"En un lugar de la Mancha …". Der Romananfang des Quijote im Spanischunterricht der Oberstufe

Abstract

One of the most famous openings in Spanish literature – “en un lugar de la Mancha ...” – certainly poses a major challenge for today’s students. Cervantes’ masterpiece El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha (1605) is complex not only because we are confronted with Early Modern Spanish, but above all because of its rhetorical demands. In particular, the famous Cervantine irony requires close reading and intensive reflection. This article seeks to demonstrate, using the first lines of Don Quixote as a concrete example, that the text does not overwhelm students per se, but rather fosters creative engagement with literature. We will test a number of reading strategies on Don Quixote in order to clarify how students can productively approach the Spanish of the Siglo de Oro. However, our discussion will extend beyond issues of language teaching as we will take a concise yet in-depth look at Cervantes’ rhetoric in Spanish language instruction.