The Problematical Representation of the Hero in The Song of Roland

Abstract

This paper engages with the problematical representation of Roland, the hero in The Song of Roland, which is one of the finest examples of the chanson de geste. A chanson de geste or an Old French epic is a medieval French genre that narrates the heroic deeds. Thus, The Song of Roland, the oldest extant French poem, recounts the feats of prowess of Roland, the nephew of Charlemagne. Chanson de geste, meaning song of deeds, is a genre that emerged between epic and romance; thus, it contains the characteristics of both genres. In the same line, the hero of The Song, Roland is constructed as a hero, including the characteristics of both the epic hero and the romance knight. In addition to these characteristics, Roland’s identity as a hero is permeated with the motifs of Christianity and feudalism. In this regard, this paper analyzes The Song of Roland by discussing the problematical representation of Roland, the leader of the rear guard in Charlemagne’s army, in The Song of Roland.

Keywords

• The Song of Roland
• Chanson de geste
• Old French Epic
• Epic hero

References

1. Bayrav, S. (2001). Chanson De Roland: Edebiyat ve Üslup Tahlili. Multilingual.
2. Burgess, G. (1990). Introduction. The Song of Roland. Penguin.
3. Cook, R. F. (1987). The Sense of The Song of Roland. Cornell University Press.
4. Coward, D. (2002). A History of French Literature: From Chanson de Geste to Cinema. Blackwell.
5. Crosland, J. (1971). The Old French Epic. Haskell House.
6. Duggan, J. J. (2010). The Hero Roland and the Question of Intentionality. Electronic Antiquity. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. 14(1), 97-108.
7. Gaunt, S. (1995). Gender and Genre in Medieval French Literature. Cambridge University Press.
8. Harrison, R. (1970). Introduction. The Song of Roland. Penguin.

9. Jackson, W. T. H. (1982). The Hero and the King: An Epic Theme. Colombia University Press.
10. Kaeuper, R. W. (1999). Chivalry and Violence in Medieval Europe. Oxford Press.
11. Ker, W. P. (1957). Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature. Dover.
12. The Song of Roland. (1970). Trans. Robert Harrison. Penguin.
13. Tillyard, E. M. W. (1873). The English Epic and Its Background. Barnes & Noble.
14. Trotter, D. A. (1987). Medieval French Literature and the Crusades (1100-1300). Droz.