I'm Don Quixote the Man of La Mancha

I will be talking about the 1972 film version, as that is what I'm most familiar with. Though I have watched a stage version once as well.

Hell Has Not Seen nor Heaven Created the One Who Can Prevail Against Me

Man of La Mancha opens on the persecution of a poet, actor, and playwrite, Miguel de Cervantes, who was a real man! Often regarded as one of the greatest Spanish language authors of all time--Miguel de Cervantes lived most of his life in obscurity and poverty. He later became famous for his novel Don Quixote, which was adapted into an American play in 1959 titled I, Don Quixote. This later laid the groundwork and inspiration for the musical we know and love today.

Taking place during the Spanish Inquisition, Miguel is sent into a dungeon of a prison for the crime of art. The scoundrels quickly take to tormenting a man they percieve as weak and foppish. As has become tradition in that dreadful prison room, the prisoners try Miguel in a mock court. Miguel, thinking quick on his feet in the face of having his poetry burned, begins to enact a play with his fellow prisoners as his cast. He of course stars as Don Quixote, and his stage hand as his Squire.

The first thing we see Don Quixote do is fight a windmill. Yes. He fights a windmill--mistaking it for a giant. Once the windmill proves itself a windmill, not a giant with four arms, Don Quixote assures his squire that a sourcerer "The Enchanter" transformed it to deny him the honor of victory, remarking, "hell has not seen nor heaven created the one who can prevail against me." Our first glimpse at the poingnants words of a madman.

You Can Kiss or Curse Me, It's All the Same

Aldonza is an old tavern kitchen worker and prostitute who is mocked, manhandled, and abused by every man who enters her life--that's until Don Quixote. Don Quixote, being a madman, mistakes her for the love of his life, Dulcinea. Just after the shock of Don Quixote's idea about Aldonza, the drunkards of the tavern mock her even more--chanting and singing Dulcinea to make fun of the idea she could ever be a woman worth love or respect.

The Squire later comes to Aldonza for Don Quixote, "They say one madman makes a hundred and love makes a thousand." She calls him just as mad, but the squire doesn't buck--in fact he stands by the madman, proclaiming to Aldonza, "I like him!" He couldn't tell you why, but he likes him. Maybe I could tell you all why the squire likes him so much--as I think I have an idea.

The Token and The Golden Helmet

Aldonza throws an old kitchen rag at the squire when he asks for token to give Don Quixote. The squire goes along with it and gives "the token" to Don Quixote, who in the face of a rag, sees gossamer.

Soon after, a barber, wearing an old-fashioned shaving basin on his head, wanders into the tavern. Don Quixote is instantly captivated--threatening and scaring the unsuspecting barber. Don Quixote sees gold where there is merely tin, and this is the first time we see someone feel fear for Don Quixote's mental illness--as it makes him unpredictable. The squire remarks to the barber, "If he thinks that it's a helmet I suggest that you agree."

Don Quixote then places the rag and shaving basin on his head, declaring "We'll make golden history."

He Has Never Been Dubbed Knight

Don Quixote confessses to the inn owner, he has never been dubbed knight, but is well qualified--brave, curteous, bold . . . "be just to all men, be curteous to all women."

Much as I have never been dubbed "artist," I still believe I qualify, just as Don Quixote qualifies for knight.

The Impossible Dream

When Don Quixote is asked by Aldonza why he does the crazy things he does, he replies, "I come from a world of iron to make a world of gold."

This is the pivotal scene of the show. A recount does no justice, please watch this amazing performance by Peter O'Toole.

I'm a nut like Don Quixote--Don Quixote is insane, but he's also better than every other man that ever entered that tavern--in fact he begins to fight the men who torment Aldonza upon seeing one of them strike her. That's the moral of The Man of La Mnacha. It's not just a silly crazy guy comedy (it partially is), but "Impossible Dream" doesn't come out of nowhere. It makes sense in the story. He is insane, but he is also heavenly. He is nuts, but he's also brave. He is completely off his rocker, but he's also right. To right the unrightable wrong. In the face of nothing but adversity and scorn, he continues on--being a knight--without question or pause. To try when your arms are too weary--to reach the unreachable star. That is his quest--to follow that star. No matter how hopeless, no matter how far.

The parallels of an Artist

Don Quixote isn't just a madman, he's a fable--the fable of the dreamer--the artist. Someone who stays true to their crazy heart no matter the circumstance. And near the end, the squire, the inn owner, and Aldonza are all there to knight him and cheer him on as the knight he truly is. Knight of the Woeful Countenance.

The original story was written by the quintessential "starving artist," I don't think it's any coincidence (or maybe by it's actual definition--it is) that Don Quixote parallels what being that crazy, idealist, starving artist feels like.

The Inquisition

In a prison full of murderers, thieves, and worse, it is Miguel, a meager artist, who is targeted. This is true of history and even now to this day, we are witnessing a digital persecution of artists. We are witnessing a socially enforced sanitization of art as we know--which I feel in my heart I must fight. We fought this in the 90's with shows like The Simpsons I think it's time we fight it again. So yeah--brb--I'mma go fight a windmill.

"Why are you poets so fascinated with madmen?"

"We have much in common."

Reaching the Unreachable Star

"My eye did not make this world, it only sees it."

The movie truly speaks for itself. Don Quixote dies in the end. He dies delusional, but he dies happy. Aldonza changes her name to Dulcinea in his honor. He died a noble knight.

Don Miguel de Cervantes proves himself to the prisoners with his story. The prisoners encourage him to share the same story to the Inquisition as he did them, as it changed their minds, and their hearts. Showing the power of art uninhibited. The power of a madman. The power of an artist.