Floridoro

The first original chivalric poem written by an Italian woman,Floridoroimbues a strong feminist ethos into a hypermasculine genre. Dotted with the usual characteristicsdark forests, illusory palaces, enchanted islands, seductive sorceressesFloridorois 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 (155592) 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,Floridororemains a vivacious and inventive narrative by a singular poet.

Valeria Finucci is associate professor of Italian in the Department of Romance Studies at Duke University. She is the editor and translator of Giulia Bigolina’s Urania: A Romance, also published by the University of Chicago Press. Julia Kisacky is senior lecturer in Italian at Baylor University.