by Zurellys Villegas
Miguel de Cervantes is considered one of the greatest writers of the Spanish language. Last Tuesday, September 29, the 477th anniversary of the birth of the poet, novelist and playwright who is known primarily for his masterpiece, ‘Don Quixote de la Mancha’ was commemorated. This work is “the best literary work ever written” and is noted as the first modern novel in universal literature.
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was born in the city of Alcalá de Henares, in 1547, on September 29, in a Spain marked by great political and cultural changes.
Cervantes, the son of a surgeon and a family of humble origins, spent much of his life in difficult conditions, marked by war, poverty and imprisonment. Despite these challenges, his literary ability reached its exponential peak and his pen gave life to great immortal characters that, to this day, continue to captivate readers around the world.
The 477th anniversary of his birth is an opportunity to remember not only his impact on universal literature, but also his contribution to the development of the Spanish language and the influence he exerted on later generations of writers. In commemoration of his legacy, public readings, exhibitions and theatrical performances of some of his most famous works are held in many cities around the world.
‘Don Quixote de la Mancha’, a work of universal literature
The work ‘Don Quixote de la Mancha’ is divided into two different books. The first entitled ‘El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha’ published in 1605 and the second, ‘El ingenioso caballero don Quijote de la Mancha’ which had to be published in 1615. The first work is the most outstanding work of Spanish literature and one of the main works of universal literature. It has been translated into more than 50 languages and adapted in various forms, from theatre to film.
Through the adventures of the protagonist and his squire Sancho Panza, Cervantes presents a satire of the books of chivalry and addresses universal themes such as the struggle between reality and fantasy.
‘Don Quixote de la Mancha’ has endured throughout the centuries, consolidating itself as a pillar of global culture. On its 477th anniversary, Don Quixote remains a timeless reflection of human nature and an essential reference for novelists and writers who enter the world of literature.
They claim that Miguel de Cervantes was not born in Alcalá de Henares
The greatest figure of Spanish-speaking literature continues to be much talked about. Spanish researcher José de Contreras y Saro revealed last May that Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was born in Córdoba (Seville) and not in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) as the official story has maintained until now.
The academic explained that the biographical data of the author of Don Quixote had been confused with those of two other contemporary homonymous relatives of the famous novelist: a nephew born in Alcázar de San Juan (Ciudad Real) and a second cousin born in Alcalá de Henares.
During a conference at the Ateneo de Sevilla, De Contreras highlighted that Adolfo Rodríguez Jurado (1865-1933), a politician and lawyer from Seville, was the one who, in 1914, discovered the document that registered Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra as a native of Córdoba.
According to the researcher, the document found by Rodríguez Jurado remained in an unknown location until 2016. In addition, at the conference, De Contreras showed slides with the signatures of the three Miguel de Cervantes and the corresponding graphological analysis of the three people.
De Contreras, who is a national researcher and director of the research group Memoria de Cervantes, a specialist in the 16th and 17th centuries, and a member of the Sagasta Foundation for Political Studies, specialized in the 19th century, explains that the Miguel de Cervantes born in Alcalá de Henares would actually be a second cousin of the novelist. He also said in that conference that the third Miguel de Cervantes was the son of the eldest of the six brothers of the author of Don Quixote, Blas de Cervantes, and his birth certificate, found in Alcázar de San Juan, is from 1558.
“We have been able to identify which of the three Miguel de Cervantes married Catalina Salazar y Palacios, or Palacios y Salazar, and lived temporarily in Esquivias,” said De Contreras.
After stating that they have identified “which of them is buried in Madrid and which of them was the writer,” he points out that the Miguel de Cervantes born in Córdoba is the author of Don Quixote because “he is the only one in which a single document identifies his age, his place of birth, his occupation and his interest in writing comedies.”
— With information from EFE / Canal Sur Radio / Diario ABC
