"The Knight of the Burning Pestle" e l’influsso del "Chisciotte"

Abstract

The Knight of the Burning Pestle is a colourful and lively burlesque comedy by Francis Beaumont, performed at the Blackfriars Theatre in 1607. It was not a success; the play, rejected by the Jacobean audience, is now considered the most important item in the Beaumont- and-Fletcher canon. This Jacobean drama is characterized by sharp and original social satire conveyed through a multilayered message and a meta-fictional structure as the elements of this extraordinary, indeed emblematic example of early modern English theatre. There is an ongoing debate among scholars about the influence of Cervantes’ Don Quixote on Beaumont’s comedy. This article aims to show a new perspective shedding light on some so far unexplored features of the play, clearly showing Cervantes’ influence on Beaumont’s Knight either as a model or as a source of inspiration.