Orlando

Orlando is born into a rich family. Both his father and grandfather fought against the Moors, and they have heads of the Moors they killed in their attic. At the beginning of the book, a fifteen-year-old Orlando plays among the heads, pretending he is also a soldier. However, war is not suitable for Orlando. His incredible looks and particularly his shapely legs greatly attract women to him. His first admirer, Queen Elizabeth, takes him into her court. She sees him more of a son than a lover, and cannot bear to send him to war, so she keeps him close to her side. Consequently, Orlando develops his main hobby of reading and writing. This hobby is hard to keep going because Elizabethan society does not see writing as a worthy pastime for nobleman. However, his melancholy and reflective moods, apparent throughout, means his personality lends itself to such...