French Literature Reviews - 2026
V. Denzel, Les Mille et Un Visages de la virago - Marphise et Bradamante, entre continuation et variation
Comparative and World Literature
Valentina Denzel, Les Mille et Un Visages de la virago - Marphise et Bradamante, entre continuation et variation, Paris, Classiques Garnier, coll. Perspectives comparatistes, 2016
EAN: 9782812447563
617 pages
Price: 59 €
In his epic poem Orlando Furioso, Ludovico Ariosto highlights the ambivalence of the female warriors Marphise and Bradamante, oscillating as they do between prowess and defeat, femininity and masculinity. Their multifaceted nature allows them to easily adapt to literary genres beyond the epic, such as tragedy or the novel.
Ludovico Ariosto's epic poem Orlando Furioso occupies a central place in Italian Renaissance literature, shaping subsequent traditions of chivalric narrative across Europe. Within this vast tapestry, female warriors have long attracted critical attention for their negotiation of traditional gender roles and martial prowess. Readers interested in Renaissance epic poetry, gender representation in early modern literature, and comparative studies of genre may find this volume relevant. Valentina Denzel addresses the figures of Marphise and Bradamante, highlighting their ambivalence between prowess and defeat, as well as femininity and masculinity. The study further traces how their multifaceted nature enables them to adapt readily to literary forms beyond the epic tradition, including tragedy and the novel.