Jerusalem Delivered
'Jerusalem Delivered ' Summary
The poem, which in detail bears almost no resemblance to the actual history or cultural setting of the Crusades, tells of the initial disunity and setbacks of the Christians and their ultimate success in taking Jerusalem in 1099. The main historical leaders of the First Crusade feature, but much of the poem is concerned with romantic sub-plots involving entirely fictional characters, except for Tancredi, who is identified with the historical Tancred, Prince of Galilee. The three main female characters begin as Muslims, have romantic entanglements with Christian knights, and are eventually converted to Christianity. They are all women of action: two of them fight in battles, and the third is a sorceress. There are many magical elements, and the Saracens often act as though they were classical pagans. The most famous episodes, and those most often dramatised and painted, include the following:
Sofronia (in English: Sophronia), a Christian maiden of Jerusalem, accuses herself of a crime in order to avert a general massacre of the Christians by the Muslim king. In an attempt to save her, her lover Olindo accuses himself in turn, and each lover pleads with the authorities in order to save the other. However, it is the arrival and intervention of the warrior-maiden Clorinda which saves them (Canto 2).
Book Details
Author
Torquato Tasso
Italy
Torquato Tasso was an Italian poet of the 16th century, known for his 1591 poem Gerusalemme liberata (Jerusalem Delivered), in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between Chri...
More on Torquato TassoDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
Bill & Doreen's Married Life by C. J. Dennis
"Bill and Doreen's Married Life" is a hilarious and heartwarming account of the ups and downs of married life. Bill and Doreen are a young couple who...
The World’s Story Volume III: Egypt, Africa and Arabia by Eva March Tappan
A journey through the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Africa, and Arabia awaits you in this captivating book. The World's Story Volume III: Egypt, A...
Sea Drift from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
In the swirling depths of Walt Whitman's poetic seascape, "Sea Drift" emerges like a mesmerizing tempest, inviting you to journey through the essence...
Midsummer Noon by Charles Hamilton Musgrove
The poem describes the heat and stillness of a summer afternoon, and the author uses his words to paint a picture of a tranquil and peaceful world. Th...
Man Carrying Bale by Harold Monro
Feel the weight of the bale on the porter's shoulders, and the rhythm of his steps, as Harold Monro's poem "Man Carrying Bale" brings to life the simp...
Grandma Janice's Poems and Stories by Various
The poems and stories in this collection were selected with the reader’s grandchildren in mind. “The Raggedy Man” and “Little Orphant Annie,” both by...
A Commonplace Day by Thomas Hardy
It features some of Hardy's earliest works and showcases his literary talents in their earliest form. The book's title, "A Commonplace Day," reflects...
Shelley: Selected Poems and Prose by Percy Bysshe Shelley
The English Romantic Period in literature featured a towering group of excellent poets: Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley and Keats. If we add in...
The Junior Classics Volume 10, part 2: Poems Old and New by William Patten
The order of the poems have been arranged according to age from first through eight grade. Grades I – IV are contained in part 1. This collection of p...
Machine-Room Chants by Tom Maguire
Tom Maguire was a trade union organiser from Yorkshire of Irish descent whose poetry reflects his socialist beliefs. This volume was published posthum...
Reviews for Jerusalem Delivered
No reviews posted or approved, yet...