Don Quixote Explained Reference Guide

Don Quixote (Alonso Quixano) Appearance- Don Quixote is a tall man with a wrinkled face, long skinny arms, and an eagle like nose that is somewhat hooked and graying. Typically, he has a dried-up face, a knotted and grizzled beard, a brown, stretched neck, and a big black droopy mustache to disguise his bony underbite. On his backbone he has a mole with long stiff hairs growing out of it. Age- Don Quixote is 49 years old, which, for the 17th century is old, since the typical life-span during the early renaissance was 50 years of age. Occupation- Since Don Quixote is a nobleman of the lowest rank he derives a small income from his acres of arable land. Besides having a bit of ready money passed down from his forebears Don Quixote makes some profit on his vineyards. When he is not managing his property, which is most of the year, either he hunts boar, to while away the time, or he reads chivalry books, as a leisure activity. Clothes- During the weekend, Don Quixote wears “a cape of black brocade with breeches of velvet and slippers to match [while on weekdays] he wears the finest homespun linen.” Underneath Don Quixote’s armor he wears baggy-knee breeches, a chamois leather doublet, date-brown leather leggings, waxed shoes, a short cloak of light-brown flannel, and an unstarched cotton shirt. In the Duke’s castle Don Quixote wears a robe of scarlet around his body, green hose stockings, and a green satin cap. When Don Quixote sleeps in the Duke’s country house he prepares for bed by wearing a pajama outfit consisting of a green flannel singlet and a knitted red Toledo cap. Before he rides a wooden, magical, horse named Clavileno the Swift, Don Quixote takes a handkerchief from his waist-pouch. Family- Besides having a twenty two year old niece, Don Quixote has no blood relations to speak of. Lineage- Though Don Quixote is a minor country gentlemen of know family he aspires to royalty through his meritorious deeds. In fact, readers are told that Don Quixote descended in the direct male line from Guiterre Quixada, a Spanish knight who underwent many adventures and challenges in Burgundy. According to the Catholic Cannon of Toledo, Don Quixote’s scion, Guiterre Quixada, was a knight errant chosen by a King of France. He was called a peer to other brave and famous knight errants − like Juan de Merlo, Pedro Barba, Don Fernando de Guevara, and Sero de Quinones – because of his worth, courage, and rank. Wake/Sleep Patterns- Don Quixote is an early riser who does not take pleasure in the “slothful feathers of his bed.” Athleticism- Don Quixote can “swim like a goose.” Sense of Smell and Hearing- Don Quixote’s sense of smell and hearing is acute. Medical History- Besides suffering from kidney trouble, Don Quixote has never had any teeth extracted, nor have any fallen out or been destroyed by decay or infection. Mental Qualities- Don Quixote is an inquisitive man, always anxious to discover new information, which shows he has an excellent memory for facts of all sorts. His fine attention to detail shines through twice: once, when he recites a wide range of poetic verses, and, again, when he catalogues the recipe of the Balsam of Fierbras from memory. Speech- Don Quixote’s speech is formal and concise with a definite beginning, middle, and end-point that can be logically followed. As such, he provides well reasoned accounts of his progress with a terse economy of words. When it comes to chivalry, Don Quixote uses high-flown language with rhetorical flourishes sprinkled in his oratory like garnish.