Jerusalem Delivered

Lore & Background

Tasso began work on the poem in the mid-1560s, originally bearing the title *Il Goffredo*. The poem's subject matter, an actual historic conflict between Christians and Muslims with fantastical elements, gave it a fixed endpoint, unlike other Renaissance epics. The three main female characters begin as Muslims, have romantic entanglements with Christian knights, and convert to Christianity. Famous episodes include the warrior-maiden Clorinda, mistakenly killed by Tancredi; the sorceress Armida, who abducts Rinaldo; and the enchantments on a forest that are broken by Rinaldo. Tasso frequently borrows plot elements and character types from Ariosto's *Orlando Furioso*, and the poem also has elements inspired by the classical epics of Homer and Virgil. A central literary device is the emotional conundrum of characters torn between heart and duty, with love at odds with martial valor or honor. Upon publication, two thousand copies sold in a day.

Reader's Guide

Jerusalem Delivered stands as a landmark of Italian Renaissance literature, blending historical crusade narrative with romantic and magical elements. Its immense popularity across Europe led to frequent adaptations in madrigals, operas, plays, ballets, and masquerades, particularly before the French Revolution. The poem's influence extended to Baroque art, with scenes of love stories—especially those involving Rinaldo and Armida—commonly depicted by Italian and French painters.

Did You Know?

• Upon publication, two thousand copies sold in a day.
• The three main female characters begin as Muslims, have romantic entanglements with Christian knights, and convert to Christianity.
• Tasso rewrote the poem as *La Gerusalemme Conquistata* after criticism, but it found little favor.