies t 's statement to the party at the inn that the books of chivalry had turned Don Quixote's mind. He says that he and many others had received great pleasure from hearing such books read in gatherings at the inn, \"siempre hay algunos que saben l e e r . . . y rodeamonos de mas de tre inta, y estamosle escuchando con tanto gusto\" (I, 32, 321). He part icular ly enjoys tales of combat. Maritornes emphasizes the appeal of the love scenes; the innkeeper's daughter says she does not care for the violent bi ts but i s deeply moved by the pathetic lamentations of the knights when absent from their lady-loves (I, 32, 322). The ccirrrnents of these three characters are limited to the appeal of d ist inct elements of content, rather than of l i terary features. When the priest proposed that the books of chivalry be burned as vain and false (I, 32, 323), the innkeeper offered a histor ica l work, Historia del Gran Capitin Gonzalo Hernandez de Cordoba, con la vida de Diego Garcia de Paredes (1580), to the f i r e instead. Other works found in the bag lef t Louis 17 by a travel ler include Cervantes' Novela del curioso impertinente (I, 33, 327) and Novela de Rinconete y Cortadillo (I, 47, 477). The author chooses to ca l l attention to stories of his own which he considers worthy of note. The opinions of the innkeeper, his daughter, and Maritornes provide r e a l i s t i c examples of the tastes of uncultured ci t izenry. Part icularly t e l l ing i s the innkeeper's rating of the knights-errant higher than the Gran Capitan, since their feats were incomparably more marvellous (I, 32, 324). The gatherings at the inn to hear someone read the tales of chivalry recal l popular gatherings to hear public declamations of epic poems by juglares of an ear l ier time. The implied comparison emphasizes the universal i ty and timelessness of the appeal of forms of l i terature that serve as re l ie f and recreation, regardless of verisimil i tude. Sanson Carrasco, the student guide, A l t i s idora , and a musician These diverse sources are grouped because their corrments have a corrmon focus, their negative views of speci f ic features of content and practice in contemporary l i terary production. Carrasco i s the son of a v i l lager ; twenty-four years of age; a graduate of the University of Salamanca; inte l l igent but of a s a t i r i c a l , somewhat malicious turn of mind (II, 3, 558). The student who guides Don Quixote to the Cave of Montesinos i s a se l f -s ty led humanist, reportedly fond of reading books of chivalry. He compiles and edits informative books, which are neither signif icant nor accurate in content, and writes burlesques of the c lass ics . Altisadora i s a young woman in the entourage of the Duchess. She i s most active in the elaborate arrangements devised Louis 18 for mocking Don Quixote and reacts vengefully to the knight's resistance to her blandishments. No background data i s given for a musician who sang and played during A l t is idora 's procession. In te l l ing Don Quixote about the published account of the f i r s t part of the knight's adventures, enti t led El Ingenioso Hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha, Carrasco says, in words that echo the Aprobacion of Galatea by Lucas Gracian de Antisco: [L]a tal h istor ia es del mas gustoso y menos perjudicial entretenimiento que hasta ahora se haya v is to , porque en toda e l l a no se descubre, n i por semejas, una palabra deshonesta n i un pensamiento menos que cat61ico. (II, 3, 563) Carrasco unleashes a bi t ter attack on envious l i terary c r i t i c s , reminiscent of Sancho's complaint against the pr iest , \"donde reina la envidia no puede v i v i r la virtud\" ( I , 47, 479): Los hombres famosos por sus ingenios, los grandes poetas, los i lustres historiadores, siempre, o las mas veces, son invidiados de aquellos que tienen por gusto y por part icular entretenimiento juzgar los escritos ajenos, s in haber dado algunos propios a la luz del mundo...y asi digo que es grandisimo el riesgo a que se pone el que imprime un l ib ro , siendo de toda imposibilidad componerle t a l , que satisfaga y contente a todos los que le leyeren. (II, 3, 563-64) At the end of Part II, in the attempts of Don Quixote's neighbours to re-animate Alonso Quijano el Bueno during his f inal i l l n e s s , Carrasco urges him to commence the pastoral l i f e which he and Sancho had discussed as an alternative to knight-errantry. Carrasco had composed an eclogue for the Louis 19 purpose\u00E2\u0080\u0094claimed to r iva l Sannazaro's Arcadia (II, 74, 1062)\u00E2\u0080\u0094but i s unable to e l i c i t a posit ive response from the a i l ing Don Quixote. The student guide speaks with absurd sat isfact ion of his useless and irresponsible works (II, 22, 697), with their invented t r i v i a and pretended erudition. A l t i s idora , in her account of her temporary demise out of feigned unrequited love of Don Quixote, speaks of reaching the gates of H e l l , where a dozen devils were playing, using books instead of b a l l s , books f u l l of wind and stuffed with trash. Among these was Avellaneda's continuation of the adventures of Don Quixote, harshly condemned by one of the devi ls as, \"Tan malo, que s i de prop6sito yo mismo me pusiera a hacerle peor, no acertara\" (II, 70, 1043). Justifying the inclusion of a verse by Garcilaso de la Vega in his own song on the supposedly sad fate of A l t is idora , the poet-musician corrments: [Y]a entre los intonsos poetas de nuestra edad se usa que cada uno escriba como quisiere, y hurta de quien quisiere, venga o no venga a palo de su intento, y ya no hay necedad que canten o escriban que no se atribuye a l icencia poetica. (II, 70, 1045} He takes advantage of the contemporary mode of plagiarism, noting further that l i t t l e care i s taken regarding the su i tab i l i t y of the material appropriated or to the observance of tradit ional forms. Poetic licence i s taken to just i fy any ignorant, fool ish or presumptuous expression. The views of Carrasco and the student guide suggest somewhat cynical juvenile mentalit ies. The l i terary projects of the student are examples of vacuous hack-work, the compiling of pretentious inani t ies. Carrasco's Louis 20 mocking style serves as the vehicle for an attack against c r i t i c s who presume to denigrate in others talents and s k i l l s which they themselves lack. A l t is idora 's account of books as the playthings of devils suggests the proper fate of empty, trashy l i terature. While referring part icular ly to Avellaneda, i t reinforces the c r i t i c ism of works such as those of the student guide. The musician also describes irresponsible hack-work, careless mis-application of material stolen from others. The corrments of this group of characters are more polemical in style than those of the other characters, indicating emotional as well as c r i t i c a l content. Don Diego de Miranda, el Caballero del ^Verde Gaban Don Diego i s a well-to-do, land-holding gentleman of good family, the owner of a large and well-appointed home, with a l ibrary of some six dozen books\u00E2\u0080\u0094some in Lat in, none of chivalry. He involves himself in the recreations of the gentry: hunting, f ishing and soc ia l i z ing . He is hospitable and, by his own declaration, charitable. Hearing about the publication of the record of Don Quixote's feats as a knight-errant from the protagonist himself, Don Diego expresses his opposition to books of chivalry most tact fu l ly : iBendita sea el c i e l o ! , que con esa h is to r i a . . . de sus altas y verdaderas cabal ler ias, se habian puesto en olvido las innumerables de los fingidos caballeros andantes de que estaba lleno el mundo, tan en daflo de las buenas costumbres y tan en perjuicio y discredito de las buenas h istor ias . (II, 16, 646-47) Louis 21 Of his own reading, he says that he prefers works \"que deleiten con el lenguaje y adrrdren y suspendan con la invencion, puesto que hay muy pocos en Espana\" (II, 16, 647). He i s disappointed i n his son who, after s ix years at Salamanca, i s preoccupied with poetry instead of studying law. He cannot accept poetry as the principal occupation of a member of his family. Representing the worthy, comfortably established gentry, Don Diego i s completely respectable, well-informed and good-hearted, but utterly conventional in his ideas and interests. He values history and both serious and l ight l i terature but has no use for books of chivalry, which he considers mendacious and harmful. He deplores the rar i ty of good l i terature in Spain, books in which the sensible reader could enjoy f ine language while marvelling at the subtle invention of the author. Don Quixote, Alonso Quijano el Bueno The hero of the novel i s an hidalgo, of rural gentry (I, 21, 200), in an unnamed v i l lage of La Mancha. His education i s unstated but he i s clearly widely-read. Alonso Quijano i s a respected, i f somewhat impoverished, small landholder whose principal occupation\u00E2\u0080\u0094hunting\u00E2\u0080\u0094has been almost abandoned owing to his obsession for reading books of chivalry, in the acquisit ion of which he has been se l l ing parts of his patrimony (I, 1, 36). He i s good-hearted, i f somewhat i rasc ib le ; his good sense i s subdued only while overcome by his obsession with knight-errantry, in whose h istor ica l va l id i ty he seems to have complete fa i th , and whose precepts he i s ambitious to emulate. The f ic t ional characters of tales of chivalry Louis 22 appear to him to be as real as the heroes of history (I, 49, 496-97) and Cervantes declares him crazed on this topic, although eminently sensible on a l l others: [S]olamente disparaba en tocandole en la cabal ler ia , y en los demas discursos mostraba tener claro y desenfadado entendimiento. (II, 43, 843) Speaking of an ancient carrmunal Golden Age, Don Quixote emphasizes the value of honest, straight-forward language: Entonces se decoraban los concetos amorosos del alma simple y sencillamente del mesmo modo y manera que e l l a los concebia, s in buscar a r t i f i c ioso rodeo de palabras para encarecerlos. (I, 11, 105) This comment, although referring to the manners of a better time, may well be applied to conversation, public recitat ion in the oral t radi t ion, or to written material. It i s consistent with the corrective instructions given to the boy-narrator by both Don Quixote and Maese Pedro during the puppet show (II, 26, 731-732). However, on the many occasions in which Don Quixote recal ls or invents passages in tales of chivalry, or apostrophizes Dulcinea, the language i s elevated in s ty le , \"siendo de caballero andante, [ la manera de expresarse] por fuerza habia de ser grandilocua, a l ta , insigne, magnifica\" (II, 3, 558). In a discussion with Sanson Carrasco, Don Quixote declares that the basic requirements of l i terary composition are mature judgement and inventive imagination: Louis 23 [P]ara componer historias y l ibros , de cualquier suerte que sean, es menester un gran ju ic io y un maduro entendimiento. Decir gracias y escr ib i r donaires es de grandes ingenios.(I I , 3, 563) He refers admiringly to Garci laso's Eclogue III (II, 8, 591), which reinforces his concept of Dulcinea, and he advises Don Diego de Miranda to influence his son's poetic interest toward moral values, \"al modo de Horacio, donde reprehenda los v ic ios\" (II, 16, 651). With young Lorenzo, he discourses learnedly on the requirements of the poetic gloss (II, 18, 666). Don Quixote declares a long-standing interest in the theatre: [P]orque todos son instrumentos de hacer un gran bien a la republica, poniendonos un espejo a cada paso delante, donde se veen al vivo las acciones de la vida humana. (II, 12, 617) Later on, in the print-shop in Barcelona, he touches on the l imitations of translation of l i terature: [E]s como quien mira los tapices flamencos por el reves, que aunque se veen las f iguras, son llenas de hi los que la escurecen. (II, 62, 998) However, he corrrnends Batt ista Guarini 's Pastor Fido, as translated by Crist6bal de Figueroa (1602), and Torcuato Tasso's Aminta, translated by Juan de Jauregui (1607), as essential ly true to the originals (II, 62, 999). Louis 24 The corrrnents of Don Quixote on Avellaneda's spurious Segunda Parte del Ingenioso Hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha refute the slurs on his character and constancy (II, 69, 967), as well as noting factual errors. Since the author and a number of his characters corrrnend the knight's sound judgement on a l l subjects other than those based on his complete fa i th i n the truth of the books of chivalry, Don Quixote's corrrnents on other l i terary subjects merit consideration as expressing ideas which Cervantes wanted on record. In his glowing account of the features of the Golden Age, as delivered to the uncomprehending goatherds, Don Quixote praises the use of simple direct language, without elaboration or circumlocution. His advice to the budding poet, Lorenzo de Miranda, recorrrnends close attention to the exacting requirements of tradit ional l i terary forms and c lassica l moral values, as well as practical consideration of the interests of his intended publ ic. His deathbed recantation, a rejection of the absurdities and deceits to be found in \"los detestables l ibros de las cabal ler ias\" (II, 74, 1063), l imited as i t i s to those speci f ic features, may be considered a dramatic device, possibly expedient, rather than a f inal effort at l i terary cr i t ic ism. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, the narrator, Cide Hamete Benengeli, the Moorish translator and the unidenti f ied, possibly imaginary, f r iend i n the Prologue, Part I The origins and education of the author are unstated in the text; Cervantes ident i f ies himself as an ex-soldier and writer, explorer of the annals of La Mancha (I, 2, 43) and finder of the chronicles\u00E2\u0080\u0094in Arabic--of Louis 25 the historian Cide Hamete (I, 9, 93). He orders the translation and compiles the Spanish text. Cide Hamete, variously ident i f ied as a member of an untrustworthy race and as a scholarly and punctilious histor ian, i s at once the chronicler of l i terary convention and one of several protective measures, distancing the author from the hazards of authorship. The fr iend, \"gracioso y bien entendido\", provides Cervantes with a modest role in a dialogue with s igni f icant , i f s a t i r i c a l , didactic and c r i t i c a l content. The author, and his friend as alter-ego, begin by identifying desired and objectionable l i terary practices. The Prologue i s primarily a sat i re on the custom of pretentious embellishment of a new work with epigrams and laudatory passages purportedly written by distinguished persons, pseudo-erudite annotations, and philosophical and b ib l i ca l references. It does include a strong recommendation from the author's fr iend for simplici ty and c la r i ty : [A] la l iana, con palabras insignif icantes, honestas y bien colocadas, saiga vuestra oracion...dando a entender vuestros conceptos s in in t r icar los y oscurecerlos. (I, Prologue, 25) In his i n i t i a l description of the protagonist's obsession with knight-errantry, the narrator mocks Don Quixote's admiration for elaborate locutions, with Fel iciano de S i lva 's often quoted passage: La raz6n de la sinraz6n que a mi raz6n se hace, de tal manera mi raz6n enloquece, que con raz6n me quejo. (I, 1, 37) Louis 26 In contrast, Don Quixote's example for the Canon of Toledo provides a model of simple dramatic imagery: iY que apenas el caballero no ha acabado de oir la voz temerosa, cuando, s in entrar mas en cuentas consigo, s in ponerse a considerar el peligro a que se pone, y aun s in despojarse de la pesadumbre de sus fuertes armas, encomiendose a Dios y a su senora se arroja en mitad del bullente lago, y . . . s e hal la entre unos f lor idos campos. (I, 50, 500) The Prologue contains, as wel l , a typical ly ambiguous reference to the declared attack on the books of chivalry, \"caballerescos l ibros , aborrecidos de tantos y alabados de muchos mas\" (I, Prologue, 25). Cervantes has his characters f ind much to corrnend, as well as to c r i t i c i z e , i n the books. S t i l l , the narrator says that the mind of Don Quixote, an addicted reader of such books, became clouded by \"disparates imposibles\" (I, 1, 38). In discourse regarding the veracity of Cide Hamete, the narrator indulges in rhetorical corrmentary on the role of historians, demanding accuracy and impartial i ty: [Djebiendo ser los historiadores puntuales, verdaderos y no nada apasionados, y que ni el interes ni el miedo, el rencor ni la a f ic i6n , no les hagan torcer del camino de la verdad, cuya madre es la h is tor ia , emula del tiernpo, dep6sito de las acciones, testigo de lo pasado, ejemplo y aviso de lo presente, advertencia de lo porvenir. (I, 9, 95) Cide Hamete's narration of events in precise detai l i s stated to be a model for professional improvement of h is tor ica l writing: Louis 27 [M]uy curioso y muy puntual en todas las cosas. . .con ser tan minimas y tan rateras, no las quiso pasar en s i lenc io ; de donde podran tomar ejemplo los historiadores graves, que nos cuentan las acciones tan corta y sucintamente...dejandose en el t i n t e r o . . . l o mas sustancial de la obra. (I, 16, 146) and even more eloquently, the c lar i ty of his expositions are corrrnended: Pinta los pensamientos, descubre las intenciones, responde a las tac i tas , aclara las dudas, resuelve los argumentos; finalmente, los atomos del mas curioso deseo manifiesta. (II, 40, 822) The narrator praises two authors of tales of chivalry for their careful ly comprehensive accounts: iBien haga mil veces el autor de Tablante de Ricamonte [1513] y aquel del otro l ibro donde se cuenta los hechos del conde Tcmillas [Enrique fi de Oliva, 1498] y con que puntualidad lo describen todo! (I, 16, 146) He refers to Don Quixote's books as \" l ibros mentirosos\" (I, 18, 165), yet speaks of the people of his era as requiring entertaining l i terature, as well as h istor ica l accuracy: [E]sta nuestra edad, necesitada de alegres entretenimientos, no s61o de la dulzura de su verdadera h is tor ia , sino de los cuentos y episodios del la que, en parte, no son menos agradables y ar t i f i c iosos y verdaderos que la misma h is tor ia . (I, 23, 275) Louis 28 In Part II of Don Quixote, there i s a summary dismissal of Avellaneda's continuation of the story of Don Quixote as trash, in Alt isadora's report of a dev i l ' s low opinion of the work, as well as a suggested negative public reaction to Avellaneda's version\u00E2\u0080\u0094in an enthusiastic onlooker's welcoming cr ies on Don Quixote's entry into Barcelona: Bien sea venido, digo, el valeroso don Quijote de la Mancha: no el fa lso, no el f i c t i c i o , no el apocrifo que en falsas historias estos dias nos han mostrado, sino el verdadero, el legal y el f i e l que nos describio Cide Hamete Benengeli, f lo r de historiadores. (II, 41, 987) Humour and hyperbole do not obscure the honour due to the true hero, nor the appreciation of superior l i terary merit in the work ascribed to Cide Hamete. Qualit ies recorrrnended for the work of historians included precise accuracy, dispassionate impart ial i ty, comprehensive de ta i l , explanatory exposition, and unfai l ing veracity. With some reservations regarding the ccrrrnents attributed to Cide Hamete, the l i terary opinions expressed by the author's variant forms must be given enhanced authority. Cervantes delegates most cr i t ic isms of contemporary l i terary practices to his characters, but he expands his announced cr i t i c ism of books of chivalry into a manifesto of l i terary values. The principal characterist ics commended for f i c t i o n , poetry and drama are l is ted in Table I, with sources ident i f ied . Characteristics condemned are l i s ted in Table II. TABLE I Louis 29 CHARACTERISTICS COMMENDED CHARACTERS COMMENTING Priest Canon Innkeeper Carrasco Don Diego Don Cervantes Daughter Guide Miranda Quixote Narrator Maritornes Altisidora Cide Hamete Musician Friend Translator Entertainment Inventiveness Artful plot Imaginative concepts Suspense Language & style Elegance Clarity Verisimilitude Veracity Credibility Accessibility Simplicity Coherence x x x x x x Didactic value Morality Propriety Dignity Judgement x x x x Traditional rules & forms x x TABLE II Louis 30 CHARACTERISTICS CONDEMNED CHARACTERS COMMENTING Priest Canon Lack of Entertainment Dullness x Pretentiousness Prolixity Lack of Verisimilitude Mendacity x Anachronisms x Geographic absurdity x Fantastic exaggeration x Lack of Accessibility Circumlocution Pseudo-erudition Poor translation x Innkeeper Daughter Maritornes Carrasco Guide Altisidora Musician Don Diego Don Cervantes Miranda Quixote Narrator Cide Hamete Friend Translator x x Lack of Didactic value Lasciviousness x Lack of edifying content Condemned, in addition, were a number of prevalent practices in the literary world such as plagiarism envious cnticism, scurrilous personal attacks, and pandering to vulgar tastes. Louis 31 Perceptions of worth and faults i n l i terature are interwoven with the account of the adventures of Don Quixote. C r i t i c a l conment\u00E2\u0080\u0094favourable or not, va l id or doubtful\u00E2\u0080\u0094is distributed among characters according to their background and interests, and among the several voices of the author, consistent with their functions, to be interpreted according to the understanding of the curiosos lectores. The errat ic distr ibut ion of conrnent on l i terary character ist ics, as observed in the Tables, reinforces the concept that each speaker represents a d ist inct c r i t i c a l posit ion. Recognition of the constituency, the sectors of interest for which they speak, constitutes a signif icant indicator i n determining the credit to be assigned to each corrment, the authority to be granted to each speaker, and the degree to which they may ref lect the ideas of Cervantes. L o u i s 32 CHAPTER II Poems and stories in Don Quixote [L]os estudios desta facultad [ la poesia] . . . t raen consigo .. .provechos, como son enriquecer el poeta considerando su propria lengua...descubriendo la diversidad de conceptos agudos, graves, sot i les y levantados.9 The examples of varied l i terary forms which Cervantes includes in Don Quixote are examined in this chapter to establish how they may i l lus t ra te or modify the findings of the previous chapter. Primary attention i s concentrated on what i s disclosed of the l i terary preferences of the author i n the works which he chooses to include in his novel. Considering the poems of a serious character, one model corrrnonly employed for popular song i s the tradit ional romance. Examples, at various levels of sophistication in language, rhyme schemes, imagery and rhetorical devices,, include fragments from the goat-herd Antorio's song , the plaint of a tormented lover seeking f inal resolution of his woes (I, 11, 107-109): Donde no, desde aqui juro por el santo mas bendito de no s a l i r destas t ierras sino para capuchino; the f i r s t love song, \"Marinero soy de amor\", of the pretended muleteer, Don Luis (I, 43, 440): 9 Cervantes, La Galatea, edit ion of Schevil l and Boni l la (1914). Prologue, p. x l v i i i . L o u i s 33 iOh clara y luciente es t re l l a , en cuya lumbre me apuro! Al punto que te me encubras, sera de mi muerte el punto; and Don Quixote's own composition (II, 46, 867), advising prudently moral behaviour and constancy in love: Las doncellas recogidas que aspiran a ser casadas, la honestidad es la dote y voz de sus alabanzas. Reviewing these romances, i t can be confirmed that, while a l l demonstrate c la r i ty of language and coherence, Don Luis adds a degree of elegance of expression, with imaginative concepts. Such elaboration as i s evident i n the romances appears to be within reasonable l imits for the hyperbolic terms appropriate to lovers. Another song form used i s the silva, in which quatrains or sextets with alternating l ines of seven and eleven syl lables introduce a rhythm more varied than that of the romance. The silva i s exemplified in the second song of Don Luis (I, 43, 442), on a lover 's hopes; and Don Quixote's song (II, 68, 1032), on a lover 's conmingled perceptions of l i f e and death.io Both songs exhibit c la r i ty and coherence; Don Quixote's offer ing, not original with Cervantes, presents universal concerns with dramatic emphasis: io A poem by Pietro Bembo, translated from the I ta l ian. L o u i s 34 Asl el v i v i r me mata, que la muerte me torna a dar la vida. iOh condicion no oida la que conmigo muerte y vida trata! An interesting variation in poetic form i s the copla real, which appears in a somewhat burlesqued version, with added estribillo, i n Don Quixote's poem to Dulcinea (I, 26, 252-3); and in more tradit ional manner and form at a masque celebrating Camacho's wedding (II, 20, 683-4), where figures representing Cupid, Wealth, Poesy and Liberal i ty declare their qual i t ies and powers, witness Cupid's grandiose phrases: Yo soy el dios poderoso en el aire y en la t ie r ra y en el ancho mar undoso, y en quanto el abismo encierra en su baratro espantoso. A l l of the above compositions, romances, silvas, and coplas reales, conform closely to tradit ional poetic forms. Less famil iar i s the Ital ian style of Grisostomo's song to Marcela (I, 14, 125-9), which consists of verses with sixteen l ines of eleven syl lables in a complex rhyme-scheme. The dark imagery employed by the despairing lover i s dramatic: iOh, en el reino de amor f ieros tiranos eelos! ponedme un hierro en estos manos. Dame, desden, una torcida soga. Mas, iay de mi ! , que, con cruel v i t o r i a , vuestra memoria el sufrimiento ahoga. This combination of simple language and imaginative concepts i s an effective example of the s t y l i s t i c elements corrrnended by Cervantes. L o u i s 35 Cardenio's song (I, 27, 261-2), a more contrived and less emotional lover's p la int , presents a complicated verse and l ine structures with sophisticated rhyme patterns, the ovillejo: iQuien mejorara mi suerte? La muerte. Y el bien de amor, iquien le alcanza? Mudanza. Y sus males, iquien los cura? Locura. De ese modo no es cordura querer curar la pasi6n cuando los remedios son muerte, mudanza y locura. This poem i l lust ra tes Cervantes' concern with the avoidance of obscurity and elaborate terminology. However, he i s ever ready with more august and even grandiloquent phrasing when i t suits the occasion; for example, in Merl in 's lengthy pronouncement (II, 3 5 , 7 9 7 - 9 8 ) , in which he declares his power and discloses the awesome authority for the measures that would rel ieve Dulcinea from enchantment: [D]espues de haber revuelto cien mil l ibros desta mi ciencia endemoniada y torpe, vengo a dar el remedio. The extravagance of the language, to match the Duke's elaborate mockery of Don Quixote, i s consistent with the stated remedy, three thousand and three hundred lashes to be self-administered by Sancho. Cervantes demonstrates here, and repeatedly in the text, his cormand of the use of the archaic, elevated language of chivalry. L o u i s 36 Lorenzo de Miranda's gloss on the uncertainty of Fortune and the unrelenting character of Time (II, 18, 666-8) i s a tradit ional poetic exercise of refined construction, i f uncertain effect . The rhetorical progressions in an expanded paraphrase under poetic rules represent s k i l l s highly conrnended by Don Quixote. No quiero otro gusto o g lo r ia , otra palma o vencimiento otro tr iunfo, otra v i t o r i a , sino volver al contento que es pesar en mi memoria. The development of the themes of the gloss has a simple, workmanlike quality and appropriate dignif ied restraint . The poetic form appearing most frequently in the text i s the sonnet, presumably the model most favoured by the author and by poets of his time. The I tal ian sonnet form was introduced into Spain in the f i f teenth century and attained i t s highest standard of perfection, according to most c r i t i c s , with Garcilaso de la Vega, early in the sixteenth century. Cervantes' admiration of Garcilaso i s made expl ic i t repeatedly in his works. Two examples: the shepherdess of the pretended Arcadia (II, 58, 958) t e l l s Don Quixote that her group has been preparing presentations of the eclogues of Garcilaso and Camoes; and the musician in A l t is idora 's t ra in plagiarized Garcilaso (II, 70, 1045). In Don Quixote, Cervantes provides six examples of the sonnet treating serious topics: on the anxieties of a despairing lover (Cardenio, I, 23, 217); on the uncertainty of friendship (Cardenio, I, 27, 262); the two heroic poems, stated to be by Pedro de Aguilar, on the loss (in 1573) of L o u i s 3 the Goleta and of a fort near Tunis (I, 40, 403-4); on courtly love (the Knight of the Wood, II, 12, 621); and on the fable of Pyramus and Thisbe (Lorenzo de Miranda, II, 18, 668). While a number of his other poems display some i r regular i t ies in rhythm and rhyme, Cervantes' sonnets are meticulously crafted in tradit ional form. The language, always clear i f rarely l y r i c a l , i s well-suited to the individual themes and moods. For the poetry in Don Quixote, compliance with qual i t ies corrrnended in Chapter I i s summarized in Table III. Louis 38 TABLE III CHARACTERISTICS POETIC F O R M C O M M E N D E D Romance Silva Copla Real Song Ovillejo Gloss Declamation Sonnets Entertainment Inventiveness11 Artful plot Imaginative concepts x 1 2 Suspense Language & style Elegance x Clarity x Verisimilitude Credibility x Accessibility Simplicity x x x Coherence x Didactic value Morality Propriety x Dignity x Judgement Traditional x rules & forms 1 1 4 H,18 11,35 1,23,27 1,40 II, 12 11,18 x x X X X X x X X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X x x x x x x x x x x x x 1 1 For the relatively brief poems, no indications are recorded for plot or suspense. 1 2 While the several romances are uneven in qualities, recognition is given for notable features in individual poems. L o u i s 39 The stories introduced into the text\u00E2\u0080\u0094variously integrated with the sequence of adventures of Don Quixote and Sancho\u00E2\u0080\u0094have been the subject of typical ly discordant c r i t i c a l corrrnent. They have been regarded as tota l ly appropriate provision of variety, dramatic re l ie f and suspense; al ternat ively, they have been c r i t i c i z e d as irrelevant interpolations, detracting from the principal narrative; Carrasco touches on this concept: Una de las tachas que ponen a la tal h i s t o r i a . . . e s que el autor pone en e l l a una novela int i tulada El curioso irrpertinente, no por mala ni por mal razonada, sino por no ser de aquel lugar, n i tiene que ver con la h istor ia de su merced del senor don Quijote. (II, 3, 562) While Cervantes appears to acknowledge the existence of unfavourable perceptions of his interpolated s tor ies , i t i s obvious that he regarded El curioso irrpertinente, a tota l ly independent narrative, as too good an example of his art to be lef t on the shelf.13 This exemplary ta le , with a strong psychological bias, does include signif icant aspects which paral le l basic themes in Don Quixote. The behaviour of Anselmo, l ike that of Don Quixote, demonstrates the way in which obsession subverts perceptions of rea l i ty . Cr i t ics , have offered a bewildering variety of explanations for Anselmo's destructive course.14 An approach which seems more appropriate to the tone of the story, and to the information which the author provides, suggests that Anselmo\u00E2\u0080\u0094conscious of his licentious history\u00E2\u0080\u0094is not able to tolerate his perception of Camila's relat ive moral superiority. He becomes 13 Arguments.for and against the inclusion of the story have been reviewed by Americo Castro, El pensamiento de Cervantes (1967 edit ion), pp.121-23. 14 Sunrnarized by R. M. Flores, \"Una posible protofabula a El curioso irrpertinente de Cervantes\", i n Cervantes 18 (1998), pp.134-43. L o u i s 40 fixated on destroying her virtue to establish dominant status. Like Don Quixote, Anselmo returns to a recognition of real i ty when death i s irrrrdnent. Cervantes' technique of leaving interpretation open to the reader i s amply demonstrated in Don Quixote. More exp l ic i t l y demonstrated, in the Italianate tale El curioso impertinente, i s the range of \"characteristics ccrrrnended\"\u00E2\u0080\u0094the artful plot ( i ts structure reminiscent of the theatre, with three phases\u00E2\u0080\u0094 the development of the scheme, the conversion of Camila and Lotario into lovers, and the dramatic denouement of divine retr ibut ion) , imaginative concepts, suspense, and unassuming elegance in language. Despite the pr ies t 's unfavourable corrment regarding i t s unconvincing relationships in the context of Spanish family l i f e (I, 35, 371), less biased readers would be incl ined to grant i t ver isimil i tude. The story i s coherent, being stated and ordered with s impl ic i ty . It deals with e th ica l , as much as moral, considerations and does so with dignity and mature judgement. In trying to dissuade Anselmo from his scheme, Lotario says: Dime, Anselmo, s i el c ie lo , o la suerte buena, te hubiera hecho senor y legitimo posesor de un finisimo diamante, de cuya bondad y quilates estuviesen satisfechos cuantos lapidarios le v iesen . . .y tu mesmo lo creyeses a s i , s in saber otra cosa en contrario, i s e r i a justo que te viniese en deseo de tomar aquel diamante, y ponerle entre un yunque y un mart i l lo , y a l i i , a pura fuerza de golpes y brazos, probar s i es tan duro y tan f ino como dicen? (I, 33, 335) In the story of Grisostomo and Marcela (I, 12-14, 110 f f ) , Cervantes confirms his departures from the c lassica l pastoral model, with the presentation of human conf l ic t disturbing the Arcadian idea l , plus argument L o u i s 41 for ferninine independence. The distressed lover i s now deceased and the maiden eloquent in self-defence against imputations of cruelty: [E]l verdadero amor...ha de ser voluntario, y no forzoso. Siendo esto a s i . . . "Thesis/Dissertation"@en . "2000-05"@en . "10.14288/1.0099486"@en . "eng"@en . "French, Hispanic and Italian Studies"@en . "Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library"@en . "University of British Columbia"@en . "For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use."@en . "Graduate"@en . "Perceptions of literary opinion in Don Quijote de la Mancha"@en . "Text"@en . "http://hdl.handle.net/2429/10272"@en .