Don Quixote Chapters 19-27

In chapter 19, it says, “A lacquey that came on foot, seeing the man in white fall, began to revile Don Quixote, whose choler being now raised, he couched his spear, and, immediately attacking one of the mourners, laid him on the ground grievously wounded; then turning about to the rest, it was worth seeing with what agility he attacked and defeated them; and it seemed as if wings at that instant had sprung on Rozinante- so lightly and swiftly he moved!” This again goes along with the theme of Don Quixote seeing the fiction where he is. He really wanted to defeat these men quickly, and he wanted his horse to have a part of the defeat. So because Rozinante was really fast, it seemed like there were wings. This is a pretty big imagination because it concerns the horse actually flying, while fighting, which we know is pretty impossible. But Don Quixote doesn’t see it as being impossible, he sees himself where anything is possible. I’m curious to whether Don Quixote will see his horse fly in the future, because it was a pretty big step to show this. I can picture this happening again in the rest of the book. Maybe when Don Quixote is in trouble, and he needs his horse to fly and save themselves.

In Chapter 26, it says, “Which was, that he should perform himself the part of a damsel-errant, and the barber equip himself as her squire; in which disguise they should repair to Don Quixote: and the curate presenting himself as an afflicted and distressed lady, should beg a boon of him, which he, as a valorous knight-errant, could not do otherwise than grant; and this should be a request that he would accompany her whither she should lead him, to redress an injury done her by a discourteous knight; entreating him, at the same time, not to desire her to remove her mask, nor make any farther inquiries concerning her, until he had done her justice on that wicked knight.” I found this to be funny because it was a major turnaround in the story where other characters dress themselves up purposely to talk to Don Quixote. Don Quixote do not imagine them as being damsel-errants, they dress up as damsel-errants. It was not his fictitious imagination. He will maybe use his fictitious imagination in what he portrays them to be. He may portray them as being princesses again. I found it interesting because I didn’t expect these men to dress up as women just for Don Quixote to recognize them. This time, these men were trying to put an image in Don Quixote’s mind of two beautiful women.

Don Quixote chapters 10-18

In chapter 12, pg 53, it says “Don Quixote turned, and seeing that it really was so, he rejoiced exceedingly, talcing it for granted they were two armies coming to engage in the midst of that spacious plain, for at all hours and moments his imagination was full of the battles, enchantments, adventures, extravagancies, amours, and challenges detailed in his favourite books; and in every thought, word, and action he reverted to them. Now the cloud of dust he saw was raised by two great flocks of sheep going the same road from different parts, and, as the dust concealed them until they came near, and Don Quixote affirmed so positively that they were armies, Sancho began to believe it.” An example of this corresponds with the constant play between truth and fiction. The truth is they were really sheep, and Don Quixote thought they were men, so he wanted to fight. The novel expands among this because it goes along talking about a big battle. In reality, men don’t fight sheep’s in battle, they fight men. Everything that he puts together in his imagination, came from books that he had read. This brought me back to the books that were burned in the library. Maybe that affected him, and because of what happened to the books, he uses what he read in the books as part of his imagination. If Don Quixote uses his imagination like this from what he’s read from books, then it will expand along his adventure.

In chapter 15, page 68 it says, “to perform these offices the barber was now on his way, carrying with him his brass basin. It so happened that while he was on the road it began to rain, and to save his hat, which was a new one, he clapped the basin on his head, which being lately scoured was seen glittering at the distance of half a league; moreover, he rode on a grey donkey, as Sancho had affirmed. Thus Don Quixote took the barber for a knight, his donkey for a dapple-grey steed, and his basin for a golden helmet; for whatever he saw was near, without staying to reason the case with him, he coughed his lance, intending to run him through and through without more ado.” This again goes along with the theme with the constant play between truth and fiction. The man was really a barber, and he portrayed him as a knight. This shows that how people aren’t even closely related to being a knight, and Don Quixote still imagines them as it. The barber didn’t know how to act when Don Quixote went to charge at him. The barber doesn’t have any experience of fighting, like the knights. Since Don Quixote thinks that he is a knight, he feels like he needs to be a hero and fight anyone who he sees.

Don Quixote Chapters 1-9

In Chapter 2, on page 8, the author writes, “Now as everything that our adventurer saw and conceived was, by his imagination, moulded to what he had read, so in his eyes the inn appeared to be a castle, with its four turrets, and pinnacles of shining silver, together with its drawbridge, deep moat, and all the appurtenances with which such castles are usually described.” This immediately tells me that the character of Don Quixote doesn’t live in the “real world.” He has a big imagination, of things that he wants to see, he imagines it in his head, and they appear. Like in this example, he has been on the road, and imagined a castle, so all these images that represented the castle showed up, like the silver, drawbridge, moat, and even the princesses. I can see using his imagination as an ongoing theme in the story, because later on he imagines Giants, even though they are really Windmills. I think the text states about Don Quixote as a character, is he is not like most people. He could be seen as being courageous, brave, and heroic, but he does some things that don’t make sense. It was a pretty creative to have an Inn and turn it into a castle in Don Quixote’s head.

In Chapter 7, page 29, the author writes again about the imagination of Don Quixote. This is when we first hear about the windmills. “He recommended himself devoutly to his lady Dulcinea, beseeching her to succour him in the present danger, covering himself with his buckler, and setting his lance in the rest, he rushed on as fast as Rozinante could gallop, and attacked the first mill before him. having run his lance into the sail, the wind whirled the latter about with so much violence that it broke the lance to shivers, dragging horse and rider after it, and tumbling them over and over on the plain, in very evil plight. Sancho Panza hastened to his assistance, as fast as he could carry him; and when he came up to his master, he found him unable to stir, so violent was the blow which he and Rozinante had received in their fall.” This was funny, why would anyone attack a windmill? Giants are not even close to looking like windmills! But, I’m going to continue with the theme that I said before, with the imagination. Don Quixote has an interesting imagination, seeing things that aren’t really there. He thought he saw Giants, so wanted to attack them, when in reality they weren’t Giants at all. I think that his imagination will get him into trouble in the future. He sees things differently, so he will get penalized for it. It makes me wonder what else Don Quixote is going to see, that is mistaken for something else. I know there will be more times that Don Quixote uses his imagination in seeing something that’s not really there.

Inferno 28-34

In Canto 28, verse 118, it says, “I surely saw, and it seems I still see, a torso without a head walking like the others of the sorry flock; and his severed head he was holding up by the hair, dangling it from his hand like a lantern; and the head was gazing at us, saying: “Oh me! Of himself he made a lamp for himself, and they were two in one and one in two; how that can be, he knows who so disposes. When he was directly at the foot of the bridge, he raised his arm far up, head and all, to bring his words close to us, which were: “Now see my wretched punishment, you who go still breathing to view the dead: see if any is great as this. And that you may take back news of me, know that I am Bertran de Born, he who gave the young king the bad encouragements. I made father and son revolt against each other. Architopehl did no worse to Absalom and David with his evil proddings. Because I divided persons so joined, I carry my brain divided, alas, from its original which is in this trunk. Thus you observe in me the counter-suffering.” I chose this quote because it was a pretty severe form of punishment. It was fairly good imagery as well, I could picture the headless souls, who were carrying their heads on the side by the hair, like the lantern. It was the first time in the book that Dante referred to counter-suffering, which I thought was interesting. A theme I see here suffering. I know that a lot of the book is about suffering, but this goes along with it because the head was not attached to the body, it was divided, for the punishment of dividing persons. It was interesting to see that kind of punishment for that. It makes me wonder whether it would have been a different punishment if it weren’t father and son. It was interesting how they said they made a lamp for themselves. This I took as the lantern they would look to in order to lead them the way around. This lantern would give them their light, to help guide them in their path.

In Canto 34, verse 55, it talked about the souls who had the greatest punishment. “In each of his mouths he was breaking a sinner with his teeth in the manner of a scutch, so that he made three suffer at once. To the one in front the biting was nothing next to the clawing, for at times the spine remained all naked of skin. The soul up there who has the greatest punishment is Judas Iscariot, with his head inside, waving his legs outside.” Judas is portrayed this way because he betrayed Christ, so Dante wanted to give him the worst punishment. Since Judas’ head was inside, I think that Dante put it that way so that Judas would not have to see anything else that was going on. His head will be on the inside, and he will not be able to see any of his men. He had a very severe punishment. With the legs waving on the outside, I think that he had it that way so he won’t have to run away. He will have no support, because his legs are dangling, so if tries to move his legs and run, he won’t get anywhere. Dante also had two other men in this last punishment. They were Brutus and Cassius. “Of the other two whose heads are below, he who hangs from the black muzzle is Brutus- see how he is convulsed, but does not say a word- and the other is Cassius, who seems so powerfully built.” I know that these were the last three men with the punishments, and were supposed to be the most severe, but I think it could have been harsher. I know he makes three men suffer at once, but there has been a lot of suffering, usually more than one at a time. Brutus hangs from the black muzzle, so he can’t speak. This makes sense, because there is a muzzle.

Inferno 21-27

In Canto 24, Verse 91 it says, “Amid this harsh and savage plenty were running naked, terrified people, without hope of a crevice or a heliotrope: their hands were bound behind them with snakes; these thrust through the loins their tails and heads and were knotted in front. And behold, a serpent hurled itself at one near our bank and transfixed him where the neck is knotted to the shoulders. Neither O nor I has ever been written so fast as he caught fire and burned and was all consumed, falling to ashes; and when he was on the ground, destroyed, the dust gathered together by itself and instantly became the same one again. Thus the great sages profess that the Phoenix dies and is reborn, when it approaches its five hundredth year.” I found it surprising that these shades were thieves, and they were reborn after being burned and falling to ashes. This seems as a big punishment because they are always reborn, and it hurts to do that, they will keep being reborn, for the sins they had performed. These people were terrified, and didn’t want to be burned, or become the same person again. The theme here is being reborn, but as a huge punishment. I would have thought that this punishment should be for a shade that performed a worse act than stealing. Maybe murder? But I think that the author wanted these shades to really learn their lesson. There’s not much that these shades can do, they are stuck here. Once they are burned to death, they will suffer the consequences and fall in one piece again. I found it interesting that these shades resembled a Phoenix, which is another animal reference. The animals keep having a major impact in the continuation of the story.

4)Ulysses was with another shade Diomedes, who both suffered for the same punishment. Dante really wanted to talk to Ulysses, he said “If they can speak within those flames, master, much do I beg you, and beg again that each prayer be worth a thousand, that you not refuse to wait until the horned flame comes here: see that I bend toward it with desire.” Dante wanted to hear Ulysses story, I think that he didn’t know why Ulysses ended up where is he. Dante wanted to try and figure out what brought Ulysses there. I think Dante was confused in why Ulysses was there. Ulysses told Dante what happened to him. Ulysses tried to save his men on the ship, but failed. “My Companions I made so sharp for the voyage, with this little oration, that after it I could hardly have held them back.” Dante probably felt pity for Ulysses here because they died suddenly from the whirlwind, and Ulysses couldn’t save his other men. I think that Dante wanted to reward his heroism. They were very happy that they saw a mountain, and then they died suddenly. I think that Dante felt pity for this man, but it didn’t really show it.

Inferno Canti 14-20

In Canto 15, Verse 46, it says, “What fortune or destiny leads you down here before your last day? And who is this showing you the way”? “Up there above, under the clear sky,” I replied, “I lost myself in a valley, before my age was full.” “Only yesterday morning did I turn my back on it: he appeared to me as I was returning there again, and is leading me back home by this road.” And he to me, “If you follow your star, you cannot fail to reach a glorious port, if I perceived well during sweet life; and if I had not died so early, seeing the heavens so kindly toward you I would have given you strength for the work.” The theme I see here is Dante being a great leader. The shade was foretelling Dante’s future, saying that he will be rewarded for Dante’s heroism. Dante didn’t think much of this, and said whatever will come will come. By the star, Brunetto meant the astrological sign Gemini. In the Gemini sign, it is shown as the people being versatile and flightiness. I can see Dante as being both of these, versatile and have flightiness. I can see him as being versatile because he is able to go to these different circles, and try to adapt to the situation there. Some situations are easier for Dante to adapt to than others, because some he feels pity for. I can see him as having flightiness later on because he may start to become irresponsible later on, because he may not want to listen to his next guide.



In Canto 20, in Verse 10, it said, “As my gaze went lower on them, I saw that each was marvelously twisted between the chin and the beginning of the chest, for the face was turned toward the kidneys, and they were forced to walk backwards, since seeing forward was taken from them.” Later on verse 37 it said, “Look how he has made his breast his back; because he wished to see too far ahead, now he looks backward and treads a backward path.” This was a pretty frightening sight, trying to imagine the shades with their heads in the wrong direction. I can see a theme here of not looking into the future, but only looking into the past, and how they had sinned wrongfully, that they got to where they were today. They are only allowed to look in their backward path, for what they have done wrong. If they had been able to see into the future, then they would not have had their faces facing in the opposite direction, which symbolizes to me that they can only see into their past. One of those who wanted to see ahead in life, has been forced to look backward for all of time.

Dante's Inferno Canto 7-13

In Canto 7 verse 109, “And I, gazing intently, saw people muddied in that slough, all naked, with indignant expression. They kept striking each other, and not only with hands, but with head and breast and feet, tearing each other apart with their teeth, piece by piece.” The themes that I see in this quote are animals fighting to save their life, and also people fighting. They are all striking each other, biting, not wanting to know what comes next. They are acting like animals, biting, scratching, tearing everyone apart. They can’t help it, they don’t like where they are, and all they can do is fight. Humans wouldn’t usually do all this, but some do. I think this is important, because this reminds me of the beasts whom Dante met in the beginning. I think that Dante will meet these beasts later on in the story as well, so this scene I see foreshadows the animals as the beasts coming back in the future. I also see this quote as the people dying, and then rebirth. These people are all naked, scattered about, hitting everyone. They are all going to die, because they are attacking each other, trying not to see their future. They are reborn when they are naked, in the mud, hitting each other because babies can do that when they get out of control. This scene shows how the mud can affect the people in how they act, mostly with the fighting and scratching.

In Canto 9, verse 76, it said, “Like frogs before the enemy snake, who scatter themselves through the water until each huddles on the bottom: so saw I more than a thousand shattered souls fleeing before one who was walking across Styx with dry feet. From his face he was moving that greasy air, waving his left hand before him frequently, and only of that discomfort did he seem weary. Well did I perceive that he was sent from Heaven, and I turned to my master, who made a sign that I should stand still and bow to him.” When I first read this, I instantly thought of Moses raising his left hand and parting the water to cross. It said they were walking across with dry feet, so I thought of this as not getting wet because it had been divided. This is important to me because it foretells a well known point of history. It says that the animals were in the water, but the people walked through the water. It said that he was sent from Heaven, and should bow to him. I see this as being Moses again because he would be recognized as being a great leader, and we would show our appreciation. The theme I see in this quote is the crossing of the water, that ties back to Moses and the parting of the Red Sea. The author probably had another interpretation of this quote, but this is the first idea that came to mind, but I’m sure there are several interpretations.

Dante Inferno 1-6 Question 2

The Canti that I enjoyed the most was Canto 4, when Dante and Virgil entered the first circle. The first circle contained those who led virtuous lives. There were men, women and infants. What struck me was that in this first circle, there were famous figures from the past. I didn’t know what to expect in these different circles, especially this one. There were great poets, philosophers, and figures in the Old Testament in this Canti. I found it surprising in regards to who was represented in this section. It was interesting that this circle had the most people in it, which tells me that it had a lot more figures or leaders that weren’t mentioned. I can see this circle filled up with more figures in our history, not just those that are mentioned. It was interesting that the one’s who received permission to leave were those in the Old Testament figures, like Noah and Moses. I found this interesting because these men were Jewish. It was also interesting to me that a majority of the people didn’t receive permission to leave. When Dante goes toward the castle, he sees philosophers whom we have studied. These philosophers are Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato. A couple questions that I have are how many of these souls come into the first circle? How come there are some who receive permission to leave, and some are required to stay?

Dante 1-6 Question 1

Dante sets up the journey by finding himself in a dark forest, not knowing how he got there. I can see this whole story as Dante being lost, trying to find his way around and finding out some answers in the meantime. All he wanted to do was climb over the hill, but he had to pass through some obstacles along the way. He discovers new explanations to stuff that he never even thought about before. I can see Dante not remembering how he got to his destinations in the rest of this story. He probably would not want to remember how he got there, because it is a shocking experience for him. I know that he has a guide, but without Virgil, he would have been lost and not been able to find his way. His journey is to climb the hill, but pass through the place of eternal punishment and a place of lesser punishment, to reach God’s city. Dante probably had no idea what he was getting into during all this. The pilgrim’s state of mind at this time is he didn’t care much; he just wanted to get to his destination without being attacked by the beasts in the beginning. But through his journey, Dante realized what it was to suffer. He probably never thought it before like that, but now he has a better understanding of what it really means to be in another world suffering. Dante feels the soul’s pains, and has pity for them. He probably never thought before how much these people suffered, and now he feels pity for them. He never cared much before, and now through this journey, it is like he is becoming a new person.