Don Quijote's World

Context
Time

• Chronology of the book: publication history
• Chronology within the book

Intellectual context and currents

• Humanism
• Scholasticism
• Theories of medicine that influence character
• The Body Humours
• Does Don Quijote have a medical "Madness" condition?(Further research on D.Q. madness)
• Medieval Treatment
• Man and the Universe

History of Spain relevant to Don Quijote

• Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand of Aragón and Isabel of Castile
• Expulsion of the Jews and the Muslims; conversos; "purity of blood"
• Castas
• Spanish Military Orders

Society

• Division of society: nobility, commoners
• Catholicism and the Inquisition
  • The List of Prohibited Books (Censorship in Catholic Spain)
• Importance of tradition in the face of change

Popular literature

• Poetry, theater, novels
• Romances of Chivalry

Features of Romances of Chivalry important to the creation of Don Quijote

• Medieval society: knights/chivalry and feudalism
  • Tournament
• Characters: knights, ladies, wizards, giants, potions, magic, love
• Knights: Amadís of Gaul, Tirant lo Blanc
• Their ladies
• Magical world
• Courtly love and its rules
• The lady Marriage by seduction

Importance of marriage
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The context of the novel:

• The author, Miguel de Cervantes
• The geography of La Mancha
• Characters
• The road/s traveled and the Highway Police