While the motivations for creating poetry are seldom clear cut or readily apparent, we may be certain that when Giovanni Meli conceived his ambitious project he was well aware of the possible risks involved in the choice. Undoubtedly the two characters – living symbols of the opposing forces within man – fulfilled deep-seated psychological needs of the Sicilian poet. Meli knew very well that his work would be judged from the perspective of the Cervantian masterpiece – his selection of the Spanish characters was an open invitation to compare the two works. In retrospection, Meli’s choice may have to be considered an act of hubris punished by silence, neglect and often unjust dismissal of his poem. Those critics who have measured the Sicilian Don Chisciotti by his Spanish…
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Citation: Cipolla, Gaetano. "Don Chisciotti e Sanciu Panza". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 03 February 2011 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=32156, accessed 23 November 2024.]
