Pantagruel

Pantagruel is the protagonist of four of the five books in this collection of Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel. The novels follow his life and adventures from his nativity until he visits La Dive Bouteille to learn whether his friend, Panurge, should marry. In the first book, Pantagruel is so large that his birth causes his mother's death, and after the passing of his early childhood, his father Gargantua sends him to study. After visiting several schools of medicine and law, Pantagruel settles in Paris to pursue his studies. This is where he meets Panurge, who becomes his close friend. Pantagruel proves his wisdom and gains a respectable reputation while residing in Paris, but his father summons him home when the Dipsodians invade the city of the Amaurots at the behest of their king, Anarch. Once he defeats the Dipsodians, Pantagruel conquers the entire land of Dipsody.

In the...