Cervantes's Character Development In Don Quixote And Sancho Panza

When Cervantes was creating the story of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza I wonder if he himself had a Sancho Panza in his life to which these historic characters were based off of. Although Don Quixote might seem to be just a book written about a “knight errant and his squire” going on ridiculous adventures that ultimately end with them being beaten up it happens to be so much more than that. Cervantes has done a great job at providing his readers with themes that are relevant to the time period he is writing in and also provides ample example of character development throughout the novel. One of the characters that the readers are able to see develop over time would be Sancho Panza. While serving as Don Quixote’s squire Sancho has developed …show more content…
According to Google.com, Humanism is defined as “an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems”. Throughout this text we are able to see Cervantes address the three main beliefs of humanist; the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seeks rational ways of solving human problems, all of which Sancho Panza exhibit multiple situations that fall into each of those categories. For instance, when speaking about the potential and goodness of human beings Sancho Panza is able to show readers that through his development as a character he possesses the goodness of what it means to be human. He does this through his loyalty to Don Quixote and his willingness to exclaim his potential value to the larger society. In a scene where he is talking with the Squire of the Forest Panza states, “A child may persuade him it is night at noonday, and he is so simple, that I love him from the bottom of my heart, and can’t bring myself to leave him, however many silly things he does" (pg. 567).This quote shows the readers that although Sancho is not in agreeance with Don Quixote’s ridiculous doings he will continue to stick by his side because of the love he shares for Quixote. The Duchess in a later scene questions the squires loyalty to Don Quixote to which Sancho replies, “I can’t help it, I must follow him - were from the same village, I’ve eaten his bread, I’m very fond of him, he’s grateful to me, he gave me his donkeys and above all I’m a faithful fellow, so nothings ever going to part us except the pick and the shovel” (pg.715). Sancho’s development in the story also sheds light on the humanist approach of emphasizing