The Song of Roland

The Emperor Charlemagne, so the 900-year old epic poem, The Song of Roland, relates, has driven the
Saracens from Spain. It is only in Saragosa that King Marsilion still rules. He sends a message to Charlemagne, falsely
promising that he will become a Christian. If only the Emperor will leave Spain. But Charlemagne does not trust him
and decides that an envoy must go to the king. His valiant nephew Roland offers to go, so does Roland’s friend Oliver.
Charlemagne refuses, so Roland suggests his stepfather, Count Ganelon, who becomes enraged and accuses Roland of
trying to bring about his death. But he accepts the Emperor’s command and prepares to go.
Ganelon decided that, as he had to go, he would start at once. After he had given a letter by Charlemagne, he
girded on his sword, and mounted his horse. His knights had been saddened by his rage at the Court, for they honored
him, and offered to go with him. But he waved them away.
Count Ganelon rode furiously to catch up with King Marsilion’s messenger, Blancandrin, who had left
Charlemgane’s court before him. When he found him, the two rode along talking carefully to test out each other’s
loyalty.
“Your emperor now has a vast Empire. Why does he want Spain as well?” asked Blandcandrin when the two
men are resting. “Is he never satisfied?”
“Never!” answered Count Ganelon.
“He is ill-advised by the French then?” said Blancandrin cunningly, for there was more of a question than a
statement in the manner he spoke. There was silence for a moment then Gamelon replied.
“It is the Emperor’s nephew Roland who gives him advice,” said Ganelon bitterly. “I remember a day when
Charlemagne was resting and Roland arrived hot and dusty from battle. Roland plucked an apple and said to the
Emperor. “Take it Sire. I give it to you as I have given you all the crowns I have taken from kings all over the earth.”
As a result of their conversation, the two men plotted on how they might be rid of Roland, for Ganelon had
convinced his companion that if Roland were dead, the French would desert Charlemagne, who was now old and
feeble.
When they arrived at Saragosa, Blancandrin brought Count Ganelon before King Marsilion saying: “Sire, the
Emperor Charlemagne gave us no message, but sent back with us Count Ganelon to give you his answer.” “Let the
Count speak then,” replied the wily ruler of Saragosa.
Instead of handling over his letter, Count Ganelon insolently said: “Sire, my Emperor says, that if you become
a Christian you shall have half of Spain. If not, you will be taken to Aix and shamefully put to death.” The King raised
a javelin in his hand. His courtiers held him back, while Ganelon retreated to a tree and put his hand on his sword. He
spoke again. “You wrong me. Half of Spain is yours and the other half will be given to Count Roland.”
The rear guard of Charlemagne’s Army, led by Count Roland had been treacherously attacked by King
Marsilion’s Saracens at the urging of the traitor Ganelon, who hated Roland. With the battle going against the
outnumbered French, Roland decided to sound his horn for help, but his friend Oliver rode up and said: “Do not sound
it. Before the battle it would have been prudent: now it would be the act of a coward.”
Oliver continued: “Sound your horn and you shall never marry my sister Aude, your betrothed.” Roland was
dismayed, but up rode Archbishop Turpin and said “Let Roland blow the horn. It is too late, for Charlemagne is too
far away. He will come and find us all dead and see how we held the Pass. And he will bury us.”
So Rolamd blow his great horn Olifant. He gave one long blast. The veins stood out on his brow but he blew
on and the sound of his horn echoed through the mountain pass and carried far away.
The great horn call reached Emperor Charlemagne and all his company. “Roland calls!” cried Charlemagne.
He must be in battle.” One of his nobles, the Duke of Nalmon sighed deeply. “That horn, that long, long call, is blown
by a brave but desperate man, with all his remaining strength,” he said grimly. “Count Roland must need our aid.”
The traitor Ganelon approached the Emperor and sneered, “You are growing old and childish, Roland is
probably hunting and blowing to show his skill. No Saracen would dare fight him. Let us ride on. France is near.”
“You are wrong,” said Namion. “It is a call of agony.”
Charlemagne believed Namion. He ordered his men to answer the call with trumpets, to tell Roland he was
returning. His men prepared for battle then galloped back the way they had come eager to fight.
Charlemagne, convinced that Ganelon had betrayed Roland, ordered his master cook to guard Ganelon as he
would a murderer. So, Ganelon was chained and put upon a packhorse in greatest dishonor, with cooks to guard him.
That master cook, whose name was Besgun, took his post.
Meanwhile, Emperor Charlemagne and his men sped on their way to rescue Roland. There was anger in
Charlemagne’s heart, anger and fear that he might be too late. He ordered his men trumpeters to keep blowing still, so
that Roland and his men might hear the blasts and be given hope.
Count Roland was the last man left alive of all the valiant French who had held the pass against the Saracens.
Soon, Emperor Charlemagne and the rest of the Army would return, summoned by the mighty blast on Roland’s horn,
but it would be too late. All they could do would be to bury the dead and mourn them and see that the traitor Ganelon
was punished, for it was he who had betrayed Roland and his men to Kind Marsilion and his Saracens hosts.
Roland had thought himself alone on the battlefield, but suddenly some Saracens rushed by and one he
thought dead, rose up and tried to steal his sword. He felled him with his horn, smashing the rim.
Now Roland strength was at the end. He tried to shatter his great sword on a rock so that no one else should
use it, but failed. Falling down, he raised his battle glove to heaven and prayed. Then he fell back dead.
Too late the Emperor arrives on the battlefield. The Saracens had fled had fled but not one Frenchman was left
alive. While Charlemagne stood in proud grief, his fighting men gathered around him, eager to avenge Roland.
“Look, my Lord,” cried Duke Damion, one of his nobles. “Beyond, there is a cloud of dust where the Saracens
are flying. Let us ride them down, showing them no mercy.” Charlemagne rode on.
Back in his palace, Marsilion lay dying, with his weeping queen beside him. Behind her were some of those
warriors who had attacked the French, but failed to vanquish them. Outside were the broken Saracen survivors.
Charlemagne arrived in triumph, but treated Marsilion’s window with great courtesy. Then he returned to
France where Ganelon could find a champion who could defeat any challenger in single combat, he would be spared.
One Pinabel agreed to help the traitor.
Count Thierry, a friend of Roland’s, challenged Pinabel and felled him with his crimes. Then Charlemagne set
off for the wars again, without Roland, who now belonged to legend and song.

Task 1: Understanding the Text

Direction: Describe the following characters in the epic.

Task 2:
Answer the following questions and discuss with a partner.
1. What are the characteristics of the ideal knight according to “The Song of Roland”?
2. Why was Ganelon very angry at Roland?
3. How do you feel about King Charlemagne? Is he a wise king? Explain
4. How do you feel about Roland? Why does he not sound the Olifant to call King Charlemagne’s army for help
at the very beginning?
5. How was peace achieved in the story?
Performance Task:
With your group, think of a situation of betrayal in our society. Then discuss with your group the best solution for this,
emphasizing how to build ties. Present this through a short dramatization.
Performance must be 5-7 minutes long.
Rubrics
Message -------------------------- 40%
Acting------------------------ 30%
Dialogue ---------------------------- 20%
Teamwork ----------------------- 10%