Friendship Theme in Don Quixote

Friendship Theme in Don Quixote

In “Don Quixote,” Cervantes talks of friends as good counselors, trustful confidents, truthful arbitrators, honest interlocutors, sincere in substance, discrete in tact, firm of purpose, above suspicion, and supportive and nurturing of each other intellectual, emotional, and physical well-being. The events of the story also prove that friends enjoy mutually pleasurable events, have common experiences and habits, pursue each other’s interests, share each read this Article From don quixote other’s bounty, are concerned with each other’s honor, are solicitous of each other’s relief, and, in brief, try to maintain each other good standing, or positive reputation. For example, on page sixteen, Cervantes announces that “he listened in profound silence to [his best] friend’s advice [judging himself] fortunate to find such a good counselor at such a time of need.” One hundred and ninety-nine pages later, Don Fernando says that since there should be “no secrets between friends,” he tells Cardenio all about his love for a wealthy farm woman named Dorotea.

Prompted “by [their great] friendship, Cardenio tries to dissuade, [his friend to not] conquer [Dorotea’s] virginity [nor] giver her his word of marriage” until he is sure that the suit is right. Twelve pages later, when Sancho Panza counsels Don Quixote to not do naked somersaults in the Sierra Moronea, Don Quixote says that while he is “grateful [to Sancho Panza] for meaning well, [he does] all these things not in jest but very much in earnest, for to behave otherwise would contravene the commands of [penitential] chivalry.” Sancho Panza, however, advises Don Quixote to “dash his head against water, or something soft like cotton” so that he does not knock his brain about. This statement shows that sometime a friend must tell another friend what he, or she, does not want to hear. Twenty pages later, Cardenio sings a sonnet about how “sacred friendships don’t agree to the destruction of sincere intent.” Sixty-four pages later, in the “Tale of Inappropriate Curiosity,” Lotario tells readers that “a friend shouldn’t haunt his friend’s houses once they’re married as he used to do in his bachelor days; for although good true friendship must be above all suspicion, the honour of a married https://quixotic-novels-quixotism.cloudaccess.host/man is so delicate that a friend, [shouldn’t] damage it.

Four pages later, Lotario tells Anselmo that “if a friend does go as far as to attend to the [obligations] of friendship, this mustn’t be for petty, trivial matters, but for matters involving his friend’s honour and his life.” This is why, six pages later, Lotario tells Anselmo that he “can go and look for another instrument to bring about [his] misfortune and disgrace, because [he doesn’t] intend to do it, even if it means losing [Anselmo’s] friendship, the greatest loss [he] can imagine.” In fact, Lotario and Anselmo’s “friendship won’t allow [Lotarion] to [leave Anselmo in] manifest danger of destroying [himself].” Two hundred and thirty one pages later, “Sanson [Carrasco] embraces Don Quixote [and] begs [him] to be sent news of his fortunes, both good and bad, to rejoice at the latter or grieve over the former, as the laws of friendship require.” Twenty seven pages later, we learn “how firm the friendship [is] between [Rocinante and Dapple,] to the shame of men, who are so bad at preserving friendship.” One page later the translator says that “nobody must think that the author was mistaken to compare the friendship of these animals to that of men, because men have received many lessons Don Quixote’s website from animals.” Seventy pages later, Basilio “confides in some of his friends, so that when the time came they could give him their support and their backing.” Seven pages later, Don Quixote, Sancho Panza, and the guide to the cave of Montesinos “have their lunch and supper all in one, in love and good fellowship.” Three hundred and thirty one pages later, Don Quixote goes to “Barcelona, the appreciative returner of firm friendship, unique in its setting and its beauty.”

Lotario and Anselmo’s Friendship: Lotario and Anselmo “are bachelors, young men of the same age and the same habits, which is enough to explain the friendship that binds them together.” This is why “when the occasion arose, Anselmo pursues Lotario interests and Lotario does the same and in this way their inclinations were so concordant.” Before Lotario acts, he “watches his honour with the greatest care and vigilance.” This is why when Anselmo asks him to test this comprehensive post by the Themes experts at Don Quixote his wife by wooing her, Lotario “does not want to put his good name or that of his friend at risk.”

Thus, he finds other occupations and activities [when he] visits.” In this way, “Anselmo [is] convinced that his friend [Lotario] has the best of intentions.” In fact Anselmo declares to his “good friend Lotario [that life has] provided [him] with a friend that [he] values if not as much as [he] should then at least as much as [he] can.” Anselmo then thanks his “true-friend” Lotario [of being] concerned [with his honor and trying to] relieve him of the suspicion that [his] wife [can be] unfaithful if she is tempted.” In an attempt to dissuade Anselmo of his plan to tempt Lotario by appealing to their friendship, Lotario says that “Good friends should verify their friendship and help each other [not] use their friendship for purposes that are offensive.” But, Lotario continues, it is not right for “a friend [to] go so far [as to test his wife’s virtue, since he should only go to dire extremes in] matters involving his friend’s honour and his life.” Then, Lotario reasons, that “If [he] tries to deprive [him] of [his] honour, it’s clear that [he] shall also be depriving [him] of [his] life, since a man without honour is worse than a dead man.” To this, Anselmo marvels at Lotario’s “good sense and what a true friend [he is].” This exchange is “something to be expected from the close friendship between the two of them, which [was] so remarkable that everyone called them the two great friends.”

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