How we cite our quotes: (Part.Book.Chapter.Paragraph) We use the P. A. Motteux translation from 1712 for our quotes. Some familiar character names appear differently in this edition (Sancho Panza is Sancho Panca here, Rocinante is Rozinante, and Doña Rodriguez is Donna Rodriguez). We preserve Motteux's spellings in our quotes but use the more familiar versions of these names in our analysis.
Quote #10
"The case then is, noble sir, that, though you see me sitting in this chair, in the middle of Arragon, in the habit of an insignificant, unhappy duenna, I am of Asturias de Oviedo, and one of the best families in that province" (2.1.48.3).
When Doña Rodriguez sits next to Don Quixote's bed, she opens her speech by telling him that while she might work as a servant, she comes from a very noble family. Her ancestry is supposed to tell Don Quixote that she is descended from a noble family, regardless of what her current occupation might suggest. In this case and many others, people of noble descent always make sure that this is the first thing they mention about themselves. Here we see, also, that the relationship between nobility and money is complicated. Money in and of itself isn't enough to make a person noble or respected, but a nobleperson without money, like Doña Rodriguez, is still forced into servitude. Being a duenna is nothing like being a lowly rank-and-file servant, but it's still not that great.