Maybe the Real Mental Stability was the Friends We Made Along the Way

Mental Illness plays a prevalent role in Don Quixote. In fact, it’s the catalyst of the entire plot. Don Quixote’s delusions fuel his mad quest across Spain. Even though he is a danger to himself and others, his adventures and the friends we made along the way make for a touching story. I genuinely think the Monty-Python-esque humor of the misadventures of the Don is hilarious. This entire novel is very slapstick and chaotic and I love it.



However, I know from personal experience that watching people you love struggling with psychosis and delusions is difficult. It's hard to care for them when their mental illness makes them believe they don't actually need help. As rambunctious and silly this story is, it's hard not to see the underlying cause of his misadventures, which is that he can't separate his fantasies from reality. Mental illness, in real life, is far more often debilitating and heartbreaking than as charming as it is portrayed in Don Q. How did this read to you? Was this something on your mind as you were reading? Why or why not? What are your thoughts on the contrast between the genuinely hilarious or heart-warming moments in Don Quixote and the underlying cause behind it?