La locura como crítica social: Reexaminando el cuento del loco de Sevilla (dq 2.1)

This article suggests that the barber's anecdote regarding the madman from Seville in part two, chapter 1 of Don Quijote functions as a veiled social criticism. In essence, the story, which includes a cast of ethically questionable ecclesiastics and administrators, reveals a reality brimming with true—and, in fact, overlooked—social "insanities" similar to those Don Quijote faces. We propose that the tale referenced underscores not so much the licentiate's own madness, but rather certain characters that aggravate his lunacy. These characters ultimately come to represent the tainted social fabric Cervantes denounces.