Palmerin of England appears in the "Palmerins," a series of chivalric romances that focus on Palmerin d'Olivia (the emperor of Constantinople) as well as some of his descendants. Palmerin of England is the primary focus of the sixth book of the series. The Palmerins were very popular, and were often referenced by other works as an example of chivalric tales. This mention of Palmerin of England not only informs readers of Don Quixote's knowledge about books of chivalry, but gives us an idea of the qualities that he wishes to imitate. Quixote wishes to create a life full of adventure, glory, and romance, and this is reflected in the books and characters that he mentions.

The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. Eds. Drabble, Margaret, Jenny Stringer, and Daniel Hahn. : Oxford University Press, . Oxford Reference. Date Accessed 15 Apr. 2022 https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199214921.001.0001/acref-9780199214921.

Lancelot is a well-known character that repeatedly appears in Arthurian tales. He is one of the knights of King Arthur's round table, and is known for his unconditional love for Queen Guinevere. It's interesting that Don Quixote references Lancelot here, as he violates the code of chivalry, and was not considered one of the "best" knights. Many renditions of his story end with him becoming a hermit until death. However, it makes sense that Don Quixote admires Lancelot, as we know that Quixote is quite fixated on epic romance and valiant actions. Lancelot seems to be one of the many heroes that Don Quixote projects himself onto, and bases his worldview around. “Lancelot.” Lancelot | Robbins Library Digital Projects, 1 Jan. 1889, https://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/theme/lancelot.

Here, the hunted fox is referred to as "Reynard." This name references Reynard the Fox, a trickster figure that appears in many medieval stories. Due to the popularity of these stories, "renard" became the French word for "fox." Reynard represents wit and cunning, as well as selfishness. In many ways, he is a reflection of Gawain. Gawain is clever and strong-willed, but his self-serving actions (such as keeping the girdle for himself, with the hope of surviving the Green Knight) are his greatest flaw.

“Reynard the Fox.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/topic/Reynard-the-Fox-literary-character.

The "Round Table" refers to the circular table that King Arthur had made, so that none of his barons could have power over the others. The round table emphasized unity and brotherhood, as well as the chivalric ideals of honor and knightly duty. In this text, the existence of the table not only illustrates King Arthur's fairness and commitment to honor, but also demonstrates the valor of his knights (including Gawain). While the Round Table is not actually present during this celebration, it is likely referenced to remind readers of Arthurian values, and King Arthur and Gawain's loyalty to those values.

“Round Table.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/topic/Round-Table-Arthurian-legend.

The Hindu concept of reincarnation, also known as Punarjanma, applies to both humans and gods. Lord Vishnu is said to have several incarnations, and Krishna is one of them. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna states that he reincarnates "when wickedness is strong" in order to help his people. This is quite relevant to the story, as it indicates the importance of the circumstances Arjuna has found himself in: the situation is so dire that Krishna has manifested in order to guide him. Additionally, by helping Arjuna, Krishna gives advice on a dilemma that many people face in life: the contrast of the heart and mind, and how to achieve an enlightened state. (Chandel, Payal Kanwar. “Religious Interpretations of Reincarnation.” Indian Journal of Health & Wellbeing, vol. 6, no. 7, July 2015, pp. 737–40. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,shib&db=aph&AN=109888118&authtype=shib&site=ehost-live&scope=site.)

According to Wikipedia, Govinda, which roughly translates to "chief herdsman," is another name for Krishna. The Hindu legends depicting Krishna's youth describe him as a mischievous cow herder. Krishna is the supreme deity of Hinduism, and has many names which reflect his various talents and associations. The appearance of some of these names in the Bhagavad Gita is meaningful, as it reminds readers of Krishna's immense influence, power, and wisdom, and encourages us to perceive his advice to Arjuna as reliable. “Krishna.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Jan. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna.