Don Quixote Discussion

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

He is cynical and a bit of a rascal, but I would have to disagree with "vile" (I assume that's the word you meant) and I would definitely disagree that he isn't adventurous. He follows DQ on these bizzarre quests, after all. And as to him being vile, I'm not sure how. He does have selfish motivations, yes, and the one deceit, but he does try and help DQ for the most part, even comes to his defense on occasions (physically). I guess one could argue that these are for selfish motivations only, but I don't think that's all that plays into it.

[JCamilo]

Vile meaning more Sancho rudeness, lack of sophistication, some ammorality of character...
He goes with Quixote, ends beaten, but he is often refusing to step in and go beyond. Of course, he know it is fantasies, but it is his pragmatic and mundane form of thinking. Sancho is a commun person.

[Dark Muse]

He is cynical and a bit of a rascal, but I would have to disagree with "vile" (I assume that's the word you meant) and I would definitely disagree that he isn't adventurous. He follows DQ on these bizzarre quests, after all. And as to him being vile, I'm not sure how. He does have selfish motivations, yes, and the one deceit, but he does try and help DQ for the most part, even comes to his defense on occasions (physically). I guess one could argue that these are for selfish motivations only, but I don't think that's all that plays into it.

I agree that Sancho does seem to be a very complex character the more I think about it. I think the scarecrow analogy is quite an apt one. For on the surface Sancho may seem to be simplistic in some ways, and he is but a "simple" shepherd, at the same time there are such contradictions within his character that it is hard to make sense of it all at times.

While it is true on the one hand he is motivated by selfish greed, and he does at times come off as being something of a scoundrel, for I cannot help but to cringe a little at the times in which he does see fit to rob the poor victims of DQ's delusions, and take from them what he claims as his right as a squire, yet at the same time all the while knowing that the people are but innocent bystanders in all of this.

He also displays what seems to be a depth of feeling for DQ and stands by him no matter the trouble that DQ does bring him into, and while perhaps he is in part motivated by some hope of coming into greater fortune by following him and being rewarded in some way in the end, I do not think that this is the extent of his loyalty. As in the adventure of the fulling mill. When it was initially thought that they were about to embark on some terribly dangerous adventure, Sancho wept for the thought of loosing his master, and even after DQ assured him that if he should be killed Sancho would be provided for in his will, Sancho was still in sorrow at the thought of anything befalling DQ and think there is some sincere emotion on Sancho's part on behalf of DQ.

I would say that Sancho is something of a reluctant adventurer while he continues to follow and stand by DQ in spite of the misfortunes they meet, he does oft try and talk reason into DQ and prevent him from rushing off into some new adventure, and he himself does not necessarily have any strong desire to go rushing off into battle, and there have been a few times in which he has contemplated abandoning DQ and returning home again.