Floridoro: A Chivalric Romance (The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe)

The first original chivalric poem written by an Italian woman, Floridoro imbues a strong feminist ethos into a hypermasculine genre. Dotted with the usual characteristics dark forests, illusory palaces, enchanted islands, seductive sorceresses Floridoro is the story of the two greatest knights of a bygone age: the handsome Floridoro, who risks everything for love, and the beautiful Risamante, who helps women in distress while on a quest for her inheritance. Throughout, Moderata Fonte (1555 92) vehemently defends women s capacity to rival male prowess in traditionally male-dominated spheres. And her open criticism of women s lack of education is echoed in the plights of various female characters who must depend on unreliable men.

First published in 1581, Floridoro remains a vivacious and inventive narrative by a singular poet.