What inspired Miguel de Cervantes to write Don Quixote?

Cervantes himself states that he wrote Don Quixote in order to undermine the influence of those "vain and empty books of chivalry" as well as to provide some merry, original, and sometimes prudent material for his readers' entertainment. read more

This rather tragic episode in Cervantes’ life is evident in Don Quixote. Don Quixote struggles to distinguish between realty and the fictional world of the books he loves. Don Quixote embarks on his adventures with the express aim of impressing the Dulcinea del Toboso. read more

, 1547, Alcalá de Henares, Spain—died April 22, 1616, Madrid), Spanish novelist, playwright, and poet, the creator of Don Quixote (1605, 1615) and the most important and celebrated figure in Spanish literature. read more

Like Don Quixote, Cervantes traveled through life with a strong sense of purpose. Meeting with misfortune and disillusion like his hero, Cervantes contributed to civilization, possibly as a result of his own life's experiences, the people and the values of Don Quixote. read more