STRANGE FACTS OF A CLASSIC MAKER & HIS MASTERPIECE

  

                                                

Books are like our fellow friends with no demands or complaints. They improve our knowledge, wisdom, and information, thus helping us make the right decisions in life. Books are the best option for self-learners to avail of information on all issues and topics.

When this companionship extends over some time, we become clear and make a perfect selection of books according to our tastes and preferences.

Then begins the hunt for books of genres we like, books by our favorite authors, and any extra information by the publisher is always welcome.

In between in this cycle, bookish trivia adds a dash of hot spicy flavor to our reading time.

 Trivia is unimportant facts or details that are considered to be amusing rather than serious or useful.

'Trivia' comes from the Latin 'trivialis,' meaning "found everywhere, commonplace." One meaning of 'trivia' is "unimportant matters."

In the world of books, trivia is a strange fact about a book. The book -Cervantes’s Don Quixote translated by John Rutherford which I received from Penguin India's last year’s giveaway with its volume, style, and its classic nature led to an attempt to find out any bookish trivia behind it.

Literary historians consider Don Quixote one of the most important books of all time, and it is often cited as the first modern novel. The character of Quixote became an archetype, and the word quixotic, used to mean the impractical pursuit of ideological goals, and entered common usage.

In his most famous work, "Don Quixote," Cervantes wrote in prose. While much of world literature up to that point had been written in verse, Cervantes' masterwork is called by some the first true novel in Western literature.

Bookish trivia / lesser-known facts of the book were traced from here and there. This has increased the prominence of the book and the readers rejoice reading these trivia of one of the great books in the world of Literature.

Without any further delay, here is the bookish trivia of the CERVANTES ‘S DON QUIXOTE:

 

 

·       Unfinishable masterpiece for many because of its length.

·       The fake sequel prompted Cervantes to pen his sequel, which was released in 1615, a year before his death.

·       The novel is also the inspiration behind tons of songs and has spawned endless adaptations.

·       A famous 1605–1615 Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616), whose full title is El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha (The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha). The protagonist of this novel.

·       Don Quixote is not a true story. Some of the confusion surrounding the novel as fiction or non-fiction stems from the real places and real historical figures with whom Don Quixote interacts. Further, Cervantes called his novel "a history," which also adds to this confusion.

·       Shakespeare was a contemporary of Cervantes but also a huge admirer of his work. In fact, in 1613, he wrote a piece called The History of Cardenio, based on a character from Don Quixote.

·       Miguel de Cervantes spent five years in captivity in Algiers.  A particularly empathetic sequence in the novel sees the hero and Sancho Panza freeing a group of galley slaves from captivity. Cervantes’ special sensitivity to these recipients of Don Quixote’s chivalry likely stems from his own experiences in servitude in the 1570s.

·       The very first translation of Don Quixote was Dublin-born author Thomas Shelton’s English take on the text, published in 1608. Shelton didn’t exemplify quite the same degree of linguistic creativity as his successor Motteux. The former’s rigid adherence to Cervantes’ diction was his publication’s greatest downfall.

 A novel centuries ahead of its time, Don Quixote is a masterpiece that brought satire, realism, characterization and other elements together in ways that make it feel remarkably fresh and experimental even today.

Its lovable duo of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza along with its insightful commentary on humanity and society make it an unforgettable classic. No wonder it is considered not just the greatest Spanish novel but one of the finest literary works ever created across languages and cultures.

What do you say? Do you know any trivia about this book? Do share it in the comments

( (  (This blog post is a part of Blog Chatter's #TBRChallenge- prompt for August, Details here)

("This post is part of the Bookish League blog hop hosted by Bohemian Bibliophile" (link to https://bohemianbibliophile.com/)