Translator's Note & Introduction

Edith Grossman's note to the reader about the translation is short but sweet. She acknowledges the daunting task of translating a literary legend, but her goal was "hearing in the most profound way I can, the text in Spanish and discovering the voice to say (I mean, to write) the text again in English" (xix). I like her idea to focus on the meaning and the feeling in translating literature. Trying to learn Spanish now and having studied French, I can appreciate the nearly impossible task of trying to take something so beautiful and wonderful and complex and translate it without losing any of the quality. I experience that frustration each day that I spend with my husband's family in Spain. I can only hope the truth of what I mean shines through, and it seems that Edith Grossman has tried to do the same for Cervantes, though he is nearly 400 years gone and who knows what he would think of the popularity of his novel and its many translations. The last idea that I took away from her note is something very important, something important for studies of Shakespeare as well, something my students rarely grasp: "When Cervantes wrote Don Quixote, his language was not archaic or quaint," but modern, current, new, and exciting (xix). It was anything but old or out-dated. Good to keep in mind!




Harold Bloom is well-known in literary studies, and his introduction shows off his vast knowledge of works and literary criticism. The basis of the introduction is a comparison between Cervantes and Shakespeare and Don Quixote and Hamlet. These two great writers and works are great because they are not limited to one genre and because they had a lasting effect on every writer to come after them. For those who do not know much of the life of Cervantes, it is an interesting one that certainly influenced his work. He was wounded in battle at age 24, lost use of his left hand, was captured by Barbary pirates, was a spy, was a tax collector, and was imprisoned at least twice. The story goes that he wrote Don Quixote while in jail. I liked Bloom's idea that the novel is "a mirror not held up to nature, but to the reader" (xxvi). This is the reason why there are so many studies of the novel, so many varying opinions, and so many different interpretations. Bloom remarks rightly that this is mark of a great work. All ideas taken from it are right, though different. The introduction is full of wonderful ideas, but I won't bore anyone with my long thoughts on it. Besides, I am anxious to actually start! Don Quixote awaits....