"Don Quixote" and the History of Galley Ships and Galley Slaves
Poster Number
7C
Research or Creativity Area
Humanities & Arts
Abstract
When an author writes about their own experience, the resulting work, even if it is fictitious, often becomes a source of historical information for future generations to understand what life was like in a particular place and time. The life of Miguel de Cervantes is very much present in his masterpiece, Don Quixote, where he references political and religious issues as well as daily life in the Sixteenth Century. A notable example is the recurring topic of galley slaves and ships, which are likely based on his five years in the Spanish Navy (1570-1575) and subsequent five years as a captive in Algiers.
There are two adventures centered on the galleys. The first comes up early in Part One of the book when Don Quixote and his squire, Sancho Panza, encounter a group of chained convicts who are being marched to row in the galleys. Much later, toward the end of Part Two, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza board a galley ship at a Barcelona port where they witness galley slaves who are beaten indiscriminately as they row.
Through these references to galley slaves and ships, Cervantes shares contemporary history with his readers in an entertaining and simultaneously informative format. This paper begins with an investigation of the earliest known galley ships and goes on to outline the changes that these vessels underwent throughout centuries of technological advancements, and their use in battles such as the famous 1571 Battle of Lepanto where Cervantes was injured. This paper also examines the types of people who rowed on these vessels and what life was like for them. These include volunteer oarsmen, prisoners of war, and, of particular interest given their inclusion in Don Quixote, galley slaves, whose labor made the use of galley ships in battle possible for countries like Spain during war and for other purposes. Throughout the paper and the accompanying poster presentation, connections between historical sources and the text of Don Quixote will illustrate how the novel serves as an accurate first-hand source of history in narrative form.
Location
Don and Karen DeRosa University Center (DUC) Poster Hall
Start Date
27-4-2024 10:30 AM
End Date
27-4-2024 12:30 PM
"Don Quixote" and the History of Galley Ships and Galley Slaves
Don and Karen DeRosa University Center (DUC) Poster Hall
When an author writes about their own experience, the resulting work, even if it is fictitious, often becomes a source of historical information for future generations to understand what life was like in a particular place and time. The life of Miguel de Cervantes is very much present in his masterpiece, Don Quixote, where he references political and religious issues as well as daily life in the Sixteenth Century. A notable example is the recurring topic of galley slaves and ships, which are likely based on his five years in the Spanish Navy (1570-1575) and subsequent five years as a captive in Algiers.
There are two adventures centered on the galleys. The first comes up early in Part One of the book when Don Quixote and his squire, Sancho Panza, encounter a group of chained convicts who are being marched to row in the galleys. Much later, toward the end of Part Two, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza board a galley ship at a Barcelona port where they witness galley slaves who are beaten indiscriminately as they row.
Through these references to galley slaves and ships, Cervantes shares contemporary history with his readers in an entertaining and simultaneously informative format. This paper begins with an investigation of the earliest known galley ships and goes on to outline the changes that these vessels underwent throughout centuries of technological advancements, and their use in battles such as the famous 1571 Battle of Lepanto where Cervantes was injured. This paper also examines the types of people who rowed on these vessels and what life was like for them. These include volunteer oarsmen, prisoners of war, and, of particular interest given their inclusion in Don Quixote, galley slaves, whose labor made the use of galley ships in battle possible for countries like Spain during war and for other purposes. Throughout the paper and the accompanying poster presentation, connections between historical sources and the text of Don Quixote will illustrate how the novel serves as an accurate first-hand source of history in narrative form.
