Who wrote the novel Don Quixote?

Miguel de Cervantes wrote the novel Don Quixote. Its Spanish title is El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha, and the work was published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615.

The novel follows Alonso Quixano, a country gentleman who reads so many chivalric romances that he decides to become the knight-errant Don Quixote. His squire, Sancho Panza, provides a practical counterpoint to his master’s imaginative view of the world. Their adventures mix comedy, satire, social observation, and surprisingly serious reflections on reality and storytelling.

Cervantes wrote Don Quixote partly as a parody of popular romances of chivalry, but its realistic dialogue, self-awareness, and complex characters helped make it a foundational work of modern fiction. A counterfeit sequel appeared in 1614 under the name Alonso Fernández de Avellaneda, prompting Cervantes to publish his genuine second part the following year.