Don Quixote Insanity

704 Words3 Pages
There’s a fine line separating intelligence and insanity, in fact science states that the same gene that induces intelligence also prompts insanity. Take for example Einstein, an absent-minded genius. Many individuals in the scientific community deemed him crazy, but ultimately he was the one to solve the theory of relativity. A cloud of insanity masked his intelligence, and it was this insanity that the world initially perceived. This idea parallels society’s perception of Don Quixote. His tendency to dramatize individuals and objects makes him appear insane, forcing those around him to create a standpoint regarding his transformed reality. Therefore it can be argued that Don Quixote’s misperception also affects other character’s understanding…show more content…
The Barber and the Priest believed that Don Quixote’s chivalrous ways constituted a danger to both him and society. Therefore while Don Quixote was asleep, they burned all the books of chivalry in his library. Later when Don Quixote questions this, his niece tells him that a magician decimated all his books. One must take into account that Don Quixote is not a child, but a healthy grown man. Generally parents alter their realities in order to play along with their kid’s fantasies. By utilizing Don Quixote’s imagination to create an excuse, they treat him as a child. Therefore their actions prove how much they care for Don Quixote. Even though they believe that his chivalrous perception is insane, they still pretend to live in the same altered reality as him to convince him to change. Their willingness to enter his altered reality shows how much concern they have for Don Quixote’s wellbeing. This shows readers that Don Quixote’s misperception not only affects him but also questions other’s views of the world. If DQ’s altered reality was the major concern, the barber and priest could have easily explained to Don Quixote that his…show more content…
Although he agrees to travel with Don Quixote out of greed, he remains loyal to him throughout the novel. In the novel Sancho resides in a limbo like state, in that he is engrossed in both Don Quixote’s imagination and lives in the real world. Therefore he exemplifies both the goods of reality and Don Quixote’s chivalrous perspective. As the novel progresses the effects of Don Quixote’s supposed insanity can be clearly seen on Sancho. He initially starts off resembling the contemporaries that DQ protests, in that he exhibits the same flaws: wanting power and wealth, but as the novel progresses Sancho accepts the simple life. In my opinion, this is due to his adventures with Don Quixote. The time he shared with Don Quixote allowed him to learn the true meanings of life giving him wisdom that no customary education could provide. Ultimately this wisdom allowed him to be a greater governor than his educated, wealthy counterparts. They say one “bad apple spoils the bunch,” however Don Quixote’s “insanity” helped a man discover himself and his confidence, therefore questioning whether or not his insanity was actually bad. By helping a man discover his inner strengths and confidence, Don Quixote goes beyond that of a teacher and becomes almost a guru to Sancho showing that his insanity was clearly
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