Florante at Laura

Pinagdaanang Buhay nina Florante at Laura sa Kahariang Albanya: Kinuha sa madlang "cuadro histórico" o pinturang nagsasabi sa mga nangyayari nang unang panahon sa Imperyo ng Gresya, at tinula ng isang matuwain sa bersong Tagalog (Template:Lang-en) by Francisco Baltazar (more famously known as Francisco Balagtas) is considered as one of the masterpieces of Philippine literature. Balagtas wrote the epic(although its main characters don't possess any extraordinary powers or abilities) during his imprisonment. The work itself is dedicated to María Asuncion Rivera, his sweetheart, whom he nicknamed "M. A. R." and is referenced to as "Selya" in the dedication "Kay Selya" ("For Celia"). Maria Asuncion Rivera was later married to Balagtas' rival, Mariano Capule, who later made false charges against him.

Literary Form

Florante at Laura is written in a literary form called Awit, a word which in its present usage means "song". But the literary form called Awit is a poetic form which has the following characteristics:

1. 4 lines per stanza;

2. 12 syllables per line;

3. an assonantal rhyme scheme of AAAA (in the Tagalog manner of rhyming described by José Rizal in Tagalische Verskunst);

4. a slight pause (a caesura) on the sixth syllable;

5. each stanza is usually a complete grammatically-correct sentence;

6. each stanza is full of figures of speech (according to Fernando Monleon, Balagtas used 28 types in 395 instances throughout the poem);

7. (according to the tradition during Balagtas' time,) the author remained anonymous,

8. he offered his/her poem to Maria Asuncion "Selya" Rivera (a tradition which Balagtas built upon in Kay Celia); and

9. he asked for the reader's pardon (which Balagtas does very confidently in Sa Babasa Nito).

Synopsis

The Story is about the love and determination of the Duke Florante and the Princess Laura of Albania while being pursued by The usurper Adolfo.

Plot

In the Albanian forest

The story begins deep within a dark, gloomy forest. Florante, a duke of the Kingdom of Albania is tied to a tree, lamenting the death of his father, Duke Briseo. He is driven mad by the thought that his beloved, Princess Laura, has fallen into the arms of his enemy, Count Adolfo, son of Count Sileno. Nearby, two starving lions keep watch and try to attack Florante. He is saved, just in time, by Aladin, a Persian prince who happens to be at the forest at the same time. Weak and bewildered, Florante faints.

The merciful soldier nurses Florante to health. Upon recovery, Florante is initially taken back by Aladin who he considers as an enemy due to his Islamic faith. After a few explanations are made, however, Florante is grateful and begins to tell his story.

Florante's tale

The son of a princess and a royal adviser, Florante grew up in happiness, showered with love. He liked to play games when he was six, and was almost captured by a vulture (buwitre) that entered in their mountain cottage, which was also followed by the attack of a falcon, who snatched his cupid diamond. He was saved by his cousin Menalipo, an archer from Epirus.

At the early age of 11, his parents, Duke Briseo and Princess Floresca, sent him to Athens, Greece to study under Antenor, a renowned teacher. There, he met Adolfo, a fellow countryman, the brightest student in their school. After 6 years of study, Florante surpassed Adolfo's capabilities, talents and intelligence, gaining popularity.

While acting during a school play, Adolfo attempted to kill Florante. Fortunately, Florante’s friend, Menandro, was quick enough to intervene. Adolfo headed home to Albania after his failed attempt. One year later, Florante received a letter from his father, announcing the death of his mother.

Though filled with grief, Florante waited two months before he returned home. Menandro, unwilling to be separated from him, accompanied him on his journey. Upon his arrival to Albania, an emissary of the kingdom of Crotone requested his assistance in the incoming war against the Persians. Florante had not the will to refuse, for the King of Crotone was his grandfather.

During his stay in Albania, Florante was invited to the king's palace. There, he was stunned by the sight of Laura, the daughter of King Linseo, ruler of Albania.

Coming to the aid of Crotone, Florante fought with the Persian general, Osmalik for 5 hours, finally slaying him in the end. He stayed in Crotone for 5 months before returning to Albania to see Laura. He was surprised by the sight of a Persian flag waving atop the kingdom. He recaptured the palace and saved his father, the king, and Adolfo. He also saved Laura from being beheaded from the hands of an Emir. He was declared “Defender of Albania” for his bravery, deepening Adolfo’s envy and hatred.

Florante protected the kingdom, once more, from the Turkish forces, under general Miramolin, an acclaimed conqueror. This took place in Aetolia, where he later received a letter from his father. The letter summoned him back to Albania. He left his troops in the care of his friend, Menandro. Upon returning, he was ambushed by 30,000 soldiers under Adolfo’s orders and was imprisoned for 18 days. There, he learned of the tragic fate of his father and the king. Under Adolfo’s hands, they were beheaded. Florante was then exiled into the forest and tied to the tree.

Reunion and Peace

Aladin’s speech is interrupted when they hear voices. A woman narrates her escape from a kingdom and a marriage. She speaks of her search for her beloved, a search which lasted 6 years. She shares that while deep in the forest, she heard cries for help. Finding a lady about to be raped by a man, she uses her bow and arrow to kill him. The woman introduces herself as Flerida.

The lady saved by Flerida is revealed to be Laura, who begins to tell her story. While her love was away at war, Count Adolfo gained the popularity of the people, having lied to them and turned them against the king. Count Adolfo then rose to the throne, forcing Laura to be his queen. An army under Menandro, Florante's childhood friend, was able to overthrow Adolfo from power. Adolfo, seeing all was lost, fled into the woods, taking Laura as hostage.

After hearing all this, Florante and Aladin reunite with their loved ones. Florante and Laura returned to Albania, and became king and queen. Aladin and Flerida returned to Persia, where Aladin became the new sultan as his father died due to depression and extreme sadness because Flerida had left him alone in Persia. Aladin and Flerida had been baptised. The two kingdoms lived in harmony and peace.

Characters

• Florante – a duke of Albania and the main protagonist of the novel.

• Laura – Daughter of King Linceo of Albania. She is the love interest of Florante and is later married to him.

• Countor Adolfo – Rival of Florante and the antagonist of the novel. His jealousy and envy towards Florante sparked his rebellion against the king. He was also responsible for the imprisonment of Florante. He was killed by Flerida as he attempted to rape Laura in his escape against the forces loyal to the king.

• Prince Aladin – Son of Sultan Ali-Adab of Persia. He saved Florante from being eaten by lions in the forest. Later, he marries his love interest, Flerida.

• Flerida – Aladin's fiancée. She asked Sultan Ali-Adab to spare Prince Aladin's life on the condition that she will be Ali-Adab's wife. She later escaped and killed Count Adolfo as he attempted to rape Laura in the forest.

• Duke Briseo – Father of Florante and a nobleman of Albania. He was killed, along with King Linceo, by Count Adolfo during his usurpation of power. He was a very good father to Florante.

• Princess Floresca – Mother of Florante and the Princess of Crotone. She died while Florante was studying in Athens.

• King Linceo – King of Albania and the father of Laura. A Great Ruler of Albania. He and Duke Briseo were killed by Count Adolfo during the latter's takeover.

• Sultan Ali-Adab – Sultan of Persia and the father of Prince Aladin. He sentenced his son to death because of cowardice in the battlefield. In exchange for Aladin's life, Flerida promised to marry the Sultan. After her escape, the Sultan committed suicide.

• Countor Sileno – Father of Countor Adolfo.

• Menalipo – Cousin of Florante. He saved Florante from vultures when they were younger.

• Menandro – Friend and confidant of Florante. They first met while they were studying in Athens and Menandro saved Florante from a young Adolfo's attempt to murder him. He and Florante both shared military expedition. He also led the overthrow of Count Adolfo and restored peace in Albania.

• Antenor – Professor of Florante, Menandro, and Adolfo in Athens. A good and wise teacher to Florante.

• General Osmalik – A general of Persia. He was killed by Florante during a military expedition.

• General Miramolin – A general of the Ottoman Empire. He was responsible for the invasion of Albania in order to bring the kingdom under the imperial control.

• Emir – One of the commanding officers who sacked Albania together with Aladin during the ongoing campaign of Florante and Menandro in Crotone. He nearly slew Laura for her refusal to love him but was defeated.