Barcelona i la venjança dels ofesos

Abstract

We propose a reinterpretation of the eulogy of Barcelona (QII, 72), taking into consideration the text as a whole and its appearance in the strategic context of the dénouement of the novel. In order to highlight the fundamental intention of Miguel de Cervantes in this passage, which is to issue a brief challenge to the false sequel to the first part by Fernández de Avellaneda, we follow Don Quixote and Sancho on their travels from La Mancha to Barcelona and back. There is a striking spatiotemporal blackhole in the Aragonese portion of Don Quixotes journey. We contrast the adventures of the two characters in Barcelona with those of the bogus Don Quixote and Sancho in Saragossa. It is obvious that Don Quixote must be aware from QII, 59 who the real author of QI is, and we believe that, through a tacit agreement between himself and the author, Don Quixote makes it his job to take vengeance on Avellaneda and his false characters. The opportunity arises in Barcelona, the city eulogized by the knight errant, among other reasons, for being the avenger rather than the vindictive party in the revenge of the offended