(P/B) THE DIALOGUE OF THE DOGS

Παρουσίαση

Given the gift of speech for a day, two dogs set about satirising their 'superior' human counterparts. In an exchange reminiscent of the ancient Greek Dialogues, they vow to tell each other their life stories and recount their experiences under their various masters. But whether shepherds, merchants, bailiffs, or gypsies, these men are unanimously decried as corrupt to the core. In a wonderful role reversal, the dogs are endowed with all the qualities of a classic picaresque hero, as they reveal the base, bestial nature of humanity, as well as the dark forces that fuel man's wrongdoings. Through the scathing Berganza and the critical Scipio, Cervantes delivers an ingenious critique of the morality of sixteenth-century Spain, and a timeless and telling portrayal of the heart of man. 'The Dialogue of the Dogs', presented here with 'The Deceitful Marriage', is a work of psychological observation by the master of storytelling. In it, Cervantes draws the reader into a discussion of truth versus fiction, and displays all the rich prose and bawdy humour so apparent in Don Quixote. (From the publisher)