Rocks and the Psychological Construction of Don Quixote

Abstract

An element that is at once constructive and destructive, the rock figures as one of the most powerful symbols in Don Quixote. The most common interpretations of rocks hail from the Judeo-Christian tradition, that is, the durability and resistance associated with faith. Nonetheless, this article aims to expand upon this notion and investigate the relationship of rocks with punishment, death, martyrdom and even resurrection. Through the análisis of five episodes from Cervantes’ novel, the article will illustrate how the polyvalent nature of rocks reflects the polyvalence of Don Quixote’s psychology and his transition from a choleric to a melancholic individual. It will also address the architectonic role of rocks in both the construction and the destruction of ideals, and by extension, the destruction of the protagonist’s own identity.