What are the characteristics of the Song of Roland?
- Roland. The Happy HeroRoland—that cocky, pious, stubborn, emotional knight—is a variation on the classic tragic hero: well-born, well-loved, and headed straight for disaster.
- Charlemagne.
- Oliver.
- Marsile.
- Ganelon.
- Turpin, Archbishop of Rheims.
- Duke Naimes.
- Blancandrin.
Full Answer
How is Roland described in the song of Roland?
Roland receives brief mention in Einhard's account of the massacre at Roncesvalles. The Song of Roland transforms him into an epic hero, a model of knighthood for the new era of the Crusades. Roland is hot-tempered and bold, which wins both criticism and praise from his friends.
What are the character traits of King Roland?
Strong, courageous, and honorable he is loved by his king, Charlemagne, and worshipped by his men. He has only one enemy, his stepfather, Ganelon. When given the chance Ganelon betrays his king, his country and his people to take revenge on Roland.
Who are the main characters in the song of Roland?
Principal characters. Oliver, Roland's friend; mortally wounded by Margarice. He represents wisdom. Roland, the hero of the Song; nephew of Charlemagne; leads the rear guard of the French forces; bursts his temples by blowing his olifant-horn, wounds from which he eventually dies facing the enemy's land.
How many lines of poetry are in the song of Roland?
The Song of Roland. The final text has about 4,000 lines of poetry. The epic poem is the first and, along with The Poem of the Cid, one of the most outstanding examples of the chanson de geste, a literary form that flourished between the 11th and 15th centuries and celebrated legendary deeds.
What is the characteristic of Charlemagne in The Song of Roland?
Historically, Charlemagne (742?-814), was king of the Franks and a committed, militant Christian. A loyal ally of the pope and a great conqueror, he forced conversions as he expanded the boundaries of his empire outward from his central territory, straddling present-day France and Germany.
What is the main idea of The Song of Roland?
Written at the time of the First Crusade to the Holy Lands at the end of the 11th century, The Song of Roland reflects the fight between Christianity and Islam, or good and evil. The poem glorifies Christianity and its defeat over Islam, with the intention of encouraging Christians during the Crusades.
What are the four main subjects of The Song of Roland?
The Song of Roland ThemesChristianity vs. Paganism. ... The Ideal King. Although Charlemayn's nephew Count Roland is the hero of the epic poem, Charlemayn (King of the Franks and later Roman Emperor) is by far its overshadowing figure. ... Loyalty, Honor, and Chivalry. ... Treachery vs.
Who are the characters in the French epic Song of Roland?
Characters in The Song of Roland Aude: Roland's fiancé and Oliver's sister. Baligant: The Emir of Babylon or Cairo. Blancandrin: Advisor to Marsile. Bramimonde: Queen and wife to Marsile.
What does The Song of Roland teach us about God?
In the 'Song of Roland', Charlemagne's eternal loyalty lies toward God, for whom Charlemagne is the vassal, and the others the vassals for Charlemagne. His thinking lies around the notion that God can make a decision towards punishing or rewarding someone on the basis of how loyal one is.
What does The Song of Roland teach us about loyalty?
By portraying Roland as a flawed yet unfailingly loyal and beloved figure, the poet suggests that although a chivalrous knight may be susceptible to rashness and pride, his character is most truly revealed by his loyalty unto death.
What genre is The Song of Roland?
Epic PoetryEpic Poetry; Tragedy The Song of Roland belongs to the epic genre: long poems that tell the adventures of heroic or legendary figures. Clocking in at 291 stanzas, the Song of Roland tells the story of both heroic (Roland, Charlemagne) and legendary figures (Oliver).
What is Roland's tragic flaw?
Ganelon concludes that "his madness will surely bring him to ruin" (29.389)—the madness of arrogance, of loving war and its glory too much. Oliver, Roland's BFF, also thinks Roland is flawed, but he thinks Roland is rash and unrea-sonable rather than arrogant.
Why is it called The Song of Roland?
Like other chansons de geste—this term is French for "song of deeds" and refers to the epic poems of the Middle Ages recounting the exploits of heroes like Charlemagne, Guillaume, and Girart—The Song of Roland is divided into verse paragraphs of varying length called laisses.
Who is the hero in The Song of Roland?
RolandRoland, nephew of the emperor Charlemagne and leader of the rearguard in his army, is the most renowned hero of the tradition of epic in the Romance languages. He is the hero, of course, of the Song of Roland , which has survived in seven substantial versions.
Was Roland a real person?
Roland (pronounced [ʁɔ. lɑ̃]; Old Frankish: *Hrōþiland; Medieval Latin: Hruodlandus or Rotholandus; Italian: Orlando or Rolando; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France.
How is Roland a hero?
So, in a way, Roland may be considered a true hero, because of his nobility and chivalry. He proves to be a somewhat honorable warrior and a very charismatic person. He is also adored by the public for his treatment of the common people, is seen as a hero in their eyes, and in the eyes of the author.
Who is Roland's friend?
Oliver. Oliver is Roland ’s most faithful friend and a fellow knight. He is among those appointed to the rear-guard at the Roncevaux Pass alongside Roland. He is prudent and wise, advising Roland to blow his… read analysis of Oliver.
Who is the Count Roland?
Count Roland. Roland, a mighty baron of France, is Charlemayn ’s nephew and Ganelon ’s stepson. He is the bravest of knights, but also reckless and rash. At the beginning of the poem, he favors ongoing war… read analysis of Count Roland.
Who is Baligant in The Song of Roland LitChart?
Baligant. Baligant is the emir of Babylon, whose help Marsilion requested seven years earlier. After Charlemayn chases the Saracens back to Saragossa, Baligant finally arrives with his massive navy to face Charlemayn on the dying Marsilion’s… read analysis of Baligant. Get the entire The Song of Roland LitChart as a printable PDF.
Who is Marsilion in the poem?
Marsilion, the king of pagan/“Paynim” (Saracen) Spain, is also called “Marsile” throughout the poem. He reigns at Saragossa with his wife, Queen Bramimond. He is a rash, hot-tempered king. Instead of submitting to Frankish… read analysis of King Marsilion
Who holds the Roncevaux Pass?
Along with Roland, Oliver, and Archbishop Turpin, Count Walter Hum is appointed to the rear-guard which holds the Roncevaux Pass. He is one of the last three men standing at the Pass before Charlemayn arrives. Thierry.
Who is Charlemagne in the poem?
Emperor Charlemayn / Carlon / Charles. Charlemagne, spelled “Charlemayn” in Sayers’s text, is also frequently called “Carlon” or “Charles” throughout the poem. He is the emperor of the Franks, or French, whose capital is at Aix. Charlemayn is described as having… read analysis of Emperor Charlemayn / Carlon / Charles.
Who killed Adelroth in the Ambush of the Franks?
Adelroth is King Marsilion ’s nephew. He requests and is granted the honor of striking the first blow in the ambush of the Franks, but he is swiftly killed by Roland . Valdabron. Marsilion ’s godfather and a particularly vicious Saracen who’s committed sacrilege in Jerusalem.
What is the song of Roland?
The Song of Roland ( French: La Chanson de Roland) is an 11th-century epic poem ( chanson de geste) based on Roland and the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778, during the reign of Charlemagne. It is the oldest surviving major work of French literature and exists in various manuscript versions, which testify to its enormous ...
How did the Song of Roland differ from other versions?
Scholarly consensus has long accepted that The Song of Roland differed in its presentation depending on oral or textual transmission; namely, although a number of different versions of the song containing varying material and episodes would have been performed orally, the transmission to manuscript resulted in greater cohesiveness across versions.
What does Archbishop Turpin tell Roland to do?
However, Archbishop Turpin intervenes and tells them that the battle will be fatal for all of them and so instructs Roland to blow his horn oliphant (the word is an old alternative to "elephant", and was used to refer to a hunting horn made from an elephant tusk) to call for help from the Frankish army.
What is the most famous opera of Haydn's life?
Joseph Haydn and Nunziato Porta's opera, Orlando Paladino (1782), the most popular of Haydn's operas during his lifetime, is based loosely on The Song of Roland via Ariosto's version, as are Antonio Vivaldi and Grazio Braccioli 's 1727 opera and their earlier 1714 version.
Where is the Song of Roland manuscript?
Although set in the Carolingian era, The Song of Roland was written much later. There is a single extant manuscript of the Song of Roland in Old French, held at the Bodleian Library at Oxford. This copy dates between 1129 and 1165 and was written in Anglo-Norman.
Is Rinaldo the same as Ronald?
Rinaldo is, of course, the Italian equivalent of Ronald. Flying through the air on the back of a magic bird is equivalent to flying on a magic hippogriff . On July 22, 2017, Michael Eging and Steve Arnold released a novel, The Silver Horn Echoes: A Song of Roland, inspired by the La Chanson de Roland.
Who is the hero of the song?
He represents wisdom. Roland, the hero of the Song; nephew of Charlemagne; leads the rear guard of the French forces; bursts his temples by blowing his olifant-horn, wounds from which he eventually dies facing the enemy's land. Turpin, Archbishop of Rheims, represents the force of the Church.
What is the meaning of the song of Roland?
Written at the time of the First Crusade to the Holy Lands at the end of the 11th century, The Song of Roland reflects the fight between Christianity and Islam, or good and evil. The poem glorifies Christianity and its defeat over Islam, with the intention of encouraging Christians during the Crusades. The narrator's bias towards the Frankish ...
What is the song of Roland?
The Song of Roland is considered a chanson de geste, or song of deeds, that dates from around 1100. French epic poems like The Song of Roland were inspired by historical events and celebrated heroic deeds, particularly military accomplishments from the time of Charlemagne.
Why does Roland refuse to follow the advice of the wise Olivier?
Roland refuses to follow the advice of the wise Olivier out of pride. This is a fatal mistake, however, and the Saracens crush Roland's forces.
What are laisses in a poem?
The stanzas in this medieval poem, as well as other medieval epic poems, are called laisses. The laisses don't follow a rhyming pattern but are characterized by repetition and parallelisms.
What language is the song of Roland written in?
The language of The Song of Roland is an older form of French, which does not always resemble the French language of today. The author of The Song of Roland is thought to be a poet named Turold.
What role does Turpin play in the Middle Ages?
Yet Turpin also plays a leading role in battle as he engages in fighting and is even killed in battle. He represents the militant role of the clergy, reflecting their role during the Christian Crusades during the Middle Ages. The Song of Roland: Characters. Roland.
Who is Roland's stepfather?
Ganelon, Roland's stepfather, betrays Roland and the rear guard of Charlemagne's army. He is driven by his anger and resentment towards Roland. He vows vengeance when Roland nominates him to represent Charlemagne in peace talks with Marsile. Marsile.
Who is Roland in the Song of Roland?
In The Song of Roland, however, he is the hero. He is one of the twelve peers of France, Charlemagne's nephew and favorite, a skillful and extremely bold warrior and understands the Frankish campaign in Spain as a crusade, allowing no compromise with the Saracens. His sometimes showy boldness and his great popularity among the Franks and success on the battlefield arouse the venomous resentment of his stepfather, Ganelon, who arranges with the Saracens the ambush at Roncesvals. He dies a martyr's death at Roncesvals and is directly taken up to Paradise by saints and angels. The rest of the poem recounts how Charlemagne avenges his death.
Who is the last person to die besides Roland?
He is the last to die besides Roland; when he sees Roland faint, Turpin tenderly sets out for a stream to fetch some water for his dear comrade, but, mortally wounded, he falls down dead before reaching the water. Along with Olivier and Roland, he is taken by Charlemagne's men back to France for burial.
What did Blancandrin do to Ganelon?
His vassal Blancandrin plans with Ganelon the ambush at Roncesvals and death of Roland. While Roland does die that day, he brings a handsome price beforehand, chopping off Marsilla's right hand. Badly weakened by this wound, Marsilla dies of grief when he hears of Baligant's defeat.
What does Ganelon vow to do when Roland nominates him as messenger to the Saracens?
When Roland nominates him as messenger to the Saracens, Ganelon is so deeply offended that he vows vengeance. This vengeance becomes treachery as Ganelon plots with the pagan Blancandrin the ambush at Roncesvals.
Who did Marsilla send to help Charlemagne?
At the beginning of Charlemagne's campaign in Spain, Marsilla sends for help from Baligant, the emir of Babylon and the noblest that Islam has to offer. Years later, Baligant finally arrives with an enormous army and sets out to give Charlemagne battle. Charlemagne and he are evenly matched as far as skill and strength go, but, because of a light touch of angelic intervention, Charlemagne is able to kill Baligant, thus avenging Roland and conquering Spain at a stroke.
Who is the dissenting voice at the council of barons convened to judge Ganelon
Thierry is the single dissenting voice at the council of barons convened to judge Ganelon. While the others urge that Ganelon be acquitted and allowed to continue serving Charlemagne, Thierry argues that, because Roland should have been immune from personal attacks while he was in Charlemagne's service, Ganelon's action was not private vengeance but a betrayal of the emperor. Ganelon's friend Pinabel then challenges him to trial-by-combat. Pinabel is the mightier warrior, but God intervenes to allow Thierry victory. From this proof of God's judgment of the matter, the Franks realize that Ganelon is the basest traitor and kill him.
Who was the most perfect Christian king?
After his death, he became legendary; it is this legendary Charlemagne, the most perfect Christian king, symbol of the spirit of the Crusades, and favorite of heaven, who is presented in The Song of Roland as leader ...
What is the song of Roland?
Like other chansons de geste —this term is French for "song of deeds" and refers to the epic poems of the Middle Ages recounting the exploits of heroes like Charlemagne, Guillaume, and Girart— The Song of Roland is divided into verse paragraphs of varying length called laisses. Many of the poetic features of The Song of Roland are lost when it is translated from the dialect of Old French in which it was composed. The first laisse, in the original, may serve to demonstrate these features:
How is the Song of Roland structured?
The Song of Roland is structured so as to be symmetrical through and through. The poem is centered around four great scenes which balance each other perfectly. At the very beginning we have Ganelon's crime; at the very end we have his punishment. Around the center, Roland's martyrdom and Charlemagne's vengeance face and mirror each other, both taking the shape of great battles, presented in a parallel order, at Roncesvals. Ganelon's successful treachery and Roland's early death temporarily set the scales of good and evil askew; the events of the rest of the poem then set them right.
What is Roland's pride in the Roncesvals massacre?
Up to a point, this seems to work. Roland seems to be in the situation of the tragic hero ; it is his pride that causes him not to blow the oliphant and call back Charlemagne's troops before it is too late .
Who is Roland's closest comrade?
Roland's closest comrade, Olivier, is a fine and noble man, and he does not make the mistakes of pride that Roland does—"Roland is bold, Olivier is wise" (87.1093)—but he lacks the great passion, and thus the great heroism and the great reward, of Roland, who goes in the end beyond wisdom. Previous section Laisses 290-291.
What is the good in the medieval world view?
The good, in the medieval world-view, will always triumph in the end; this is the inevitable result of a good and all-powerful God who takes a real interest in human events. The characters clearly have free will; God didn't step down and stop Ganelon's dastardly plot before it took lethal effect.
What is Roland's role in the Song of Roland?
The Song of Roland transforms him into an epic hero, a model of knighthood for the new era of the Crusades. Roland is hot-tempered and bold, which wins both criticism and praise from his friends. He is Charlemagne's nephew and right-hand man, and he has conquered vast lands for his liege lord. So important is he to Charlemagne's efforts that Ganelon promises the Saracens that Charlemagne will lose the will to fight if Roland dies. Roland also refuses, from the beginning, to negotiate with the Saracens. He sees the war against Islam as being a question of religious obligation. He is bold, but not prudent or wise. Arguably, his decision not to blow the oliphant early in the battle at Rencesvals leads to the deaths of twenty thousand men, among whom are the very dearest of his friends. And yet he is undeniably the poems most glamorous hero. His death scene is one of the most powerful and memorable scenes in French literature, and his soul is escorted to heaven by saints and angels.
Who was Charlemagne in the Song of Roland?
Historically, Charlemagne (742?-814) was a Frankish king who defended Christendom and expanded its borders. In The Song of Roland he is made larger than life, a hale warrior more than two centuries old who wearily continues to battle against paganism. Some have argued that the poem should be called The Song of Charlemagne, as the second half of the poem is devoted to Charlemagne's revenge and the completion of his conquest of Spain. At times in the poem, Charlemagne is a combination of incredible majesty and touching vulnerability. He is arguably the most developed character of the poem, a man of unflagging faith and loyalty who nonetheless is weary of war and loss.
What did Ganelon promise the Saracens?
So important is he to Charlemagne's efforts that Ganelon promises the Saracens that Charlemagne will lose the will to fight if Roland dies. Roland also refuses, from the beginning, to negotiate with the Saracens. He sees the war against Islam as being a question of religious obligation.
What is Ganelon's resentment of Roland?
Ganelon has a deep resentment of Roland that is never completely explained in the poem. Certainly jealousy plays a factor, as we see that Charlemagne treasures Roland the twelve peers while considering Ganelon to be expendable. He conspires with the Saracens to kill Roland and the whole rearguard.
What does prudence lead to in Charlemagne?
His prudence leads him into some bad decisions: he urges mercy for Marsile, and encourages diplomatic negotiations with the Saracens. He is cool-headed, but not cold: on witnessing the carnage at Rencesvals, he is collected enough to comfort Charlemagne and remind him of his duties.
What is Charlemagne's most developed character?
At times in the poem, Charlemagne is a combination of incredible majesty and touching vulnerability. He is arguably the most developed character of the poem, a man of unflagging faith and loyalty who nonetheless is weary of war and loss.
Who is Roland's best friend?
Oliver. Roland's best friend and brother-in-law. Oliver is wise and prudent, less glamorous then Roland but far more intelligent. He and Roland argue angrily about Roland's command decisions at Rencesvals, and Oliver 's advice probably would have saved the rearguard.
Overview
The Song of Roland (French: La Chanson de Roland) is an 11th-century chanson de geste based on the Frankish military leader Roland at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778, during the reign of Charlemagne. It is the oldest surviving major work of French literature. It exists in various manuscript versions, which testify to its enormous and enduring popularity from the 12th to 16th centuries.
Manuscripts and dating
Although set in the Carolingian era, The Song of Roland was written much later. There is a single extant manuscript of the Song of Roland in Old French, held at the Bodleian Library at Oxford. This copy dates between 1129 and 1165 and was written in Anglo-Norman. There are also eight further manuscripts, and three fragments, of other poems on the subject of Roland.
Critical opinions
Scholarly consensus has long accepted that The Song of Roland differed in its presentation depending on oral or textual transmission; namely, although a number of different versions of the song containing varying material and episodes would have been performed orally, the transmission to manuscript resulted in greater cohesiveness across versions.
Early editors of The Song of Roland, informed in part by patriotic desires to produce a distinctly …
Plot
From a historical perspective, the Song of Roland's account of the Battle of Roncesvalles is impossible. According to Einhard's Vita Karoli Magni, written in the late eighth century, the antagonists are Basques who were incited to attack Charlemagne's army to avenge the looting of Pamplona. The following is what is depicted in the poem itself, not subsequent historical accounts.
Form
The song is written in stanzas of irregular length known as laisses. The lines are decasyllabic (containing ten syllables), and each is divided by a strong caesura which generally falls after the fourth syllable. The last stressed syllable of each line in a laisse has the same vowel sound as every other end-syllable in that laisse. The laisse is therefore an assonal, not a rhyming stanza.
Characters
• Baligant, emir of Babylon; Marsile enlists his help against Charlemagne.
• Blancandrin, wise pagan; suggests bribing Charlemagne out of Spain with hostages and gifts, and then suggests dishonouring a promise to allow Marsile's baptism.
• Bramimonde, Queen of Zaragoza, King Marsile's wife; captured and converted by Charlemagne after the city falls.
Durandal
According to the Song of Roland, the legendary sword called Durandal was first given to Charlemagne by an angel. It contained one tooth of Saint Peter, blood of Saint Basil, hair of Saint Denis, and a piece of the raiment of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and was supposedly the sharpest sword in all existence. In the story of the Song of Roland, the weapon is given to Roland, and he uses it to defend hi…
Historical adaptations
A Latin poem, Carmen de Prodicione Guenonis, was composed around 1120, and a Latin prose version, Historia Caroli Magni (often known as "The Pseudo-Turpin") even earlier. Around 1170, a version of the French poem was translated into the Middle High German Rolandslied by Konrad der Pfaffe (formerly thought to have been the author of the Kaiserchronik). In his translation Konrad replaces French topics with generically Christian ones. The work was translated into Middle Dutch in …