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Linda C.'s Reviews > Orlando Furioso: Part One
Orlando Furioso: Part One (Orlando Furioso, #1)
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My first attempt at reading this epic poem was using the online version from Project Gutenberg and translated by William Stewart Rose. I had difficulty following it when I tried reading it on my computer screen, so I printed portions out hoping that seeing text on the page would make things easier. It didn’t. I was confused, perplexed and lost. Then, I discovered the translation by Barbara Reynolds.
“Of ladies, cavaliers, of love and war,
Of courtesies and of brave deeds I sing.
In times of high endeavor when the Moor
Had crossed the sea from Africa to bring
Great harm to France, when Agramante swore
In wrath, being now the youthful Moorish king,
To avenge Troiano, who was lately slain,
Upon the Roman Emperor Charlemagne.”
Those opening words in her translation set forth an expectation of a grand tale encompassing war, romance, and heroic acts. It was like a light had been turned on in a darkened room. All of a sudden, I was able to read, understand, and enjoy the story.
The Penguin Classics translation of Orlando furioso is in two volumes. It is unabridged and divides the epic poem into roughly two even parts. Volume One ends with Orlando losing his wits and the story picks up from there in Volume Two. Together there are 1,632 pages with lots of lovely white space to make reading easier on the eyes. (Waldman’s one volume prose edition is only 656 pages and is difficult to read with the small font and compressed text.)
The only real complaint I have about this version is that there are spoilers contained in the indexes at the beginning of the first volume. I consulted it regularly and so there were some aspects of the story that did not come as a surprise to me, because I knew about it far more prematurely than I would have otherwise wanted to.
Reynolds version is my favorite translation. I have been working on the adaptation of "Orlando furioso" and "Orlando innamorato" into a series of novels for modern day readers.
At times, I refer back to the source material for inspiration and will find a passage that needs clarity. At those times, I will consult both Reynolds and Guido Waldman’s versions. Occasionally, I will compare a passage to other translators’ work as well. In doing so, my appreciation for Barbara Reynolds’ craft has increased. I am indebted to those who have the knowledge of the Italian language and can translate the meaning into something I can understand. And, the poem wasn’t written in modern Italian, it was written in archaic Italian. I have Italian friends who, when asked about Orlando furioso, will wince and mention how they disliked being required to read it, because it was in archaic Italian. I have a similar difficulty reading Chaucer in old English. So, Reynolds not only had to understand the Italian language, but she had to have an understanding of how that romance language has changed and evolved over the centuries.
Her version is my favorite.
“Of ladies, cavaliers, of love and war,
Of courtesies and of brave deeds I sing.
In times of high endeavor when the Moor
Had crossed the sea from Africa to bring
Great harm to France, when Agramante swore
In wrath, being now the youthful Moorish king,
To avenge Troiano, who was lately slain,
Upon the Roman Emperor Charlemagne.”
Those opening words in her translation set forth an expectation of a grand tale encompassing war, romance, and heroic acts. It was like a light had been turned on in a darkened room. All of a sudden, I was able to read, understand, and enjoy the story.
The Penguin Classics translation of Orlando furioso is in two volumes. It is unabridged and divides the epic poem into roughly two even parts. Volume One ends with Orlando losing his wits and the story picks up from there in Volume Two. Together there are 1,632 pages with lots of lovely white space to make reading easier on the eyes. (Waldman’s one volume prose edition is only 656 pages and is difficult to read with the small font and compressed text.)
The only real complaint I have about this version is that there are spoilers contained in the indexes at the beginning of the first volume. I consulted it regularly and so there were some aspects of the story that did not come as a surprise to me, because I knew about it far more prematurely than I would have otherwise wanted to.
Reynolds version is my favorite translation. I have been working on the adaptation of "Orlando furioso" and "Orlando innamorato" into a series of novels for modern day readers.
At times, I refer back to the source material for inspiration and will find a passage that needs clarity. At those times, I will consult both Reynolds and Guido Waldman’s versions. Occasionally, I will compare a passage to other translators’ work as well. In doing so, my appreciation for Barbara Reynolds’ craft has increased. I am indebted to those who have the knowledge of the Italian language and can translate the meaning into something I can understand. And, the poem wasn’t written in modern Italian, it was written in archaic Italian. I have Italian friends who, when asked about Orlando furioso, will wince and mention how they disliked being required to read it, because it was in archaic Italian. I have a similar difficulty reading Chaucer in old English. So, Reynolds not only had to understand the Italian language, but she had to have an understanding of how that romance language has changed and evolved over the centuries.
Her version is my favorite.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
August 1, 2003
–
Finished Reading
June 20, 2007
– Shelved
June 20, 2007
– Shelved as:
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