Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Orlando Furioso (Oxford World's Classics) by Ludovico Ariosto, Guido Waldman ISBN: 0-19-283677-3 Publisher: Oxford Press Pub. Date: January, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.91 (11 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Orlando Furioso
Comment: Before anything else is said, it should be known that this edition is a prose translation, which does not retain most poetic characteristics of the original poem although for a modern English reader this is probably the best edition yet: fairly clear and still interesting in its own way. Orlando Furioso is a 16th century epic poem dealing with Charlamgne's wars against the "Saracens" who had (if we are to take the poem as historical fact) even reached the point of besieging the city of Paris. Of course,the book was not meant by its author to be historically accurate in any way, merely a parody of chivalric court legends as the book description says. Whoever reads this book and fails to sense irony on every page, even crude jokes in some parts clearly does not understand what he is reading in the least. But Orlando Furioso is not a parody of just chivalric court legends; it also pokes fun at the Illiad, popular tales and even common peasant stories. The heads (complete with helmets) sliced in two by a single sword blow are taken from The Illiad, in which Greek champions perform similar feats, although in Orlando Furioso, literally hundreds of men meet their end in this manner to the point of becoming amusing in a way. And I found it strange to notice a very clear similarity between the story told by an innkeeper in the book and the prologue to a translation of a 13th century version of the Arabian Nights (translated by Hussain Haddawy). Ariosto had no possible way to know of the existence of the Nights, but still it is interesting to see how truly close the two incidents are: In Orlando, two men who have given up on the possibility of women being chaste, take one woman and watch her day and night, yet she still deceives them in their own bed. In the Nights, a demon has locked his wife inside an impenetrable castle, yet she still deceives him as he sleeps right next to her in bed. The two events are described similarly, with the same irony (being meant as a joke which the author denies believing in in the least). The book is funny only in the way reading Candide is funny. This is simply another example of what makes the book enjoyable. During the reading of Orlando, somewhere about 3/4 of the way into the book, the reader may wish that it would end right there and that two characters; Bradamant and Ruggiero should get married and finish the story. But the continuation of their separation and further adventures is just another parody of common legends, exaggerated out of proportion. In the end, with all its jokes and its surprisingly individualistic narrative technique, its more serious scenes (the most touching of which is when a woman named Isabel is killed) forms into a large picture, with a great deal of good atmosphere, such that when it ends (although the reader may not have been touched very much during its reading) will want it to go on.
Rating: 5
Summary: A True Classic
Comment: Orlando Furioso is a classic story that has often been overlooked by the average reader. We follow Charlemagne's paladins as they traverse the world, pagan and Christian, looking for adventure, fame, and love. They end up in many fascinating places such as enchanted castles, Hades, and on the moon with St. John the Apostle. Their adventures bring them into contact with fascinating people, incredible beasts, and magic weapons. They engage in sword fights and duels, convert the Muslims, and fall in love. The story centers on Orlando and other pagan and Christian knights as they try to win the love of Angelica, a Saracen Princess. Meanwhile, a war between the Christians and Muslims is going on. These events are a continuation of the story told in Orlando Innamorato by Boiardo, which came before this poem. Ariosto, however, has given us a sequel that in many ways surpasses its predecessor. Orlando Furioso is a story of epic proportions that is subtly funny, never boring, and always beautiful. To the basic themes of chivalry and love, Ariosto has added elements of allegory, irony, and even prophecy to make an enchanting masterpiece. The stories contained are similar to the Arthurian legends, only with more humor and excitement. I agree with C.S. Lewis when he wrote: "Our oblivion of these poets (i.e. Boiardo and Ariosto) is much to be regretted...because it robs us of a whole species of pleasures and narrows our very conception of literature."
For some reason amazon.com links this review to both the Reynolds and the Waldman translations, but they are different books. Although the previous part of my review is valid for any translation, this part is only relevant for the Waldman version. I have not read the one by Reynolds. This translation is in prose, meaning it loses some of the original spirit of Ariosto. However, by doing this Waldman makes the stories much easier to read and more accessible for the average person, who usually does not read poetry. I really enjoy the prose rendering; it has been done beautifully. If you love poetry and/or want a translation closer to the original Italian, then perhaps you should buy another version. One benefit though, is that this edition is complete in one volume and unabridged. Also, there is an introduction and an index of characters and their adventures. Unfortunately, there are no annotations. Overall, this is an excellent book that I think everyone should read at least once. It is a classic!
Rating: 4
Summary: Powell's Orlando
Comment: Not a review here but a note. Readers who enjoy Orlando would appreciate Anthony Powell's witty account of the moon trip in the 12th and last volume of his A Dance to the Music of Time.
 |
Title: Jerusalem Delivered: Gerusalemme Liberata by Torquato Tasso, Anthony M. Esolen ISBN: 0801863236 Publisher: Johns Hopkins Univ Pr Pub. Date: September, 2000 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
 |
Title: The Faerie Queene (Penguin Classics) by Edmund Spenser, Thomas P. Roche, C. P. O'Connell ISBN: 0140422072 Publisher: Viking Press Pub. Date: July, 1988 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
 |
Title: DoreÂs Illustrations for AriostoÂs "Orlando Furioso" by Gustave Dore ISBN: 048623973X Publisher: Dover Pubns Pub. Date: 01 April, 1980 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
 |
Title: Orlando Innamorato (World's Classics) by Matteo Maria Boiardo, Charles Stanley Ross ISBN: 0192824384 Publisher: Oxford University Press Pub. Date: December, 1995 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
 |
Title: Amadis of Gaul: A Novel of Chivalry of the 14th Century Presumably First Written in Spanish by Garci Rodriguez De Montalvo, Herbert Behm, Edwin Place ISBN: 0813190347 Publisher: University Press of Kentucky Pub. Date: January, 2003 List Price(USD): $30.00 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
