This work investigates the psychological motivations and internal contradictions of Miguel de Cervantes' titular character, Don Quixote. Salvador de Madariaga, a prominent Spanish diplomat and intellectual, utilizes a psychoanalytic framework to examine the interplay between Quixote's idealism and Sancho Panza's pragmatism. The author argues that the two characters represent a unified human psyche, reflecting the duality of the Spanish spirit and the broader human condition.

Scholars frequently cite this essay as a significant contribution to 20th-century Cervantine studies due to its focus on the internal psychological development of the characters. Readers often note the analytical density of the prose, which assumes a high level of familiarity with the source material.