El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha
The first volume of Cervantes's central and most influential work, and the natural entry point to the Don Quijote series.
Author guide
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra Books in Order
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547–1616) was a Spanish writer, soldier, and former captive whose fiction, drama, and poetry helped shape modern European literature. His major works include the pastoral novel La Galatea, the two-part Don Quijote, the collection Novelas ejemplares, the narrative poem Viaje del Parnaso, the play collection Ocho comedias y ocho entremeses nuevos, and the posthumously published novel Los trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda.
novelshort fictionpoetrydrama
Catalog record updated .
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Novelas ejemplares
A self-contained collection of twelve novellas that introduces the range of Cervantes's prose without requiring a series order.
Read in order
Books by series
novel-series · complete
Don Quijote de la Mancha
Cervantes's two-part novel following the adventures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.
- 1 El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha
Book 1 · novel · 1605
Esta edición de El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha ha sido adaptada para uso escolar por la Real Academia Española. Con ese objeto, y a fin de facilitar una lectura sin interrupciones de la trama principal de la novela…
- 2 Segunda parte del ingenioso caballero don Quijote de la Mancha
Book 2 · novel · 1615
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (2)
- La Galatea
novel · 1585
- Los trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda
novel · 1617
Short fiction (1)
- Novelas ejemplares
short-story-collection · 1613
Even more popular in their day than Don Quixote, Cervantes's Exemplary Stories (1613) blend picaresque narrative, comic irony, moral ambiguity, and sheer mirth. A nobleman undergoes a change of identity to prove his love for a mere gypsy…
Poetry (1)
- Viaje del Parnaso
narrative-poem · 1614
Plays (3)
- Ocho comedias y ocho entremeses nuevos, nunca representados
play-collection · 1615
- El trato de Argel
play · 1784
- La Numancia
play · 1784
Frequently asked questions about Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Who was Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra?
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was a Spanish novelist, poet, playwright, and soldier of the Spanish Golden Age, best known for Don Quixote.
Sources: encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)blogs.loc.gov (opens in a new tab)
When and where was Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra born?
He was born in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, in 1547. The surviving baptismal record is dated October 9, although his exact birth date is uncertain.
Sources: cervantesvirtual.com (opens in a new tab)encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)
What did Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra do before becoming famous as a writer?
Cervantes served as a soldier in Italy and fought at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, where his left hand was permanently injured. On his journey back to Spain, he was captured and held captive in Algiers for five years.
Sources: encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)cervantesvirtual.com (opens in a new tab)
What influenced Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra’s writing?
His exposure to Italian Renaissance culture and classical literature, together with his experiences of war, captivity, travel, and Spanish society, shaped his literary imagination and subject matter.
Sources: encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)
Why is Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra important to world literature?
Cervantes is widely regarded as a foundational figure in modern literature, especially because Don Quixote helped establish the modern novel. The work became a landmark of world literature and has been translated into most major languages.
Sources: whc.unesco.org (opens in a new tab)courier.unesco.org (opens in a new tab)