González Echevarría talks about the transition that we, as present-day readers undergo, between Part I, published in 1605, and Part II of the Quixote, published in 1615. He first reviews the grand themes of part one: 1) ambiguity and perspectivism, 2) the idea that the self can impose its will but only to a certain point and the ontological doubt, 3) reading, 4) characters that are relational and not static, and 5) improvisation. He then moves on to Part II of the book: Cervantes' moment as a writer, the cultural context, the titles of both parts and the spurious Avellaneda's Quixote are commented upon. The second half of the lecture talks about the writing of the second part of the novel and its main characteristics in relation to Part I.

Reading assignment:
Elliott, Imperial Spain, 1469-1716, chapter 6

1. Introduction
2. Don Quixote, Part I: Front Matter and Chapters I-X
3. Don Quixote, Part I: Chapters I-X (cont.)
4. Don Quixote, Part I: Chapters XI-XX
5. Don Quixote, Part I: Chapters XI-XX (cont.)
6. Don Quixote, Part I: Chapters XXI-XXVI
7. Don Quixote, Part I: Chapters XXI-XXVI (cont.)
8. Don Quixote, Part I: Chapters XXVII-XXXV
9. Don Quixote, Part I: Chapters XXVII-XXXV (cont.)
10. Don Quixote, Part I: Chapters XXXVI-LII
11. Don Quixote, Part I: Chapters XXXVI-LII (cont.)
12. Don Quixote, Introduction to Part II
13. Don Quixote, Part II: Front Matter and Chapters I-XI
14. Don Quixote, Part II: Front Matter and Chapters I-XI (cont.)
15. Don Quixote, Part II: Chapters XII-XXI
16. Don Quixote, Part II: Chapters XII-XXI (cont.)
17. Don Quixote, Part II: Chapters XXII-XXXV
18. Don Quixote, Part II: Chapters XXII-XXXV (cont.)
19. Don Quixote, Part II: Chapters XXXVI-LIII
20. Don Quixote, Part II: Chapters XXXVI-LIII (cont.)
21. Don Quixote, Part II: Chapters LIV-LXX
22. Don Quixote, Part II: Chapters LIV-LXX (cont.)
23. Don Quixote, Part II: Chapters LXXI-LXXIV
24. Don Quixote, Part II: Chapters LXXI-LXXIV (cont.)

The course facilitates a close reading of Don Quixote in the artistic and historical context of renaissance and baroque Spain. Students are also expected to read four of Cervantes' Exemplary Stories, Cervantes' Don Quixote: A Casebook, and J.H. Elliott's Imperial Spain. Cervantes' work will be discussed in relation to paintings by Velázquez. The question of why Don Quixote is read today will be addressed throughout the course. Students are expected to know the book, the background readings and the materials covered in the lectures and class discussions.

Course Structure:
This Yale College course, taught on campus twice per week for 75 minutes, was recorded for Open Yale Courses in Fall 2009.