Canto XLII

This essay focuses upon a reading of canto XLII. This canto, whose themes are anger and jealousy, contains six sequences that display a fundamental opposition between Orlando and Rinaldo. The first part of the canto traces the triple duel development on the island of Lipadusa as well as its end. Additionally, it shows the enraged Orlando facing and killing his unarmed enemies Agramante and Gradasso. The second part of the canto follows the journey of Rinaldo and tells us of both his confrontation with the monster Jealousy and the “test of the cup” (“prova del nappo”) that Rinaldo is proposed to attempt. Both the beginning and the final part of canto XLII represent episodes which start and end in previous and following cantos. Between the story of the trials endured by the two Christian knights, the author’s brief return to the jealous Bradamante is a narrative pivot point. It provides, in the central part of the canto, an interpretation of the passions here portrayed that is based on the different facets of the concept of zeal.