The Song Of Roland Essay Research Paper

The Song Of Roland Essay, Research Paper

The Song of Roland is the oldest known epic in France, dating from around the Twelfth Century AD. Telling the story of Charlemagne at Roncesvalles in 778, the events of The Song of Roland have been shifted into a modern (12th Century) setting, bringing a long history of concerns about Muslim invasion that gripped France in Charles Martel’s and Charlemagne’s time. The historical part of the battle is changed to make it more understandable, even more tragic, for the Twelfth Century audience. The threat of the Muslims had a very real meaning and a long history that the listeners knew. The Muslim invasions of Spain and even parts of France had forced Western Europeans into close contact with another culture and religion. Charlemagne’s struggle with the Saracen forces could take on a theme of good versus evil or right versus wrong, which makes great material for an epic tragedy.

In the early Twelfth Century, concrete knowledge about the customs, habits, and religion of the Muslims could be seen as little or non-existent. In a piece of Christian crusade propaganda, one would not necessarily expect the author to take great interest in truthfully revealing the tenets of Islam and the differences between this faith and Christianity (Lazzari 97). The poet says the “infidels” have numerous gods, against the monotheism that makes “There is no god but Allah” the first and foremost fundamental belief of Islam (Frankel). An example of this misunderstanding includes the unknown author’s claim that the enemy King Marsile worships three gods: Muhammad, Apollo, and Tervagent. The Roland poet was ignorant of other religions, and could not distinguish one from another, which did not keep him from hating all of them. The point of the poem is that Charlemagne overthrows the pagan religion as well as a physical army; this is a Christian victory, a Crusade. Also, when the Saracens swear an oath to do their best to kill Roland, they swear it on their holy book, saying it is written by Muhammad and Tervagant as the authors of it. Islam teaches that the Koran is literal word of God, with no man being able to claim responsibility for it. When the Saracens expect the return and vengeance of Charlemagne, they pray to their god Tervagant, who does not come to their aid. Angered by this, the Saracens destroy their own temple, cursing and tearing down the statues of Tervagant, Muhammad, and Apollo.

They rush off to Apollo in a crypt,

Rail against him and hurl abuse at him:

“O, wretched god, why do you cause us such shame?

Why did you permit our king to be destroyed?

Anyone who serves you well receives a poor reward.”

Then they grab his scepter and his crown

And hang him by his hands from a pillar;

Then they send him flying to the ground at their feet

And beat him and smash him to pieces with huge sticks.

They seize Tervagant’s carbuncle

And fling Muhammad into a ditch

Where pigs and dogs bite and trample on him. (Lines 2580-2591)

This scene reflects perhaps the ultimate sacrilege to the Christian community, which believed quite strongly in icons, but it makes no sense in Islam as images and pictorial representations were and are not permitted (Lazzari 98).

The Saracen warrior mirrors the Christian quite frequently throughout the text. Charlemagne retires to an orchard, underneath a pine tree, after his first defeat of the Saracens. Here his 15,000 soldiers gather around, as well as his Twelve Peers, with whom he discusses his plans for leaving Spain. King Marsile, also goes to an orchard after the same battle and is described as sitting in the shade. His 20,000 men surround him and he also talks with his closest advisors on how to finally crush the French. The political and governing strategies of the two groups are the same. Both leaders are greatly respected by their men, yet their best ideas come from a select group of advisors, many of whom are related to each other and to the king (Lazzari 98). As Marsile and his men seal their treachery, the similarity is complete; twelve chosen from the Saracens, led by the nephew of King Marsile, will go head to head with the twelve companions of Charlemagne, led by Roland, his nephew (Lazzari 98). The glove that the Saracen carries as representative of his ruler will be the same emblem that Ganelon, ambassador of Charlemagne, accepts from his king. The Saracen doubles the Christian in other aspects of the epic as well. During the battle, each Christian knight meets individually with a Saracen knight. Blows are exchanged and one knight emerges victorious, having killed the other. The two armies are equipped identically, though a certain exoticism dominates the description of the Saracen outfit. The armor remains essentially western, as does the basic riding techniques, on a special war-horse, in tight lines (Goldin 24). Yet, the Saracen is distinguished from the French by the origin of his weaponry. The author gives the impression that excellent, perhaps the best, armor comes from far away, from the pagan lands of Saragossa and Valencia (Lazzari 98). Admiration for the Saracen is not limited to his armor. The Saracen knight can be noble handsome, loyal, and bold. All the same characteristics admired in the Christian knight can be found in the Saracen knights as well. The author highlights