Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was a poet, novelist and playwright. He is considered one of the greatest figures in Spanish literature for his work Don Quixote de la Mancha, which many critics have described as the first modern novel and one of the best works of universal literature. Other of his works are Exemplary Novels (1613), Journey of Parnassus (1614), Eight Comedies and Eight Entremés (1615) and his posthumous work The Works of Persiles and Sigismunda (1617), in whose dedication he says goodbye to his readers.