Morgante
Encyclopedia
Morgante, sometimes also called Morgante Maggiore (i.e. the "Greater Morgante", the name give to the complete 28 canto edition published in 1483), is an Italian romantic
epic
by Luigi Pulci
which appeared in its final form in 1483 (see 1483 in poetry; a now lost 23 canto version likely appeared in late 1478; two other 23 canto versions were published in 1481 and 1482).
Based on popular Matter of France
material, the poem tells the story of Orlando and Renaud de Montauban
(in Italian, Renaldo or Rinaldo), the most famous of Charlemagne
's paladin
s, in a frequently burlesque
fashion. The title character is a giant
who becomes Orlando's loyal follower after the knight stops him from attacking the monastery of Chiaromonte and converts him to Christianity. After many strange adventures, Morgante is killed by a bite from a crab. Other characters include Morgante's friend, the gluttonous Margutte who dies in a fit of laughter, and the philosophically inclined demon Astarotte
. The poem ends with an account of Orlando's defeat and death at the Battle of Roncesvalles. Lord Byron translated the first canto
of Morgante in 1822.
Romance (genre)
As a literary genre of high culture, romance or chivalric romance is a style of heroic prose and verse narrative that was popular in the aristocratic circles of High Medieval and Early Modern Europe. They were fantastic stories about marvel-filled adventures, often of a knight errant portrayed as...
epic
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
by Luigi Pulci
Luigi Pulci
Luigi Pulci was an Italian poet best known for his Morgante, an epic story of a giant who is converted to Christianity and follows the knight Orlando....
which appeared in its final form in 1483 (see 1483 in poetry; a now lost 23 canto version likely appeared in late 1478; two other 23 canto versions were published in 1481 and 1482).
Based on popular Matter of France
Matter of France
The Matter of France, also known as the Carolingian cycle, is a body of literature and legendary material associated with the history of France, in particular involving Charlemagne and his associates. The cycle springs from the Old French chansons de geste, and was later adapted into a variety of...
material, the poem tells the story of Orlando and Renaud de Montauban
Renaud de Montauban
Renaud de Montauban, was a fictional hero who was introduced to literature in a 12th century Old French chanson de geste also known as Les Quatre Fils Aymon . His exploits form part of the Doon de Mayence cycle of chansons...
(in Italian, Renaldo or Rinaldo), the most famous of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
's paladin
Paladin
The paladins, sometimes known as the Twelve Peers, were the foremost warriors of Charlemagne's court, according to the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. They first appear in the early chansons de geste such as The Song of Roland, where they represent Christian martial valor against the...
s, in a frequently burlesque
Burlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
fashion. The title character is a giant
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
who becomes Orlando's loyal follower after the knight stops him from attacking the monastery of Chiaromonte and converts him to Christianity. After many strange adventures, Morgante is killed by a bite from a crab. Other characters include Morgante's friend, the gluttonous Margutte who dies in a fit of laughter, and the philosophically inclined demon Astarotte
Astaroth
Astaroth , in demonology, is a Crowned Prince of Hell. He is a male figure named after the Canaanite goddess Ashtoreth.-Background:...
. The poem ends with an account of Orlando's defeat and death at the Battle of Roncesvalles. Lord Byron translated the first canto
Canto
The canto is a principal form of division in a long poem, especially the epic. The word comes from Italian, meaning "song" or singing. Famous examples of epic poetry which employ the canto division are Lord Byron's Don Juan, Valmiki's Ramayana , Dante's The Divine Comedy , and Ezra Pound's The...
of Morgante in 1822.