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Author Miguel de Cervantes
and his assistant, Sancho, are thrown into prison by the Spanish
Inquisition, where the other prisoners immediately rob them of all of
their possessions, including a package of papers. Cervantes tells
them that the papers - an unfinished manuscript of a novel about a knight
called Don Quixote - are not of any value to any of them, and the inmates
agree to return the manuscript to him if reenacts the story of Don
Quixote, Man of La Mancha. Donning costume and make-up, the two prisoners
transform themselves into Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, and proceed to
play out the story with the other prisoners participating in the roles of
the other characters in the story.
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| In this tale, Quijana
left behind his family, and set out with Panza on their adventures in
their search for glory. After a foolish battle with a windmill, the two
reach a "castle", which is in fact a small inn populated by a
several drunk men and whores. Don Quixote sees in Aldonza, a servant and
trollop, an ideal woman, "a sweet lady and a fair virgin",
whom he reveres as his "Dulcinea".
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| Assuming that Don Quixote is
only interested in sexual favors, Aldonzo treats him with scorn.
Nevertheless, she is intrigued by his words and conduct, and is
finally won over by his Impossible Dream. Later she is beaten
and raped by the muleteers staying over at the inn, and carried off.
Meanwhile, back on the road again, Quixote and Sancho are robbed by a band
of Moors, and they return to the inn. They encounter the
disillusioned Aldonza, and Quixote is also challenged to a combat
with the Enchanter, disguised as the Knight of Mirrors. He is defeated in
the contest, and is made to see himself for who he really is - a pathetic
clown.
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| At home again, the man who
used to call himself Don Quixote is dying. Aldonza, having followed her,
forces herself into the room, and movingly implores him in the song Dulcinea
to restore the vision of glory she had once briefly held. He remembers
her and rises from his bed, only to collapse and die. However, Aldonza has
glimpsed her vision once more, and refuses to acknowledge his death in the
moving song My name is Dulcinea.
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| Back in the prison, the
inmates of the dungeon have been deeply moved by the sad and tragic tale
of Don Quixote, and return the manuscript to Cervantes. He is summoned to
his real trial by the Inquisition, but leaves with the voices of the other
prisoners singing "The Impossible Dream".
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