Orlando Furioso: Part One (Italian Texts) (3, Set) (Classics)

by Ludovico Ariosto

Barbara Reynolds (Notes)

One of the greatest epic poems of the Italian Renaissance, Orlando Furioso is an intricate tale of love and enchantment set at the time of the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne's conflict with the Moors. When Count Orlando returns to France from Cathay with the captive Angelica as his prize, her beauty soon inspires his cousin Rinaldo to challenge him to a duel - but during their battle, Angelica escapes from both knights on horseback and begins a desperate quest for freedom. This dazzling kaleidoscope of fabulous adventures, sorcery and romance has inspired generations of writers - including Spenser and Shakespeare - with its depiction of a fantastical world of magic rings, flying horses, sinister wizardry and barbaric splendour.

• ISBN10: 0140443118
• ISBN13: 9780140443110
• Publish Date: 29 May 1975 (first published 1 December 1954)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 11 October 2023
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
• Imprint: Penguin Classics
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 832
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780140443110

Reviews

[jamiereadthis]

A note on translation: I used Reynolds to compare, contrast, and fill in the gaps with the Slavitt translation. Slavitt takes liberties, and Reynolds has merit, but I’ve got to say, for compulsive readability, and cheeky irreverence that feels like it honors the spirit of the original, Slavitt it is.