Capítulo 36:

• Resolution of the Cardenio/Luscinda/Fernando/Dorotea episode. Why does everything work out well? Does Don Quijote have anything to do with it, directly or indirectly?
• Why does Fernando apparently change character, becoming a "nice guy" here and in subsequent chapters?
• Why the happy ending here but a tragic ending for the Anselmo/Camila/Lotario story?

Capítulos 37-38:

• Arrival of the captive and Zoraida. What might the captive represent?
• Don Quijote's speech on Arms and Letters. [Remember, this is his second main speech; his first one was on the Golden Age with the shepherds.]
• What does this have to do with the rest of the novel, both before and what follows?

Capítulos 39-41: The captive's tale.

• Note the opening words of the tale; why do (or at least should) they sound familiar?
• What are some reasons for the inclusion of the historical details, such as the battles?
• Can the captive be compared to anyone?
• How does the Moorish girl come off? (Remember that at this time the Moors are the enemies of Spain, and the moriscos inside Spain are a source of conflict also --so much so that nine years after the publication of Don Quijote I they will be expelled from the country.)

Capítulo 42:

• The oidor. Can he be said to represent anything?

Capítulo 43:

• Don Luis. Any parallels/contrasts between him and Don Quijote or between their actions here?
• Don Quijote's dilemma.
• What's going on here in the inn? Is it just an inn, or is it really some kind of enchanted castle???

Capítulos 44-46:

• More transformations here at the inn, both in people and objects, but now often with a comic twist; this extends even of course to Don Quijote.

Capítulo 47:

• Don Quijote enjaulado (caged and loaded up on the cart). Is this ignominious from your point of view? Why or why not? How can this be almost glorious from Don Quijote's point of view?
• The literary theme (with the Canónigo). Can the Canónigo be said to represent Cervantes' point of view? What are the bad aspects of the novels of chivalry? The good aspects? Has Cervantes managed to avoid the bad and capitalize on the good in this novel? How?

Capítulo 48:

• The literary theme, extended to include drama. Why?

Capítulo 49:

• Any changes in Sancho Panza (here and in later chapters)? In Don Quijote?

Capítulo 50:

• Another story, this one told by Don Quijote: El Caballero del Lago. Compare this caballero with Lanzarote, who was known as Lancelot of the Lake. On page 401 line 42, note the expression orden desordenada ("disordered order"; nowadays orden is masculine, and the expression is orden desordenado). This phrase is now applied to works of art --including this novel-- of the Baroque period. Can you see why?

Capítulo 51:

• The goatherd Eugenio and his story (Anselmo/Eugenio/Leandra/Vicente).
• Note in these last chapters the reappearance of familiar themes [i.e., reprises], plus one or two last aggressive actions by Don Quijote in the next chapter.

Capítulo 52:

• The end of Part I (the 1605 volume). Why the indefinite nature of the ending? Can Part I be considered complete in itself?
• Poems (pp. 416-419): Read, but don't worry about details.
• Note the last lines of Part I (p. 419), especially the quote in Italian.
• How do you interpret Part I?

Fred Jehle jehle@ipfw.edu
Indiana U.-Purdue U. Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499
URL: http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/courses/s450/h5-450.htm
Home page http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/
Works of Cervantes http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/cervante.htm