Orlando Furioso

Orlando Furioso was first published in 1516. It is an epic poem whose impact on Western literature cannot be overstated. Jorge Luis Borges was a fan. Italo Calvino drew inspiration from it. Voltaire called it the equal of the Iliad, the Odyssey, and Don Quixote combined. 


Orlando Furioso is Dante’s medieval universe turned upside down and made comic. 


At the heart of Ariosto’s romance are Orlando’s unrequited love for the pagan princess Angelica—and his jealous rage when she elopes. 


The action takes place against a besieged Paris, as Charlemagne and his Christian paladins defend the city against the Saracen king. 




LUDOVICO ARIOSTO (1474 – 1533) was an Italian poet best known as the author of the epic poem Orlando Furioso. The poem portrays the adventures of Charlemagne, Orlando, and the Franks as they battle against the Saracens. 


“Ludovico Ariosto's irresistible masterpiece effortlessly blends chivalry, love and magic. Think of it as a knightly soap opera, complete with cliff-hangers, erotic intrigue and one melodramatic improbability after another, all of it conveyed with just the right colloquial bounce…”


-Michael Dirda, Washington Post