The Song of Roland: Who’s Who on the “pagan” side :
The Song of Roland: Who’s Who on the “pagan” side Marsilion: pagan king of Spain already defeated by Charlemagne
Blancandrin: Marsilion’s advisor
Aëlroth: Marsilion’s nephew, he is the first to challenge Roland and to die in battle
Bramimunde: Marsilion’s queen, she will later convert to Christianity and become Juliana.
Roland as part of warrior culture :
Roland as part of warrior culture Feudalism
relation of lord to vassal paramount
Emphasis on heroism in battle
Roland cannot back down from battle
Roland wants to be found dead in Spain, with his head turned towards his enemies
Might is right
Christianity shows itself to be best by winning battles, not converting minds
Roland as part of Christian culture :
Roland as part of Christian culture Emphasis on forms of Christian worship
attending matins and mass
last confessions and absolutions from sin
Oliver and Roland die forgiving one another
Only Roland and Archbishop Turpin survive the battle.
Roland reflects common Christian misunderstandings of Islam
confuse Islam with polytheistic paganism
celebrate crusades against Islam
Roland and Beowulf :
Roland and Beowulf Roland
composed ~ 1100; set ~ 800
written ~ 50 years after oral composition
all lines end with same vowel sound, a pre-cursor to end rhyme
warrior culture and Christian values
Germanic tradition
uncle-nephew society Beowulf
composed ~ 850; set ~ 500
written ~ 150 years after oral composition
sound device in poem is alliteration
warrior culture values
earliest poem in Germanic tradition of loyalty to group, leader
uncle-nephew society