Portrayal of Muslims in Cervantes' Don Quixote: An Analytical Study of “Us” vs. “Them”

Abstract

 This study examines Miguel de Cervantes’ portrayal of Muslims in Don Quixote through Edward Said’s Orientalism framework, focusing on the binary of “Us” (Christian Spaniards) versus “Them” (Arabs and Muslims). It explores how the novel reflects historical, political, and cultural tensions between East and West, and how Cervantes’ perspective as a Christian author shaped his depiction of Muslims. Said’s Orientalist framework is applied to selected narrative episodes, analyzing patterns of description, characterization, and symbolic opposition that construct the East–West divide. The findings show that Cervantes portrays Muslims with hostility, associating them with evil, disbelief, and magic, in contrast to the noble image of Don Quixote as a representative of “Us.” This negative characterization reflects both the religious and political conflicts of early modern Spain and Cervantes’ personal experience of captivity in Algeria, which reinforced his antagonistic vision of Muslims. It underscores the need to re-examine such works through postcolonial and intercultural perspectives to reveal hidden biases and foster more balanced cultural narratives. Don Quixote emerges as both a global literary masterpiece and a historical document reflecting entrenched Orientalist attitudes. The novel mirrors the cultural and political divisions of its era, showing how literature can function simultaneously as artistic achievement and as a medium for reinforcing “Us” versus “Them” constructs.