Florante At Laura Full English Version
Florante at Laura is a classic Filipino epic poem written by Francisco Balagtas in the 19th century. It tells the story of Florante, a prince of Albania, and Laura, a princess of Crotona, who face various trials and tribulations in their love and their homeland. The poem is considered as one of the masterpieces of Philippine literature and a reflection of the author's own life and struggles.
Florante At Laura Full English Version
Background and Summary
Florante at Laura was written by Francisco Balagtas, also known as Francisco Baltazar, during his imprisonment in Manila in the 1830s. He dedicated the poem to his former sweetheart Maria Asuncion Rivera, whom he nicknamed "M.A.R." and "Selya" in the poem. Balagtas was accused of kidnapping and injuring a maid named Mariana by his rival Mariano Capule, who married Rivera. Balagtas used the characters and events in the poem as allegories for his own situation and the political and social issues of his time.
The poem is written in Tagalog using the awit form, which consists of four-line stanzas with twelve syllables per line and an assonantal rhyme scheme of AAAA. The poem has 399 stanzas, divided into 12 cantos. The original title of the poem was Pinagdaanang Buhay ni Florante at ni Laura sa Kahariang Albanya: Kinuha sa madlang "cuadro histÃrico" o pinturang nagsasabi sa mga nangyayari nang unang panahon sa Imperyo ng Gresya, at tinula ng isang matuwain sa bersong Tagalog (The History of Florante and Laura in the Kingdom of Albania: Adapted from various "historical paintings" or pictures that tell of what happened in ancient times in the Empire of Greece, and versified by one who wishes to be merry in Tagalog verses). However, it is more commonly known as Florante at Laura for brevity.
The summary of the poem is as follows:
The poem begins with Florante, the son of Duke Briseo and Princess Floresca of Albania, being tied to a tree in a dark forest, where he laments his misfortunes and recalls his past. He was almost killed by a vulture as a baby, but was saved by his cousin Menalipo. He was sent to Athens to study under Antenor, where he met Adolfo, a fellow student who became his rival. He also befriended Menandro, who saved him from Adolfo's attempt to kill him. He received news of his mother's death and returned to Albania with Menandro. He became a general and helped Crotona against the Persians, where he met and fell in love with Laura, the daughter of King Linceo. He also fought against other enemies, such as Aladin, a Moorish prince who invaded Albania, and Miramolin, a Turkish emperor who allied with Aladin.
Meanwhile, Aladin, who was wandering in the forest after being betrayed by his father Sultan Ali-Adab and his beloved Flerida, heard Florante's voice and decided to rescue him from two lions that were about to attack him. He nursed Florante back to health and listened to his story. He then revealed his own identity and story to Florante. He was the son of Sultan Ali-Adab of Persia, who arranged his marriage with Flerida, a princess of Arabia. However, Flerida loved Aladin and ran away with him. They were pursued by Ali-Adab's army and separated. Aladin joined Miramolin's forces and attacked Albania, where he met Florante.
As they were talking, they heard two voices nearby. They saw Laura and Flerida, who were also in the forest. Flerida had escaped from Persia and found Laura being harassed by Adolfo, who had usurped the throne of Albania and captured Florante's father. Flerida shot Adolfo with an arrow and saved Laura. Laura told them how Adolfo had forged her father's signature to arrest Florante and how he had forced her to marry him. She also said that she had remained faithful to Florante despite his absence.
Florante and Aladin were overjoyed to see their lovers alive and loyal. They embraced each other and reconciled their differences. They were then joined by Menandro and his army, who had followed Florante's trail. They marched to Albania and defeated Adolfo's forces. Florante and Laura were reunited with their fathers and crowned as the rulers of Albania. Aladin and Flerida converted to Christianity and returned to Persia, where they became the rulers after Ali-Adab's death.
Themes and Significance
Florante at Laura explores various themes, such as love, patriotism, justice, faith, and friendship. It also depicts the conflicts between Christians and Muslims, Greeks and Turks, and Filipinos and Spaniards. The poem reflects Balagtas' critique of the colonial oppression and corruption in the Philippines under Spanish rule. He also expressed his admiration for the Greek civilization and culture, which he considered as a source of inspiration and enlightenment.
Florante at Laura is regarded as one of the most influential works in Philippine literature. It has been translated into various languages, such as English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic. It has also been adapted into different forms of media, such as theater, film, television, comics, and music. The poem has inspired many Filipino writers and artists, such as Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Emilio Jacinto, Lope K. Santos, Nick Joaquin, Rolando Tinio, Bienvenido Lumbera, Virgilio Almario, Ryan Cayabyab, and Gloc-9. The poem has also become a part of the Philippine educational curriculum and culture.
References
[Florante at Laura - Wikipedia]
[Florante at Laura - Buod (Summary) - Tagalog Lang]
[Florante at Laura (English Summary) - Tagalog Lang]
[Florante at Laura Summary Artes en littera Shakespearience]
[Florante at Laura is a shorter version of its original title, written ...]
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