The Individuated Self: Cervantes and the Emergence of the Individual

Not only in Don Quixote but as well in his other works of fiction, epic, and drama, Cervantes concerns himself with the varied means by which human beings emerge from their anonymous beginnings to forge a role for themselves as individuals. Not to be confused with individualism, the psychological and social processes of individuation are presented in Cervantes’ characters through diverse means. Like Don Quixote, most of the characters encounter experiences quite unlike what they had expected to find—yet they do find their niche, their individuality. These richly variegated kinds of experiences in the works of Cervantes which enable the individual characters to realize what is appropriate for them constitute the focus of The Individuated Self. This timely psychological approach particularly toward Don Quixote’s search for manhood, and the useful bibliography and notes will provide a valuable reference book in the classroom or for the scholar of Spanish literature. Frequent use of other referents, such as Shakespeare’s characters and timeless metaphors of life and universal themes—the Golden Age, ubi sunt, the world-as-a-stage, the Dance of Death—place Cervantes’ works in a context meaningful for the scholar of English and world literature as well. “No windmills,” says the author. “I shall instead try to focus on (the characters’) reality (and) humanity. . .” The study accordingly transcends literary boundaries while basing its analysis on the literary creations and linguistic artistry of Cervantes. John G. Weiger is Professor of Romance Languages at the University of Vermont.