On the questioning of orality and writing in Don Quixote: Cide Hamete and the supernarrator

Abstract

Don Quixote is a work characterized by its hidden messages, ambiguities, mind games and subtle and intricate irony. Therefore, this essay focuses on the various narrators and supposed authors that appear in the two parts of the novel. James Parr's proposal is that of the super-narrator, who is a different editorial voice than Cide Hamete, who is the only the person who found the manuscript of the story of Don Quixote. Sometimes the authors or narrators are confused and it is difficult to distinguish them, except for some details in expression. In addition, regarding the original source of the story, Cervantes plays with the possibility that it is of oral origin, in the manner of minstrel stories that are later written down to be preserved. Furthermore, the themes of irony and games of analepsis, prolepsis and metalepsis are dealt with through unnarration, proving that Cervantes combines the unnarrated with the unspeakable to create comedy in some comments. Due to the numerous authors and narrators, who connect with the plot and the characters, dichotomies arise, such as good and bad reading and writing.