Quests of the Absurd

B.M. Scott

8 May 2025

Quests of the Absurd: Existentialism and Imagination in Don Quixote and The High History of Good Sir Palamedes

The human condition is often defined by its search for meaning in an indifferent universe. This existential tension lies at the heart of Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote (1615) and Aleister Crowley’s The High History of Good Sir Palamedes the Saracen Knight and of his Following of the Questing Beast (1905). Despite being separated by centuries, both texts explore the absurdity of human striving, the transformative power of imagination, and the role of belief in sustaining quests for higher purpose. Through their protagonists’ journeys—Don Quixote’s attempt to revive chivalric ideals and Sir Palamedes’ pursuit of the elusive, questing Beast—Cervantes and Crowley interrogate humanity’s existential struggle while celebrating the redemptive potential of belief.  Both Don Quixote and Sir Palamedes are defined by their quests for unattainable ideals. For Don Quixote, this means reviving a bygone age of chivalry in a world that has long abandoned it. His delusions transform ordinary windmills into giants and peasant women into noble ladies. Cervantes writes, “What with little sleep and much reading his brains got so dry that he lost his wits” (Cervantes, Part I, Chapter 1). Quixote’s madness reflects his rejection of a mundane reality devoid of heroism or magic. His quest becomes an act of rebellion against existential despair, as he imposes meaning on a disenchanted world. Similarly, Sir Palamedes’ pursuit of the Questing Beast—a creature described as “Incomprehensible, Unspeakable… Intangible” (Crowley, Chapter IX)—represents a search for ultimate truth or higher purpose. Like Don Quixote, Palamedes acknowledges the futility of his quest by stating, “This Beast is the Unknowable. I seek in Heaven; I seek in Hell… I know him? Still he answers: No!” (Chapter X). Both characters confront what Albert Camus called “the absurd”—the conflict between humanity’s desire for meaning and the universe’s indifference. Yet rather than succumb to despair, they persist in their quests, embodying Camus’ notion of defiance: an embrace of action despite the absence of guarantees.

A central feature of both texts is their protagonists’ ability to sustain their quests through a willed suspension of disbelief. This concept, originally coined by Samuel Taylor Coleridge to describe how readers engage with fiction, is here internalized by Don Quixote and Sir Palamedes as an existential strategy. For Don Quixote, this suspension manifests in his reinterpretation of reality to align with his chivalric ideals. Quixote’s deliberate reimagining allows him to impose order on chaos and maintain his sense of purpose, even when faced with ridicule or failure. Similarly, Sir Palamedes sustains his belief in the Questing Beast despite repeated failures to capture it. His willingness to embrace absurdity is evident in moments reflected in statements such as, “The last bar breaks; the steel will snaps; / The black hordes riot in his brain; / A thousand threatening thunder-claps… Smite him—insane—insane—insane!” (Crowley, Chapter XI). Both characters exemplify how belief can serve as a psychological mechanism for navigating existential uncertainty. By reshaping reality through their respective lenses—chivalry for Quixote and mystical purpose for Palamedes—they create meaning where none exists naturally. While both texts celebrate imagination and belief, they also critique humanity’s tendency toward futile striving. Don Quixote’s adventures often end in failure or humiliation: he is beaten by muleteers, tricked by peasants, and ultimately forced to abandon his quest after being defeated by the Knight of the White Moon: “The Knight bade him rise from his knees…and return home for one year” (Cervantes, Part II, Chapter 64). These failures highlight the disconnect between idealism and reality while underscoring the inherent nobility in striving itself. Similarly, Sir Palamedes repeatedly fails to capture the Questing Beast despite devoting his life to its pursuit. His frustration culminates in moments like this: “Thought, word, and act / Confirm me. I have proved the quest / Impossible” (Chapter XII). Yet both Cervantes and Crowley temper their critiques with admiration for their protagonists’ perseverance. As Crowley writes: “Then since the thinker must be dumb / At least the knight may knightly act” (Chapter XV). This sentiment echoes Cervantes’ portrayal of Don Quixote as a tragicomic hero whose madness inspires admiration despite its futility.

Ultimately, both texts affirm the redemptive power of imagination in confronting existential challenges. For Don Quixote, imagination transforms a disenchanted world into one filled with adventure and meaning. Even as he lies dying at the end—having renounced his knightly fantasies—his earlier exploits leave an indelible mark on those around him reflected in statements such as, “He was so calm that we all thought he was already dead” (Cervantes Part II Chapter 74). Similarly, Sir Palamedes achieves transcendence through his imaginative persistence. In a climactic moment near the end of The High History of Good Sir Palamedes, he returns to Camelot empty-handed only for the Questing Beast to appear before him: “And there…the Beast comes nestling and fawning to him” (Crowley, Chapter XX). This resolution suggests that unwavering belief can summon—or create—the very object one seeks. In both cases, imagination bridges the gap between aspiration and reality while offering solace even when ultimate goals remain unattainable. Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote and Aleister Crowley’s are profound meditations on existentialism and belief. Through their protagonists’ absurd quests for unattainable ideals, whether chivalric glory or ultimate truth—both works explore humanity’s struggle to find meaning in an indifferent world. By emphasizing willed suspension of disbelief as both a narrative device and a psychological mechanism for their characters, Cervantes and Crowley highlight how imagination can transform despair into resilience. While critiquing human striving as inherently flawed or futile, these texts ultimately celebrate their nobility and creative potential. Don Quixote’s windmills may never be giants; nor will Sir Palamedes fully comprehend the Questing Beast—but their willingness to believe elevates them beyond mere folly into enduring symbols of human hope. In navigating life’s unpredictable path toward self-discovery—whether tilting at windmills or chasing mythical beasts—we are reminded that it is not only our goals but also our capacity for imagination that defines us.

Invitation for Reflection

The foregoing analysis invites readers to consider the existential dimensions of questing, belief, and imagination as exemplified in Cervantes’ Don Quixote and Crowley’s The High History of Good Sir Palamedes. Before moving on, it is worth pausing to interrogate both the philosophical implications and the literary strategies that animate these narratives. The following questions are designed to prompt critical thought, cultivate candid discussion, and deepen appreciation for how these works speak to the perennial human search for meaning and resilience.

- How do Don Quixote and Sir Palamedes embody the tension between yearning for meaning and confronting an indifferent universe? In what ways do their quests illuminate aspects of the human condition described by existential philosophy?

- Consider the role of imagination and belief in each protagonist’s journey. How do their acts of “willed suspension of disbelief” serve as strategies for resilience, and what are the psychological consequences of continually reshaping reality to fit their ideals?

- Both Cervantes and Crowley depict their protagonists failing to achieve their grand ambitions. Does the repeated failure diminish the nobility of the quest, or does it reveal something admirable about perseverance despite futility? How do you interpret the balance between critique and celebration in each text?

- To what extent does the presence of the Questing Beast in Crowley’s climax (and Don Quixote’s transformative influence on others in Cervantes) suggest that belief or imagination can manifest real change, even in the absence of tangible achievement?

- Reflect on Camus’s notion of the “absurd” and the defiance it inspires. How do the protagonists’ insistence on continuing their quests, despite encountering indifference or failure, challenge readers to reconsider the value of hope, action, and self-definition in their own lives?

- How might these literary explorations of unattainable ideals inform our attitudes toward ambition, purpose, and resilience in contemporary life? Is there value in striving toward the impossible, even when the outcome is uncertain or unattainable?

Works Cited & Recommended Reading

Cervantes, Miguel de. Don Quixote, Translated by Edith Grossman, Ecco 2003.

Crowley, Aleister. The High History of Good Sir Palamedes. Wieland & Company, 1905.