Miguel de Cervantes's two-part novel "Don Quixote" is a seventeenth-century story of the title character's exploits, which are likened to the activities of a Good Samaritan or Robin Hood. In the first part of "Don Quixote," Cervantes explains the origin of the character. His former name is Alonso Quijano. At the beginning of the story, he is an older gentleman. He loves to read romances, but he seeks adventure. He decides to dub himself a knight and begins to seek ways to perform good deeds. He looks the part by wearing a suit of armor and mounting a horse. He renames himself "Don Quixote" and searches for adventure. His first adventure results in madness for which a band of travelers beat him. His second adventure results in Don Quixote returning home. By the end of the work, Don Quixote has become a shepherd, subsequently dying and leaving an inheritance for his niece.
Miguel Cervantes Biography
Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) the famous Spanish novelist and poet, was born in Alcalá de Henares, a small town near Madrid. Cervantes created Don Quixote, the most prominent figure in Spanish literature of all the time. Cervantes life was full of journeys and adventures. He spent most of his childhood moving from town to town while his father Rodrigo de Cervantes was looking for work. He studied in Madrid between 1568 and 1569. In 1570 Cervantes participated in the sea battle at Lepanto (1571), where his left hand was permanently wounded. He earned his nickname in this battle – “el manco de Lepanto” (the cripple of Lepanto). In 1575 Cervantes set out with his brother Rodrigo on the galley “El Sol” for Spain. Pirates captured their ship and the brothers were taken to Algiers as slaves. Cervantes spent five years as a slave awaiting his family to raise enough money to pay his ransom. Cervantes was released in 1580, with the payment of 500 escudos raised by his family. He returned to Madrid where he held several temporary