The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
c. 1490-c. 1546
Spanish soldier who became the first European to explore the Amazon River. Orellana, who served with Francisco Pizarro (c. 1475-1541) during the latter's conquest of Peru in 1535, in 1541 led the advance party for an expedition under Pizarro's half-brother Gonzalo (1502?-1548) to explore regions east of what is now Ecuador. He ended up drifting down the Amazon with 50 soldiers, and after reaching the mouth of the river (1542) and returning to Spain, told stories of attacks by armed women. The latter he compared to the Amazons of Greek mythology—hence the river's name. A second expedition to the region was a monstrous failure, and Orellana drowned as his ship attempted to enter the mouth of the river.