The Squire and Foil, Sancho Panza

A squire was typically training to become a knight, therefore gaining a level of respect provided by the knight he served and his future aspiration to be a knight. However, this was not the case with Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. This is one of the first illustrations of Sancho Panza and Don Quixote in Gustave Doré’s book. There is an obvious contrast between the characters. Focus specifically on the height and the dress. Don Quixote is dressed elegantly and making grand gestures that translate off the page. Meanwhile, Sancho is a stout man that appears to need fathering by Don Quixote. From this picture, the audience immediately discerns the relationship between Sancho and Don Quixote that applies for almost the entirety of Part 1. Don Quixote leads, and Sancho follows, whether he wants to or not.

To clarify, Sancho is the poor man flying through the air and Don Quixote is the man trying to “help.” This is after our knight and his squire’s first stay at an Inn, where they come across characters who are offended by Don Quixote’s appearance and address, but instead take revenge on Sancho as Don Quixote rides away. Don Quixote returns only upon seeing that Sancho is not following him, but being tossed about. Funny, this illustration makes it seem as if Don Quixote is trying to help Sancho, but in Edith Grossman’s recent translation, we read that our knight is safely observing from a far distance Sancho's being toyed with by enchanters. 

Stark contrast from the previous two illustrations, right? This is in Part 2 of Don Quixote, when Sancho finally gets his request, to be the governor of an “insula.” In this illustration, Sancho is making rulings in court after he is sent off to his insula by the Duke and Duchess. Despite the fact that his governorship is a complete farce, Sancho shows an incredible amount of insight and wisdom when he deals with the cases presented to him. Sancho, surprisingly, seems suited to be a governor. He is driven away from his governorship by the thorns around him, placed by the Duke and Duchess.

-- Elizabeth Rule