Don Quixote: The Lance in The 17th Century

Don Quixote, a classic novel by Miguel de Cervantes, has been winning the hearts of readers for hundreds of years. It’s about this guy, Alonso Quixano, who gets totally wrapped up in tales of knights and chivalry. He decides to become a knight himself, calling himself Don Quixote. One thing that stands out in his journey is his lance. It’s more than just a weapon; it's a symbol of his wild dreams and his quest for those heroic ideals he reads about.

So, what's the deal with Don Quixote's lance? Well, it kind of shows off his delusions and how much he wants to be a hero. From the second he puts on that armor and grabs his lance, he's all about this noble but pretty misguided dream of living like a knight. But here's the kicker – his lance is really just a wooden stick. This highlights the big gap between what he dreams about and what’s actually happening around him.

The Lance: A Symbol of Delusion

Quixote's lance also points to how far off from reality he is. You know that famous scene where he charges at windmills thinking they're giants? That moment says a lot about how lost in fantasy he is. His lance turns into this thing that lets him push his crazy ideas onto the world, mixing up what's real and what's not.

But wait, there's more! The lance isn't just about Quixote’s personal journey. It also reflects Spain back in the 1600s. At that time, Spain was changing big time politically and socially. Old-school values like chivalry were being questioned as new ideas came into play. So, when you see Quixote holding onto these old stories and trying to live by them, it's showing the clash between tradition and progress going on in society.

The Power of Imagination

The lance also speaks to how powerful imagination can be and how stories shape us. All those books Quixote read made him believe in the power of his lance. He thought those tales were true history instead of fiction, affecting how he saw the world and himself in it. So, while literature can change lives, it also warns us about letting our imagination run too wild without keeping one foot grounded.

Wrapping up here – Don Quixote's lance is much more than just a weapon. It's this amazing symbol of madness and mistaken ideals but also reflects what's happening in Spanish society at the time. It reminds us not to let our imagination take over completely without staying realistic.

References

• Cervantes Saavedra, M. (2003). Don Quixote. Penguin Classics.
• Eisenberg, D., & González Echevarría, R. (1997). A Study Guide to Don Quixote. Yale University Press.
• Bloom, H., & Bloom Notes Staff (1996). Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote. Chelsea House Publishers.
• Parker, J.A., & Parker (2005). Sparknotes: Don Quixote. Spark Publishing Group.
• Mancing, H., & Association of Teachers of Spanish & Portuguese (1991). "Cervantes Studies," vol 11-12.