Song of Roland Theme of Betrayal

Ganelon's betrayal of Roland is the driving force behind the whole tragedy from the
moment Ganelon first starts thinking of getting even with Roland after being named
envoy to Ganelon's trial and bloody execution.

Although everyone in the Song of Roland seems out to get revenge, Ganelon is the only
one who is a true traitor: by deceiving Charlemagne and arranging the massacre of the
rearguard, he betrays his king, his family, and his religion.

Song of Roland Theme of Friendship

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Roland and Oliver are the main BFFs here. Their friendship is deep, based on mutual
respect but complicated by the authority Roland holds over Oliver by virtue of his
superior social and military position. For Oliver friendship means speaking his mind and
arguing for his own opinions, even when Roland disagrees. But he also knows when to
stop pushing. For him friendship also has to mean knowing when to fall into line, while
still disagreeing. Roland doesn't seem as concerned with friendship as he is with duty to
God and country, but when he sees Oliver dying and the rest of his slain men, he's
suddenly filled with sorrow for these wonderful friends he's now lost.

Most relationships in the Song of Roland are based on more formal, unequal ties like
feudal service. But there areother examples of friendship blossoming in unlikely places:
between Ganelon and Blancandrin, and between Charlemagne and Roland.
Questions About Friendship
1. Charlemagne calls Roland his friend once he's dead, but did the live Roland consider
Charlemagne a friend?
2. Why does Oliver give in to Roland over the oliphant?
3. Who is sadder: Roland over Oliver's death or Charlemagne over Roland's death? Why?

Song of Roland Theme of Revenge

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Wait, did we wander into Hamlet? No one's dad died (and that's an angel not a ghost)
but yeah, in the Song of Roland pretty much everyone is out for revenge. Marsile wants
revenge for the seven years of warfare he's endured in Spain. Ganelon wants revenge
on Roland for making him negotiate with Marsile and being a bad stepson.
Charlemagne wants revenge for Roland's death. The Emir wants revenge for Marsile's
defeat. Do we need a little love here or what?

Even though everyone's out to get it, Ganelon's revenge is the most talked about.
Notice that Ganelon publicly swears revenge against Roland three times. You might
have thought this was a problem in the manuscript, kind of like a broken record, but it
actually has a narrative point. According to medieval law, to swear three times publicly
was to legally declare a personal feud.

Questions About Revenge

1. What is the difference between treason and revenge? Are they ever the same?
2. Did Ganelon arrange the rearguard attack as private revenge on Roland? Or did it end
up being treason against Charlemagne and France?
3. Are the Saracens justified in taking revenge on Charlemagne?
4. What is the relationship between taking revenge on the Saracens and converting them?
Song of Roland Theme of Good v. Evil
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The Franks are good because they are Christian and the Saracens are bad because
they're not. It's almost that simple. There is some nuance because the Saracens can be
admired despite their wicked ways, for courage and knightliness and good looks and
religious learning. It's as if they're just labeled wrong, and in a different world or a
different story they would be fighting on the same side or sharing an extra large order
of cheesy fries.

As it is, the assigning of good and evil is so black and white that the Franks and the
Saracens can only exist in the same world if one has conquered the other.

Questions About Good v. Evil

1. Is there a pattern to which Saracens are all-bad and which have some good qualities?
2. What are the Emir's reasons for fighting Charlemagne?
3. Why is the poet so anxious to label things good or evil?
4. According to the poem, who is more evil: Marsile or Ganelon?

Song of Roland Theme of Death

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So, mortality v. immortality: they're different. One means you're dead and the other
means you're alive forever. But for the guys in the Song of Roland, they're not as far
apart as you might think.
First, it's possible to live a loooong time in this poem. Just look at Charlemagne, who
blew out 200 candles on his last birthday cake. Second, no one is overly worried about
dying because everyone loves warfare so much. And finally, death's a lot less scary
because good mortality is linked with good immortality. In other words, if you live life like
a good Christian and die an honorable death, you earn eternal life in heaven.

Questions About Death

1. If dying is portrayed so graphically, why is everyone so eager to risk it in constant
warfare?
2. Is Charlemagne at 200 an old man or a man in his prime?
3. Why don't the angels save Roland from dying?
4. Why doesn't Charlemagne die in glory like Roland?

Song of Roland Theme of Duty

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Duty defines the relationships in the Song of Roland: feudal duty as knights to
Charlemagne (through obedience, reverence, and military service); patriotic duty to
France (preserving her "fair" name, increasing her wealth and prestige); duty to families
and to family names (so reputations aren't tarnished); duty to God and the Christian
religion to spread it as widely as possible, wreak as much damage on the pagans, and
reclaim as much land for Christianity as possible.

For Roland this means doing God's will in all things, even if that means becoming a
martyr. And finally there is the duty to yourself: all dead knights will receive poetic
justice, and the fear of having bad songs sung about them inspires Roland and Oliver to
supreme acts of bravery.
Questions About Duty
1. Does Roland love fighting too much?
2. Why would Roland consider asking for help dishonorable?
3. What does it mean that "fair France" would "fall into disgrace" (84.1064)?
4. How is religious duty different than feudal duty?

Song of Roland Theme of Religion

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The Oxford Manuscript was produced at a time of intense religious xenophobia, when
clergymen were actively agitating for war against Muslims and Jews. It dates from 1140-
1170, right around the time of the first Crusades, inaugurated by Pope Urban II's speech
at the Council of Clermont in 1095.

This first effort only lasted until 1099, but the second crusade was drummed up in 1145-
49, and it's possible that this version of the Song of Roland was intended as
propaganda in its zealous defense of the Christian cause and the church militant. For
more on this, see "Archbishop Turpin" in "Characters."

The Franks fight with the belief that Christianity wins over people by the sword, and both
sides are convinced that their Gods are right and give them with power and victory.
When the Saracens lose in battle, it's also the same thing as losing in religion. Their
gods have abandoned them to Charlemagne and his Christianity.

Questions About Religion

1. Is Archbishop Turpin badmouthing monks in stanza 141?
2. Why does it matter that Queen Bramimonde converts out of "conviction"?
3. Do the Franks admire the Saracens for being religious?
4. What is the relationship between conquering and converting?