Close Reading for the Song of Roland

The Song of Roland

An epic poem estimated

to have been written

between 1130 and 1170, The Song of Roland relates the latter part of Charlemagne's conquest of Spain from a Christianized point of view reminicent of the Crusades. The author's (or copyist's, as some argue) name is given at the end of the epic as Turoldus, most likely a monk or member of the clergy, though no one knows for sure (Roland, pg 14).

Translated by Glenn Burgess, this verion of the poem contains 298 stanzas. It gives a detailed, though not necessarily historically accurate account of the betrayal of Roland, a knight of King Charles, by his stepfather Ganelon as the Frankish campaign in Islamic Spain came to a close. King Marsile of Saragossa, the only city yet to be conquered by King Charles, strikes a deal with Ganelon to save his land from Frankish control by eliminating Ganelon's rival, Roland. As Charles and his army return to France, Marsile attacks the rearguard, captained by Roland at Ganelon's insistance, and kills all twenty thousand of Roland's knights. Roland, the last Frank on the battlefield, dies most spectacularly in a scene beset with religious symbolism and clear exemlification of the values of knighthood.

In stanza 171, Roland has been injured in the battle. He has climbed to the top of a hill with four marble blocks and a tree, and there prepares for his impending death. Pale from blood loss due to numerous battle wounds, he uses the last of his strength to attempt to destroy his sword, Durendal. He strikes ten blows with it on a stone, fearing that it will be taken for spoils and given to a less worthy man. However, the sword will neither notch nor break, and the knight's anxiety mounts. He appeals to Saint Mary, saying "May you never be owned by a man who flees in battle!" (Roland, line 2,309) He is justified in his anxiety, as just two stanzas prior the sword was nearly looted from him while he was in a faint, presumed dead by a straggling Saracen. In stanza 174, after realizing that he is unable to shatter the sword, he lies down on his stomach beneath a pine tree, placing Durendal and his oliphant horn beneath his body, turning his head towards the Saracen host. He feels his death upon him and repents his sins. Memories of Charlemagne and France pass through his mind, and he weeps. Finally in stanza 176 his soul accends to heaven, accompanied by the Cherubin and the angels Michael and Gabriel.

This passage presents Roland as the epitome of perhaps the most vital personality of the time period: the christian knight. While the Song of Roland is plagued with historical inconsistencies (Roland was a Breton, not a Frank, and the Basques, not Muslim Spaniards, attacked the rearguard) (Roland, pg 10), passages such as this can provide some insight into the value system of the times without actually being reputable accounts of history.

The first important theme appearing in this passage is that of the weapon as a legacy. Roland tries to destroy his sword by bashing it against a rock, fearing that it will be taken up by a lesser man. He bestows heavy praise upon the weapon, recounting the battles it has won him and its many admirable physical attributes.

" Ð''Oh Durendal, how fair and clear and white you are!

How you shimmer and sparkle in the sun!

Charles was in the Vales of Maurienne

When through his angel, God on high told him

to give you to a captain count.' "

(Roland, lines 2,316-20)

Roland next gives a rather detailed account of 17 places where the weapon prevailed in battle, including such farfetched boasts as the conquering of Constantinople, which did not Ð''pay homage" (line 2,329) to any western ruler until it fell in 1204 during

the fourth crusade (Christianity Faces Islam, lecture 7), and the conquering of England, Ireland and Scotland, which did not fall within Charlemagne's empire at any point in time (Hunt, pg 309). However, to the less educated listener of the Middle Ages, Durendal's conquests must have been immensely impressive. It is quite likely that Roland might have won battles in these locations with any

sword of similar craftmanship, however the sword in these times was much more than a weapon. It is personified with a name, a history, and most importantly, a legacy (Germanic Culture, lecture 5). It wounds Roland's pride that his weapon might be so carelessly handed out to a lesser warrior as the spoils of battle. "For this sword I grieve and sorrow; / I should rather die than leave it in pagan hands. / God, our Father, spare France this disgrace!" (Roland, lines 2,335-7) It would be a disservice to Roland, who is on the brink of death, for his sword to not be treated like a treasure. After his death, Roland likely expects the sword to become known as his- Durendal, the sword of Roland. It may live on, in Frankish hands, as a remnant of his great deeds. However, in Saracen hands, who would hail its conquests in the name of Charles?

There is another reason why Roland grieves at the thought that his sword might fall into enemy hands. In addition to having an extensive list of victorious battles, it also contains relics from four saints. Saint's relics played a huge part in early Christianity. Precious enough to warrant

storage in beautiful and expensive jeweled boxes, they gave early churches the bragging rights necessary to convert the masses. Supposedly, the relics could cause miracles (Lecture 5). Roland's sword, containg a tooth from St. Peter, blood of St. Basil, hair from St. Dennis and a pice of the Virgin's raiment, (Roland, pg 103) was not only militarily immpressive, but a holy weapon. It is abhorrant to Roland that a Muslim should wield such a powerful Christian object. "It is not right for pagans to posses you; / You must be wielded by Christians" (Roland, lines 2,349-50). Prehaps he believed that pagans could not use the sword to its potential because they did not believe in the power of the relics, which would do the sword injustice. It is more likely that he simply hated the idea of a Muslim, dehumanized by the crusaaders as godless demons (lecture 7), possessing such a powerful artifact. Either way, Roland is fiercely protective of his sword, valuing it over his own life. Should it fall into Saracen hands, it would be a violation of Roland's only desire at the moment of his death: that he should die with honor.

Consistent with his attitude throughout the epic,