The concept of authorship, especially as it relates to
Don Quixote’s control of his own fate, plays a large role in the
Second Part. The idea of vague authorship illuminates the conflict
between the imaginary world and the real one, a conflict that Don
Quixote himself embodies. Essentially, Cervantes allows the characters
to influence their own story like authors. When Don Quixote expresses
his concern over the accuracy of the First Part of the novel, he,
the main character of the First Part, doubts the accuracy of his
own story. Moreover, despite the fact that Cervantes states in the
First Part that he is the translator of Cide Hamete Benengeli’s
work, he now refers to an unidentified translator without providing
any clues about this translator’s identity. We are thus left with
an even blurrier picture of the truth.
The trickery of Don Quixote’s friends in this opening
section reveals their desire to see Don Quixote once again go out
to pursue his fantasies. The priest, who spends so much time in
the First Part trying to coax Don Quixote home, delights in the
fact that his friend is apparently still mad. Similarly, Sampson
Carrasco’s lie to the housekeeper that he will talk sense into Don
Quixote exposes his knavery and his willingness to play with Don
Quixote’s imagination. The priest and Samson mimic Sancho, who buys
into Don Quixote’s whims even though he knows that his master is
insane. By encouraging Don Quixote’s madness, these characters reveal
their own desire for adventure. They express this desire vicariously through
Don Quixote.
