Don Quixote - Literature, Reality, and Narrative Techniques in Chapters XXI-XXVI

Explore key themes and literary techniques in Cervantes' masterpiece through this Yale University lecture. Delve into the nature of literature and reality, examining narrative techniques and the blurring of fiction and fact. Analyze the focus on marginalized characters and the portrayal of 16th-century society. Investigate the Mambrino episode's exploration of sensory perception and reality. Uncover intimations of characters' subconscious minds and the creation of new literary genres. Discuss the proliferation of books and its impact on authorship. Gain insights into Don Quixote's self-awareness as a literary character and the evolving relationship between Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Examine satirical elements, including the critique of autobiographical writing in the galley slaves episode. Consider the rise of inventive, experience-based writing and its departure from classical mimesis.