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Don Quixote · Chapter
Dedication explained
Cervantes dedicates his work to the Duke of Béjar, praising his patronage of the arts and seeking his protection for the book.
What happens
Cervantes dedicates his work to the Duke of Béjar, praising his patronage of the arts and seeking his protection for the book.
Themes in this chapter
Literature and Metafiction
The dedication itself is a metafictional element, acknowledging the book's creation and its intended audience.
Characters to notice
- Miguel de Cervantes
Author of the work, humbly dedicating it to the Duke of Béjar.
Key passages
“In belief of the good reception and honours that Your Excellency bestows on all sort of books, as prince so inclined to favor good arts, chiefly those who by their nobleness do not submit to the service and bribery of the vulgar, I have determined bringing to light The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha , in shelter of Your Excellency’s glamorous name”
Trusting in your Excellency's generous welcome of all books, as a prince who supports the noble arts that resist popular corruption, I have decided to publish Don Quixote under your illustrious name.
Cervantes appeals to the Duke's reputation as a patron of worthy literature.