Grotesque Purgatory

Grotesque Purgatory, Volume 1, is a scholarly work of literary criticism that analyzes the second part of Miguel de Cervantes's Don Quixote. Henry Sullivan examines the transition of the protagonist from madness to sanity, framing the narrative as a salvation epic. This study focuses on the Cave of Montesinos episode as a critical pivot where the Knight confronts his emotional struggles.

Sullivan utilizes theological interpretation and Lacanian analysis to explore how the characters experience a grotesque purgatory through both agony and comedy. This European study of Spanish and Portuguese literature tracks the Knight's progress from the entrance of Purgatory in chapter 22 to his exit in chapter 55. The text provides a comprehensive reception history of the Cave of Montesinos, incorporating critical traditions from the nineteenth century to the present.