>>Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 19:20:54 -0700
>>From: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Molinos
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>
>>Dear Colleagues,
>>
>>There is a metaphor at play in the adventure of the windmills that can be 
>>immediately verified in the culture of Cervantes’s time.  Don Quixote 
>>perceives the windmills to be giants.   Sebastián de Covarrubias tells us 
>>that “gigante”, among other things, means  “hombre que tiene largas manos 
>>y estendidas, que a mi parecer, es lo mesmo que hombre poderoso…”.  The 
>>concept of power is subsequently given a metaphorical rendering: “podemos 
>>llamar gigantes metafóricamente a los soverbios desalmados, blasfemos, 
>>tiranos y hombres sin Dios y sin conciencia…”.  Pandafilando de la Fosca 
>>Vista immediately comes to mind, although, ironically, don Quixote never 
>>gets to confront this giant directly.  Of course, Pandafilando is 
>>Dorotea´s metaphorical rendering of don Fernando, a powerful nobleman 
>>who, blinded by his lust, promises to marry Dorotea, consummates their 
>>relationship and, indifferent to both the social code and the laws of 
>>God, promptly abandons her.  In brief, the windmill episode constitutes 
>>the opening salvo in a long series of confrontations with “gigantes” by 
>>means of which don Quixote will attempt to “address power”, to right the 
>>wrongs (personal, social, political) of 17th-century Spain.
>>
>>
>>Dr. G. L. Gingras
>>Associate Professor and Coordinator of Spanish
>>Saint Mary's College
>>Notre Dame, IN 46556
>>(574) 284-5378
>>