Chapter Orion to Orlick of O by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Orlando, the hero of Mrs. Smith’s novel, The Old Manor House (1793). “Handsome, generous, brave, and ardent.” He falls in love with the heroine Monimia, and ultimately marries her.

Orlando, the hero of Ariosto’s poem. (See below.) He is intended to be a model knight, high-minded, generous, compassionate, and valiant.” He falls in love with Angelica. (See below.)

Orlando Furioso, a continuation of Bo jardo’s story, with the same hero. Bojardo leaves Orlando in love with Angelica, whom he fetched from C athay and brought to Paris. Here, says Ariosto, Rinaldo fell in love with her, and, to prevent mischief , the king placed the coquette under the charge of Namus. But s he contrived to escape her keeper, and fl ed to the island of Ebuda, where Rogero found her exposed to a sea-monster, and liberated her. In the mean time, Orlando went in search of his lady, was decoyed into the enchanted castle of Atlantês, but was liberated by Angelica, who again succeeded in effecting her escape to Paris. Here she arrived just after a great battle between the Christians and pagans; and, finding Medora a Moor wounded, took care of him, fell in love with him, and eloped with him to Cathay. When Orlando found himself jilted, he was driven mad with jealousy and rage, or rather his wits were taken from him for three months by way of punishment, and deposited in the moon. Astolpho went to the moon in Elijah’s chariot, and St. John gave him “the lost wits” in an urn. On reaching France, Astolpho bound the madman, then, holding the urn to his nose, the wits returned to their nidus, and the hero was himself again. After this, the siege was continued, and the Christians were wholly successful. (See Orlando Innamorato.)—Ariosto: Orlando Furioso (1516).

This romance in verse extends to forty-six cantos. Hoole, in his translation (1783), compressed the forty-six cantos into twenty-four books; but the original number has been retained by Harrington in 1591; by Croker in 1755; and by Rose in 1823. The adventures of Orlando, under the French form “Roland,” are related by Turpin in his Chronicle, and by Théroulde in his Chanson de Roland.

The true hero of Ariosto’s romance is Rogero, and not Orlando. It is with Rogero’s victory over Rodomont that the poem ends. The concluding lines are—

Then at full stretch he [Rogero] raised his arm above
The furious Rodomont, and the weapon drove
Thrice in his gaping throat—so ends the strife,
And leaves secure Rogero’s fame and life.

Orlando Innamorato, or Orlando in Love, in three books, by count Bojardo of Scandiano, in Italy (1495). Bojardo supposes Charlemagne to be warring against the Saracens in France, under the walls of Paris. He represents the city as besieged by two infidel hosts—one under Agramantê emperor of Africa, and the other under Gradasso king of Sericana. His hero is Orlando, whom he supposes (though married at the time to Aldabella) to be in love with Angelica, a fascinating coquette from Cathay, whom Orlando had brought to France. (See Orlando Furioso.)

(Bojardo’s poem was incomplete, and in 1531 three more books were added by Agostini; and the whole was remodelled by Berni. Tofte, in 1598, produced an English version. Berni of Tuscany, in 1538, published a burlesque in verse on the same subject.)

Orleans, a most passionate innamorato, in love with Agripynar.—Dekker: Old Fortunatus 1600).

Orleans talks “pure Biron and Romeo;” he is almost as poetical as they, quite as philosophical, only a little madder.—Lamb.

(“Biron,” in Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost; “Romeo,” in his Romeo and Juliet.)

Orleans (Gaston duke of), brother of Louis XIII. He heads a conspiracy to assassinate Richelieu and dethrone the king. If the plot had been successful, Gaston was to have been made regent; but the conspiracy was discovered, and the duke was thwarted in his ambitious plans.—Lord Lytton: Richelieu (1839).