Once again, Quixote and Sancho face challenges in the world of the knight-errant. They get belittled by the Duke and Duchess without even knowing it. Quixote also gets absorbed in a puppet show and transforms the puppets into humans. It seems as though theatre is causing Quixote most of his problems lately.

Theatre

In the most recent chapters, we see even more examples of theatre. In volume one it seemed as though everything Quixote was doing was theatre. Quixote continuously did things out of impulse and insanity. He was not living in direct reality. In volume two it seems as though Quixote is living in reality and everything else around him is theatre.

In these chapters we see two examples of theatre. The first example is at the puppet show. Quixote is in reality but he is watching theatre. He gets so involved in the puppet show that he leaves reality and believes the puppet show is real. Another example is the joke that the Duke and Duchess played on Quixote and Sancho. The Duke and Duchess are creating a form of theatre by playing this joke on Quixote and watching how it unfolds.

Quixote’s Changes

We start to see Quixote show some remorse as well as start living a little less insanely. He offers to pay back Master Pedro for the mess he caused at the puppet show as well as paying back the man who’s boat he stole. I am questioning what changed Quixote’s mindset. In volume one Quixote never paid for things, even when he destroyed them. For example, when Quixote stayed at the inn and refused to pay for his stay. This is a new Quixote we are seeing.

In the first volume, Quixote’s insanity was driven by himself and his idea that he was living inside the books of chivalry he read. In volume two, it seems as though Quixote’s inanity is driven by others. For example, the Duke and Duchess play a joke on Quixote causing him to act insane. Quixote is not acting out on his own anymore. Others actions are causing him to act insane.

 

Sanchos Loyalty

I have questioned why Sancho stays with Quixote very often. I am once again wondering why exactly Sancho is so loyal to Quixote. Quixote is paying all of these people for the damages he has done but still does not pay Sancho. Sancho also gets into some trouble in these chapters and Quixote does nothing to help. The book says “, finding a shower of stones rained upon him, and crossbows and muskets unnumbered leveled at him, he wheeled Rocinante round and, as fast as his best gallop could take him.” Quixote leaves Sancho when he gets attacked by the villagers and just lets Sancho get beat up.

Quixote also pushes Sancho to get the lashes so that Dulcinea is no longer “enchanted”. It seems like Sancho is so loyal to Quixote and is a great sidekick to him and Quixote often just does what is best for him. This is interesting because Sancho is greedy in almost everything he does including with money and food. But when it comes to Quixote, Sancho will do anything for him. Quixote is the opposite. Quixote could care less about money or food but he also is not the best “friend” to Sancho.

As Quixote changes it seems as though the world around him changes as well. People start to try to trick Quixote more often. Sancho also seems to be getting greedier as the story goes on. I foresee this causing problems for this pair in the future.