Publication of Don Quixote

Don Quixote is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes, the first part of which appeared in 1605 and the second in 1615. It tells of a minor nobleman who reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his wits, renames himself Don Quixote of La Mancha and sets out as a knight-errant with his down-to-earth neighbour Sancho Panza. The book began as a parody of the romances, but it grew into a rich exploration of illusion and reality, idealism and common sense. Its humour, its layered narration and its sympathetic characters made it popular at once. It is often called the first modern European novel and has been translated into many languages, and the adjective quixotic comes from its hero.

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