The second volume of Don Quixote is much darker than the first, picking up the story where Volume I left off and taking us to Don Quixote's death. Don Quixote battles cats, puppets and the famous Knight of the Mirrors. He plunges head first into the legendary Cave of Montesinos and seeks to disenchant his imaginary truelove Dulcinea del Toboso, who is imprisoned there. Meanwhile Sancho Panza is finally given an island to rule over by the Duke and Duchess who, like many characters Quixote and Sancho meet in Vol II, have read Vol I. The Duke and Duchess play endless cruel tricks on our heroes and slowly our heroes’ madness and foolishness becomes painfully apparent. On his deathbed Quixote becomes Alonso once more, he finally denies the existence of Giants, Knights, Damsels and to Sancho’s horror he denies there ever was a Don Quixote de la Mancha. Sancho begs that they should ride out one more time, but it is too late Alonso Quixana is dead.
