Don Quixote Plot Summary: Part 1, Chapters XXXIII-XXXVIII

Chapter XXXIII

Which tells the Tale of Inappropriate Curiosity

The Tale of Inappropriate Curiosity is a story of two best friends, Lotario and Anselmo. Anselmo wishes to test his wife Camila’s honor and chastity, so he asks Lotario to tempt her. Lotario thinks the plan is a horrible idea and tries to reason with Anselmo to abandon it, but Anselmo is steadfast on testing his wife. Seeing Anselmo’s stubbornness on the matter, Lotario claims that he will agree to go along with the plan so that Anselmo doesn’t just go find another cohort instead. Lotario tells Anselmo that he is lavishing praise on Camila whenever they are alone and that she is resisting them, but really he never speaks to her. Eventually Anselmo discovers that Lotario has been lying, so he decides to leave the city with Lotario and Camila alone together in his house. While spending all his time around Camila, Lotario begins to succumb to her beauty despite his intentions.

Chapter XXXIV

In which the Tale of Inappropriate Curiosity is continued

Camila writes to Anselmo to tell him that he needs to come home, but then succumbs to Lotario’s advances soon after. When Anselmo gets home, Lotario lies and says that Camila rejected him. Anselmo tells Lotario to write love sonnets to a fake woman named Chloris and read them in front of Camila, so Camila will think he has forgotten her and fallen in love with another woman instead. Lotario reveals this plan to Camila, so she would know that what he is saying about a woman named Chloris is really meant for her. Camila’s maid Leonela has been sneaking her boyfriend into their home at night, and Camila is concerned that somebody will see the man leaving at night and think he was there visiting Camila. However, Camila is afraid that if she tells Leonela to stop, Leonela will reveal Camila’s affair to Anselmo. Lotario sees the maid’s boyfriend leaving one night and assumes Camila is having a second affair with the man. Furious at this, he goes to tell Anselmo that Camila had recently accepted his advances towards her, and that he can prove it by having Anselmo tell Camila that he is leaving town but then have him really go hide in his closet. Lotario immediately regrets what he told Anselmo, and he goes to tell Camila about his mistake. Camila explains that the man he saw leaving is Leonela’s boyfriend, and why she’s afraid to tell Leonela to stop having him over. Camila develops a plan to solve the whole situation by acting out a scene with Lotario and Leonela in front of the closet where she acts like she can no longer live with her shame, and then pretend to stab herself with a dagger. Anselmo, seeing that it is only a minor wound, does not come out of the closet during the scene, but later meets with Lotario to celebrate that he now once again believes his wife to be chaste and honorable.

Chapter XXXV

Which brings the Tale of Inappropriate Curiosity to an end

There is a break in the priest’s reading of the Tale of Inappropriate Curiosity when the group hears Don Quixote screaming from his room. They discover that Don Quixote thinks that he has slain Dorotea’s giant, when really he has been slashing the inn’s wine skins and spilling red wine everywhere. The priest eventually goes on to read the last bit of the Tale of Inappropriate Curiosity, which ends in Camila, Leonela, and Lotario all running away and leaving Anselmo- who dies of grief and regret at his curiosity.

Chapter XXXVI

Concerning the fierce and prodigious battle that Don Quixote fought against some skins of red wine, and other things that happened to him at the inn

A group of travelers arrive at the inn. Eventually it is discovered that the group includes Don Fernando and Luscinda. Dorotea convinces Don Fernando that he is her true love, and that Cardenio is Luscinda’s true love.

Chapter XXXVII

Which continues the history of the famous Princess Micomicona, together with other amusing adventures

An escaped captive and a Moor woman named Lela Zoraida arrive at the inn. The large group sits together at a table for dinner, and Don Quixote begins discussing the merits of the life of a student versus life as a soldier.

Chapter XXXVIII

Concerning Don Quixote’s curious discourse about arms and letters

Don Quixote finishes his debate regarding students and soldiers, but he is so busy talking that he doesn’t eat anything. After dinner, Don Fernando asks the escaped captive to tell the group his story, which he begins to do.