Miguel de Cervantes

Miguel de Cervantes was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. His novel Don Quixote is regarded as the first modern novel and as one of the greatest works of world literature.

Early Life and Military Service

Cervantes was born in 1547 near Madrid, the son of a surgeon. He studied with the humanist Juan López de Hoyos and travelled to Italy as a servant of a cardinal.

He enlisted in the navy and took part in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, where he was wounded and lost the use of his left hand. He was captured by corsairs in 1575 and spent five years as a prisoner in Algiers.

He was ransomed and returned to Spain, where he worked as a government official and as a tax collector. He was briefly imprisoned for irregularities in his accounts.

Don Quixote

The first part of Don Quixote was published in 1605 and the second part in 1615. The novel describes the adventures of a gentleman who reads too many books of chivalry and sets out as a knight-errant.

He takes the name Don Quixote and is accompanied by his squire Sancho Panza. The pair encounter windmills that he mistakes for giants and inns that he mistakes for castles.

The novel is a parody of the romances of chivalry, but it also explores the nature of reality and of illusion, of madness and of imagination. It has been interpreted as a meditation on the human condition.

The Novel and Its Influence

Don Quixote is regarded as the first modern novel because of its treatment of character and of narrative perspective. The second part responds to the unauthorised continuation by another author.

The novel influenced the development of the form and has been admired by writers from Fielding to Flaubert to Dostoevsky. It has been described as the greatest novel ever written.

The characters of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza have become archetypes of idealism and of practicality. The phrase tilting at windmills is drawn from the book.

Other Works

Cervantes wrote a long pastoral romance, La Galatea, and a number of plays, of which only a few survive. His Eight Comedies and Eight Interludes were published in 1615.

The Exemplary Novels, published in 1613, are a collection of twelve stories. They influenced the development of the short story in Spain and in Europe.

The Travels of Persiles and Sigismunda, a romance, was published posthumously in 1617. He also wrote poems, including the Journey to Parnassus.

Later Life and Death

Cervantes lived in poverty in his later years, and he was supported by a patron. He joined the Third Order of Saint Francis shortly before his death.

He died in Madrid in 1616, the same year as Shakespeare. His remains were lost and were only rediscovered in 2015.

He is honoured by the Cervantes Prize, the highest award for literature in the Spanish language. His image appears on Spanish coins and banknotes.

Legacy

Cervantes is regarded as the greatest writer of the Spanish language and as the creator of the modern novel. His influence on literature has been profound.

Don Quixote has been translated into more languages than almost any other book, and it has been the subject of countless adaptations. The figure of the knight of the sorrowful countenance is part of the world's cultural heritage.

He is remembered for his humour and for his compassion. His work continues to be studied and to be enjoyed.

The Captivity in Algiers

Cervantes was captured by Barbary corsairs in 1575 and taken to Algiers. He spent five years as a prisoner and made several attempts to escape.

He took responsibility for the attempts in order to protect his companions. His courage impressed his captors and his fellow prisoners.

He was ransomed by the Trinitarian order and returned to Spain. The experience informed the theme of captivity and of freedom in his later work.

The Government Service

Cervantes worked as a commissary for the Spanish navy, collecting provisions for the Armada. He was later employed as a tax collector.

He was imprisoned at least twice for irregularities in his accounts. The first imprisonment is said to have been the occasion for the conception of Don Quixote.

He applied for posts in the Indies but was refused. He spent his last years in poverty in Madrid.

The Exemplary Novels

The Exemplary Novels are a collection of twelve stories that explore a range of social and literary themes. The stories include Rinconete and Cortadillo, a picaresque tale, and The Dialogue of the Dogs, a philosophical conversation.

The collection influenced the development of the novella in Spain and in Europe. The stories were translated and imitated by later writers.

The tales combine realism with romance and with satire. They reflect the author's experience of the world and his reading of the literary tradition.

The Plays

Cervantes wrote a number of plays, of which only a few survive. The Siege of Numantia is a tragedy on a patriotic theme.

The Eight Comedies and Eight Interludes were published in 1615. The interludes are short comic pieces that were performed between the acts of longer plays.

The plays were not as successful as the novels, and Cervantes acknowledged the superiority of Lope de Vega. He nevertheless made a contribution to the theatre of his time.

See also

• Don Quixote
• Spanish literature