That isn't a typo-- Biss means bite! Chomp Chomp. Puns that I make are not really funny. Sorry.
Jeremy and I spent the weekend gardening and cooking-- Germany is indeed the place for non-stop excitement. We are waiting for Spring when we can sit out on our balcony or have picnics or go on a bike ride to Bonn... But at least we didn't have 20 inches of snow like in Columbus!!
Our garden is looking pretty super, now!
Here you can see my attempt to train the ivy to grow up the wall and hide its infernal ugliness. Scotch tape is the preferred method, right? Up above you can see our hanging basket of strawberry goodness. The tomato and zucchini plants are still inside so that they can grow big and strong.If anyone is interested in German cookery, I could translate the recipe for "Königsberger Klopse" (i.e. meatballs) for you. The sauce was yummy...
Take a look and let me know.
Meathands!
I have been struggling to read Orlando Furioso-- you, know the Italian 16th century fave about the time of Charlemagne. When the pagans and Christians are not hacking each other to death-- some one is always splitting someone else down to the belly, slashing through the armour like butter and such, making the Seine red with blood-- some poor virgin's clothes have come off because of a sea monster or a magician. All this might sound fab, but there are about 10 different threads to the story and 570 pages of Teeny Tiny Type. My all time favorite bit so far is about some Amazon Island that our gallant knights were shipwrecked upon-- in order to not be killed or enslaved, one knight would have to best 10 men and then please 10 women in bed. In the same day. Of course, among the shipwrecked knights, the one woman (she is ferocious with the lance) drew the straw to fight for her comrades' freedom. About 18 different double entendres followed about being 'unable to perform in the second joust'. She triumphed, but not in that way...
7 comments:
bah! ha ha! now see, I would've gotten into 16th century literature if I knew it had all THAT! I will see if I can find a strawberry basket too, the height of the thing looks doable with all the little bunny foo foos running around here. that reminds me, might I point you to my favorite Peep website for easter? http://www.peepresearch.org/surgery.html
ja!! The peeps thing is completely hilarious. The stapler is pure genius.
There is indeed a lot of squealing in disbelief as I read Orlando Furioso...
Please bring your meathands to me and make some yummy food!
570 pages of teeny tiny type, eh?
It sounds like you are reading the Guido Waldman version.
You might try picking up Barbara Reynolds' translation and see if that is easier for you to read.
They are different. Reynolds kept the poetic format whereas Waldman did not.
I did not realize that there was a prose translation when I started reading the epic poem. It was only later after reading both volumes of Reynolds' work did I discover the one by Waldman.
Frankly, I prefer Reynolds since it feels more like reading a poem. It also has a lot more white space which I find easier on the eyes.
I agree with your amusement at the some of the descriptions in the poem. You should remember that this was originally written to be performed in front of an audience, so when two knights are fighting - it is likely that Ariosto said that never before was there such a battle between two more evenly matched warriors.
I became irritated when every beautiful woman was blonde and blue eyed, as if no brunette could be considered pretty.
My favorite plot thread of the myriad of subplots was the love story of Bradamante and Ruggiero. Now that is a love story!
Oh and if you really want to understand this whole story, you should consider reading its predecessor: Orlando Innamorato by Matteo Maria Boiardo. There is now an unabridged translation by Charles Stanley Ross available through Parlor Press.
It's a good read, but that classic has largely been forgotten over the years. Oh and BTW, there is a movie being made about the legends of Charlemagne titled, "Love and Virtue" due out later this year.
Hi!
You are correct, I am reading the Guido Waldman version! It was given to me, otherwise I am not sure that I would have picked this particular translation. I recently delved into the Hollander poetry translation of The Inferno, and I found that so satisfying (although it is a bit apples and oranges to compare Orlando Furioso and The Inferno!)
Thanks a lot for the tip. Does the Reynolds version have footnotes at the end of the cantos?
I am reading this because I will be working as assistant director for Handel's opera Orlando at the Göttingen Händelfestspiele. So in addition to enjoying the push and pull between sexism and feminism, it has been fascinating to discover the characters from various baroque operas in their older incarnations.
I will have to be on the lookout for that movie. Hopefully, It will make it to Germany!
Sarah,
Yes, Barbara Reynolds does have detailed notes and an index of all the characters and the various cantos they appear.
One word of warning though, try not to read her lists of characters and devices as it contains plot spoilers.
Here's a link to the official website of the movie, but it has not been updated in about a year.
www.fountainoflifeproductions.com/
No date has been announced for when it will be available, but it appears that they have actually begun filming.
I'm actually in the process of adapting both Orlando Innamorato and Orlando Furioso into modern novels, so I'm culling that which I find boring (like the loooong listings of the generations of the house of Este) or many side adventures that deviate from the plot of Bradamante and Ruggiero.
Good luck with your production.
I've avoided watching the various operas as I want my adaptation to be based on my own reaction to the source material and no one else's artistic vision.
Cheers!
Linda
Dear Linda,
That sounds like quite a project-- turning the Orlandos into modern novels!
I have to say that I also love the injections of the opinions of the author-- his advice about love, mainly. I find the "breaking of the fourth wall" so charming in this epic poem setting.
I just finished the bit where Ruggerio rescues Bradamant's twin brother. I think the French bedroom farce definitely stemmed from that scene!
Sarah
Post a Comment