Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533) Italian poet, remembered primarily for his ORLANDO FURIOSO, published in its final version in 1532. Ariosto's work was the most celebrated narrative poem of the Italian high Renaissance, and the first example of modern poetry to provoke widespread critical controvesy. Ariosto was born in Reggio Emilia, as the son of Count Niccolò Ariosto. At the age of then his family moved to Ferrera, where he studied law from 1489 to1494. There he also started …showed first 75 words of 1197 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1197 total…It is the Bradamante-Ruggiero story that eventually takes center stage in Ariosto's work. Other characters of importance: Astolfo, a Peer and friend of Orlando, who is kidnaped by the evil witch Morgana and her sister Alcina; Mandricardo, a fierce but hot-headed heathen; and a young knight named Brandimarte, who falls in love with (and wins the heart of) the beautiful Fiordelisa ("Flordelice" in Rose). Allplay major or semi-major roles in the events of Ariosto's poem.