The History of Don Quixote, Volume 1, Part 18

"The History of Don Quixote, Volume 1, Part 18" by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra is a story set in the Spanish Golden Age, telling the story of Don Quixote, an older nobleman fueled by old romance stories, deciding one day to become a knight. He sets off to fight for what’s right and win the heart of his perfect woman, Dulcinea. This section highlights the differences between what is real and what is not, what love and honor really mean, and even makes fun of the way society is. The story zooms in on Eugenio, a goatherd with a broken heart, who is suffering from the loss of his love, Leandra, who left with a sneaky soldier named Vicente de la Roca. Believing it's his knightly duty, Don Quixote steps in when he sees a group of people in procession, thinking they have kidnapped a woman in need of help, which turns into a funny and messy fight. Even though he’s trying to save this made-up woman, Don Quixote ends up fighting with the goatherd, which really shows how lost in his own world he is and how ridiculous his adventures can be. In the end, this part mixes funny moments with deeper feelings about love and how silly Quixote's adventures are.