# III explained — Don Quixote

> Chapter companion for Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.

## What happens

Don Quixote, having prepared himself, asks the innkeeper to dub him a knight. The innkeeper, playing along, conducts a mock ceremony in the inn's yard, with two women assisting. Don Quixote keeps vigil over his armor, fends off carriers who try to move it, and is finally dubbed a knight before departing.

## Themes in this chapter

### Reality vs. Illusion

Don Quixote perceives the inn as a castle and the innkeeper as a lord, while the innkeeper and women humor the delusion.

### Chivalry and Idealism

Don Quixote insists on a formal knighting ceremony, adhering to chivalric codes despite the absurd setting.

### Literature and Metafiction

The innkeeper references chivalric books to justify his advice, and the ceremony mimics literary accounts of knighthood.

## Character check-ins

### Don Quixote

Kneels before the innkeeper, requests knighthood, keeps vigil over his armor, attacks carriers who disturb it, and is finally dubbed a knight.

### The Innkeeper

Plays along with Don Quixote's delusion, conducts a mock knighting ceremony, and advises him to carry money and clean shirts.

### Maritornes

One of the two women who assist in the knighting ceremony; she buckles on Don Quixote's spur and is asked to adopt the title 'Doña'.

### The Innkeeper's Daughter

The other woman who assists; she girds on Don Quixote's sword and is asked to call herself 'Doña Tolosa'.

## Key lines

> Harassed by this reflection, he made haste with his scanty pothouse supper, and having finished it called the landlord, and shutting himself into the stable with him, fell on his knees before him, saying, 'From this spot I rise not, valiant knight, until your courtesy grants me the boon I seek, one that will redound to your praise and the benefit of the human race.'

Troubled by his thoughts, Don Quixote quickly finished his meager meal, then called the innkeeper into the stable, knelt before him, and vowed not to rise until his request was granted—a boon that would bring honor to the innkeeper and help all mankind.

_Don Quixote formally begs the innkeeper to knight him, treating the inn as a castle._

> The landlord, who, as has been mentioned, was something of a wag, and had already some suspicion of his guest's want of wits, was quite convinced of it on hearing talk of this kind from him, and to make sport for the night he determined to fall in with his humour.

The innkeeper, a bit of a joker who already suspected his guest was mad, became certain of it after this speech, and decided to play along for his own amusement.

_The innkeeper knowingly indulges Don Quixote's delusion for entertainment._

> Then, reading from his account-book as if he were repeating some devout prayer, in the middle of his delivery he raised his hand and gave him a sturdy blow on the neck, and then, with his own sword, a smart slap on the shoulder, all the while muttering between his teeth as if he was saying his prayers.

The innkeeper read from his ledger as if reciting a prayer, then struck Don Quixote on the neck and slapped his shoulder with a sword, all while mumbling as though praying.

_The mock knighting ceremony uses an account book instead of a prayer book, underscoring the parody._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/don_quixote_se/chapters/part-i-iii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/don_quixote_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/don_quixote_se/chapters