J Syst Sci Syst Eng ISSN: 1004-3756 (Paper) 1861-9576 (Online) DOI: CN11-2983/N

WHICH IS THE USE OF SYSTEMS THEORY IN LITERATURE ANALYSIS?: THE DISCOVERY OF THE PLACE IN LA MANCHA IN DON QUIXOTE

Francisco Parra-Luna Complutense University of Madrid, Yucatan, 26, 28231 Las Rozas, [email protected] ()

Abstract The use of systems theory to attempt to determine which ''place in La Mancha'' was the one whose name Cervantes could not quite recall in his universal novel, appears to be ordained to change certain attitudes towards science held in Cervantine literature. The reason: after four centuries of literary analysis, systemic methodology has proven able to identify the famous ''place'' with acceptable accuracy. Nonetheless, certain reasonable doubts persist around the suitability of a strictly scientific analysis of literature. In light of those doubts, the present article aims primarily to facilitate critique both of the systemic approach adopted and its outcome. Keywords: Don Quixote, place in La Mancha, systems theory, epistemological totality, determinant variables

1. Introduction addressed in the present article. In principle, the language of variables and The astonishment aroused around the finding mathematics (based on principles such as in the Cervantine world nonetheless led us to epistemological totality, environment, variable describe the methods used in a number of selection, classification and weighting, encounters. While most Cervantine colleagues inter-variable relationships, modelling, accepted the results and understood the utility of operationalisation and calculation) would not the approach, some have persisted in denying the appear to be the most appropriate vehicle for suitability of mainstreaming the scientific announcing the identification by the systemic principles inherent in systemic analysis in approach of the mysterious ''place in La Mancha'' traditional literary analysis. cited in the first line of Cervantes’s novel. That Yet others have suggested that the subject notwithstanding, since the technical details of the ''Villanueva de los Infantes as the place in La systemic-scientific method used have been Mancha'' should be set to rest. The contention is discussed in previous papers (Parra Luna 2004, that since the information, citations from the Equipo UCM 2005, Parra Luna and Fernandez novel, data and even numbers are there for all to Nieto 2009, and Parra Luna 2012), they are not see, there is no need to come back to them time

 Systems Engineering Society of China and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2017 Parra-Luna: Which Is the Use of Systems Theory in Literature Analysis?: The Discovery of the Place in La Mancha in Don Quixote 2 J Syst Sci Syst Eng and again. That stance is understandable, because that characterises Campo de , appear to those colleagues are most likely unaware of the be tipping the political balance in favour of those objections raised in certain Cervantine circles to who seek to marginalise (and if possible rule out) the application of scientific or multi-disciplinary Campo de Montiel and Villanueva de los Infantes methodologies to analysis, objections that cannot as Don Quixote’s and Sancho’s (now hardly be readily ignored. disputable) point of departure. Fourthly, quite We, however, are attuned to the events beyond such unsubstantiated opposition to following on the 2005 identification of Villanueva de los Infantes, some scholars have Villanueva de los Infantes as the place in Campo found the identification of the place whose name de Montiel most translucently or transparently Cervantes was unable to recall an unnecessary, likely to be the ''place in La Mancha'' mentioned useless and impossible exercise, and the in the pages of Don Quixote. That presumed application of mathematical methods to that literary transparency initially ran into four endeavour strange or extravagant. obstacles. Firstly, the discovery was generally unexpected, except for Peralta (1944) who, after 2. Scientific Misgivings certain in situ measurements taken in the first half These objections, these misgivings about the of the last century, cited ''Infantes'' (Villanueva de application of scientific procedures, while held los Infantes is the modern name) as Don by only a minority of scholars and latent and Quixote’s and Sancho Panza’s most likely home scantly explicit in their papers, are the only ones town. Be it said here that the size and importance that merit rebuttal. The four occasions on which of the town at the time counter the more they surfaced are discussed below. widespread belief that Cervantes’s unnamed 2009. A prestigious Cervantine studies place was in fact a single-church hamlet located institution published a book containing an article near El Toboso. Secondly, it clashed with a series by a reputed U.S. colleague whose indictment of of vested local interests (Bradariz1972, Fuentes the application of scientific and Gutierrez 1983, Jiménez Castañeda 2005, Ligero multi-disciplinary methodology to identify Móstoles 1991, Román Alhambra 2010, Ruiz Villanueva de los Infantes as the place in La Castellanos 2004, Ruiz de Vargas 1974, Serrano Mancha” was so disgraceful and couched in Vicens 1966), based in some cases on meritorious such academically inappropriate terms that it is and well-founded tradition (such as Argamasilla hard to imagine how it could have ever been de Alba), that may have felt themselves written or published. Moreover, to their great dispossessed of what they regarded as an discredit, neither the author nor the publisher exclusive honour; not to mention the claims made accepted a suggestion to publish a rejoinder. by towns in the vicinity of Villanueva de los Nonetheless, no a priori adversity toward the Infantes on no other grounds than typical local identification itself or toward Villanueva de los jealousy. Thirdly, in keeping with those interests, Infantes can be detected in the article. Rather, the greater demographic potential in certain areas criticism is levelled against a procedure that of La Mancha, set against the waning population aims to be scientific, in the understanding that Parra-Luna: Which Is the Use of Systems Theory in Literature Analysis?: The Discovery of the Place in La Mancha in Don Quixote J Syst Sci Syst Eng 3 such methods are absolutely irrelevant to literary what sort of news is released, who may well analysis. This the American author makes very have decided not to publicise a fairly clear at the outset, where he objects to what he unorthodox finding deduced with non-literary views as a common contemporary tendency to methods. accord science in general inordinate prestige and 2013. Similar reasons may have informed the the rise of what he terms ''scientifistic'' ideology decision of a major Spanish journal specialising and its corollary, spectacular growth in in Cervantes to reject the publication of an inter-disciplinary approaches. In conclusion, article on why Cervantes may have chosen moreover, he contends that the aim of his article Villanueva de los Infantes as the ''place in La was to reveal the serious damage that can be Mancha'', alluding to the adverse opinions of done when an inter-disciplinary team attempts to two reviewers whom the journal has since been solve a problem whose nature it fails to unable to identify (rendering their existence understand. He postulates that if our team had suspect). This refusal was particularly striking understood, even minimally, the intrinsic because the article in question had been particularity of the literary text in question, we appraised positively by a number of Spanish and would have never embarked on the pursuit of a foreign Cervantine experts who had been asked solution. The author appears to have no to review it prior to publication. The two argument with the identification of the ''place in mysterious adverse opinions may have been La Mancha'' per se. Rather, his objection as a prompted by the effort that it would have taken matter of principle is to any application of the to appraise certain mathematical operations on scientific method to literary analysis, regardless which the paper was based. of the possible results. 2014. And just a few days ago (May), 2012. The references to Villanueva de los another Cervantine colleague of repute reiterated Infantes and its identification as the ''place in La this objection in the following terms. You broach Mancha'' were deleted from the address written Don Quixote as if it were a chronicle rather than by Nicanor Parra and delivered at the University the novel it actually is. You constantly refer to of Alcalá by his grandson Cristobal Ugarte on 23 your strictly scientific approach and repeat that April 2012. As a result, that finding was your analysis is based on scientific methodology, permanently erased from the historic record in but science and scientific are ambiguous terms. all the media, including Internet. This event, Every science has its own methodology, which while inexplicable, should not be viewed with cannot be blithely applied to others without suspicion, for such an unprecedented decision risking nonsensical results. The approach and might merely have been the outcome of an methodology characteristic of the science that aversion to the application of scientific and addresses specifically ''human'' issues differ mathematical methods in this type of studies. Its from practice in natural science and, even more eulogy by a poet with a mathematical widely, from mathematics. Even in science background may have not been to the liking of whose object is humanity, one cannot be overly someone of a literary mind able to influence precautious. Neurological physiology may

Parra-Luna: Which Is the Use of Systems Theory in Literature Analysis?: The Discovery of the Place in La Mancha in Don Quixote 4 J Syst Sci Syst Eng explain finger movements, but not piano playing, In the event, it will not be incumbent upon us much less the mysteries of Bach’s Brandenburg to justify the anti-scientific attitudes implicit in Concertos. the events of 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Like the three preceding remarks, this final In light of the reiteration of such attitudes, comment, while largely acceptable on logical one can hardly help but wonder, why this grounds, takes it for granted that the scientists contempt for scientific logic? If we all pursue on the multi-disciplinary team were ''born knowledge per se, why this unnecessary yesterday'' and lack the maturity needed to determination to conceal results, which is understand the nature of the object studied, tantamount to concealing the content of the unable to distinguish between things physical novel? What latent interests dwell in certain and things spiritual or between the precise rules Cervantine circles? What underlies this of mathematics and the freedom intrinsic to surprisingly covert milieu that casts doubts on literary art. None of that is reasonable, given that our compliance with the good practice required many of the colleagues are emeritus professors of us by professional ethics, if not as scientists, with a long record of research experience. What at least as humans with a thirst for pure these anti-scientists fail to realise is that in knowledge? As Don Quixote would say, time pointing at the moon they end up focusing on will put everything in its place and it is in that their finger. If they focused instead on the final hope that we carry on. In it and in the hope of objective of the analysis, they would see that the contributing, albeit modestly, to mainstreaming findings of the various methods are valid. In the systemic-scientific procedures into traditional present case, all that systemic/multi-disciplinary literary analysis. methodology has aimed to do, four centuries In the wake, then, of this small but troubling later, is supplement and acquire specific core of opposition to the systemic approach, the knowledge in an innovative and verifiable way present multi-disciplinary study aims by identifying the “place in La Mancha” whose exclusively to prove, plainly and clearly, and for name Cervantes was unable to recall. the last time if possible, the academic soundness These four events (a record of which is of the assertion that Villanueva de los Infantes is openly available to interested readers e-mailing the renowned ''place in La Mancha''. The their request to the author) triggered the present strategy adopted, startling as it may seem, is to modest article in one last attempt to define the criticise that premise in depth to the point of ''place in La Mancha'' where Cervantes and he constructive invalidation, defining ''constructive'' to mean proof that some other town or village in alone decided to begin his tale, according to the Campo de Montiel is in fact the unnamed ''place text of Don Quixote. Moreover, significant in La Mancha'' in Don Quixote. Any such place literary implications would very likely stem would have necessarily to be one of the 231 from that discovery if it were to be validated, giving rise to future analyses of Cervantes's 1 The initial research included two villages that do oeuvre, as envisioned by reputed Cervantine not lie inside the bounds of Campo de Montiel, and Esquivias, and one, San scholar Clark Colahan (2014). Carlos del Valle, founded after the novel was written. Parra-Luna: Which Is the Use of Systems Theory in Literature Analysis?: The Discovery of the Place in La Mancha in Don Quixote J Syst Sci Syst Eng 5 existing in the region at the time, unless the three unabridged critiques and the three Cervantes is not to be taken seriously, as quite a rebuttals affords readers the opportunity to judge number of colleagues seem to think. That and weigh the arguments put forward. It is up to opinion about the novel’s comicality/seriousness them to deliver the final verdict. in itself poses an interesting theoretical-literary The third, released in 2012, is a modest dilemma taken up below. article written in terms accessible to the public at And so, dear readers, with ''le couteau entre large and designed to show that the ''place in La les dents'' as the French would say, we proceed Mancha'' whose name Cervantes was unable to to criticise, once and for all, the discovery that recall can be identified. Further to that article, all the ''place in La Mancha'' unnamed in Don it takes is three simple steps to draw a Quixote was Villanueva de los Infantes. conclusion: a) re-estimating the number of days Scientific knowledge must be merciless. it would take to travel to/from Puerto Lápice, Sierra Morena and El Toboso to/from Don 3. Essential Works Quixote’s unnamed place; b) multiplying that Anyone interested in studying Don Quixote number by the speed (V) normally reached by and in particular the subject of the unnamed Rocinante (Don Quixote’s hack) and Sancho’s ''place in La Mancha''”, its main character’s nag); and c) with the three products as radii, travels or historical-geographic maps showing drawing three circumferences on any map of the sites described in the novel on the ingenious Spain to scale to determine where they meet or gentleman will certainly find that the following the point where their overlaps are minimised. studies are no waste of time. Performance of these three operations neutrally The first, published in 2005, laid the and in good faith inevitably shows that the point methodological grounds (the multi-disciplinarity in question lies in the geographic centre of required by systems theory) for changing the Campo de Montiel. That, moreover, merely determination of three simple things: the places confirms the author’s own assertions on up to taken until that time to be the literary pair’s five occasions in the novel. point of departure; the various routes the two The three studies are summarised at some followed when crossing La Mancha; and the length below to render this article more readily series of historical maps of the places mentioned comprehensible, although the reader is of course in the novel, beginning with one dating from invited to consult their full versions. They were 1780, authored by King Philip V’s official also written in the wake of studies such as one geographer, Tomás López. very worthy paper by Rodríguez Bustamente The second study, published in 2009, in (2003) backed by no scientific guarantee addition to critiquing and reviewing the 2005 whatsoever, for want of a systemic approach, paper, adopted an infrequent stance, opening its without one of whose basic conceits, pages to other scholars who had challenged the ''epistemological totality'', findings are idea that Villanueva de los Infantes was the inescapably spurious. The paper by Caselles et ''place in La Mancha''. The joint publication of al. (2009), in contrast, is a fine example of

Parra-Luna: Which Is the Use of Systems Theory in Literature Analysis?: The Discovery of the Place in La Mancha in Don Quixote 6 J Syst Sci Syst Eng reliable results obtained with systemic analysis. was tossed around in a blanket is Iruela Inn, near what is now Venta de Cárdenas. 5. The priest 3.1 Systemic Approach to Don Quixote was from the same place as Don Quixote. 6. This subject first came up in a congress on Rocinante and Sancho’s nag could ordinarily do systems theory and socio-cybernetics held in no more than an average 31 km/day. 7. The Lisbon in 2004. The initial question was: given distance between any two points was longer on that systems theory is the methodological early seventeenth century than on modern roads. approach par excellence for analysing complex 8. The Campo de Montiel plains are flat enough problems, why not use it to attempt to unveil a for riding cross-country. 9. To reach Cartagena fact that had been shrouded in mystery for four from Iruela Inn, Don Quixote and Sancho would centuries, the identity of the ''place in La take the road from and Almagro Mancha'' whose name Cervantes was not quite that ran through Villanueva de los Infantes, able to recall when writing his novel Don Alcaraz, Hellín and so forth.10. The hill Don Quixote, Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha? Quixote and Sancho ran into on their final The challenge was assumed on the spot. homebound journey was very close to their Upon our return to Madrid, a multi-disciplinary home town. 11. The 24 variables selected would team was formed, whose members included have to be accepted or rejected before knowing Manuel Fernández Nieto (Cervantine scholar), the results. The fundamentals supporting these Santiago Petschen (political scientist), Gonzalo working hypotheses are set out in Equipo UCM Bravo (historian), Jose Antonio Garmendia and (2005). Francisco Parra Luna (sociologists); Juan Pedro That study showed that six of the seven Garrido and Juan Maestre (anthropologists); and methodological procedures used (percentage, Javier Montero and María Jesús Ríos range points, topology, determinism, elimination (mathematicians). The team decided that the and sociology) yielded the same result: the principles to be applied to the issue would sufficiently well-substantiated hypothesis to be include equifinality, epistemological totality, verified was that Villanueva de los Infantes was inter-variable discrimination and interaction, the unnamed ''place in La Mancha''. strong/weak interaction, and the respective The initial research was characterised by a calculations. rigorous selection, based on the text of the novel, Its eleven working hypotheses are listed here of all the factors (or variables) that could help for the intents and purposes of critique. 1. identify Cervantes’s unnamed place. This Cervantes posed a riddle for the reader in the contrasted with the stance adopted in prior last chapter of the novel. 2. In their second studies, which typically addressed only the journey, Don Quixote and Sancho slept at 3.5 variables favourable to each author’s initial km from Puerto Lápice. 3. When the novel premise. Table 18 (pp. 230-231) in the book contains contradictions, specifics are assumed to clearly lists the values of the 24 variables prevail over abstractions and subsequent over selected for all 26 towns or villages initially previous information. 4. The inn where Sancho studied as possible candidates. That matrix, Parra-Luna: Which Is the Use of Systems Theory in Literature Analysis?: The Discovery of the Place in La Mancha in Don Quixote J Syst Sci Syst Eng 7 which proved to be one of the most de la Mancha, by Jesús Sánchez Sánchez; and an comprehensive and decisive methods applied in untitled critique authored by Justiniano the analysis, epistemologically speaking, was Rodríguez Castillo. published as proof that factors unfavourable to Each was naturally followed by the team’s the candidacy of Villanueva de los Infantes replication, in keeping with the encouragement (such as the existence of windmills, proximity of of debate sought throughout. A meticulous a stream and laundry, the distance from analysis of the critiques and rebuttals thus Quintanar) were considered. enables the attentive reader to determine which Finally, attention should be drawn to the arguments are more valid, the critics’ or the position adopted by the research team when the authors’. The aim was to allow the reader the results identified Villanueva de los Infantes, privilege and the responsibility of ascertaining birthplace of one of its coordinators, as the place the ''literary truth'' about the identity of the place in question. Although as a result research was Cervantes chose not to name. initially interrupted for some time, it was The third chapter of this book, entitled ''Los ultimately decided that the coincidence would cuatro puntos cardinales del 'lugar de la not have adverse implications; on the contrary, Mancha'en el Quijote'' (the four cardinal points transparent allusion to issue would induce defining the ''place in La Mancha'' in Don challenges that would contribute to verifying the Quixote) merits an especially detailed review rigour of the findings. because it quantifies three basic items, namely the time it took to travel from Don Quixote’s 3.2 Debate around the Place in La home town (X): to Puerto Lápice (2.42 days); Mancha Sierra Morena (Iruela Inn, near what is today This second study, conducted during the Venta de Cárdenas) (2 days); and El Toboso (2.8 three years following the publication of the days). While not indispensable, it also quantified aforementioned monograph, reviewed the time the travel time to Munera, presumably where and distance measurements applied in 2005, Don Quixote encountered Don Alvaro Tarfe using the latest generation geographic methods (2.23 days). The three first measurements developed by the University of Alcalá’s nonetheless proved to be sufficient and Department of Geography, headed by Professor absolutely conclusive for siting the ''place in La Joaquín Bosque Sendra. In particular, however, Mancha'', which was observed to lie in the this book was characterised by a fairly unusual geographic centre of Campo de Montiel. feature: it included three texts that clearly criticised the identification of Villanueva de los 3.3 The Site of Don Quixote’s Penance Infantes as the ''place in La Mancha''. The three The place of Don Quixote’s penitential articles in question, reproduced in full, were: retreat in honour of Dulcinea was the key to the Cuyo lugar no quiso poner Cide Hamete, by subsequent identification of his unnamed place. Ciriaco Morón Arroyo; La imprecisión Outside of the more complete and sophisticated geográfica del Quijote y la búsqueda del lugar methods used in the two preceding studies, this

Parra-Luna: Which Is the Use of Systems Theory in Literature Analysis?: The Discovery of the Place in La Mancha in Don Quixote 8 J Syst Sci Syst Eng paper (Parra Luna 2012) aimed to clarify what As the method described was within reach of was termed the ''topological'' of ''topographical'' anyone interested, this paper was chosen as the approach, consisting of the use of a compass to third study targeted for criticism here. This fairly determine the location in La Mancha of the simple methodological approach nonetheless starting point for Don Quixote’s and Sancho’s called for careful estimation of the conversion adventures. factors for reducing straight line distances A careful reading of the text suffices to (5%-10 % depending on the route) to be able to quantify the travel time in days between Don apply a compass to a map with a suitable scale Quixote’s home town and Puerto Lápice, Sierra distances and of the distances that Don Morena and El Toboso. And while the location Quixote’s and Sancho’s respective mounts could of the two villages is unquestionable, the site of travel in a day. The latter value, 31 km/day, was Don Quixote’s retreat in Sierra Morena is much adopted on the grounds of three criteria: the 50 less precise. The innovation introduced in this km travelled by a normal horse; the presumed study was the shift in focus from the 2 days it speed of Rocinante when Don Quixote would take to travel from Iruela Inn to Don confronted another knight, Blanca Luna, in Quixote’s home town to the 3.5 day journey Barcelona; and the similarity of gait, according between the latter and his Sierra Morena to a PhD. thesis authored by J. Pollos, between sanctum. If determined strictly following Rocinante and Sancho’s nag (see Parra Luna et Cervantes’s indications, that place of penance (8 al. (2015)). leagues from Almodóvar del Campo and over 30 from El Toboso) would be sited on the east side 4. Fostering Criticism of the head of Jándula Reservoir in the province Predictably, in light of the diversity of their of Jaén. According to the author, it took 3.5 days academic authorship and prestige of the from there to Don Quixote’s home town (1.5 to publishers involved, the studies that identified Iruela Inn + 2 from there) and 2.4 and 2.8 days Villanueva de los Infantes as Don Quixote’s from the ''place in La Mancha'' to Puerto Lápice ''place in La Mancha'' have been generally and El Toboso, respectively. Drawing respected. Unfortunately, however, the circumferences with those radii (reduced by persistence of the four incidents described in the certain conversion factors to accommodate the Introduction oblige us to return to the subject in unevenness of the terrain), and even allowing for an attempt to ''dot the i's and cross the t’s'', as minor variations in the estimates, Don Quixote’s behoves any professional whose methodology and Sancho’s home town would be found to lie has been challenged on the grounds of in the geographic centre of the region known of unsuitability for the object studied. This old as Campo de Montiel, very close to constitutes no change from the line maintained Villanueva de los Infantes. Regardless of how since 2005, in which we have consistently the calculations are performed, assuming encouraged well-substantiated critique, i.e., neutrality and good faith, they yield the same constructive criticism in keeping with standard result. methodological and academic procedure. Parra-Luna: Which Is the Use of Systems Theory in Literature Analysis?: The Discovery of the Place in La Mancha in Don Quixote J Syst Sci Syst Eng 9

While not all the texts in question meet those amount of thought. In fact, in the face of even requirements, then and now we are only too the slightest hint of the existence of some pleased to come to the fore in response to manner of local interest, research was criticism, although in the understanding that interrupted for several months. Nonetheless, knowledge is furthered only by well-intentioned after a good deal of re-thinking and a and constructive commentary. conscientious review of all the estimates and To that end, the discussion below begins with calculations that went into its findings, the team what might be termed ''verifiable literary facts'', decided that rigorous scientific endeavour in an exercise that will enable the reader to should not be silenced by such a coincidence. determine their veracity or falsehood. On the contrary, it felt that the coincidence Our position on the discovery has been should be aired, as it would constitute greater clearly described from the outset. Firstly, we inducement for other scholars to challenge the made the eleven working hypotheses available research findings and ultimately confirm the for review before actually obtaining any results. scientific validity of the methods deployed. All Secondly, we applied the maximum possible these matters were addressed in the 2005 study number of methods to determine whether the (see Parra Luna et al. (2015)). choice of procedure had any significant effect on That same confidence in our professional the findings. Thirdly, despite our relative ethics led us, four years later, to adopt what Díez confidence in the validity of our conclusions, we (2009) regarded as a highly uncommon editorial systematically specified that our discovery was a decision: three articles critical of our findings mere hypothesis, although better substantiated were reproduced integrally in a book published than any of the others forthcoming to date. in 2009 under the title El enigma resuelto del Moreover, in anticipation of the expected Quijote:  (op. cit.). The undersigned has criticism, we transparently announced that one maintained that same personal attitude in all the of the team members (precisely the undersigned) articles subsequently published, as the sole way was born in Villanueva de los Infantes, although to confront the unhappy coincidence, from this he has not lived there for over 50 years. The perspective, of having been born in Villanueva team was, of course, painfully aware of the de los Infantes. existence of certain theories and studies, wholly That, moreover, is what has induced us, in lacking in any academic rigour, that identified what may be our last attempt, to invite Spanish Don Quixote’s point of departure with the Cervantine scholars (perhaps the ones best authors’ own towns or villages. acquainted with the novel’s geography) to Hence its astonishment (and woe!) when the openly criticise the Villanueva de los Infantes results of its own scientific approach showed hypothesis in depth, regardless of how well that Villanueva de los Infantes, birthplace of one substantiated it may be. Those who regard of its coordinators, was the ''place in La scientific findings as the sole basis for Mancha''. That naturally set off all manner of communicable knowledge should be the first to alarms and gave rise to an unquantifiable subject their own research to review. In other

Parra-Luna: Which Is the Use of Systems Theory in Literature Analysis?: The Discovery of the Place in La Mancha in Don Quixote 10 J Syst Sci Syst Eng and clearer words: one of the authors of this list located outside that region were disregarded. of twelve facts, born at Villanueva de los 3. The locations of three real-life points Infantes, deems that valid human understanding specified by the author and hence indisputable can only be built on the ongoing critique of all were used to identify the ''place in La Mancha'': previous knowledge. The implication is that the 1) Puerto Lápice; 2) the head of the dam at longer Villanueva de los Infantes is upheld as Jándula en Jaén (at 8 leagues from Almodóvar the ''place in La Mancha'' in Don Quixote, the del Campo and over 30 from El Toboso); and 3) worse it will be for the advancement of El Toboso. knowledge. If, as contended on the cover, the 4. The days or hours it would take Don present finding has carried this specific issue as Quixote's and Sancho's mounts to travel from far as humanly possible, progress will have been any of the three points specified to the yet brought to a halt. Much as it was when water unidentified ''place in La Mancha'' were was found to freeze at zero degrees Celsius at estimated with absolute neutrality on the sea level, until proof to the contrary is grounds of the duration of their travels forthcoming. according to Cervantes. So viewed, the travel times to the ''place'' were found to be 5. The Twelve Basic Dimensions of approximately: from Puerto Lápice, 2.4 days Don Quixote as a System (Part I, Chapters 7-10); from Jándula Reservoir, In keeping with that philosophy, the 3.5 days (Part I, Chapters 10, 31 and 37); from following is a discussion of the closed system El Toboso, 2.8 days (Part II, Chapters 7 and 8) comprising twelve basic and inter-dependent (see Parra Luna & Fernández Nieto 2009). dimensions underlying the hypothesis that 5. Reduction factors (''r'' = 5 %, e.g.) were Villanueva de los Infantes is the “place in La applied to these three values for conversion to Mancha”. Nonetheless, other facts, likewise non-straight line distances Mathematical verifiable in the novel, may be used to criticise calculations were subsequently performed to or improve upon that hypothesis, which is the determine the speed factor (V) by which these ultimate aim of the present exercise. In the travel times would have to be multiplied for the interim, the twelve literary facts to be criticised, circumferences formed by the three resulting all verifiable and systemically inter-related, are radii to concur in a precise geographic point, or listed below. for their area of concurrence to be minimised. 1. Any town or village specifically cited 6. The point in question was systematically (recalled) by Cervantes in the novel (El Toboso, observed to lie at the geographic centre of Siguenza, el Quintanar, Argamasilla, Puerto Campo de Montiel, very close to Villanueva de Lápice,) was ruled out as THE ''place in La los Infantes, confirming Cervantes’s five explicit Mancha''. references to that region of La Mancha. That 2. Since Cervantes tells the reader, up to five finding rendered any biased discussion of the times, that Don Quixote set out on his venture exact boundaries of the region irrelevant. (See from the plains of Montiel, towns or villages calculations in: F. Parra Luna 2012). Parra-Luna: Which Is the Use of Systems Theory in Literature Analysis?: The Discovery of the Place in La Mancha in Don Quixote J Syst Sci Syst Eng 11

7. Given that in the journey from Sierra mansions, for a population of 6000. Such an Morena to Cartagena, Don Quixote was left in atmosphere might explain insanely spiritualised his home town (Part I - Chapter 46), that point behaviours such as personified by Don Quixote. was assumed to be more or less on the road that 11. The appearance at the time of two ''mad presently runs from Ciudad Real to Cartagena saints'', St Thomas of Villanueva and Friar via Almagro, Valdepeñas, Villanueva de los Thomas of the Virgin, was regarded as possible Infantes, Alcaraz and so on. The rationale was, further evidence of such a radicalised firstly, that it would have been illogical to climb environment. from Sierra Morena to any other town or village 12. That premise was further supported by located north of that "parallel'', only to descend the documented biography of Juan de León, a to another point on that imaginary line. And mad ne’er-do-well who travelled from town to secondly, no town or village south of the line town armed with sword and crossbow, would lie within the central area of Campo de assaulting villagers for no apparent reason (like Montiel delimited by the three circumferences Don Quixote). Declared an outlaw, he was defined in point 4. arrested and executed at Villanueva de los 8. The most comprehensive and valid Infantes. Unusually, the trial was challenged in a method and the most rigorous approach was complaint raised to Emperor Charles I who, in then applied: namely, all the possible variables an order dated 1521, exiled the erstwhile mayor to be taken into consideration (24 in the research of Villanueva de los Infantes, declared conducted in 2005) were tabled against the 26 responsible for the execution (National Historic towns or villages regarded as possible Archives, Military Orders Section, Historic candidates in that initial study to rank each by Archive of Toledo, file 15771). order of likelihood. Villanueva de los Infantes headed the list. 6. Literary Consequences 9. This quantitative proof was believed to be When writing his novel, Cervantes had in corroborated by other circumstances. With a mind a real town in Campo de Montiel. That larger population (than and , would imply (from the literary standpoint) that it located on the same parallel), Villanueva de los would have to be one of the 23 towns or villages Infantes would be a logical stop for a company existing in the region at the time. Inasmuch as of soldiers and have a larger population of the author mentioned other real towns or young women. For three of them to have run off villages, dates and historic events, the premise with the company would have been more that his account is purely fictitious is untenable. plausible in such a town than in a tiny hamlet. By verifying the twelve aforementioned facts, 10. A further historic fact borne in mind was any educated person seeking only the ''literary the strong religious-moral bias in Villanueva de truth'' contained in Don Quixote would be able los Infantes, with its five convents, seven large to identify the ''place in La Mancha" whose churches, nine chapels, around 200 members of name Cervantes could not quite recall, or at least the clergy and 190 noble coats-of-arms on its allow that the present finding is the most

Parra-Luna: Which Is the Use of Systems Theory in Literature Analysis?: The Discovery of the Place in La Mancha in Don Quixote 12 J Syst Sci Syst Eng elaborate hypothesis known to date. In any event, literary analysis, for in the long run, all scholars both possibilities are open and refutation pursue the same ends. No such refutation has encouraged, for that is how human been forthcoming, however, and to date, July understanding progresses and that is what 2014, the hypothesis can be regarded as science is for. sufficiently substantiated. Cervantine scholars of The conclusive verification (or the repute of Jean Canavaggio or Clark Colahan, non-refutation) of those twelve facts (and for instance, accept Villanueva de los Infantes as primarily the five from points 4 to 8) would the only possible town or village in Campo de have at least six possible literary consequences. Montiel that could be the, up to now, mysterious First, they would help to understand and better ''place in La Mancha''. explain Don Quixote’s and Sancho’s personal Canavaggio, in fact, regarding the problem behaviour in light of their socio-economic of the identification of the ''place'' to be solved, background. Second, they unveil a real took the issue one step further and explored geographic structure concealed in the novel. Cervantes’s possible reasons for concealing its Third, they would put an end to the proliferation name. That, then, would be one of the of false routes and maps put forward since the implications envisaged by Clark Colahan of first was published by Tomás López, King what he took as a proven literary fact, i.e., that Philip V’s geographer. Fourth, they would show Villanueva de los Infantes was the ingenious that Cervantes was not always joking. Fifth, they gentleman of La Mancha’s point of departure for would add to Cervantes’s prestige because he his first and three subsequent knightly journeys. would be taken seriously when he meant to be. The time is now ripe, then, for deliberation on And sixth, they would show that the Ingenious the six theoretical implications tentatively Gentleman rather than Madame de Lafayettes’ envisaged in the preceding section. The Princess of Cleves (according to C. Morón’s Having reached this point, barring further appraisal) was the first realist novel. These six duly substantiated academic critique, I now rule implications, fitting or otherwise, can only out any possible reapplication of scientific contribute to enhancing the novel’s profound procedures to prove that Villanueva de los significance by introducing new possibilities for Infantes is the ''place in La Mancha''. This article reflection and analysis. should, then, be taken as a final, albeit compulsory, chapter in an even-tempered 7. Conclusions academic liturgy consisting (noblesse oblige) of Every possible effort has been made to a point-by-point reply to any criticism, for the encourage critique and refutation of the sake and prestige of science and scientists. Be it hypothesis that contends that Villanueva de los regarded as one of those high masses celebrated Infantes is the ''place in La Mancha'' whose in academic chapels where researchers and name Cervantes could not quite recall. Those critics raise their prayers and supplications to efforts have concurred with the attempt to science, knowledge and the gods. The point is mainstream systemic-scientific procedures into not to save some slightly soiled soul from hell Parra-Luna: Which Is the Use of Systems Theory in Literature Analysis?: The Discovery of the Place in La Mancha in Don Quixote J Syst Sci Syst Eng 13 for a scantly understood prejudice against [9] Ligero Móstoles, A. (1991). La Mancha de science or the identification of the “place in La don Quijote. Alcázar de San Juan, Ayunt. de Mancha”, but to extend our hand in peace under Alcázar de San Juan. the beatific gaze of Blessed St Popper, always [10] Martinez de la Rosa, F. (2009). La keen to rectify the errors so often committed by determinación del lugar de la Mancha en El those of us in the trade. In other words, as far Quijote: un modelo matemático sobre nuevas as I am concerned, ite misa est. hipótesis de tardanzas. Univ. de Cadiz (en El enigma resuelto del Quijote, op. cit.,p. 303). References [11] Montero de Juan, J. Sobre las distancias y [1] Beño Galiana, P.A. (1972). La Patria de don las velocidades medias en El Quijote. UCM, Quijote. Cuadernos de Estudios Manchegos, (en El enigma resuelto del Quijote, op.cit. 41-60. pag.315) [2] Brandariz, C. (2005). Cervantes decodificado. [12] Muñoz Romero, J. (2001). La única y Las verdaderas raíces de Cervantes y de don verdadera ruta de don Quijote. Quijote y los tópicos que las ocultan . Madrid, Toledo,Ledoria. Ediciones mr. [13] Orden Martín, D. y Viaña Fernández, R. [3] Caselles Moncho et al. (2009). The (2009). Análisis de distancias temporales y kinematics of don Quixote and the identity of espaciales entre el lugar de la Mancha y the place of La Mancha: a systemic approach. cuatro puntos de referencia. (en el Revista Internacional de Sistemas, Valencia, enigma…op.cit., pag.247) SESGE, Univ. Valencia, vol. 16. [14] Parra Luna, F. (2004). ¿Es factible [4] Colahan, C. (2014). Nota personal. descubrir el ''lugar de la Mancha'' en el [5] Equipo UCM, (2005). El lugar de la Mancha Quijote?: un acercamiento al problema desde es  el Quijote como un sistema de la perspectiva de la Teoría de Sistemas. distancias/tiempos en el Quijote. Madrid, Edit. Cuadernos de Estudios Manchegos. UCM. [15] Parra Luna, F. et al. (2005). El Lugar de la [6] Fuentes Gutierrez, H. (1983). Don Quijote de Mancha es....el Quijote como un sistema de Cervantes, de La Mancha a Sanabria. Madrid, distancias/tiempos, Madrid, Edit. Imp. Reyma. Universidad Complutense, pp. 28-31, 166. [7] Girón F.J. & Ríos M.J. (2006). La [16] Parra Luna, F. & Fernández Nieto, M. determinación del lugar de la Mancha como (2009). El enigma resuelto del Quijote: un problema estadístico. Boletín de la Sociedad debate sobre el ''lugar de la Mancha''. Alcalá de Estadística e Investigación Operativa, vol. de Henares, Edit. Univ. de Alcalá: 95-115. 22, num. 1. [17] Parra Luna, F. (2012). El sitio geográfico [8] Jiménez Castañeda, M. (2005). Miguel de donde don Quijote hizo su penitencia en Cervantes, Miguel Esteban y El Quijote. Sierra Morena: hipótesis para una ubicación Miguel Esteban. aproximada. Cuadernos de Estudios Manchegos, 37:187-196,

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[18] Parra Luna, F. (2006). Sobre el ''lugar de la [26] Ruiz de Vargas, L. (1974). El verdadero Mancha'' en ''El Quijote: una hipótesis pueblo de don Quijote. CIMBRA, Rev. De científica'', en Pillet Capdepón F. y Plaza Ingeniera Técnica de Obras Públicas, Mayo Tavasco, J., ''El Espacio geográfico en 1974, n. 107. Castilla-La Mancha'', Cuenca, UCLM, [27] Serrano Vicens, R. (1966). Ruta y patria de Colección Estudios 104, don Quijote. Cuenca, Dip. De Cuenca, Artes [19] Parra Luna, F. (2012). ¿Por qué Villanueva Gráficas Estades. de los Infantes es el ''lugar de la Mancha'' en El Quijote. Comunicación en el VIII Francisco Parra-Luna is the Emeritus Congreso Internacional de la Asociación de Professor of Sociology at the University Cervantistas, Oviedo 11-15 Junio, 2012 con Complutense of Madrid. He is the founder of el título de ''El Enigma resuelto del Quijote''. the Working Group on Systems Theory of the [20] Peralta, R. (1944). Cosas del Quijote. International Sociological Association. He is Madrid, Afrodisio Aguado. also author of some 23 books and some 60 [21] Rodríguez, L. (1981). La vía de don Quijote articles about the application of systems theory to en Sanabria. Imp. Cervantina, Santander, social, economic and political organizations. He [22] Rodríguez Bustamante, JR. (2003). Torres has participated in more than 50 International de Montiel como lugar de la Mancha. Congresses on Social Systems Theory. He Villanueva de los Infantes, Autoedición. coordinated the group 6.46 ''Systems Science and [23] Rodriguez Espinosa V.M. y Bosque Sendra, Cybernetics'' in the Encyclopedia of Life Support J. (2009). Aportación desde las tecnologías Systems of UNESCO in 2001. Lately, together de la información geográfica a la with other colleagues of different universities and determinación del lugar de la Mancha: by applying systems theory, he discovered the conversión de distancias en línea recta en ''Place of la Mancha'' in the novel don Quixote, of distancias a través de una red de caminos. en Cervantes, publishing two books and several El enigma resuelto op.cit., pag.323. articles on this matter. He received several [24] Román Alhambra, L.M. (2010). Mi vecino academic and civil prizes and he has a square Alonso. Alcazar de San Juan, Ayuntamiento dedicated to him in the city of Villanueva de los de Alcazar de San Juan. Infantes, in Spain. He is the Academician of the [25] Ruiz Castellanos, A. (2004). Un lugar de la International Academy for Cybernetics and Mancha para don Quijote: Quero. Quero, Systems Sciences. Ayunt. de Quero.