Cardenio in Don Quixote
In the novel, Don Quixote, the character Cardenio is first encountered by Don Quixote and Sancho wandering in the desolate mountains of Sierra Morena. He at first avoids the Knight and Sancho, appearing as a long-haired half-clothed and long-bearded hermit (the two refer to him as "The Ragged One") leaping over crevices and hiding in trees. The Knight finds Cardenio's notebook, full of poetry and letters reprimanding a lover who has scorned him, and resolves to find the owner and bring about justice for him. They manage to hail Cardenio, and entreat him to tell his story.
Cardenio was born to a wealthy family in Andalucia. He fell in love with Luscinda, daughter of another noble family at a young age, and grows up with her until they reach maturity and her father gently suggests that for the two to continue their public rapport would invite scandal. Comparing their love to that of Pyramus and Thisbe, the two frequently exchange letters, and Cardenio writes verses to her. Cardenio asks Luscinda's father for her hand in marriage, to which her father kindly suggests Cardenio follow custom and have his father ask permission. Cardenio agrees, but when he approaches his father, he is given a letter from the Duke Ricardo, asking for his immediate services as companion to his son, promising Cardenio a higher rank for his troubles. Cardenio gives an emotional farewell to Luscinda, and requests that her father wait until Cardenio has settled his summons with the Duke. Cardenio is well received at the court and the Duke's son, who readily accepts his companion. Cardenio is surprised, however, at the earnestness with which the Duke's younger son, Don Fernando seeks his friendship. Don Fernando confides in Cardenio his great desire for a young and beautiful girl of lower rank, greatly seeking to become legally engaged to her. Cardenio urges Don Fernando not to do so, but is unable to do so, Don Fernando ultimately keeping Cardenio from telling the Duke. Don Fernando then suggests that he and Cardenio travel to Cardenio's father's house to purchase some horses, in order to distract Don Fernando from his lovesickness. Cardenio agrees, hoping to briefly see Luscinda during the visit. In truth, Don Fernando has already "enjoyed" the girl he desires, gaining agency to do so by claiming to be her husband, and hopes to tell Cardenio outside of the Duke's palace. When they arrive at the city, Cardenio immediately sees Luscinda and confides in Don Fernando his relief. Don Fernando insists on seeing Luscinda based on Cardenio's praise and the two watch her from a window at night. The next day, Don Fernando finds one of Cardenio's verses to Luscinda and becomes, by sight and Cardenio's convincing praise, madly in love with her. Luscinda also requesting a copy of Amadis the Gaul during this time. The story is briefly interrupted when Don Quixote stops Cardenio to praise the virtue depicted in the book, to which Cardenio flies into a rage, and runs off.
Cardenio is next found by Sancho, the Curate and Barber when they return to find Don Quixote. Finding Cardenio, singing an interpolated song decrying moral systems that punished him, they entreat him to finish his story. In Cardenio's timidity of asking his father to ask for Luscinda's hand, Don Fernando offers to ask Cardenio's father for him. Cardenio returns to the Duke's court to request an end to his employment, and the Duke's son requests Cardenio stay for a week until his father's arrival. Being a good servant, Cardenio stays, unaware of Don Fernando's perfidity happening at the time. During the wait, Cardenio receives a letter from Luscinda telling him that Don Fernando has abducted her with plans of marriage. Cardenio rushes to Luscinda's house, and in secret she tells him that while the marriage is about to occur, she has hidden a dagger and plans to impale herself before saying her vows. However, at the marriage ceremony Cardenio hears Luscinda say her "I Do". Here, madness takes Cardenio and he leaves for the Sierra Morena, and the novel continues in the present.
Though criticized in the second false continuation of Don Quixote as being too peripheral to the plot be including in the novel, the story is a notable turn of the Quixote theme, with Don Fernando being driven to erotic madness by the reading love literature written by Cardenio.
The first volume of the novel--in which the Cardenio episode occurs in its entirety--was published in 1605, and translated into English by Thomas Shelton in 1612. However, Fletcher's earlier collaborator Francis Beaumont had already dealt with many of the novel's themes in his play The Knight of the Burning Pestle in 1607, possibly indicating his familiarity with the novel in the original Spanish, or circulation of the story or novel in translated manuscript.
Read more about this topic: The History Of Cardenio