Don Quixote, written by Miguel de Cervantes and published in two parts (1605 and 1615), is widely regarded as the first modern novel and a cornerstone of Western literature. Set in early 17th-century Spain, it emerged during the Spanish Golden Age, a period of cultural flourishing amid political decline. Cervantes, a former soldier and captive, wrote the novel partly to satirize the popular chivalric romances that captivated readers, reflecting a shift toward realism in literature. The story follows Alonso Quixano, a minor noble whose obsession with knightly tales drives him to become the delusional “Don Quixote,” embarking on absurd quests with his pragmatic squire, Sancho Panza. Blending humor, pathos, and metafiction, the novel explores the tension between idealism and reality, influencing countless works and establishing the novel as a literary form.