The

[Exemplary Novels], which will from here onwards be referred to as the

, is arguably Cervantes’ most successful and influential title after

, even if it remains largely unknown to a non-specialist Anglophone audience. Though

is often translated as ‘Novels’ in English editions of the title, the Spanish word refers to short stories rather than prose novels. Despite lacking a single lead character like Don Quixote de la Mancha, the twelve

which comprise Cervantes’ only collection of exemplary short fiction are set in locations all around (and beyond) seventeenth-century Europe, from the author’s native Castile to Britain, the Aegean, North Africa and the Caribbean. They are as varied and creative in content as the

. Each

3272 words

Citation: Griffiths, Benjamin. "Novelas ejemplares". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 15 February 2024 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=3106, accessed 24 November 2024.]