Miguel Cervantes and Social Class in "Don Quixote"

Paper Summary:

This is a paper discussing the life and works of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, better known as Miguel de Cervantes, a 16th century Spanish author. The first section is a brief biography of his life and times, including his works. Following that, the paper focuses on how different classes of people appear in his famous story, "Don Quixote", with examples of characters of lower, middle, and upper classes in Cervantes's world. The paper concludes with ideas of class in general.

Outline
Introduction
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Focus of paper
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Reputation
His life
His works
Representation of Social Class in Don Quixote
Sancho Panza
The Duke and Duchess
Dulcinea del Toboso
The Duke and the Duchess
Sampson Carrasco
Social Class in Today's World
Not a Caste System
Bias and Prejudice Based on Presumption
Tribal Instincts and School Cliques
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Although Panza is ignorant, unable to read or write, often cowardly and frequently foolish, when he gets the chance to rule his own little kingdom, he proves himself a wise, just and intelligent ruler, far more able then the wealthy and better educated Duke and Duchess in earlier chapters. Cervantes seems to be saying, through the abilities of Panza, that his society's conceived equation of class and worth have little relation to the realities of the real world."

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