Chapter 50 Chapter Forty-Eight The Priest Talks of Chivalry Novels and Other Things

"You are right, my lord," said the abbe, "so that books of this kind that have been published should be discarded. They have no educational value at all, and they do not follow the laws of art. They cannot produce books like the Greeks and Romans. Such an excellent work among the poetic creations of the prince of poetry. " -------- ①Here refers to Homer and Virgil. "However, I have tried to write a novel of chivalry in accordance with the points I have just stated," said the priest. "I have written more than a hundred pages, to tell you the truth. In order to test whether my attempt is consistent with my intention , I have been in contact with some scholars who love such legends and low-class people who just like to listen to absurd stories, and they all approve of my approach. However, I did not continue to write novels. This kind of thing has nothing to do with my profession; on the other hand, because I find that after all there are more mediocrities than literati, it is better to be praised by a few refined scholars than to be ridiculed by many simple-minded people. And most of these people like to read such novels.

"However, the main reason why I stopped writing and didn't want to continue writing is that I once came to a conclusion from the comedies that are staged now: all the plays that are popular in the world now are these plays, whether they are based on fiction or based on history. Yes, they are all completely fabricated. Although these plays are far from good plays, the common people enjoy watching them and say they are good plays. The screenwriters who create plays and the actors who act in the plays say that it must be like this, because the common people I like it. On the other hand, those plays that are arranged according to artistic requirements are only appreciated by a few educated people, and others are completely ignorant of its artistic skills. Therefore, these screenwriters and actors would rather live by catering to the majority than May it serve only a few. My book will be like that. If I want to preserve its art, even if I write it with painstaking efforts, it will only end in a thankless end.

"Although there have been a few times when I have tried to dissuade actors from deluding themselves, that an artistic rather than absurd drama can attract a large audience and earn a high reputation, they still insist on their own opinions and give you no reason and examples. Ignore it. "I remember saying to a die-hard one day, 'Tell me, do you remember that a few years ago in Spain there were three tragedies by a famous author, which were so well known, and the actors who played the three tragedies? One play made more money than thirty well-attended shows later?' "'Yes,' said the artist, 'you probably mean Isabella, Phyllis, and Alejandra.'

-------- ①The authors of these three tragedies are Lupesio Leonardo de Agensola. "'That's it,' said I. 'The shows retain their artistic character without being unpopular for that reason. So it's not the common people's fault for wanting to watch fudges, it's the actors' Only those things can be played. Indeed, "Gentleman" does not have those crap things, "Numancia" does not, and "Sentimental Merchant" is the same, "Lovely Enemy" is not to mention. There are also some very good writers Some of the dramas edited, the author became famous, and the actors made a profit.' I think he was a little shaken after hearing it, but he was not convinced by it, so naturally he refused to abandon his wrong ideas."

"When you speak of this, my lord," said the abbé, "you aroused in me a long-formed hatred for the comedy which is now in vogue, as I now hate the novels of chivalry. I think that comedy should be like Tullio. It is a reflection of human life, a model of the world, and a reproduction of truth. But what is being staged now is a reflection of the grotesque, a model of ignorance, and a reproduction of obscenity. In the first act of the play, the first scene is a child What could be more queer than an ignorant girl who becomes an old man in the second scene? The play shows us that the old man is brave, the young man is cowardly, the servant is eloquent, the page is resourceful, and the king is vulgar. Shameless, the princess is shallow, isn't it absurd? Have they noticed the time and space of the plot of the play? I once saw a comedy that started with the first scene in Europe, the second scene went to Asia, and the third scene At the end, it has already gone to Africa. If there is a fourth show, then it must be performed in America, so that it will be performed in all parts of the world.

That being the case, what else can I say? "Faithfulness is the key to comedy, but some people assume that a plot takes place in the time of King Pepin ① and King Carloman ②, but let the emperor Heraclius ③ be the protagonist. He entered Jerusalem with a cross, like Boron. Godevli ④ occupied the Holy Tomb ⑤, but they were separated by many years. The comedy is based on fiction, but historical facts are added, and some different characters from different periods are mixed in, which makes people feel Unreliable, and with many unexplained glaring errors, can such a play satisfy even an average audience? The worst thing is that the ignorant say it is as good as it gets, If there is anything more to be asked of them, it is nitpicking. How about we look at the mythological drama again? How many miracles are invented in this drama, how many false obscurities, and the miracles of other people are assigned to a saint And in profane dramas we make up miracles, thinking that by adding this miracle or what they call a means of expression, the ignorant will come to the play and applaud it. This practice has no respect for the facts , does not respect history, and is also an insult to Spanish scholars, because people in other countries still abide by the principles of comedy, seeing us so ridiculous, will regard us as barbaric and ignorant people. Some people say that in some well-governed countries Comedy is permitted here as a legitimate diversion for the public, and to avoid the vulgar tastes of boredom. All comedies, good or bad, can serve this purpose. Therefore, there is no need to draw a frame, stipulating that writers and How should the actors do it. Because as I said just now, no matter what, the play can play this role. However, they can't justify themselves by saying this.

-------- ① King Pepin was the king of Italy in the 8th century.Pepin I and II were the kings of the Carolingian dynasty of Aquitaine in France. ② Carloman was the king of West Frank in the 9th century. ③ Heraclius, also translated as Heraclius, was the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, namely the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century. ④ One of the leaders of the first European Crusade invasion, participated in the capture of Jerusalem in July 1099. ⑤Refers to the mausoleum of Jesus Christ, or the church built on the original site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial. "My answer to this is that, even for this purpose, a good play is far more effective than a bad play than a bad play. A well-crafted, well-organized comedy that entertains the audience By its humor, by its truth, by its plot, by its reason, one can learn vigilance from cunning, one can learn wisdom from examples, one can resent ugliness, and one can be noble. Amazing. All these are the spiritual effects that a good comedy should have on the audience, no matter how low the cultural quality of these audiences. If a comedy has all the above conditions, it will definitely make the audience happy, Lighthearted, happy and satisfying, and would far exceed the comedy that is generally lacking in the above conditions. The writers who wrote the comedy lacking the above conditions are not at fault, because some of these writers are very aware of their mistakes, and they Knowing exactly what to do, but because comedy has become a salable commodity, they say so, and they're right, if it weren't for these kinds of scripts, the actors wouldn't pay for it, so the writers He must write according to the actor who bought his plays. From here it can be seen why one of the most fortunate talents in our kingdom is suave, elegant, witty in conversation, rich in verse, witty, close to the point, In short, his style is elegant and timeless, and he is famous all over the world, but in order to cater to the tastes of actors, except for a few works, he has not been able to reach the level of perfection that he should have.

-------- ①This alludes to the Spanish writer Lobe de Vega. "There are also writers who write without thought, and write plays that discredit certain kings or discredit certain families, so that the actors have to run away after the performance to avoid punishment. They are often punished for this. Punishment. These and other troubles which I have not yet mentioned, could be avoided if there were only one intelligent and prudent person at court to review the plays before all comedies were staged. plays, and is responsible for all comedies staged in Spain. Without his approval, stamp, signature, no comedy will be allowed to be staged in the local institutions. This way, comedians will be more careful before sending their plays to the court. , have to estimate whether their play will be allowed to be staged. And the playwright will be very careful, considering that their comedy will be strictly scrutinized by some expert. If this can be done, there will be good comedy, and it will be carried out smoothly The purpose of comedy can also entertain the Spanish masses, scholars are respected, and actors can play at ease to make money without worrying about being punished.

"If another person, or this connoisseur himself, were to censor new novels of chivalry, there would certainly be some excellent novels, as you say, that would enrich our linguistic repertoire and bring those old novels together with the newly published civilized ones. Pastime novels pale in comparison. Civilized pastime is not only needed by the idle, but also by the busy, because the bow cannot always be stretched, and the frailty of the human constitution determines that without normal pastimes, human life cannot be maintained. " The priest and the priest were talking, when the barber came up to them and said to the priest:

"My lord priest, this is the place I said is suitable for our lunch break, and the cattle can also get abundant aquatic plants." "I think so too," said the priest. The priest told the pastor what he thought.The pastor was attracted by the beautiful valley in front of him, and he was willing to stop and rest with them, and he felt that the conversation with the priest was very speculative, and he wanted to hear some more about Don Quixote from him.So the pastor ordered an attendant to go to the inn not far ahead to get some food for everyone, and he wanted to take a lunch break there.The servant said that their pack donkey had arrived at the inn, and that it had enough food for everyone, and it was only necessary to get some barley at the inn.

"In that case, you drive all the animals to the inn, and bring back the pack donkey." Sancho suspected that these two men were the priest and the barber, but seeing that they were not with Don Quixote, he hurried to the cage where Don Quixote was kept, and said to Don Quixote: "I want to tell you what I feel about your being subdued by magic. Let me tell you, these two masked men are our priest and barber. I guess they planned to send you away in this way, purely Since you have done some famous things and surpassed them. If my guess is true, it can be concluded that you are not enchanted, but fooled. To prove this, I want to ask you one thing, If you answer as I guess, the deception will be revealed, and you will see that you are not enchanted, but insane." "Ask all you want, my dear Sancho," said don Quixote, "and I will satisfy you with all sincerity. You say that the two people who are going with us are the priest and the barber we know well. It may be that they are very much like priests and barbers, but it is impossible to believe that they are. You should believe and know that if they are priests and barbers as you say, they must have done something to me. Magical monsters make them look like priests and barbers. They can take any shape easily. And monsters want to take the shape of our friends just to make your consciousness fall into ecstasy. You have the hero Tesho I won’t be freed from my abilities. They still do this to make me doubt my own consciousness, and I can’t see where my experience comes from. You can think that the priest and barber from our village are walking with us; But I was caged and still think that if it is not a supernatural force, human power is far from enough to cage me. Except that the magic that the monster has cast on me has greatly surpassed me in all knight novels What else is there to say besides the spells cast on knight-errants? You don't have to believe that they are priests and barbers as you say, just as I am not a Turk. As for what you want to ask, you can Ask, even if you ask from now until tomorrow morning, I will answer you one by one." "Holy Mother!" said Sancho, "are you really so stupid and stupid that you cannot see that what I have told you is true? Can you not see that it is not by magic that you are kept here, but by someone Framed? May God deliver you from this misery and throw you unexpectedly into the arms of Madame Dulcinea." "I have just sworn," said don Quixote, "that if you ask me anything, I will answer you truthfully." "I ask you, and I hope you, to answer exactly," said Sancho, "as those warriors who practice martial arts tell the truth. You are a martial artist, and you have the name of a knight..." "I will not tell any lie," said don Quixote. "You should ask, and stop so many 'unless,' and 'swear to God,' and 'you have to say,' and so on, Sancho." "I'm sure my master is an honest man, to tell the truth. Because it has something to do with what we're talking about, I ask you seriously, since you were locked in a cage, or as you said, you were subdued by magic in this cage. Have you ever thought about what people often say about urinating and defecating?" "It's inconvenient if I don't understand anything, Sancho, just ask what you want to ask." "Is it possible that you don't know what pissing is? That's what boys call boys at school. I mean do you want to do the thing you have to do?" "Oh, now I see, Sancho! I've thought about it many times, and now. Get me out now, don't get this dirty! "