THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM

[Photo: The statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza beneath Cervantes monument in the Plaza de España.]

I was in Madrid in September of 2008. One of the places I got to see was this square, the Plaza de España. It is dominated by a monument to Cervantes. He is seated and holds a book that rests on his knee. Below him are Don Quixote and his faithful squire, Sancho Panza.

Who is Cervantes?

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (29 September 1547 (assumed) – 22 April 1616) was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. His magnum opus, Don Quixote, considered to be the first modern European novel, is a classic of Western literature, and is regarded amongst the best works of fiction ever written. His influence on the Spanish language has been so great that the language is often called la lengua de Cervantes ("the language of Cervantes"). He was dubbed El Príncipe de los Ingenios ("The Prince of Wits"). (Wikipedia)

What do Don Quixote and Sancho Panza have to do with Cervantes?

Don Quixote, fully titled The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha, is a novel by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. It follows the adventures of Alonso Quijano, a hidalgo (gentleman) who reads so many chivalric novels that he decides to set out to revive chivalry, under the name Don Quixote. He recruits a simple farmer, Sancho Panza as his squire, who often employs a unique, earthly wit in dealing with Don Quixote's rhetorical orations on antiquated knighthood. (Wikidpedia)

The novel has been made into a musical and a film. The original 1965 Broadway production ran for 2,328 performances and won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It has been revived four times on Broadway, becoming one of the most enduring works of musical theatre. (Wikipedia)

The 1972 film is an adaptation of the Broadway musical. It was financed by an Italian production company, Produzioni Europee Associates, and shot in Rome. However, it is entirely in English, and all of its principal actors except for Sophia Loren are either British or American. Peter O'Toole stars as both Miguel de Cervantes and Don Quixote and Sophia Loren as the scullery maid and prostitute Aldonza, whom the delusional Don Quixote idolizes as Dulcinea. (Wikipedia)

I read the novel a long time ago. Now I only have a vague memory of it. But I do remember that I almost died of laughter while reading it. There are two other things that I do remember. The first was his encounter with windmills which he thought were ferocious giants. This was one of the scenes often chosen to illustrate the novel. Then there is of course the love interest of Don Quixote, the lady Dulcinea. Every time I pass by Dulcinea at Greenbelt 1 in Makati, I can’t help but remember Don Quixote de la Mancha.

The principal song of the musical and the film was "The Impossible Dream". And it became a standard (a song of established popularity) (Wikipedia). The lyrics are as follows:

To dream the impossible dreamTo fight the unbeatable foeTo bear with unbearable sorrowTo run where the brave dare not go. To right the unrightable wrongTo be better far than you areTo try when your arms are too wearyTo reach the unreachable star This is my quest, to follow that star,No matter how hopeless, no matter how farTo be willing to give when there’s no more to give
To be willing to die so that honor and justice may live And I know if I’ll only be true to this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I’m laid to my rest
 And the world will be better for thisThat one man scorned and covered with scarsStill strove with his last ounce of courageTo reach the unreachable star.

The song “Impossible Dream” came from the musical and film “Man of La Mancha” and is, therefore, associated with it. But for Filipinos like me, the song is forever associated with Ninoy Aquino and with the Filipino people’s struggle against the Marcos dictatorship.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer ran this article about Ninoy and the “Impossible Dream” on August 21, 2009. It read: “His favorite song, The Impossible Dream, summed up Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr.’s uncompromising stance against dictatorship: ‘To fight the unbeatable foe ... To right the unrightable wrong.’ Ninoy was the first of thousands arrested and imprisoned by the martial law regime. He refused to participate in the military court proceedings against him. On Aug. 27, 1973, in the presence of his family and counsel, Ninoy delivered a defiant speech, citing two main reasons why he decided not to participate: ‘First, because this ritual is unconscionable mockery; and, second, because every part of my being, my heart and mind and soul is against any form of dictatorship,’ he told the military tribunal. The decision not to participate would have dire consequences. But Ninoy was determined and obstinate in his position and beliefs. No to martial law! No to dictatorship!”

I am disturbed by what I have seen in Facebook these past days. I see an effort to rehabilitate Marcos through lies and disinformation. For instance one post claims that during his time as President, the Philippines was the richest country in Asia. Certainly not! It was Japan. It asserts that the Philippines was the first to have an airport in Asia. Are you kidding? Ayala Avenue and Paseo De Roxas used to be the 2 runways of the Nielsen Airport and it was built way back in 1937.

Why am I so bothered? George Santayana said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Here it is not just a matter of not remembering the past. It is re-writing history in order to hide the truth about the past, in order to present a lie as truth and thus, opening ourselves to the possibility of a repeat of the Martial Law years: one man rule for the benefit of one’s family and one’s cronies.

The elections are coming in about a couple of weeks. It is at the heart of democracy. Through the right of suffrage we are able to form a "government of the people, by the people, for the people". But the right of suffrage needs to be qualified. It is not enough to have the right to elect our officials and to exercise that right. We also need to have an enlightened electorate exercising that right. Do we have that kind of electorate today?

Someone said: “We elect the officials we deserve.” How profound. How true. I wonder who will be elected this May? I wonder what kind of people they are. But most of all, I wonder what will the election results say about us, the Filipino people?