DON QUIXOTE, SEARCHING LOST CHIVALRY IDEALS IN 17C

Today, The Grandma has been reading one of the greatest masterpiece of all time, Don Quixote, the a Castillian epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes.

Don Quixote is a Castillian epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha or, in Castillian, El ingenioso hidalgo don Quixote de la Mancha (changing in Part 2 to El ingenioso caballero don Quixote de la Mancha).

A founding work of Western literature, it is often labelled as the first modern novel and one of the greatest works ever written. 

Don Quixote is also one of the most-translated books in the world.

The plot revolves around the adventures of a member of the lowest nobility, an hidalgo from La Mancha named Alonso Quijano, who reads so many chivalric romances that he either loses or pretends to have lost his mind in order to become a knight-errant (caballero andante) to revive chivalry and serve his nation, under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha.

He recruits a simple farmer, Sancho Panza, as his squire, who often employs a unique, earthy wit in dealing with Don Quixote's rhetorical monologues on knighthood, already considered old-fashioned at the time, and representing the most droll realism in contrast to his master's idealism. In the first part of the book, Don Quixote does not see the world for what it is and prefers to imagine that he is living out a knightly story that's meant for the annals of all time.

The book had a major influence on the literary community, as evidenced by direct references in Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers (1844), Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), and Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac (1897), as well as the word quixotic.

When first published, Don Quixote was usually interpreted as a comic novel. 

After the successful French Revolution, it was better known for its presumed central ethic that in some ways individuals can be intelligent while their society is quite fanciful and was seen as a fascinating, enchanting or disenchanting book in this dynamic, and for among books.

In the 19th century, it was seen as social commentary, but no one could easily tell whose side Cervantes was on. Many critics came to view the work as a tragedy in which Don Quixote's idealism and nobility are viewed by the post-chivalric world as insane, and are defeated and rendered useless by common reality; by the 20th century, the novel had come to occupy a canonical space as one of the foundations of letters in literature.

More information: The Harvard Gazette

Too much sanity may be madness
-and maddest of all: to see life as it is, 

and not as it should be!

Don Quixote

CRISTINA BEAN-JONES, A LEGEND HAS BORN IN PARIS

Cristina Bean-Jones and Le Cirque du Soleil

Today, The Jones have returned to their English classes. They have revised Countable & Uncountable and the Plural. 

More information: The Plural

The family has tasted some delicious dishes to practise with food and its containers and they have created delicious recipes. 

The Grandma, who is a horrible cook, has decided to learn from them and try to cook more often but doing this can be something very dangerous because her last experience with fire, some years ago, finished in a tragedy precisely in Paris.

Download Food & Drink Vocabulary

Later, the family has read another chapter of Oscar Wilde's The picture of Dorian Gray and The Grandma has explained some popular legends. 

On the one hand, she has explained some legends from the French Wars in Catalonia as The Legend of the Drummer from El Bruc; The Legend of Sant Narcís and the Flies and Cardona and its Salt Mountain. 

On the another hand, she has talked about the mysterious lives of William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes and about the real authory of their works. Moreover, she has told about The Legend of the Ghost of a Grandma in Sant Boi de Llobregat, near Barcelona.

More information: All That's Interesting

The Drummer from El Bruc

The family is very happy because Cristina Bean-Jones is going to accomplish her dream: being a fix member of Le Cirque du Soleil, this wonderful and amazing company who was born in Montreal, in Quebec and nowadays is the most important reference in the world of circus and entertainment.  

Cristina is a fantastic enchanter of snakes and her skills and abilities are going to surprise the spectators around the world. Before joining to the Quebecers company, Cristina is going to practise with another local company: Le Cirque de JP, the most famous French circus. 

The Jones have demonstrated their Alegria to Cristina and they have expressed their best wishes to her in her closer future.

More information: The Culture Trip

Definitely, today has born a new star in Paris: Cristina Bean-Jones and her name is going to be written next to the great legends of the French city like The stone carver of Notre-Dame,  Belphegor or The Phantom of the Opera.

More information: Paris Attitude

This afternoon, The Jones are going to visit Le Palais Garnier to know more things about another legend: The Phantom of the Opera.
 

Hamlet, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Don Quixot & Sancho

The story of the Phantom of the Opera was originally published in a series of articles in La Galois and then in a book in 1911 entitled, Le Fantôme de l’Opéra written by a French journalist, Gastón Leroux. 

When the story was first published it was not popular and the book went out of print.

Leroux whose speciality was investigative journalism based his story on true-life incidents. In fact, many who have researched this subject believe with just a few exceptions the story has several elements that are true.

More information: Opéra National de Paris-le Palais Garnier

The opera house in the story was based on the real Opera Garnier in Paris. The Opera Garnier does have underground tunnels and it also has an underground lake. Leroux used this setting in several dramatic scenes in his story.

The Phantom of The Opera & Cristina Bean-Jones

There was an incident where a chandelier did fall in the Opera Garnier setting the building on fire and killing a woman.

Leroux used a falling chandelier in his story as a distraction so his Phantom could kidnap Christine.

The romance between the Phantom and Christine in the story is just fantasy but it is believed that Leroux based both characters on real people.

The Phantom is based upon a man named Erik who was born in a small village in Normandy, near Rouen. He was born with a horribly disfigured face so his parents abandoned him when he was eight. A circus basically took him and for 7 years he was used as an attraction.

More information: The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of The Opera

It was believed that someone was secretly living in the opera house and many felt it was the ghost of the real Erik. In fact, many claimed that near Box 5 they heard ghostly voices and whispers when the area was unoccupied.

There were other witnesses that stated that they saw this phantom running through various parts of the opera house. Even more eerie these witnesses stated this figure wore a black cape and a mask over its face.

Renata de Waele in 1993 wrote a narrative that compared the fictional to the real stories. She worked in public relations at the Opera Garnier for many years. 

Some of her speculations have been proven others have not. So reality is blurred with fiction which leaves the curious with an intriguing mystery. 

More information: Archive

 Every legend, moreover, 

contains its residuum of truth, 

and the root function of language 

is to control the universe by describing it. 

James A. Baldwin

THE JONES ARE CELEBRATING SAINT GEORGE IN PARIS

Saint George with Ana and Michelle Jones

Today, April 23 is Saint George's Day and The Jones are celebrating one of the most beautiful days of the year. 

For all of them, Saint George is a symbol of books and roses and they have decided to visit all these places in Paris which have some relation with this historic figure half history, half legend.

This morning, the Grandma is reading some old posts from her own blog which talk about Saint George and his legend. She adores his character and the meaning of the rose as a symbol of transmission of culture. The family has bought some books thinking in two special authors who died in a day like today in 1616: William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes and they have visited La Place Saint-Georges and the Latin Quartier, where they have read some fragments of these classical works.

 Download Hamlet by W.Shakespeare & Don Quixote by M.Cervantes

After this reading in common, The Jones have visited the Saint-George-de-la-Villette Church in Paris where they have offered their respects to this patron, symbol of resistance and migrations.

More information: French Moments

The Jones are visiting La Place Saint-Georges

This afternoon, The Jones are going to visit the Olympia, another symbol of culture and resistance of the French city.

Olympia a music hall located in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Co-Founded in 1888, by  Catalan Josep Oller and French Charles Zidler, the co-creators of the Moulin Rouge, today easily recognizable by its giant red glowing letters announcing its name. 

It opened in 1889 as the Montagnes Russes but was renamed the Olympia in 1893. Besides musicians, the Olympia played host to a variety of entertainment including circuses, ballets, and operettas. 

However, following a steady decline in appearances by the great stars, from 1929 until 1944 it served as a movie theater. It may have opened as a music hall under the German occupation of France during World War II, but certainly in 1945 after the Liberation, it was a music hall free to Allied troops in uniform. 

More information: Olympia

Attendees had to listen to the playing of four national anthems before the varied programs that always ended with a spirited can-can performed by dancers, some of whom were no longer young.

The Grandma, Bonet, Montllor & Soler, 1975

Thereafter, at times it may have reverted to movies again until Bruno Coquatrix revived it as a music hall with a grand re-opening in February 1954. After his death, it ultimately went into another decline and was in danger of being torn down and turned into a parking lot but on 7 January 1993, France's then Minister of Culture, Jack Lang issued a preservation order for the Olympia that resulted in two years of construction work to rebuild a perfect replica of the façade and the grandeur of its famous red interior.

Édith Piaf achieved great acclaim at the Olympia giving several series of recitals from January 1955 until October 1962.

Dalida is the biggest solo icon that has performed there. The Olympia was like her second home. Her first performance in Olympia was in early 1956 at auditions held by Eddie Barclay and Bruno Coquatrix. It was then when she was discovered and chosen to sign contract. Same year she would support Charles Aznavour for his concert.

More information: Pinterest

Also, before going to America, the Beatles performed eighteen days of concerts at the Olympia Theatre, playing two and sometimes three shows a day. Jacques Brel's 1961 and 1964 concerts at L'Olympia are legendary. Marlene Dietrich's 1962 Olympia concert was broadcast.

Sofia Bean-Jones with Saint George and friends

Inaugurated by the biggest star in France at the time, singer/dancer La Goulue, the venue has showcased a wide variety of performers, including French acts such as Dalida, Édith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, Adamo, Jacques Brel, Yves Montand, Johnny Hallyday, Mireille Mathieu, Barbara, Charles Trenet and many others.

International stars have included Billie Holiday, The Beatles, David Bowie, Judy Garland, Ovidi Montllor, Jimi Hendrix, Paco Ibáñez, Björk, Lluís Llach, Amália Rodrigues, Josephine Baker, Maria del Mar Bonet, Céline Dion, The Pogues, among many others.

Finally, The Grandma has received a beautiful present from Sofia Bean-Jones, a wonderful dragon which represents creativity and friendship. Thanks a lot, little Sofia, this following activities and video are dedicated to you.

Download The Legend of Saint George and The Dragon

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

William Shakespeare

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, ALL THE REST IS A FAKE

David & Olga Bond ready to work

Today, The Bonds are still in Washington. They're practising some Social English and The Superlative. The family is working in a high level and this fact allows them to dedicate more time to speak about different theme. They're very interested in helping Jaume and Eli Bond who are suffering a deep couple crisis.

More information: Superlatives

The Grandma is talking about resistance and resilience. It has been a constant in the communities and we can find some examples in our closer story: 1641, 1714, 1936, 1941 are dates which demonstrate how people could learn to protect themselves. From Barcelona to London, from Sant Boi to Siracusa, resistance in front of the cruelty of wars and resilience like a phsycological way of surviving.

More information:  The Trumpet

Literature is a great demonstration of our past because it expresses feelings, stories and facts which are common then and now but... What is true? What is false? We don't know really and this is the most beautiful side of all these stories that we can not be sure about anything although science and language is a good ally to discover other points of view, other explanations and other ideas very different from the original and official.

More information: Johns Hopkins University

Joanot Martorell, Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare... Who were they? It doesn't matter because a man can not create a myth without the complicity of a society who wants to continue the tradition and make it popular. 

More information: Time

Finally, The Bonds are talking about Washington sightseeings and they're trying to connect them with personal stories.

More information: University of Wisconsin

Tomorrow, the family is creating a song for participating in the Eurovision Song Contest.

I believe our countrymen will show themselves capable of standing up to  it, like the brave men of Barcelona, and will be able to stand up to it, and carry on in spite of it, at least as well as any other people 

in the world.

Winston Churchill