The fight against windmills: what is hidden in this phraseological phrase? Involuntarily everyone at least once uttered this expression. It can be addressed to oneself, as well as to another person. Most importantly, in principle, no one is offended by such a statement. It is interesting to understand what this is connected with.
Naive knight in armor
If someone else has not read the novel of the Spanish writer M. Cervantes, we advise you to do this as soon as possible. The work is called "The Cunning Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha." The novel was written a very long time ago, but even today it does not lose its relevance.
It's all about the main character. Tall, awkward and thin Don Quixote is a comic image. But by virtue of his character, the reader is so fond of him that nobody wants to or laughs at him. Don Quixote is a romantic and sincere nature. He so sacredly believed the stories of the valiant knights described by poets that he himself decided to become one.
The hero is registered by the author quite comically. Don Quixote is already not young, not too healthy in body. Tall, thin elongated face with a long nose and funny mustache. And most likely, there were some changes in his brain that led to a passion for vagrancy. And his horse, Rossinant, was also skinny and comical. Funny armor completed the look.
His servant, Sancho Panso, is the antithesis of the protagonist, starting with his appearance and ending with the ability to soberly evaluate things and call them by their proper names. But fate brings them together. It often happens in life, right?
The true knights, according to the hero, were bound to perform valiant deeds in the name of a beautiful lady, and faithful squires should help them in all respects. The knight intended to sing the beauty of the chosen one and tell the world about his exploits in the name of love. Don Quixote chose his favorite - Dulcinea of Tobos. By the way, his chosen one was not at all so beautiful as to sacrifice anything for her sake. But our knight was blind and deaf, in his imagination Dulcinea was the most beautiful woman on Earth.
What is the point of dealing with windmills
In Don Quixote’s sore imagination, the mills are huge monsters that somehow threaten humanity. It is clear that Don Quixote is not entirely adequate. But he devotes his exploits to the lady of the heart. In the novel, the fight against windmills is of particular importance to the hero. This amazing nobleness combined with naivety disarms.
Sincerity always softens people's hearts. It was before and remains true now. Don Quixote frantically raced on his skinny horse and attacked the monsters - "dragons", pierced them with a spear, trying to kill. It was, in fact, a laughing stock for others.
So the meaning and meaning of expression became obvious to readers of the novel. "The fight against windmills" as an independent phrase went for a walk around the world, no longer dependent on M. Cervantes.
It means a waste of energy for performing an unnecessary action. A meaningless search for the impossible. Empty faith in unworthy people. Or you can give the following wording: stupid behavior that does not lead to a result.
Knights among us
Why is the hero of the novel so popular among the people? Everything is simple here. Don Quixote did not want to put up with routine and routine. His eyes were capable of not noticing dirt, vulgarity and greed. The soul strove for high flight. At one time he surprised people with these qualities.
With deep thought, you begin to understand the power of the phrase “struggle with windmills”, the meaning of which is reversed.
Now nobility can not be found at every step. But they are, "knights without fear and reproach." Such people attach particular importance to the “fight against windmills”: they do not want to put up with injustice in society or with violence. Fighters for truth, they come out with protests, attract the attention of the public, sacrifice themselves in the name of a lofty (often unattainable) goal. Volunteers, animal rights activists, members of nature conservation societies all fight the dragons. And no one laughs at them.
Thanks Don Quixote
I would like to be glad that the image of the “knight of the sad image” will forever live in the memory of people. He is a kind and open, sincere and brave man. Such valuable qualities are concentrated in him that the hero himself and his actions cause little laughter.
The fight against windmills will continue forever. Otherwise, the world will become boring, gray and mundane. People will become poor in spirit and forget high goals, lose the main values of the human soul. The world will wallow in philistinism, profit, self-interest and idleness. "Madness of the brave" has always delighted and will delight. And writers and poets will draw inspiration from the most (at first glance meaningless) feats!