Prisoners of the Mind: How Don Quixotes Live Among Us
I learned about Don Quixote, a novel written in the early seventeenth century, through various articles. It is the most translated and best-selling Spanish novel by Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra. Still, I have only recently read its English translation by John Ormsby. I couldn’t believe this philosophical humour was written almost 400 years ago; it seemed so modern. Besides, the character of Don Quixote does not look strange, as people like him appear everywhere in the contemporary world.
The novel is set in medieval Spain. Alonso Quijano is a bachelor landlord of around 50 who lives with his niece and a maidservant. He is enamoured with chivalry literature and starts believing himself to be a knight on a mission to protect good people. He assumes the name Don Quixote de la Mancha. He finds an old armour from his ancestors and makes up the missing parts using assorted metallic junk. He names his old and malnourished horse Rocinante, befitting a sturdy horse a knight must ride.
In his first outing, Don Quixote arrives at an inn, which he believes to be a castle. He demands that the innkeeper bestow upon him the noble title of ‘knight’. When he sees a young shepherd being beaten by his master, he tries to stop him, only to be humiliated. Next, some merchants whom he mistakes as invaders give Don Quixote a brutal beating and leave him on the side of the road, where he is found by a peasant and delivered home. His two well-wishers, concerned about his sanity, burn down his library and tell him it was done by a rival magician in his absence. He happily believes the story; it is a confirmation of his fantasy.
After staying home for a while, Don Quixote recruits Sancho Panza, a farm labourer, as his squire, a male attendant to a great personage. Don Quixote has no money to give as a salary and promises him riches, fame, and the governorship of an island. The duo moves out to fight with the evil forces, help the poor, and dispense justice—a tall Don Quixote riding his horse, wearing armour and carrying a nine-foot pole as his weapon, and short and bulky Sancho Panza following him on a donkey.
The long novel shows how Don Quixote imagines extraordinary situations in his stale and mundane life. He sees a herd of sheep as an invading army and a lady who salts meat in butchery as a damsel in distress; he must be rescued only to be beaten by the people around him. His worldly, wise, and practical servant saves him every time. His vision of windmills as demonic giants and his fighting with them are iconic images, making quixotic an idiom.
At this point, they came in sight of thirty or forty windmills that there are on that plain, and as soon as Don Quixote saw them, he said to his squire, “Fortune is arranging matters for us better than we could have shaped our desires ourselves, for look there, friend Sancho Panza, where thirty or more monstrous giants present themselves, all of whom I mean to engage in battle and slay, and with whose spoils we shall begin to make our fortunes; for this is righteous warfare, and it is God’s good service to sweep so evil a breed from off the face of the earth.”
“What giants?” said Sancho Panza.
“Those you see there,” answered his master, “with the long arms, and some have them nearly two leagues long.”
“Look, your worship,” said Sancho. “We see that there are not giants but windmills, and what seem to be their arms are the sails turned by the wind to make the millstone go.”
“It is easy to see,” replied Don Quixote, “that thou art not used to this business
of adventures, those are giants; and if thou art afraid, away with thee out of this and betake thyself to prayer while I engage them in fierce and unequal combat.” (Part I, Chapter VIII, Para 1)
The contrast between the real and the fantastic highlights how perception is subjective and how one’s beliefs shape one’s view of the world.
It is no business or concern of knights-errant to inquire whether any persons in affliction, in chains, or oppressed that they may meet on the high roads go that way and suffer as they do because of their faults or misfortunes. It only concerns them to aid them as persons needing help, having regard for their sufferings and not their rascality. (Part I, Chapter XXX, para 2)
In the novel’s second part, published 10 years later, Don Quixote embarks on another adventure with Sancho. A Duke and Duchess invite them to their palace for amusement and practical jokes. Sancho is given a false governorship, a deceptive prank that leads to humiliation. When Don Quixote is conquered in a battle with the Knight of the White Moon, he is forced to lay down his arms and abandon his acts of chivalry for one year. Before the battle, the conditions are agreed upon with the ‘knight’, who is dressed in a costume, that Don Quixote would go home if defeated. Eventually, Don Quixote retires in the countryside and falls sick.
After a few months, he recovers his sanity completely and, despite Sancho’s encouragement to restore his faith in fantasy, takes back the name of Alonso Quijano. He apologises for all the craziness and any harm that he may have caused before passing away.
As nothing that is man’s can last forever, but all tends ever downwards from its beginning to its end, and above all, man’s life, and as Don Quixote’s enjoyed no special dispensation from heaven to stay its course, its end and close came when he least looked for it. (Part II. Chapter LXXIV, Para 1)
But now, it is Sancho’s turn to imagine. As Don Quixote becomes ‘realistic’, Sancho’s spirit ascends from reality to illusion. What this novel stirred in me is the acuteness of the universal problem of the human mind. Quixote’s insanity is gentle and easy to sympathise with—he can’t understand the harshness and ridicule of the people around him. He assumes himself as a hero and a champion of the weak and oppressed. Sancho is a practical man with survival as his main agenda. He is rooted in common sense. Yet, he also adopts some of his idealism towards the novel’s end.
The mind is a compelling entity. Humanity has dominated planet Earth by using the mind but also created strife. Like a double-edged sword, the mind cuts both ways. In the final analysis, the mind is placed at the root of all human misery by various thinkers and philosophers over the centuries.
माया मुई न मन मुवा, मरि–मरि गया सरीर।
आसा त्रिष्णाँ नाँ मुई, यौं कहै दास कबीर॥
Kabir says that neither the illusion of a creature nor his mind dies. Only his body dies again and again. Despite wandering in many births, hope and desire never die; they always remain.
The minds of people can cast such a spell upon them that instead of living in the present moment, they dwell mainly in the past (ruminating their memories as animals chew all their food eaten earlier) or wander in fantasy (building castles in the air). Very few people live in the present moment. Then, some people escape from their unbearable reality by using alcohol and drugs. How are they different from Don Quixote? Listen to any popular leader giving a speech, and you can enjoy Don Quixote charging a windmill for a demon.
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Fascinating blog Prof Tiwariji, highlighting the subjectiveness of perception !
Your way of mapping the essence of best literary works to contemporary conditions is outstanding !!
Thank you for bringing a classic book to our attention. Undoubtedly, the mind is a man’s unique power. We earn our livelihoods and find our place in society using our minds in various ways. But the mind, like a hyperimmune system, can also be dangerous. It makes us see reality, but it is what we want to see. We realise our false perceptions and laugh about them only later in life. But continue to live under our self-created illusions.
As Don Quixote’s imagination converted whatsoever he saw, heard or considered, into something of which he had read in books of chivalry; he no sooner perceived the inn, than his fancy represented it, as a stately castle with its four towers and pinnacles of shining silver, accommodated with a draw-bridge, deep moat, and all other conveniences, that are described as belonging to buildings of that kind.
Respected Sir, thank you for letting us taste the world’s classics through your blog. Don Quixote’s relevance to modern times stems from exploring the human condition, particularly the relationship between imagination and reality and idealism versus pragmatism. We live through the clash between idealistic dreams and the world’s harsh realities. This conflict remains relevant in discussions about individual aspirations and societal constraints. Don Quixote’s quest to revive chivalry reflects a broader human desire to find meaning and purpose in a chaotic and unfulfilling world.
Thanks Arunji. As usual, very thought-provoking piece. The way you connected the timeless spirit of Don Quixote with our modern lives is both inspiring and humbling. Thank you for this insightful reflection!
Thank you, Tauji, for introducing me to Don Quixote. What can one learn from the character in modern times? One of the most remarkable traits of Don Quixote is his unwavering persistence. Despite numerous setbacks and ridicule, he continues to chase his dreams and ideals. He follows his path regardless of societal expectations. In an age when social media tells you what to think, Don Quixote inspires us to embrace our uniqueness and pursue our values.
Very interesting to know about Don Quixote. What I liked most is that, despite his eccentricities, Don Quixote is driven by a deep sense of compassion and justice. He endeavours to protect the weak and fight for what he believes is right. This focus on empathy and kindness is a timeless lesson that resonates strongly in our contemporary world.
Thank you Sir for sharing yet another interesting blog.
Don Quixote is a representation of someone fighting “windmills,” aka imaginary enemies or impossible causes and, like you said, living in the past or future.
Such a classic novel with such a powerful life lesson.
Dear Prof Arun Tiwari Ji, your thoughts on Don Quixote are truly fascinating! The book’s blend of humor and deep ideas feels so modern. Don Quixote’s dreamy nature and Sancho’s practical side beautifully show the clash between imagination and reality. Your reference to Kabir’s verse perfectly highlights how our minds can deceive us. This story inspires me to read it and explore these characters myself!
Sir,
कबीर का एक और दोहा यहाँ प्रासंगिक है।
माला फेरत जुग भया, फिरा न मन का फेर।
कर का मनका डार दे, मन का मनका फेर।
जैसा उमेश जैन जी ने कहा है, हमारे अंदर डॉन क्विक्सोट और सांचो पांजा दोनों की माला फिरती रहती है।
अगर आप बाहरी दिखावे के लिए माला फेर रहे हैं और आपका मन अभी भी शांत नहीं है, तो बाहरी माला छोड़िए और अपने मन को शुद्ध करने के लिए ध्यान लगाइए।
I think Don Quixote and Sancho Panza live in us all in one form and degree or the other.
Nice moral to live in the present reality and you are what you believe in.
Hello, sir; reading your thought-provoking blogs is always a pleasure!
Being mindful rather than “ Mind-Full” is the key essence of staying in the present moment.
I loved your articulating style of Don Quixote’s character. Regards.
Dear Sir, thank you for a thoughtful and engaging reflection on Don Quixote, blending summary with personal insight. This captures the timeless appeal of Cervantes’ work, especially the contrast between fantasy and reality. I particularly appreciated the observation that Don Quixote’s delusions feel strangely familiar in today’s world, making the novel feel modern despite its age. The analysis of the dynamic between Don Quixote and Sancho Panza is also insightful, showing how idealism and pragmatism influence each other. The final commentary on the power—and peril—of the human mind ties the piece together beautifully.
Dear Sir, Good day! Thank you for a profoundly insightful and engaging reflection on Don Quixote, Sir. Your interpretation beautifully bridges the historical and the contemporary, making the character’s idealism feel strikingly relevant even today. I especially appreciated the parallel between Don Quixote’s fantasy and the modern mind’s tendency to escape reality through dreams, delusions, or distractions. The connection with Kabir’s couplet added a powerful spiritual depth to the theme. This post not only deepened my appreciation for Cervantes but also gave me much to ponder about the human condition and the timeless dance between illusion and reality. Warm Regards,
Dear Arun, It’s an adorable blog ending with Kabir’s powerful couplet.
How hard we try, we can peep very little into the author’s mindset of such a mysterious book.
It looks like the story contains some parables that we will understand based on our depth of knowledge. Your quotation of Kabir confirms my theory on parables in this extraordinarily humorous novel.
Such a beautiful contrast between fantasy and reality. The parallels between the protagonist’s delusions and modern-day escapism, illustrating how the human mind’s tendency to escape reality remains relevant across centuries, is so nicely drawn.
Anyone in his late sixties would read DON QUIXOTE and fold it up after passing time reading and laughing for some time and forgetting. But it reminded you of a doha of Kabir. That reveals your mindset. Please go ahead and post your musings.
I HAD NOT READ THIS BOOK BUT FASCINATED BY YOUR ANALYSIS OF THE CHARACTER BEST WISHES
Thank you for the reality checks in the blog. We live in a world with diverse backgrounds, people, and approaches to survival.
In the study of international relations, realism and idealism closely relate to the Don Quixotes and the Sancho Panchas among us. That is life …
Indeed hope and desire never die; they always remain.
It was a nice walk down the memory lane for me as I had read the abridged contents as an English chapter as a boy of VII standard while at Madras (now Chennai).
I could not understand the subtler meaning then… later during moments of solitude at Chandipur-on-sea, I could fathom the meaning.
Live in the present – not in the past is what the Gurus preach us. The meaning is unfortunately lost in the modern world.
For a nation we are, if this message is spread and and assimilated among all, we would see a renascent Bharat.
Thank you for the nice blog and best wishes to all.
Arunji, Good morning!
Love the punctuality and discipline in gifting us with these thought provoking blogs every fortnight.
This one is a wonderful reflection on the enduring power of Don Quixote! It’s fascinating how Cervantes captured the eternal dance between illusion and reality, a struggle that continues in modern times through politics, media, and our inner lives. Your connection to Kabir adds such depth — showing how this battle of the mind transcends cultures and centuries. Truly, we’re all chasing our own windmills in one way or another Arunji!