Inventing the Romantic Don Quixote in France

Clark Colahan is Anderson Professor of Humanities, Emeritus, at Whitman College, USA. He is the author of several books and numerous articles on Spanish and French literature of the Early Modern period and the Enlightenment. He is the author of The Visions of Sor María de Agreda: Writing Knowledge and Power, the co-editor of Spanish Humanism on the Verge of the Picaresque, and the co-author of the English translation of Cervantes’ last novel, The Trials of Persiles and Sigismunda.

• Author’s forewordSynopsis IntroductionChapter One: Hagiography and the religious side of Don Quixote’s parodic journeyCervantes’ use of saints’ livesSt. Thomas of VillanuevaTraits and adventures of Don Quixote and Sancho running parallel to those of Brother Thomas.Chapter Two: The Jansenist milieuThe Filleau brothers and JansenismJansenist teachingsFilleau de la Chaise’s essay on Pascal’s PenséesChapter Three: Don Quixote’s rise toward moral exemplarityA Jansenist toneProtestant affinitiesDulcinea and faithChapter Four: Don Quixote as high moral achiever Transforming Don Quixote and SanchoDon Quixote doing good in the world, mostlyPride goes before a fallChapter Five: Sancho as backsliding social climberToward the utopia of fraternity and equality Increasing day by (every other) day in wisdom and strengthChapter Six: Reason, trust, and which way lies happiness?ReasonParafaragaramus and confusing choicesChapter Seven: Magicians in Commedia dell’Arte and the Quixote sequel"The Fake Necromancer"Practical jokers"Mother Goose" and "The Barrel" The magician as director of tragi-comedyChapter Eight: Rousseau’s recasting of Parafaragaramus Trickery versus tendernessTaking courage through trust Justice versus sadism in societyChapter Nine: Magician Overboard DownstreamBenevolent and effectiveAll-knowing denouncer of misdeedsActive pursuer of delinquentsThief of happinessStage magicianObject of RidiculeMagician as dangerous scientist harming natureChapter Ten: The British Don Quixote: good-humored laughter and utopiasSarah Fielding on selfless friendship and Henry Brooke on Don Quixote’s humanitarianism The split English reaction to Don Quixote’s ‘Enthusiasm’ Rousseau’s impactColeridge and Don Quixote through the lens of German philosophyChapter Eleven: Rousseau’s Julie - reliving Don Quixote’s failed quest Summary and Take-awayWorks CitedIndex