CLEP Western Civ I

Answer: D - Political power is not a theme of Cervantes’ Don Quixote. The work is a satirical novel about a man who is unerringly governed by his own idealistic code of chivalry. He steadfastly believes in love, honor, justice and equality. Don Quixote is so ardent in his commitment to the sense of personal virtue, which he developed through reading literature, that others perceive him to be insane because, surely (they reason), one would have to be insane to be such a paragon of seemingly antiquated values. Cervantes (1547 − 1616) was a former Spanish soldier who shared some of his character’s qualities. The novel, originally published in two parts at the beginning of the 17th century, is considered the first modern European novel. It was also incredibly influential in establishing the modern Spanish language. It is widely considered to be one of the best works of fiction of all time.