Themes

Madness the gentleman who loses his mind from so much reading (chapter I of Part One), the penance of Beltenebros done without cause and by method (chapter XXV of Part One), the cage accepted as enchantment (chapter XLIX of Part One), the priest and the barber who... Appearance and Reality the inn that is a castle (chapter II of Part One), the windmills that are giants (chapter VIII of Part One), the flocks that are armies (chapter XVIII of Part One), the basin that is a helmet (chapter XXI of Part One), the rule of feeling the appearances... Language and Narration the stepfather of the prologue (prologue of Part One), the Arabic manuscript and the historian of doubtful authority (chapter IX of Part One), the distinction between poet and historian before the printed book (chapter III of Part Two), the novellas the... Freedom and Oppression Sancho, who prefers to eat in his own corner, without ceremony, rather than be served at the table (chapter XI of Part One), Marcela, who was born free (chapter XIV of Part One), the galley slaves set free (chapter XXII of Part One), the lost freedom of the... Justice and Law the knight who sees the suffering and does not look into the fault (chapter XXII of Part One, chapter XXX of Part One), the warrant of the Holy Brotherhood and the privileges of knight errantry (chapter XLV of Part One), the counsels of mercy to one who is... Love Marcela and Grisóstomo (chapter XII of Part One, chapter XIV of Part One), Cardenio, Luscinda, don Fernando and Dorothea (chapter XXVIII of Part One), Anselmo and Camila (chapter XXXIV of Part One), Zoraida (chapter XL of Part One), the gentleman in love by... Honor and Reputation the soldier's wound as a star that guides one to honor (Prologue to Part Two), the difference between agravo and afronta (chapter XXXII of Part Two), Camilla's honor lost through a test (chapter XXXIV of Part One), Leandra, who loses everything but her honor...