The identity of the famous “place of the stain” that Cervantes mentioned in Don Quijote of La Mancha It has been subject to debate for centuries. Although many locations have claimed to be the place of origin of the gentleman of the sad figure, a recent study provides new evidence that places Miguel Estebana little one 5,000 inhabitants toledo townlike the real Cervantino enclave.
An unsolved literary mystery
From the publication of The Quijote In 1605, scholars have tried to decipher the exact location of the “stain place”. Traditionally, the municipalities of Argamasilla de Alba and Villanueva de los Infantes, both in Ciudad Real, have been considered the main candidates. However, Francisco Javier Escudero Buendía, essayist and expert in Cervantes, has ruled out both theories and proposed Miguel Esteban as the Authentic inspiration of Cervantes.
The key to this statement lies in the geography and historical context of the people. According to Escudero Buendía, Miguel Esteban precisely coincides with the descriptions of the Cervantino text, as opposed to the localities previously considered, which do not meet the geographical or historical details of the novel.
Miguel Esteban, the place that fits everything
Located to a league of El TobosoMiguel Esteban is at a strategic point of La Mancha, where Hydalgos traveled and travelers of the time. Escudero Buendía points out that the proximity to the Toboso, homeland of Dulcinea, reinforces the hypothesis that Cervantes was inspired by this municipality to place the cradle of Don Quixote.
In addition, in Miguel Esteban there are historical records of events similar to those narrated in the work, such as nobles that attacked windmills or starring duels and scenes worthy of the Manchego knight. This coincidence with documented facts of the time reinforces the theory that Cervantes was based on this realistic environment to build his fiction.
The main problem with the attributions to Argamasilla de Alba and Villanueva de los Infantes is that, according to Escudero Buendía, “they do not coincide absolutely in anything with what was described in The Quijote: neither in names, nor in geography, nor in history ”. This raises the possibility that the association of these locations with the novel has been a subsequent construction without a solid base.
A realistic novel with real elements
For the author of This was not in my book by Miguel de Cervantes, The Quijote It is a realistic novel that is based on references to real places and characters. Thus, Miguel Esteban fits perfectly with this premise, by providing historical and geographical evidence that directly links him to the masterpiece of Spanish literature.
According to Escudero Buendía, Cervantes did not explicitly mention the name of the people because he wanted to maintain the mystery and allow the reader to imagine his own stain. However, the clues left in the text and the historical records point to Miguel Esteban as the real scenario in which the writer was inspired.
Despite the new information, the debate on the “place of the stain” will remain open between scholars and passionate of the Cervantine work. What is certain is that Miguel Esteban now has a privileged place in this fascinating literary discussion.
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