Don Quixote

While reading Don Quixote last night, I stumbled across an epigraph of one of the chapters that seems relavant to the class.

Chapter XXIV, Part II pg. 614

"In which a thousand trifles are recounted, as irrelevant as they are necessary to a true understanding of this great history"

Due to my recent Stanley Fish binge, I thoutht this epigraph fit nicely into his arguement on the humanites. Fish argues, like I have said in previous entries, humanities have no inherrent value and thus are the most valueable. This epigraph from the second part coincides perfectly with this arguement. In one sense, much of Don Quixote is irrelevent and meaningless especially to those who due to ignorance or some other mental block cant look at "poetry with poetry seeing eyes." However the true worth of DQ makes all aspects of the novel "necessary to understanding." The chapter that follows the epigraph seems pointless. It relates Cide Hamete Benengeli's criticism of the Cave of Montesinos. Cide, the original author of the History of Don Quixote, believes The Knight of the Lions lied about some of his adventures in the underworld. However, in the true nature of "art for art's sake" Cide's comments are irrelevant to the narrative however they are necessary to the parody of the Romantic, a theme throughout the novel. Why this tidbit falls into the narrative is not for the reader to argue. Like Fish says, the humanities need no defense, they defend themselves. So we must not argue the irrelaances or necessities of DQ rather enjoy all the aspects of the novel because its worth lies in absence of inherrent value. Some people say reading a 1000 page novel is pointless, when in reality its exactly those people who are pointless.