Ariosto, the Orlando Furioso and English Culture

The Orlando Furioso remains a masterpiece of Italian literature and stands as a key contribution to European Renaissance culture as a whole. This collection brings together cutting-edge research by international scholars and examines why Ariosto's magnum opus continues to excite cultural interest even today.

Marking the fifth centenary of the publication of the first edition of the Italian masterpiece, Ariosto, the Orlando Furioso and English Culture brings together an international team of Renaissance scholars from a wide variety of disciplines to analyse in detail the diffuse impact which the epic poem had upon English culture from the Tudor century to the present day. Translated into English in the 1590s by Sir John Harington, godson of Elizabeth I, the influence of Ariosto''s poem can be traced in literature, music and the visual arts, from Spenser and Milton to modern media adaptations. In addition, the collection reflects upon the ways in which successive editions and translations, examples of critical reception, rewritings and adaptations in different media (in particular opera) all shaped the rich and evolving understanding of the adventures of Orlando, Angelica, Medoro, Olympia, and Sacripante in the cultural and artistic production of England across the centuries.