Don Quixote

Don Quixote

by

Miguel de Cervantes

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Don Quixote de la Mancha

A poor hidalgo of nearly fifty named Alonso Quixano, he is a lonely, bookish man with nearly no family and no discernible past, who turns himself through the power of fantasy (or insanity) into a… read analysis of Don Quixote de la Mancha

Sancho Panza

Sancho is a peasant who lives in Quixote’s village, and he is Quixote’s faithful squire. Sancho’s transformation over the course of the two parts of the history is an astonishing one. In the beginning… read analysis of Sancho Panza

Dulcinea del Toboso

Quixote's beloved. On the one hand, she is a hearty peasant girl named Aldonza de Lorenzo from a neighboring village. On the other hand, she is a beautiful, ethereal princess, endowed with every possible… read analysis of Dulcinea del Toboso

Sansón Carrasco

A nosy student who joins the priest and the barber in their quest to put an end to Quixote's knight-errantry. His desire to improve Quixote's mental health becomes mixed with a desire for revenge. He… read analysis of Sansón Carrasco
Minor Characters
Cervantes
The editor of the translation of Benengeli’s history. According to the novel, he assembled the various parts of Quixote’s story and revised them, commenting here and there on plausibility, tone, and intention. He describes himself as a discoverer, not an inventor.
Cide Hamete Benengeli
Quixote’s Moorish chronicler, the author of all but the first section of the first part of the history (the author of the first section is not given).
The priest
An old friend of Quixote’s from the village. The priest is an opinionated, nosy, narrow-minded man who dismisses all of Quixote’s ideas and beliefs, and who exerts a great deal of effort to “reform” him – a task that seems a great deal like breaking his spirit.
The barber
The barber is a friend of the priest’s. He follows the priest wherever he goes, and does whatever he says.
The housekeeper
A middle-aged woman who keeps house for Quixote. She disapproves of his projects and ideas, and urges him to stay home and act sensibly.
The niece
A young woman who shares the housekeeper’s opinions.
Teresa Sancha
Sancho’s wife, a strong, sensible, funny woman. She is content with her life as a laborer, but she is also eager to get ahead.
Mari-Sancha
Sancho’s young daughter, who is merry and energetic.
The innkeeper
A friendly but money-savvy man, and a lover of chivalry books.
Maritornes
The innkeeper’s servant, clever and mischievous.
Ginés de Pasamonte
A prisoner whom Quixote frees from his chains, and who repays him by stoning him and stealing Sancho's donkey. He later appears disguised as a puppetmaster named Master Pedro.
Grisóstomo
A student who dies of love for Marcela.
Marcela
A beautiful, unapproachable shepherdess.
Cardenio
A high-born young man who runs away to the sierras after he thinks himself betrayed by his beloved.
Luscinda
Cardenio’s beloved.
Don Fernando
A friend of Cardenio’s, who tries to steal Luscinda away.
Dorotea
A peasant girl, whom Don Fernando seduced and betrayed.
Anselmo
The married friend in the “Tale of Inappropriate Curiosity.”
Lotario
The unmarried friend in the “Tale of Inappropriate Curiosity.”
Camila
Anselmo’s wife.
Leonela
Camila’s servant
The captive (Ruy Pérez de Viedma)
A man who was a prisoner of war in Algiers.
Lela Zoraida
A wealthy, beautiful young Moorish woman who wanted to escape to Christian lands.
The judge (Juan Pérez de Viedma)
The captive’s brother and father of Clara.
Clara
The judge’s daughter.
Don Luis
Clara’s beloved.
Barber 2
The stranger from whom Quixote steals Mambrino’s helmet.
The canon
A learned clergyman who discusses literature and realism with the priest.
Eugenio
A goatherd who eats lunch with Quixote, Sancho, the priest, the barber, and the canon on their way back to the village.
Anselmo (Eugenio's rival)
The goatherd Eugenio's rival for Leandra.
Leandra
Eugenio’s beloved.
Vicente de la Rosa
A showy soldier who deceives Leandra.
Avellaneda
The author of the spurious history.
The Squire of the Forest (Tomé Cecial)
A peasant from Quixote and Sancho’s village who pretends to be Carrasco’s squire.
Don Diego de Miranda
A well-to-do hidalgo who hosts Sancho and Quixote at his house.
Don Lorenzo
Don Diego’s son, a poet.
Quiteria the Fair
A beautiful bride to Camacho the Rich, though she actually loves the poor Basilio.
Camacho the Rich
Quiteria’s groom.
Basilio
The poor man Quiteria loves.
Montesinos, Durandante, Lady Belerma
Fictional characters who Quixote encounters in the Cave of Montesinos.
The Duke and the Duchess
A wealthy, upper-class couple who host Quixote and Sancho and play many tricks on them. They pretend to offer friendship and respect to Quixote and Sancho, but they treat them with contempt and use them solely for their own amusement.
The butler
A servant of the Duke’s who helps plan and carry out most of the hoaxes.
Duenna Rodríguez
The Duchess’s duenna.
The Countess Trifaldi (The Dolorous Duenna)
A person invented by the Duke and Duchess.
Altisidora
A young girl in the Duke and Duchess’s court who pretends to be in love with Quixote.
Tosilos
The Duke’s lackey, an all-purpose servant.
Don Juan and Don Jerónimo
Two gentlemen that show Quixote and Sancho a copy of the spurious history.
Ricote
Sancho’s friend from the village, a Morisco who has recently been forced to leave Spain.
Ana Félix
Ricote’s daughter
Don Gaspar
Ana’s beloved.
Roque Guinart
A gallant captain of thieves.
Claudia
Roque’s friend.
Don Vicente
Claudia’s lover, whom she killed by mistake.
Don Antonio Moreno
Captain Roque’s friend, who pretends to have a talking bust.
Don Tarfe
a man who appears in the spurious second half of the history.