Re-creation of Don Quixote: From Comics to Popular Culture

274 Pages·2017·7.19 MB·English

by  Karuna Warrier

Re-creation of Don Quixote: From Comics to Popular Culture

Karuna Warrier

Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures
McGill University, Montreal
April 2018

A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree
of Doctor of Philosophy

© Karuna Warrier 2018
Table of Contents

ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………………….... 1
RESUMEN……………………………………………………………………………................. 2
RÉSUMÉ……………………………………………………………………………………….... 3
Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………………………… 4
INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………… 7
0.1 “Canon to Canon” Adaptations……………………………………………………………….. 7
0.2 Don Quixote’s Re-invention: From Word-to-Word to Word-to-Images…………………….. 10
0.3 “Low art” form called Comics ……………………………………………………………... 14
0.4 Hypothesis…………………………………………………………………………………... 18
0.5 Adaptation and Appropriation Studies……………………………………………………..... 21
0.6 Reading Comics…………………………………………………………………………….. 25
0.7 Chapters……………………………………………………………………………………... 29
CHAPTER 1. FORMATION OF THE QUIXOTIC IMAGERY………………………….. 32
1.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..... 32
1.2 Don Quixote in the Postmodern Context…………………………………………………….. 34
1.3 Don Quixote’s Opening Sentence Re-written...…………………………………………….. 38
1.4 Specific Iconography of Don Quixote’s Illustrations………………………………………... 42
1.5 Don Quixote’s Attempt at Transcendence…………………………………………………... 52
1.6 Towards a Near-Slapstick Interpretation of Don Quixote……………………………………. 58
1.7 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………... 66
CHAPTER 2. INTERPRETING NEWSPAPER CARICATURES OF DON QUIXOTE... 69
2.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..... 69
2.2 The Loss of Cervantes’s Authority…………………………………………………………. 74
2.3 Don Quixote’s Caricature by Forges……………………………………………………….... 81
2.4 Book Illustrations by Lorenzo Goñi………………………………………………………..... 91
2.5 Mode of Display in the Virtual Exhibition…………………………………………………. 103
2.6 Caricatures by LAZ………………………………………………………………………… 112
2.7 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………. 119
CHAPTER 3. DON QUIXOTE RE-IMAGINED AND RE-INVENTED AS A COMIC
BOOK CHARACTER……………………………………………………………………….. 122
3.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………... 122
3.2 “Fluidity” of Don Quixote…………………………………………………………………. 126
3.3 Different Faces of Don Quixote as seen in Lanza en astillero……………………………… 131
3.4 Mortadelo de la Mancha…………………………………………………………………… 151
3.5 The Play of Perspective in Mortadelo de la Mancha and Don Quixote…………………….. 163
3.6 Sancho’s Confusing Perspective…………………………………………………………… 169
3.7 Don Quixote in Mortadelo y Filemón Or Mortadelo y Filemón in Don Quixote…………... 175
3.8 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………. 183
CHAPTER 4. “FLUID” DON QUIXOTE IN GOTHIC SPACE…………………………. 186
4.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………... 186
4.2 Don Quixote’s Fight against Real Monsters………………………………………………. 189
4.3 The Gothic Environment…………………………………………………………………… 200
4.4 The Displacement of Don Quixote into the Gothic Environment…………………………. 206
4.5 La sombra de don Quijote read as a Derivation…………………………………………….. 219
4.6 Drawing 15-M Movement…………………………………………………………………. 230
4.7 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………. 237
CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………….. 241
BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………………. 250
APPENDIX 1: COPYRIGHT RELEASE……………………………………………………………269
Abstract
With the canonization of Don Quixote, started with the earlier illustrated editions of the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the pictorial representations of the Cervantine novel also
reached the status of canon. This dissertation considers the appropriation and re-packaging of the
quixotic imagery as caricatures and comics. The research evolves from the initial recognition of
the specific set of icons and the establishment of a quixotic imagery, as shown in the first chapter.
The next three chapters study the exploitation of this iconography by some of the comic artists to
produce a re-imagined version of Don Quixote. With the model of imitation-repetition-variation
in the backdrop, Chapters 2, 3 and 4 divide the quixotic-themed primary texts into sub-genres
within comics – caricatures, isolated illustrations and comics as an entire book. Employing
medium-specific tools, the re-packaged Don Quixote is placed within the theoretical framework
of Adaptation and Appropriation Studies and Comics Studies to study how the selected comics
and caricatures attempt to incite a backward movement, i.e. encourage readers to read the original
Don Quixote, by targeting a particular category of readers.

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Resumen
Junto con la canonización del Quijote, iniciada con la publicación de las ediciones ilustradas de
los siglos XVII y XVIII, las representaciones visuales de la novela cervantina también alcanzaron
la categoría de canon. La tesis investiga las apropiaciones y reinvenciones de la imaginería
quijotesca en la forma de caricaturas y cómics. La investigación evoluciona del reconocimiento
inicial de una colección específica de íconos y el establecimiento de la imaginería quijotesca, como
se muestra en el primer capítulo. Los siguientes tres capítulos analizan la deconstrucción y la
reconstrucción de esta iconografía por algunos de los artistas del cómic para producir una versión
re-imaginada del Quijote. Con el modelo de imitación-repetición-variación como trasfondo, los
capítulos 2, 3 y 4 dividen los textos primarios con temática quijotesca en sub-géneros de cómics –
caricaturas, ilustraciones aisladas y cómics como un libro entero. Al emplear las herramientas
específicas del medio, el Quijote reinventado se coloca dentro del marco teórico de los estudios de
las adaptaciones y apropiaciones y los estudios del cómic para examinar cómo los cómics y las
caricaturas seleccionados tratan de instigar un movimiento hacia atrás, es decir, animar a los
lectores a que lean el Quijote original, intentando dirigirse a una categoría de lectores.

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Résumé
Avec la canonisation de Don Quichotte, lancée par la publication des éditions illustrées des dix-
septième et dix-huitième siècles, les représentations visuelles du roman cervantin ont aussi atteint
le statut du canon. Cette thèse investigue les appropriations et les réinventions de l’imagerie de
Don Quichotte comme les bandes dessinées et les caricatures. La recherche évolue à partir de la
reconnaissance initiale de la collection spécifique des icônes ainsi que de l'établissement d'une
imagerie sur Don Quichotte, tel que démontré dans le premier chapitre. Les prochains trois
chapitres examinent la déconstruction et la reconstruction de cette iconographie par certains
artistes des bandes dessinées pour produire une version nouvellement imaginée du Don Quichotte.
En ayant le modèle d’imitation-répétition-variation comme toile de fond, les chapitre 2, 3 et 4
divisent les textes principaux avec le thème sur Don Quichotte en sous-genres au sein des bandes
dessinées - les caricatures, les illustrations isolées et les bandes dessinées comme un livre entier.
Avec les outils spécifiques des médias, le Don Quichotte revisité se place dans le cadre théorique
des études d’adaptation et appropriation et des études de bandes dessinées avec pour objectif
d’examiner comment les bandes dessinées et les caricatures sélectionnées tentent de provoquer un
mouvement rétroactif, c'est-à-dire d’encourager les lecteurs à lire le Don Quichotte original, en
dirigeant à une catégorie particulière des lecteurs.

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Acknowledgements
My first and my biggest gratitude goes to Mummy and Papa, and Ammamma who encouraged me
to think about pursuing my higher studies abroad in the first place. Their support increased
manifold the moment when McGill University offered me admission. The emotional and financial
pillars that my parents together have been, throughout my journey here at McGill, are so firm that
at hardly at any step have I felt weak, and I hope to be able to fulfill their dreams in the years to
come. In my small family circle, my gratitude also goes to my uncle Girish and aunt Valerie, who
have also been immense emotional as well as financial contributors in this journey. I thank them
for taking time out to have frequent telephonic conversations with me and to help me monetarily
in several ways during times when my parents were going through a difficult phase.
I owe a lot to my supervisor Professor Jesús Pérez-Magallón, who has been a great mentor for me
in the formation of this thesis. I thank him a lot for his valuable suggestions and comments on the
content of the thesis, for his meticulous review of every fragment and for inspiring me to develop
my own ideas with the autonomy that one can desire for. I cannot forget to mention the financial
support that he has given me whenever he could, which has helped me sustain myself during my
time here at McGill.
Within the academic circle in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, I owe a lot
to Professor José R. Jouve-Martín who was generous enough to give me a second opportunity for
one of the essays for him during my first year. After submitting the rewritten essay, his appreciation
of the essay and a meeting with him restored my confidence and morale multifold to advance
ahead. He is also one of the professors to thank for helping me financially during my third year
here at McGill.
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My initial interest in Don Quixote got reasserted from the course on the Cervantine novel given by
ex-Professor David Boruchoff in our department in whose seminars the discussions had helped in
the academic reading of the novel. Here, I would also like to mention my professor from University
of Delhi, Prof. Vibha Maurya, who had first planted this interest in me in Don Quixote during my
masters. I would like to thank other professors as well in the department, with whom I had taken
courses, who have contributed indirectly by helping me settle down academically in the first year.
A special thanks to Lucia Chamanadijan, under whose valuable guidance I could teach in the
department for two semesters. Without her help and inputs, it would have been impossible to
integrate myself into the new system and concentrate with peace on my thesis. This was an
interesting phase of my PhD where I learnt a lot being a student and a lecturer at the same time.
McGill University, as a whole, itself has been a very good source of knowledge, thanks to a well-
equipped library and the staff who has been very helpful. A special thanks to the Faculty of Arts
to allocate me Arts Grant Travel Award that gave me the incredible opportunity to travel to
Pamplona, Spain to attend and participate in a research conference. I took from this trip an
invaluable feedback on my topic that in fact led to the formation of my conclusion.
Coming to study abroad meant living away far from my parents for the first time and yet continue
to work with equal perseverance as before. The motivation behind this perseverance is attributed
to the lovely people whom I met in Montreal and now are my very good friends. My greatest
companion has been my boyfriend Anurag Agarwal who has been an tremendous support,
especially during that one juncture when I had become a bit solitary, by making me laugh and
trivializing my sorrows for the good. Miles away, my very good friend Mridul Sakhuja also kept
me going during this period by maintaining a constant conversation with me. My initial concerns
of settling in Montreal was minimalized a lot by my first friends – Lidoly, Anne-Sophie, Lidia,
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Mary, Emily, Meredith, Melanie, Wei and Priscila – who today form a very important part of my
life. Not only have they been an excellent source of knowledge about various fields, I also must
show my appreciation to them for making an environment viable for me to cruise these four years
with ease.

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