Ludovico Ariosto’s Renaissance poem Orlando Furioso was first published in a complete edition in 1516.
Written in Italian ottava rima, the poem continues the chivalric narrative begun by Matteo Maria Boiardo in Orlando Innamorato. Its plots range across battles between Christians and Muslims, romantic quests, enchantment, and the madness of the knight Orlando.
Ariosto revised the poem repeatedly. The 1516 edition contained 40 cantos, while later revisions altered the language and expanded the work. The definitive 1532 edition contained 46 cantos and helped establish the poem as a major achievement of Italian literature.
The title means “The Frenzy of Orlando.” Orlando’s love for Angelica drives his collapse into madness, while other storylines include Bradamante and Ruggiero. The poem influenced European literature, opera, painting, and later chivalric fantasy.