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Book Discussion – Cervantes' Classic Novel "Don Quixote" (Part One): A Three-Part Course with Dr. Joseph Luzzi
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First published in 1605, the novel is now one of the most-translated books of all time. On the surface, it tells the story of a fictional nobleman named Alonso Quixano, who reads so many chivalric romances that he decides to serve his nation as a knight-errant. He and his squire, Sancho Panza, take on several quests and land themselves in a world of trouble. At the time of its original tion, it was viewed as a simple comic novel but Don Quixote is more often interpreted today as a social commentary–foundational to the modern literary canon.
Led by award-winning author and professor Joseph Luzzi, we will go deep inside Cervantes’ greatest work as we discover what makes it such a beloved classic worldwide. We invite you to explore the lecture outlines below for additional details.
Eager to explore the second volume of Don Quixote? Dr. Luzzi will be leading a follow-up course, available here.
Our first session will introduce us to the major issues and concerns of Cervantes’ great novel, especially its representation of the magical power that literature holds over Don Quixote. We will focus on the First Part of Don Quixote–Prologue and Parts 1 and 2.
Lecture Two: The Art of Courtly Love
Our second session will continue to explore the adventures and misadventures of Don Quixote, paying particular attention to how his love for Dulcinea draws on the literary traditions of “courtly love” stretching back to the Renaissance and Middle Ages. We will focus on the First Part of Don Quixote, Part 3.
Lecture Three: Hero or Antihero?
Our third and final session will consider the complex character of Don Quixote in all its depth and texture, as we answer the question of whether he is a “hero” or “antihero” when we focus on the First Part of Don Quixote, Part 4.
Joseph Luzzi received his Ph.D. from Yale University and is a Professor of Comparative Literature and Faculty Member in Italian Studies at Bard College, where he has taught since 2002 after being a visiting faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania. A frequent contributor to publications including the New York Times, TLS, and Chronicle of Higher Education, he is the author of 5 books, including "My Two Italies," a New York Times Editors' Choice selection and "In a Dark Wood: What Dante Taught Me About Grief, Healing, and the Mysteries of Love," a Vanity Fair “Must-Read” selection. His work has been translated into multiple languages and his many awards include a Yale College Teaching Prize, Dante Society of America Essay Prize, and Wallace Fellowship at Villa I Tatti, Harvard's Center for Italian Renaissance Studies. In 2017 he was named Cittadino Onorario/Honorary Citizen in Acri, Calabria, his Italian parents' birthplace. His next book is "Botticelli's Secret: The Lost Drawings and the Rediscovery of the Renaissance," which will be published by W. W. Norton. Professor Luzzi is the founder of the Virtual Book Club, an online community of readers dedicated to exploring some of the best books ever written. Learn more at JosephLuzzi.com.
This conversation is suitable for all ages.
60 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.