THE SONG OF ROLANDTRANSLATED BY: FREDERICK GOLDIN

Prepared By:

BALIDIONG, Mark Henry H.

ABOUT THE POEM

The Song of Roland (or La

Chanson de Roland), the earliest

surviving masterpiece of French

literature, is an epic poem written

in Old French which reached its

final form in or around the later

11th century. The Roncevaux Pass

It centres on the death of Charlemagne’s nephew

Roland at the battle of Roncevaux.

Nothing is known of the author except that his name

may have been Turoldus.

ABOUT THE POEM

The date of composition is put in the period

between 1040 and 1115: an early version

beginning around 1040 with additions and

alterations made up until about 1115.

The final text has about 4,000 lines of poetry.

The epic poem is the first and one of the most

outstanding examples of the chanson de geste,

a literary form that flourished between the 11th

and 15th centuries and celebrated the

legendary deeds.

The poem 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 (a complete

pause in a line of poetry) 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

ABOUT THE POEM

TRACING BACK OUR HISTORY …

Pope Leo crowned

Charlemagne in Rome in

Christmas Day, 800, making

him the first Western Roman

emperor in more than 300

years. As head of the Holy

Roman Empire, Charlemagne

became a figure of legend and

stories for hundreds of years.

Charlemagne

TRACING BACK OUR HISTORY …

By the time

Charlemagne died in

814, his empire (known

as the Carolingian

Empire) span almost

half of Europe,

including the present-

day France Germany,

Italy, Spain at Austria.

Europe in 814

TRACING BACK OUR HISTORY …

Feudalism was the economic, social and political system in the medieval Europe. A vassal was granted a gift of land, service, or position at court in exchange of military service.

Before Spain, or the Iberian peninsula as a whole, became a Catholic country, it was dominated by the Moors, with Islam as their religion.

Catholics at that time considered other religions as infidels and a Christian heresy.

Iberian Peninsula

THE CHARACTERS

CHARLEMAGNE

Historically, Charlemagne 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, Germany, Italy, and Austria.

In 800 he was crowned emperor by the pope,

legitimizing his rule over the former Roman empire

in western Europe.

CHARLEMAGNE

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 of

the Frankish troops and Roland's uncle and

avenger. His name means literally, "Charles the

Great."

ROLAND

He is only mentioned in passing in the historical

records, as the prefect of the Breton Marches,

among those who fell at Roncesvals

(Roncevaux). 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.

ROLAND

His sometimes showy boldness and his great

popularity among the Franks and success on

the battlefield arouse the 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.

GANELON

He is a well-respected Frankish baron and Roland's

stepfather. He resents his stepson's boastfulness and

great popularity among the Franks and success on the

battlefield. 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. At the end, justice is served

when Ganelon's comrade Pinabel is defeated in a trial-

by-combat, showing that Ganelon is a traitor in the eyes

of God. Thus Ganelon is torn limb from limb by four

fiery horses.

MARSILLA

Marsilla (or Marsilia) is the pagan king of

Saragossa, the last Spanish city to hold out

against the Frankish army. 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. Marsilla's queen, Bramimonde,

is later taken to Aix and converts to Christianity.

BLANCANDRIN

The shrewd pagan Blancandrin is one of Marsilla's

most useful vassals. He suggests that they offer

treasure, hostages, and a deceitful promise to

Charlemagne that Marsilla will come to Aix and

convert to Christianity to save their honor and

lands from the great Frankish army. Marsilla picks

him to deliver the peace offer to the Franks. He

and the Frank Ganelon then plot together the

ambush at Roncesvals and death of Roland.

BASIL AND BASAN

They were brothers and messengers of

Charlemagne who were not literally part of the

poem. Some time earlier on in Charlemagne's

Spanish campaign than the point at which The

Song of Roland begins, Marsilla had sent an

embassy of pagans carrying olive branches

over to Charlemagne with a peace offer.

Charlemagne then sent two of his counts,

Basan and Basil, over to the pagans to

negotiate and the pagans chopped off their

heads.

BASIL AND BASAN

Roland reminds the king of this incident when

urging him not to pay any attention to Marsilla's

later offer of peace; Ganelon too remembers

the two ill-fated messengers when he takes

such offense at Roland nominating him as an

envoy.

SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW

OVERVIEW

Charlemagne's army is fighting the Muslims in

Spain. The last city standing is Saragossa,

held by the Muslim king Marsilla. Terrified of

the might of Charlemagne's army of Franks,

Marsilla sends out messengers to

Charlemagne, promising treasure and

Marsilla's conversion to Christianity if the

Franks will go back to France. Charlemagne

and his men are tired of fighting and decide to

accept this peace offer.

OVERVIEW

They need now to select a messenger to

go back to Marsilla's court. The bold

warrior Roland nominates his stepfather

Ganelon. Ganelon is enraged; he fears

that he'll die in the hands of the

bloodthirsty pagans and suspects that

this is just Roland's intent. He has long

hated and envied his stepson.

OVERVIEW

Riding back to Saragossa with the Saracen

messengers, he finds an opportunity for revenge. He

tells the Saracens how they could ambush the rear

guard of Charlemagne's army, which will surely be

led by Roland as the Franks pick their way back to

Spain through the mountain passes, and helps the

Saracens plan their attack.

Just as the traitor Ganelon predicted, Roland

gallantly volunteers to lead the rear guard. This

section of the poem ended as the Christians and the

Saracens prepare to do battle.

THE SONG OF ROLANDTRANSLATED BY: FREDERICK GOLDIN

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ANALYSIS AND CONTEXT

REVIEW

LAISSE 1

The Song of Roland begins with Charlemagne

supposedly on a pilgrimage to the holy places in Spain.

He decided to take the Spain away from the Moors, who

invaded the Spain in A.D. 711 and at this time controlled

most of the country

The first laisse tells us of the inevitability of the defeat of

Muslim evil by Christian good. Because the Christian

God is all-powerful and deeply concerned with the fate of

his worshippers, there is no doubt that they will

eventually win, although they must struggle. The

Saracens are doomed from the start by their worship of

false gods.

Marsilion, the King of the Moors, had sent

messengers for an offer of peace, including

an amass of wealth and converting his

people, including himself, to Christianity.

However, Charlemagne, the great French

Emperor, had doubts with this.

LAISSE 13

We first are introduced to Roland by his bold speech

of laisse 14, arguing that the Franks should pay no

attention to the Saracens' offer of peace. He recalls

how the Saracens have deceived the Franks with just

such offers in the past, and he seems to be motivated

by an underlying understanding that the war that

Charlemagne's men are fighting in Spain is sacred. He

speaks like a crusader. The theme of Roland's pride is

also introduced in this first speech; he boastfully lists

the cities he has conquered as part of his argument for

why they must not accept the Saracens' peace.

LAISSE 14

Ganelon’s speech, countering Roland's, urges

pragmatic considerations, for he, unlike Roland doesn't

understand the war as absolute and sacred.

In cultural context, Feudalism was the economic,

political, and social system of medieval Europe. Land,

worked by serfs who were bound to it, was held by

vassals. Overlords gave vassals right to the land in

exchange for military service. A baron was a tenant of

the king or any high-ranking lord. Ganelon’s counsel,

although laced with treachery, is a good example of the

interaction of the barons with their king, a necessary

component of feudal society.

LAISSE 15

In the debate among the council as they try to decide who

should go to Marsilla, it becomed clear that Ganelon bitterly

resents his stepson. Because earlier messengers to Marsilla

had been slaughtered, Ganelon considers Roland's

nomination of him as a messenger nearly the same as

wishing him dead.

Roland’s exchange with Ganelon shows how the poem can

be read as a blood-feud between a stepson and his

stepfather. Blood-feud is a common theme in a French epic

poetry.

In lines 78 to 81, Roland’s rejoinder to Ganelon is one of the

great ironic moments in the poem. Roland’s tone is one of

superiority laced with bitterness.

LAISSE 20

Ganelon was insulted with the fact that Roland is one of

King Charles’ dozen peers and he is not. He was

infuriated by this implied insult more than he is afraid that

he may indeed die. If it were pure cowardice that

motivated Ganelon, he would be relieved to let Roland go

in his stead. But this would just make Roland look all the

more brave and noble, and Ganelon hates how Roland is

always going about looking so very brave and noble.

It is his jealousy for the esteem that Roland enjoys in the

eyes of the emperor and the barons that drives Ganelon

to want to take Roland down a notch more than anything

else.

LAISSE 21

Ganelon, arrived at a meeting place. He

was awaited by the pagan messengers

leaded by Blancandrin, an envoy of King

Marsilion. They both recognized the

greatness of Charlemagne, with Ganelon

cited that there would be no other man like

Charlemagne.

LAISSE 28

Ganelon talks with Blancandrin as they all ride together

back to Saragossa. Ganelon speaks of Roland's

arrogance and ferocity and blames him for inciting the

Franks to unending war. His mentioning of Roland is

infused with bitterness. This interests Blancandrin

extremely and the two, the Saracen and the Frank, find

a common bond; they both want Roland dead.

Cementing it, they pledge to each other to find a way to

get rid of him.

Starting line 128, in cultural context, it is necessary for a

feudal lord to share the booty with his men. This would

maintain their loyalty and morale.

LAISSE 30 AND 31

Ganelon is presented before Marsilla, sitting on his

throne. Ganelon makes his speech boldly,

announcing that if Marsilla converts to Christianity,

he can be a vassal of Charlemagne and govern

half of Spain, but that if he will not the Franks

promise him death in squalor and disgrace.

Also, observe that, at the start of the laisse, the

feudal code was still in place even for plotting

treachery.

LAISSE 36

Upon reading the letter from Charlemagne, Marsillabecomes furious and almost kills Ganelon on the spot, but Ganelon stands up to him, flashing his sword, and the Saracens decide to hear out the Frankish ambassador.

Marsilla withdraws into a private council with his best men, including Blancandrin, who hints at the conspiracy he had worked up with Ganelon on the way to Saragossa and asks the king to have the Frank brought there. Once Ganelon joins the council, the plotting begins.

At laisse 39, keeping with feudal custom, King Marsilion offers Ganelon reparation for offending him and doubting his embassy.

LAISSE 37, 38 AND 39

The pagans wonder at Charlemagne's tenacity

and endurance, at his unrelenting campaign in

Spain. Ganelon implies that this Count Roland

is so fierce that his encouragement is the chief

reason why Charlemagne keeps fighting and

so brave that Charlemagne is unbeatable with

Roland at his side.

LAISSE 42

Ganelon outlines a plot that could give them the advantage: the Saracens must appear to follow the peace pact, sending riches and hostages to the Franks. When the Franks then make their way back home to France, they will keep a rear guard of twenty thousand behind them, and this rear guard will probably include Roland. In the mountains, cut off from the main body of Charlemagne's army, the guard is vulnerable—this is the time to attack, and with overwhelming force, an army of a hundred thousand Saracens. Caught in a mountain pass, Roland will not be able to escape, and once he is dead, Charlemagne will no longer pose a problem to the Saracens; without Roland, the Franks will be crippled.

LAISSE 44 AND 52

Ganelon soon arrives back at the Frankish camp and tells the emperor and his men that his embassy was a triumph. He shows them the treasure and the hostages and says that Marsilla will arrive in Charlemagne's capital, Aix, no more than a month after their own arrival to become a Christian. Charlemagne and his men are most pleased, looking forward to their return to France, for which they have longed for years.

Ganelon’s speech is truly cunning. Like many good liars, he convinces Charlemagne by telling him what he want to hear. Feudal customs are also vividly displayed in his speech.

LAISSE 54

Charlemagne went to sleep the night Ganelon

returns. He had vivid and strange dreams

prophesying the doom that will soon meet the

Franks. In one of these sleeping visions,

Ganelon plays the villain's part.

Charlemagne believes these prophetic dreams

are sent from God. He has another dream right

before Roland’s death. Belief in the prophetic

power of dreams was common during the

Middle Ages.

LAISSE 56

The Franks must decide who will go in the rear

guard and who in the van. Ganelon, suggests

Roland as the most suitable leader possible for

the rear guard. Roland does not protest, but

instead proudly accepts the office. He is,

however, very irritated; he knows perfectly well

that Ganelon did not suggest him for the rear

guard out of the kindness of his heart, and

snidely insults his stepfather.

LAISSE 58 AND 59

As the main body of the Frankish army cross over into

their homeland, Charlemagne weeps among the

general rejoicing. Sensing about his dreams, Ganelon

had betrayed them.

At this moment, the main Frankish army, headed by

Charlemagne, are en route to Aix with twenty thousand

men at their rear headed by Roland. Meanwhile,

Marsilion prepares his four hundred thousand men to

ambush Roland’s army. The great battle is just about to

start.

The poet uses the word almacur to refer to any fierce

Arab knight.

LAISSE 68

“Song of Roland.” Retrieved December 5, 2014 as PDF file from http://www.stjohnshigh.org/s/804/images/editor_documents/Smith/the_song_of_roland.pdf

Thompson, Diane. (n.d.). “Story of Roland Study Guide.” Retrieved from World Wide Web on December 5, 2014 at http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/eng251/rolandstudy.htm

“Song of Roland.” Retrieved December 23, 2014 from http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/songofroland/

“The Song of Roland.” n.d. In Wikipedia. Retrieved December 23, 2014 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_of_Roland

REFERENCES:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_of_Roland#medi

aviewer/File:Grandes_chroniques_Roland.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/

a/a9/Roncevaux-Ibaneta.jpg/280px-Roncevaux-

Ibaneta.jpg

http://freepages.family.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mcgee4

11/GHTOUT/c6-charlemagne3.jpg

http://www.hist.umn.edu/hist3611/moved/protected/wee

k3/images/carolingian2.jpg

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/i

berian.gif

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/M

ort_de_Roland.jpg

PICTURE CREDITS (IN ORDER OF

APPEARANCE):