“The Twin Antitypes”

In Ivan Turgenev´s essay, I find myself being transported to my first semester of Ap Spanish Literature. We read Don Quixote and it almost took the whole semester to read Cervantes masterpiece but looking back now, and reading this essay, it was a good thing we took so long trying to understand it. This essay describes how opposite the characters of Hamlet and Don Quixote are, even if there were certain aspects their authors shared in common. Turgenev gives a perfect description of Don Quixote as a poor man who sets of on a journey to help the helpless and doing everything for love. He especially emphasizes Don Quixote's faith since it's something Hamlet lacks. Don Quixote is living a fantasy and instead of fully thinking his actions through like Hamlet, he just carries them out not thinking about the consequences. Hamlet on the other hand, can barely breathe without fully analyzing each of his breaths. Turgenev describes Hamlet as "analysis and egoism, skepticism personified." And Don Quixote as "an enthusiast, a fanatic, the servant of an idea and the light of this idea shines about him." Demonstrating how somehow by comparing these two characters you can understand them a little bit better. For example, in the essay Turgenev explains Hamlets self flagellation as something he enjoys doing because he thinks of self awareness as a force. On the other hand we have Don Quixote wondering through Spain making a fool of himself and who is the man one is most attracted to? Hamlet because he puts up a good front and it is Don Quixote who gets made fun of even if behind every one of his actions, he leaves the same amount of thoughtfulness as Hamlet.