Sociologist and author Musa al-Gharbi recently encouraged his audience to engage with Miguel de Cervantes' seminal work, "Don Quixote," emphasizing the timeliness of its message and the quality of a contemporary English translation. Al-Gharbi's recommendation follows his experience co-leading a Summer Classics seminar on the novel at St. John's College in Santa Fe, an event that provided a fresh perspective on the 17th-century classic.
"If you haven't read Don Quixote, you're missing out. There's no better time than the present given the excellent new translation that has recently been published," al-Gharbi stated in a recent social media post, linking to a more extensive reflection.
In his detailed Substack post, al-Gharbi revealed that the "excellent new translation" he champions is by Edith Grossman. He noted a significant shift in his understanding of the text, having first read it two decades prior in Tobias Smollett's 1755 translation. His recent engagement with Grossman's version, coupled with discussions among "lifelong learners" at the seminar, offered a profoundly different experience.
Al-Gharbi, an Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University and author of "We Have Never Been Woke," highlighted the novel's enduring relevance, describing it as "the world’s first postmodern novel" due to its structural complexity and meta-narrative elements. He emphasized how the book delves into profound insights about faith, devotion, politics, and morality, often juxtaposing deep themes with humor. His analysis suggests that "Don Quixote" continues to challenge readers with its critiques of society and human nature.
The scholar's re-reading underscored the novel's ability to evolve with the reader, reflecting personal growth and societal changes. He pointed out that Cervantes' work remains provocative, subverting conventional views on gender, social stratification, and even religious perspectives, all while employing layers of fictional attribution to navigate the socio-political climate of his era. Al-Gharbi's call serves as a renewed invitation to explore a literary masterpiece through a fresh, highly regarded translation.
