Orlando Furioso

Name: Orlando Furioso
Author: Lodovico Ariosto

By Lodovico Ariosto

Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

Adventure Classics of Literature Mythology, Legends & Folklore Poetry

About This Book

A sprawling Renaissance epic weaves martial campaigns, courtly love, and fantastic adventure into an episodic sequence of cantos. Knights pursue honor, desire, and destiny across enchanted woods, besieged cities, and remote islands while sorcery and trickery reshape contests and alliances. One thread follows a celebrated warrior driven to rage and madness by obsessive love; another traces a foretold union between a valiant woman and a noble pagan that propels quests, rescues, and magical impediments. Comic digressions, dreamlike voyages, and moral puzzles puncture heroic conventions as themes of fate, chivalry, conversion, and the instability of desire recirculate through interlaced tales.

About the Author

Lodovico Ariosto

Lodovico Ariosto (1474-1533) was an Italian poet and playwright, best known for his epic poem "Orlando Furioso." This seminal work, first published in 1516, is celebrated for its imaginative narrative and complex characters, blending chivalric romance with elements of fantasy and adventure. Ariosto's writing is characterized by its lyrical quality and innovative use of the ottava rima verse form. In addition to "Orlando Furioso," he contributed significantly to Italian literature through his letters and other poetic works, which reflect the cultural and political landscape of the Renaissance. His influence extends beyond literature, impacting the arts and shaping the narrative tradition in Europe.