Having cleaned his armor and made a full helmet out of a simple headpiece, and having given a name to his horse and decided on one for himself, he realized that the only thing left for him to do was to find a lady to love; for the knight errant without a lady-love was a tree without leaves or fruit, a body without a soul.
In Don Quixote, the protagonist takes great care to prepare himself for his adventures by cleaning his armor and crafting a helmet from a basic headpiece. He personalizes his horse and selects a name for himself, indicating his transformation into a knight. This preparation reflects his deep commitment to the ideals of chivalry and knighthood.
However, he soon realizes that his journey is incomplete without a lady to adore. To him, love is an essential component of knighthood; a knight without a beloved is akin to a barren tree, signifying that his noble pursuits lack meaning. This insight underscores the significance of romantic love in the quest for identity and purpose within the narrative.
