![]() ![]() She is still under the notion that all men are the same and she hates all of them. On the other hand, Aldonza finds Don Quixote’s admiration towards her quite shocking and continuously rejects it. I see heaven when I see thee, Dulcinea.”(23) The initial steps of her transformation have been undertaken as Don Quixote now refers to Aldonza as Dulcinea, meaning sweet in Spanish. More importantly, Don Quixote starts this magnificent transformation by changing Aldonza’s name ” Dulcinea…Dulcinea… It is seen that he perceives her as pure beauty and lets her know of these honest thoughts upon meeting her. I dare not fall upon thy countenance lest I be blinded by beauty.”(22) This is the first time Aldonza meets Don Quixote and is immediately plunged into the depths of his idealism. Don Quixote first meets Aldonza and is in absolute shock of what he witnesses. ![]() Aldonza is accustomed to being touched and taunted by men and never before has she been the recipient of sweet things and heartwarming comments. The introduction of Don Quixote and his unorthodox idealistic philosophies into Aldonza’s life is one which shocks her and begins to alter her way of thinking ultimately triggering her lengthy transformation. Aldonza’s life seems unchangeable and it seems as though she would never be respected by any man, however all of this changes when a gallant knight who goes by the name of Don Quixote de La Mancha steps into her miserable life. She also goes on to show how much she hates her life which is filled with loneliness, emptiness and deep sorrow. “I do not like you or your brother, I do not like the life I live.”(20) Aldonza shows that she hates all the prisoners which she is surrounded by and provoked by on a daily basis. As a result of this, Aldonza’s meaningless and cold life genuinely reflects the person she is and she hates the life she lives. She only cares for the money and when it comes to having sex, she says it is all the same no matter the individual which ultimately shows herself self-respect is nonexistent. ” I’ll go with you or your brother, It’s all the same, it’s all the same, just put your money in my hand, and you will get what money buys.”(19) It is seen through this quote that Aldonza’s outlook on life and in men in particular is extremely shocking and quite shallow. The prisoners do no care for Aldonza or respect her and sadly she has no respect for herself and not one ounce of pride. She views all men as the same thing and is disgusted by these hideous creatures. The continuous heckles and provocation that Aldonza faces by the prisoners makes her hate all men. “I’ve got a nice thick bed of hay in the stable.”(Wasserman 18) After seeing Aldonza, Pedro greets her by telling her he has a thick bed of hay in the stable, he does not greet her by saying ‘hello’ or ‘how are you?’ as he perceives her as nothing more than just an object. Aldonza has become the whore of the prison and the prisoners do not even view her as a human but look at her as an object to fulfill their sexual desires. Every day of her life, Aldonza is heckled and teased by the prisoners which makes her have no trust or love for men. In the play it is initially seen that Aldonza lives a cold and meaningless life in which she is shown no respect by the prisoners and also sadly has no respect and dignity for herself. Don Quixote and his unorthodox idealistic ways is the catalyst which sparks a profound transformation in Aldonza’s life which drastically changes her outlooks and philosophies, ultimately changing her into Dulcinea. In a sense, it is seen that Don Quixote is able to take a used piece of trash and recycle it into a brand new valuable object, he is able to make something out of nothing. It is seen that the impact of Don Quixote’s idealism on many character’s lives, most notably Aldonza’s is extremely potent. This fascinating play brings up numerous themes and messages and one of the most prevalent ones is that nothing is impossible, especially with regards to change. To change a person’s beliefs, values and basic underlying core may seem like a mere impossibility, but what the play, “The Man of La Mancha” shows us, is that it can be done. Is it possible for people to change, or more significantly, is it possible for a person to be reborn? The process of change is one which brings with it many conflicts both internally and externally, all in all, it is a very lengthy and demanding process. Characters in Play “The Man of La Mancha” Analysis
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