Angelica the Strong

The character of Angelica comes from Boiardo’s Orlando Innamorato, a Renaissance epic poem that was later finished by Ariosto in Orlando Furioso. Angelica is a princess who goes to the court of Charlemagne with her brother Argalia. All of the knights fall in love with her, primarily Orlando, who later goes mad over his love for her. Argalia will only allow Angelica to marry if anyone can beat him in a joust. Argalia is killed by a Saracen knight, but the other knights fight over who actually gets to have her. Angelica is smitten with he knight Rinaldo, but Rinaldo can’t stand her. To solve this problem, Angelica drinks from the fountain of hate, and Rinaldo drinks from the fountain of love. Instead of resolving the situation, it reverses it. Angelica now is not attrachted to any men, while practically every man in Europe is in love with her. Angelica is forced to flee all around Europe, running away from her many suitors.

This text is adapted from canto VIII of Orlando Furioso, where Angelica is stranded on an island after an enchanted horse almost drowned her. This was the result of two men physically fighting over her, then a hermit coming to “save her.” At this point, she is alone, distraught, and hopeless. She has survived death and rape many times, and she is now realizing how powerless she is over her fate.