Don Quixote, a Gaunt, Middle-Aged Gentleman From Term Paper

Don Quixote, a gaunt, middle-aged gentleman from Spain, is known throughout the world as one of the all-time greatest heroes. In many ways, he is similar to ancient heroes of the past. In other ways, he resembles modern heroes. There are traces of Don Quixote in fiction, films and even comics.

Like so many of the heroes of ancient times, including Jesus Christ, Don Quixote lived alone amongst men, as few people understood him. Like Jesus, people judged Quixote according to the general law and not the law of God. In addition, he shows similarities to Jesus with his constant good and selfless deeds, such as freeing a galley slave and trying to remove an evil spell. According to Quixote, his goal is "To right wrongs and come to the aid of the wretched" (p. 1254). However, while Quixote's intentions are good, sometimes his actions lead to trouble.When looking at heroes in film, in many respects, Forrest Gump is the modern day equivalent of Don Quixote - society's quintessential idealist - who looks at the world and sees a distinct wrong demanding to be righted. Unlike Don Quixote, however, Shaheen's evil knights are the problems and encounters of everyday life. Both heroes are looking for "a sense of purpose and beauty." However, Quixote plans to find it by reinstating the chivalric code of the knights-errant, while Gump simply tries to make the world a better place.

Don Quixote is driven to a state of madness after reading too many books about wild knights. As a result, he sets off on a great adventure to win honor and glory in the name of his invented ladylove, Dulcinea. In….....