In the essay “Quijote,” presented here in English translation, Spanish writer Lorenzo Silva takes the reader on an imaginary ‘stroll’ through the life and works of one of his masters, Miguel de Cervantes. This essay was originally included as a chapter in his book Castellano (2021), which Silva has described as a mixture of a novel, an essay, a historical and literary chronicle, personal memory and travel writing. Recalling the Revolt of the Castilian Comuneros against emperor Carlos V's abusive power, the book reflects the feelings of pride and freedom that marked Spanish identity as well as the decline of a prosperous kingdom, and how the history of Castile, together with Cervantes and Don Quixote, have weighed on Silva's own temperament and worldview. [Extracted from the introduction provided by the translator, Christopher Maurer]
