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UBC Theses and Dissertations
UBC Theses and Dissertations
Perceptions of literary opinion in Don Quijote de la Mancha Louis, Harry
Abstract
The thesis is based on the premise that an author who provides expressions of literary opinion by the characters in his fictional work will also include his own views among the others—explicitly, vicariously, or by demonstration. In Don Quixote, the purported attack on books of chivalry and the inclusion of poems and stories in variant styles provide justification for extensive commentaries on literary themes. To distinguish Cervantes' views among the diverse literary opinions expressed, such commentaries are evaluated on the basis of the information provided by the author as to the background and interests of the speakers— the characters, chronicler or narrator. Specific qualities carmended, condemned, or demonstrated are identified. Stories and serious poems inserted in the novel, and literary comment in Cervantes' Galatea and Viaje del Pamaso, are examined for corroboration or contradiction of the findings. Relevant opinions of several generations of twentieth-century critics are examined. Conclusions summarize—for Fiction, Poetry and Drama—the features which satisfy the stated requirement to "delight and instruct" and those to be avoided. A degree of ambivalence, between certain literary precepts which Cervantes promotes in Don Quixote and those demonstrated in his work, is identified. Special requirements for History are noted. Whether or not, under the respectable guise of an attack on books of chivalry, Cervantes sought to elevate the public taste in literature—an endeavour as quixotic as any undertaken by his protagonist—he claimed due recognition from the literary world for his perceptions of literary values and his competence as a writer.
Item Metadata
Title |
Perceptions of literary opinion in Don Quijote de la Mancha
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
2000
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Description |
The thesis is based on the premise that an author who provides expressions
of literary opinion by the characters in his fictional work will also
include his own views among the others—explicitly, vicariously, or by
demonstration. In Don Quixote, the purported attack on books of chivalry
and the inclusion of poems and stories in variant styles provide
justification for extensive commentaries on literary themes.
To distinguish Cervantes' views among the diverse literary opinions
expressed, such commentaries are evaluated on the basis of the information
provided by the author as to the background and interests of the speakers—
the characters, chronicler or narrator. Specific qualities carmended,
condemned, or demonstrated are identified. Stories and serious poems
inserted in the novel, and literary comment in Cervantes' Galatea and
Viaje del Pamaso, are examined for corroboration or contradiction of the
findings. Relevant opinions of several generations of twentieth-century
critics are examined.
Conclusions summarize—for Fiction, Poetry and Drama—the features
which satisfy the stated requirement to "delight and instruct" and those to
be avoided. A degree of ambivalence, between certain literary precepts
which Cervantes promotes in Don Quixote and those demonstrated in his work,
is identified. Special requirements for History are noted. Whether or
not, under the respectable guise of an attack on books of chivalry,
Cervantes sought to elevate the public taste in literature—an endeavour as
quixotic as any undertaken by his protagonist—he claimed due recognition
from the literary world for his perceptions of literary values and his
competence as a writer.
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Extent |
3902346 bytes
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Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
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Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-07-06
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0099486
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
2000-05
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.