Kuwait- Spain marks Cervantes' 400th death anniv.

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) MADRID April 29 (KUNA) -- A prominent figure in the Spanish literature who survived a naval battle five years as a hostage in Algiers and stints in prison Miguel de Cervantes is the father of the modern novel and his "Don Quixote" has become one of the world's most translated works.

Cervantes whose death on April 22 1616 will be commemorated in Spain this week with hundreds of events taking place throughout the country ranging from cultural happenings such as public readings exhibitions and a special prize-giving ceremony for the annual Cervantes award which honors the lifetime achievement of a writer.

He is best known for "Don Quixote" but the momentous life of Spain's admired author Miguel de Cervantes was just as fascinating as any adventures of the delusional knight of his famous novel.

He was born in 1547 in Alcala de Henares in Spain his family struggled financially and settled in Madrid and in 1569 Cervantes moved to Rome Italy where he enlisted as a soldier and fought in the 1571 Battle of Lepanto. He continued to participate in military campaigns until deciding to return to Spain in 1575.

On his way back to Spain Cervantes's ship was captured by pirates then he was taken to Algiers as a prisoner for five years until his family raised enough money to pay for his ransom.

The five years he spent in the Algerian prison-houses (1575-1580) made an indelible impression on his works.

From the first plays and narratives written after his release to his novel the Arabic-Islamic cultural heritage continuously speaks through his writings.

Cervantes' Don Quixote is a portrait of a sophisticated multi-ethnic culture epic which opened up new discussions about early modern encounters between Christians and Muslims.

In the same context Iraqi writer poet and translator Dr. Mohsin Al-Ramli said in an interview with KUNA that its very clear that Cervantes having had lived in Algeria for a long time as a prisoner had been greatly influenced by the Islamic-Arabic culture the same way the character of Don Quixote had been influenced by chivalrous stories in the novel.

He said the imprints of Islamic-Arabic culture are sufficiently in the literary masterpiece (Don Quixote) in which 37 characters have Islamic cultural background over 20 proverbs and popular words of wisdom in addition to over 220 words with Arabic roots.

Add to this the historical religious and literary impacts related to the Arab nobility morality and characteristics are more than the Western chivalry since the heroic knight "defended the poor the orphans and the widows whereas the Western chivalry defended kings noblemen and the rich who have power" Al-Ramli added.

Moreover Don Quixote as what it claims to be is a translation of a work by the Moorish author-historian Cide Hamete Benengeli whom Cervantes interposes between himself and his readers.

Approaching (Don Quixote) from this angel raises the issue of the Moorish background to the book including Cervantes own captivity in Algiers and (Don Quixote) precedents as a novel in the Arabic tradition.

Cide Hamete brings out the unsuspected aspect of what degree Arabic-Islamic culture contributed to the birth of the "first modern novel" and the nature of its historiographical background.

The Spanish poet and novelist Juan Goytisolo resurrects the figure of Cide Hamete as an addition that contributes to the text's narrative complexity and his presence also points toward a more significant incorporation of a Muslim character.

By creating an imaginary narrator in Don Quixote with a multi-cultured heritage the Spanish legend Miguel de Cervantes challenges the readers to see their origin through the eyes of different characters imagine themselves both as "outsiders" and "insiders" "immigrants" and "natives" to appreciate their diversity. (end) hw.haq