Sanity may be madness but the maddest of all is to see life as it is and not as it should be

Sanity may be madness but the maddest of all is to see life as it is and not as it should be

In Miguel de Cervantes' iconic novel, Don Quixote, the protagonist is a perfect embodiment of the idea that "sanity may be madness but the maddest of all is to see life as it is and not as it should be." Don Quixote, a middle-aged man who becomes obsessed with chivalric romances, decides to become a knight-errant and sets out on a series of adventures with his loyal squire, Sancho Panza.

Throughout the novel, Don Quixote's delusions and idealistic view of the world lead him to see life not as it is, but as it should be according to the romantic tales he has read. He sees windmills as giants, inns as castles, and commoners as nobility. His madness is not in his actions, but in his refusal to accept reality and instead live in a world of his own creation.

Don Quixote's madness is contrasted with the supposed sanity of those around him, who see him as a delusional old man. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that Don Quixote's madness is not as harmful as the cynicism and pragmatism of those who mock him. Don Quixote's idealism and belief in the power of imagination and dreams make him a more noble and admirable character than those who dismiss him as insane.