As others have attempted to explain the why's and wherefore's of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's story of the most famous knight-errant, Don Quixote, de la Mancha, it remained for Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dali to provide a visual translation for the twentieth century. For Dali this was easy (some say he painted more rapidly than others, when in fact it was an outpouring of his soul in his work) as Salvador Dali was Don Quixote. Lay aside the critiques of Cervantes work as an attempt to discredit the literature of his time. And also ignore the statements that Dali was mad.
No, both saw in themselves, the reincarnate Don Quixote. As they lead us through their vision of the world gone mad, they provide us a measure of their inner being.
The many translators of Cervantes have attempted to interpret his writing as a support for Christianity that had lost its favor during the Crusades and the rise of Knights in Armor to defend the populace against evils unknown. Instead by combination of their ranks, one draws a general picture of a story unfolding that reveals a gentle, courageous, strong-willed man who found himself at odds with the times. Was he befuddled? No more than those about him. How can you but relate to his cause, feel sympathy for his lost efforts and anguish for the piles of abuse heaped upon him. But he persevered because his cause was just.
Now can you just substitute the name Dali for Cervantes and make the same statements? Of course! And there is more. While Cervantes had only the pen to put to paper, Dali in this modern world could draw on the banquets of chemistry, engineering, philosophy, economics, religion, &c,. Both created an image of man's inner strength and rewarded the visitor to their world with visions that bedazzle.
Yes, Salvador Dali (and Miguel De Cervantes) was the Man from La Mancha.
As Don Quixote, his man Sancho and the bachelor Carrasco agreed, "... it is one thing to write like a poet, and another thing to write like an historian. It is sufficient for the first to deliver matters as they ought to have been/ whereas the last must relate them as they were really transacted, without adding or omitting anything upon any pretense whatever."
... and historians, who are fond of venting falsehoods, should be burned, like coiners of false money. XLIV.
Following is a list of books/translations which are available to look more deeply into the writings of Cervantes. For Dali, the museum at St. Petersburg Florida offers a visual banquet of his offerings.
Enjoy!
Translators - Title(if different) - Characteristics of book
Duffield
Arthur Efron, - don Quixote and the Dulcineated World, (paperback, Jan
1985)
Charles Jervas
Kelly (1769) -
Michael J. Marshall (ed) -The Don Quixote (paperback, Apr 99)
Joyce Milton -
Motteux, Peter - (1712) (Dali illustrator)
Motteux, Peter - (1712) 1880 (Hopkins illustrator)
John Ormsby
Eric Overmyer (Don Quixote de la Jolla, (paperback, July 1993)
Phillips, John (1687)
Burton Raffel - Don Quijote (Paperback, Jan 99)
Alberta Server, J. E. Keller - Hal Barnell(illustrator), Being the
Spurious Continuation of M de C's Part I(hard, 1980)
Shelton (1608) - Harvard Classic (only the first book)
Thomas Shelton - The History of Don Quixote of la Mancha (Hard)
Thomas Shelton, Jose Segrelles (illustrator), (hard)
Thomas Shelton, An Introductory Essay in Psychology, (hard, June 1980)
Smirke (1818)
Tobias Smollett (1755)
Stevens -
M. Sturman (ed)
Ward, Ned (1700)
Wimot (1774)
Please note:
The following internet sources have Don Quixote listed for sale
Abe books 1475 listings
Bibliocity 572 listings
Bibliofind Multiple pages (no
count)
Barnes and Noble 331
listings
ebay (at auction on Oct 3, 1999) 78
listings
There are multiple listings of the same works as well as duplicate listings on the different site. However the number of copies available at very reasonable prices means that no one should be without a copy of Don Quixote. And once it is discovered that the different translations offer such a variety, it's unlikely that a single book will satisfy.
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