The beginning of volume two starts off with a different atmosphere. The story picks up where it left off with Don Quixote at home, but he is not the same Don Quixote de la Mancha from the first volume or is he?

In the beginning, Don Quixote is resting in bed conversing with the barber and the priest, but there seems to be something peculiar about him. While Don Quixote is talking with the priest and the barber, he seems to be perfectly sane,  normal. During the conversation he made reasonable points, “ And don Quixote spoke so sensibly about everything that the two examiners believed without a doubt that he was completely cured and quite sane” (Saavedra, Miguel de Cervantes. Don Quixote (Signet Classics) (p. 513). Throughout the first volume and due to his questionable sanity,  the priest and the barber were seeking to capture Don Quixote and return him home During the beginning of volume two, we see some possible changes to Don Quixote’s behavior. The reader encounters a seemingly sane and reasonable Don Quixote.

Later in chapter eleven, Sancho and Don Quixote embark on a new adventure which has them encountering a cart full of actors that are dressed in various costumes. The actors in the cart were dressed as death, one dressed as an angel, and another as a jester. The jester jumped from the cart and began to badger and surround Don Quixote. Upon looking at the scene, Sancho begins to worry for Don Quixote’s safety and hops off his horse and rushes to Don Quixote’s aid. While distracted by Don Quixote, the jester took the opportunity to mount Sancho’s horse and ride it around. Don Quixote wanted to fight the actors, but Sancho advises him against it, “There’s no need, señor,’ responded Sancho. ‘Calm down, because it looks like the devil has left the donkey, and he’s coming back,’”(586-587). At that moment, Don Quixote actually listens to Sancho. Don Quixote usually does not values Sancho’s opinions, he typically disregards Sancho’s advice. This scene demonstrates the development of trust and respect felt by Don Quixote toward Sancho. The Don Quixote from part one, would never have heeded Sancho’s advice. He would have launched himself head first into a battle. However, the Don Quixote in the beginning of part two makes a self-preserving decision and backs down from fighting.  

Will this new Don Quixote stick around for the rest of part two? Or will he return to his crazy ways?