>>24670665 (OP)
>>24671145
I read it in the original Old Castilian. My native language is Castilian. And it's not very difficult to read.
But although it's good, I don't think it's as good as Spanish propaganda says it is. I liked Amadís de Gaula better, which is the most famous book of chivalry of its time, and it's more entertaining too.
Don Quixote is just a parody of chivalric novels and copies many of the adventures in Amadís in the form of parody. And Don Quixote became popular because it parodied these books, which were the most widely read in 1600.
To enjoy and understand Don Quixote, you really have to read at least a couple of books of chivalry. I would recommend Amadís de Gaula and Orlando Furioso, which I think are the best.
People who say they liked Don Quixote and haven't read any books on chivalry, which is the majority, have always struck me as liars who praise Don Quixote just because it's a famous book and to look good, and not because they really liked or understood it.
It's like watching Scary Movie and saying you liked it without having seen any horror movies in your life. Obviously, you're not going to understand the jokes.
I also read Amadís de Gaula (1508) in its original Old Castilian. I found Amadís de Gaula (1508) more difficult to read than Don Quixote (1605), as it is a century older. In other words, it is written in older Castilian. But even so, I was able to understand everything once I got used to the way it is written. And although it is difficult at first, it is worth it.
I haven't read Don Quixote in English, but in its original Castilian it's not poetic at all. It's prose written in the style of its time, but nothing spectacular. Cervantes only became famous for this book near the end of his life, while his other books didn't achieve fame because he wasn't such a good writer. But with Don Quixote, he hit the jackpot and it became a bestseller. Then time turned it into a classic.
I don't think much is lost in translation. Borges said he liked Don Quixote better in English than in Spanish. The charm of Don Quixote lies in its story, and it is a book obsessed with books, and bibliophiles like stories where there are other bibliophiles, and I think that's why it became famous. I suppose that in its day it became a favorite of many readers because it referenced several books of chivalry that everyone knew and understood the jokes in. Nowadays, no one reads books of chivalry, which is why I am suspicious of those who say they liked it if they have never read a book of chivalry.
