Who was Don Quixote of La Mancha?
A misunderstood man.
Who was Don Quixote of La Mancha?
He chased windmills and love, he was a man of elegance, intelligence, and madness. Together with his squire Sancho, they represent both the leader and follower of male society. Sancho chased wealth and power and was a man of faith, family, and labor. Where Don was well born and well read, Sancho was low-born and couldn’t read. Each man presents their own sense of virtue and sin. They share a common thread with a desire to do good for those they love. This desire may blind them to reality at times or cause them to deceive one another, but it is not done with ill intent. Selfish they may appear, each is acting from their own perspective.
Don Quixote was written by Miguel de Cervantes in the early 1600s. It’s a sprawling tale of manhood, love, deception, and virtue. Chronicling the adventures of knights errant Don Quixote, chasing the beautiful Senora Dulcinea of Toboso, and his Squire Sancho Panza chasing wealth and respect. The author often leaves the reader asking themselves “what is real”?
Through each adventure, the author draws a clearer picture of who Don and Sancho are, sometimes they are reflective, and sometimes they are delusional. The book leaves us with the understanding that no matter who one is, well-born or low-born, educated, or uneducated, we are each wise in what we know and a fool in what we don’t. The book shows how man is a product of his environment and he who conforms to his environment with virtue can survive, and he who can shape his environment, with virtue can thrive, however, virtue is not easily seen in the deception of reality.
Don may have been mad or just madly in love, but through the madness, he carried himself with honor and dignity. Love and life have a way of driving the sane, insane; better to have love and lost than never to have loved at all. Better to chase windmills than allow the monsters of society to chew us up and spit us out.
Sometimes I feel like I’m chasing windmills, sometimes I get down when I fail, and when I do, I feel bad. It can make it hard to believe in good, but now, I think of what Don said: “I do not know if I am good, but I can say I am not the bad one”.
Maybe I am chasing windmills, but I think there are a few things the author wanted us to take away from the book.
Some are leaders and some followers— best to discover oneself and be. Each is important in the journey.
Life and love are messy, do your best and trust your heart.
Most problems among men are due to a lack of communication or sinful ambition.
A man cannot know if they are good, that is for others to decide.
Men are searching and feel misunderstood. Reading this book with our sons can help. Flag the moments that stick out, and then discuss. Guiding them through their adventures and helping them understand life, manhood, and decisions making. This book is beneficial for the well-born or lowborn, educated or uneducated, labor or capital, blue collar or white collar, new money or old money, shepherd or King.
Peace and Love,
Jeff Mayhugh