The Sanctification of Don Quixote

Eric Ziolkowski provides a profound analysis of religious themes in Western literature within The Sanctification of Don Quixote, Volume 1. This scholarly work of literary criticism examines the intersection of the mad knight and the Christ figure, tracing a lineage of characters that combine these two archetypes. By exploring the relationship between religion, society, and censorship in seventeenth-century Spain, the text positions Don Quixote as a foundational figure in the development of the modern novel.

The study traces the evolution of this character through significant works, including Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews, Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Idiot, and Graham Greene's Monsignor Quixote. Ziolkowski investigates how the pursuit of religious values appears quixotic in an increasingly secularized world. This volume serves as an important resource for those studying Spanish and Portuguese history, Christianity, and European literary traditions.