Ambiguity in Reason in Orlando FuriosoAriosto addresses an underlying battle between reason and lust in Orlando Furioso, similar to the clash between duty and desires in the Aeneid of Virgil, but opposite in interpretation. Virgil presents the message that duty trumps desires, while Ariosto shows the opposite effect when he equates reason, rules and authority with duty, and love, passion and lust to desire. The “brave steed” represents Lust who will not stop fighting to achieve her goals and cannot be gently coerced from her leadership. Reason rarely triumphs over lust once it is put into action; once “tasted”, you can no longer forget it. Bradamant is torn between lust and reason when she must choose between her desires for Ruggiero and her filial duties. Aymon and Beatrice represent authority, thus setting the tone for reason; but Rinaldo, Bradamant and Ruggiero contest their supremacy. Ariosto ultimately questions the validity of authoritative reason since Bradamant must thwart his filial duty and pursue his own passions to fulfill his destiny. When Rinaldo promises Bradamant's hand in marriage to Ruggiero, controversy surfaces. Rinaldo feels indebted to Ruggiero for his great deeds, including saving the lives of Richardet, Maugis and Vivian. Rinaldo has only good intentions in mind when he takes his stand, and "[he] sincerely [believes] that Aymon [will] be happy to contract such a kinship." (44.11) However, his prediction turns out to be wrong; Aymon receives the news with anger. Not only does he have his own plans for Bradamant's future, but he is furious that Rinaldo "[dares] marry his daughter without consulting him" (44.36). Aymon prefers to give the hand of Bradamant to Constantine's son, Leo, because he has the great...... middle of paper ...... duty expressed through Merlin's prophecy. If we follow the reason of authority, this goal would never have been achieved, but if we rely on the reason of the heart, it is. Ariosto suggests that rules are refined rather than broken when they are broken, because the authority that implements them may be less valid than the passions that drive the "counteraction." The student may wish to begin the article with the quote below: “A courageous steed often allows himself to be held back from a gallop, even if the hand is gentle on the reins. However, it is rare for the bridle of Reason to stop raging Lust once it scents its prey. He's like a bear: there's no need to distract him from the honey once he's sniffed it or tasted a drop left in the jar. (Canto 11.1)Works citedAriosto. Orlando Furioso. Trans. Waldman. New York: Oxford University Press, 1983