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When searching for a new classic work of literature to read, you might be recommended certain works or warned to avoid others.
Miguel de Cervantes’ classic work Don Quixote is often on the lists of must-read classic novels but many people may tell you to avoid it because it’s a ‘hard read’ or ‘too long’.
However, Don Quixote is considered a classic for a range of reasons so if you are looking for a reason to pick up this 17th century novel, here are a few for you to check out and consider.
This way, you can find out if Don Quixote is really the novel for you or if you will enjoy reading a different book.
It’s Hilarious (No, Really!)
Don Quixote was originally written in the 1600s and because of this, many assume that it must be a very difficult, boring read – when the truth is the complete opposite.
Contrary to popular belief, comedy did exist in the 17th century and Don Quixote is a shining example of this.
This story is packed with all kinds of slapstick and misunderstandings that you would find in a typical Monty Python movie.
From mistaking windmills as giants or sheep to be dangerous enemies, Don Quixote is actually a pretty humorous tale and you will find yourself chuckling and rolling your eyes at the antics of our hero.
So, don’t assume that this story is just some kind of deep, philosophical tale about morality and religion.
Although there are some interesting themes that you can ponder on (just like with any classic book), there’s also plenty of wit and humor to keep you entertained.
It Has Some Great Characters
One of the reasons why we often revisit our favorite novels is because we are absolutely in love with the characters involved.
The truth can be said with Don Quixote because the slew of characters on offer here are each unique, memorable, and entertaining in their own ways.
There is, of course, the tidal character Don Quixote himself – a chivalric middle-aged man who is super idealistic but is just as mad as he is intelligent.
Alongside Don Quixote are his long suffering servant and squire Sancho Panza, a cowardly peasant who acts as Don Quixote’s foil.
Don Quixote’s horse and Sancho’s donkey are also characters in their own rights, and both are pretty important to the plot despite being a pair of animals.
From there, our main heroes go on to meet so many unique side characters, each one as memorable as the last, as Don Quixote stumbles from one sally into another.
It’s Actually Pretty Sad
Don Quixote is often championed for its comedy but one of the reasons why it is considered a classic piece of literature is because there is also a profound sadness underneath every action in the narrative.
With underlying themes of love and friendship, morality dilemmas revolving around vice and virtue, and the recurring questions around Don Quixote’s sanity gives this novel plenty of heart as well as laughs.
After all, the story at its core is about a knight striving for perfection that he can never reach and although he may be charging at windmills or calling an inn a castle, you can’t help but feel a bit of pity for the hero in between each misadventure.
So, Don Quixote is more than just a funny comic book; there’s also plenty of themes to think deeply about and sympathy for the main hero through his constant denial of reality.
It’s A Basically A Road Movie In Written Form
You could say that Don Quixote is the original road trip comedy as it involves our slightly insane hero and his foil sidekick jump on their respective horse and donkey, traveling around central Spain looking for foes to fight and wickedness to destroy.
Of course, things don’t go quite as planned.
The comedy and joy of moving from one setting to another makes it a great road trip novel with plenty of stunts, crazy characters, and a few poignant moments that give the narrative plenty of heart as well.
This makes Don Quixote a great book to read during your summer vacation as it perfectly encapsulates all the humor, fun, freedom and joy that comes with a road trip gone wrong.
It’s Easy To Read
There’s no denying that Don Quixote is a hefty book. It features nearly 350,000 words and can span over 800 individual pages but despite its long length, each story (or misadventure) is broken up into sections that read like short stories.
The chapters are also short and snappy so you can pick up this book whenever you like, read a section like a short story and then put it back down until you are ready.
With no ‘overarching’ narrative other than the heroes’ consistent motives, this means that Don Quixote reads more like a series of smaller stories than one huge book with a beginning, middle and end.
This makes it a lot easier to read than other classic novels that boast a similar or longer word count.
Rather than trying to keep track of dozens of characters and a timeline that spans over years and years, Don Quixote is much easier to follow thanks to the book’s structure and limited main group of characters.
So, if you prefer breaking up your books into smaller bite sized chunks but you are scared of losing track, then don’t worry – Don Quixote is easy to read either in one long sitting or lots of smaller breaks.
Conclusion
Don Quixote is an underappreciated piece of classical literature even though it has plenty of great qualities.
It’s funny, heartfelt, with great qualities and a fast moving plot that is super easy to ingest and suit your reading schedule.
However, many people seem to skip over it either because of its length or the fact that this book is over 400 years old!
But there are plenty of great reasons why you should give Don Quixote a try.
Check them out above and pick up Don Quixote from your nearest library to give it a try!
I first had the idea for Seeking A Good Book when I was in college and everyone would come to me for book recommendations. More often than not, everyone I recommended a book to would always come back with a glowing review of it.
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