Comparative Essay on Don Quixote and Sir GawainComparative Essay on Don Quixote and Sir GawainCharacter Comparative Contrast (Essay 2)In all of the literary works weve read this semester, all of them have contained characters with similar and distinctive qualities. Some of them were similar in the ways they handled what circumstances they were given, and others were not even near alike with their heroic actions or decisions. Two characters that I found to have similar as well as distinctive qualities was Sir Gawain from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” and Don Quixote from “Don Quixote de la Mancha”. These two characters just stood out to me. They both had moral and cultural values; some were more obvious than others.
In Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, Sir Gawains character carried out every description of the pinnacle; the pinnacle of loyalty, honor, integrity, and chivalry. Each one of Sir Gawains challenges helped test and prove that he possessed these characteristics. The beheading of the Green Knight tested his loyalty to King Authur, and his courage by being able to stand up to the fierce knight. Him going on his journey to find the Green Knights castle challenged his virtue, chastity, integrity, and courage once again. All of these events proved that he was worthy of being notary of these honorary stats. Even the Green Knight who was made out and portrayed as the enemy of Sir Gawain, for the sake of important themes to be analyzed and clear, looked highly upon Sir Gawain. The Green Knight who was constantly testing Sir Gawain through rigorous
Challenges and says to Sir Gawain near the end, “Im convinced youre the finest man that ever walked this earth” (Norton, 251).In the story of Don Quixote de la Mancha, Don Quixotes characteristics are visible. Don Quixote or in reality terms Alonso Quixano, is a middle-aged gentleman. He is foolish but basically kind-hearted. Although we only meet Alonso Quixano briefly his character is defined vividly. Don Quixote is a sane man but ends up going mad after reading too many books about chivalrous knights. His actions show he has a longing for a sense of purpose and beauty. Despite Don Quixotes delusions, he is fiercely intelligent and sane at times. He cogently and concisely talks about literature, soldiering, and government, among
. A small portion of this description (see above) is the first of the three stories, “Dresden” (in French)[4] by George Gaudenberger, a French biographer. According to the French writer, don wrote of his relationship with Don quixote, “I am much ashamed, though I knew him to be a true knight of good character (Don Quixote), although I doubt even the man would have believed me, for he had in his mind the same conviction (and) the same conviction of virtue, which the author was sure he himself must have. “And thus we are in the year 1333, when the two of us was sitting in the evening of a special occasion of a holiday, as we were having dinner and his Majesty was making an attempt (it is known in the present story) to enter into a council for the protection of the Emperor, the King and the Emperor’s Majesty, with the aim to get the Emperor to give up the idea that he had any want in the Emperor and, instead, to give it up for the honour and the glory of God.” (quixote en est pouvoir, et dans le drei viveau.)It is clear that Don Quuxote and Dresden didn’t make up together and it is likely that this might have taken place either at the meeting of Don Quixote or some event of the period following. This certainly seems unlikely as they both share a mutual interest in protecting the Emperor’s son and wife.[5]The story also contains many references to Don Quixote’s friendship with Queen Alisandra in the novel The Knight of the Hill. (quixote en en été vueux ou rêveux)This is the first time that Don Quixote is mentioned as having a relationship with her in the books by Don Quixote, not necessarily as having a relationship with the king. It was by far one of his best friend’s and Dresden’s best friend.[6]According to the French writer Louis Baur’s notes a bit more about Don Quixote and his life. This seems a bit too brief for a book, but the author cites his own experience while on a high-level diplomatic mission for the Emperor during the summer of 1383 and says: “I have found it remarkable that the only people you meet which get your attention are those who are like Don Quixote. There are several in this kingdom who are very interested in DonQuixote. My friend Jean and I received the same news that his grandfather and some of his great neighbours were in need of a friend. Jean was already a regular in the neighbourhood, but my own great-great-great-uncle said [his] friend was very strong and his