Don Quixote · Chapter
LXX explained
Don Quixote and Sancho prepare to leave the duke's castle after the elaborate hoax of Altisidora's feigned death.
What happens
Don Quixote and Sancho prepare to leave the duke's castle after the elaborate hoax of Altisidora's feigned death. The chapter reveals that the bachelor Samson Carrasco, having been defeated as the Knight of the Mirrors, has disguised himself as the Knight of the White Moon and defeated Don Quixote, forcing him to return home for a year. The duke and duchess orchestrate the entire Altisidora resurrection scene as a joke, and Don Quixote advises that Altisidora's lovesickness can be cured by honest employment. Sancho, still sore from his earlier torments, longs for sleep and reflects on the absurdity of the enchantments.
Themes in this chapter
Reality vs. Illusion
The entire Altisidora resurrection scene is a staged illusion by the duke and duchess, blurring the line between reality and performance, while Don Quixote and Sancho interpret it through their own delusions.
Madness and Sanity
Cide Hamete notes that the duke and duchess are nearly as foolish as Don Quixote for their elaborate jokes, while Samson Carrasco's plan aims to cure Don Quixote's madness through a chivalric ruse.
Chivalry and Idealism
Don Quixote's adherence to knightly codes, even in defeat, contrasts with the cynical manipulation of those codes by the duke and duchess for entertainment.
Characters to notice
- Don Quixote
Remains steadfast in his chivalric delusions, advising Altisidora to cure her love through work, and preparing to leave the castle as a vanquished knight.
- Sancho Panza
Sore from his earlier punishments, he is skeptical of Altisidora's death and longs for sleep, showing his earthy wisdom and frustration with enchantments.
- Altisidora
Feigns death and resurrection as part of the duke and duchess's joke, playing the lovesick maiden to mock Don Quixote.
- Samson Carrasco
Revealed as the Knight of the White Moon who defeated Don Quixote, having disguised himself to cure the knight's madness.
- The Duke
Orchestrates the elaborate hoax of Altisidora's death and resurrection, enjoying the mystification of Don Quixote and Sancho.
- The Duchess
Participates in the joke, questioning Don Quixote about Altisidora and agreeing to keep the damsel occupied with needlework.
Key passages
“And Cide Hamete says, moreover, that for his part he considers the concocters of the joke as crazy as the victims of it, and that the duke and duchess were not two fingers’ breadth removed from being something like fools themselves when they took such pains to make game of a pair of fools.”
Cide Hamete remarks that the duke and duchess are nearly as mad as Don Quixote and Sancho for going to such lengths to mock them.
The narrator reflects on the irony of the jesters becoming as foolish as their targets.
“For the lazy down was never a delight to Don Quixote, victor or vanquished.”
Don Quixote never liked to lie in bed, whether he won or lost.
Highlights Don Quixote's restless and active nature.
“When women of rank and modest maidens trample honour under foot, and give a loose to the tongue that breaks through every impediment, publishing abroad the inmost secrets of their hearts, they are reduced to sore extremities.”
When noble and modest women abandon their honor and speak openly about their deepest feelings, they find themselves in great difficulty.
Altisidora's feigned lament reflects contemporary views on female modesty and honor.