The Insanity Selfish Personality Of Eugenio - 870 Words

The text juxtaposes the vulnerability of Leandra to the insanity selfish personality of Eugenio to discredit his character. The text sympathizes with Leandra’s vulnerability, because the men treat her as an object. Eugenio describes his attempt to wed Leandra as, â€Å"confident I could win the prize† (Cervantes 343). Eugenio objectifies Leandra by comparing her to a â€Å"prize,† causing the reader to question Eugenio’s purpose and sympathize with Leandra. This objectification continues when her father, â€Å"made her disappear†¦hoping that time would wear away some of the bad reputation† (Cervantes 345). The father doesn’t view Leandra as a daughter, rather an object that taints the family’s name. The reader begins to pity Leandra because the treatment she receives from the men. Yet the suffering that Eugenio claims that he endures seems comical when compared to Leandra’s suffering. When the reader first encounters Eugeni o, readers discover the shepherd begging his ewe â€Å"tell me, daughter, was it wolves that frightened you? Won’t you tell me, pretty little one† (Cervantes 341). The idea that Eugenio addresses the ewe as a human, suggests the text doesn’t expect the reader to take Eugenio seriously. Like Marcela, Eugenio also wishes to leave his role as an aristocrat and begin a new life as a shepherd. However, Cervantes takes issue with Eugenio’s transition from upper class to a lower class, evident with his reason for wanting to become a shepherd. Eugenio ironically reveals to Don Quixote