Disenchanting Dulcinea, or Zambrano novelizing Cervantes

Abstract

This paper tackles Maria Zambrano’s idea of the novel in light of her assessments of Don Quixote. The hypothesis explored comes from Zambrano’s definition of the novel as a «place of revelation». Through analysis of the question of ambiguity, the character of Dulcinea, and the particular use of narrative by Zambrano in the text «Lo que le sucedió a Cervantes: Dulcinea», we can conclude a dual characterization: on the one hand, the novel based on the unfolding of events and lived history, and, on the other, the truth – the content of revelation – as a process of creation.