La Chanson de Roland is a poem based on the battle of Roncevaux, which saw Charlemagne fighting against the King Marsile of Saragossa. It is a work of great importance with regards to French literature, being widely taught until present. The first part of the essay will be analysing the way in which Roland portrays his love for his country, comparing to the love for his own image. In the fourth and fifth section, there will be a contrasting analysis of Ganelon relation with love. Finally, this essay will explore Charlemagne’s demonstrations of love and will investigate how honour and religion lead to excessive love.
Roland is the poems hero; he is the nephew of King Charlemagne and his right-hand man. The scene I will be analysing is, when Roland, Oliver and 20,000 men making up the rear guard are attacked by surprise during the cross of the Pyrenees. This is when Oliver tells Rolland to blow
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Roland’s death is what powers the whole poem, as his revenge is what leads to the French victory. During the battle of Roncevaux; storms, winds, lightning, earthquakes and darkness hit France. ‘En France en ad mult merveillus turment[…]Dïent plusor : ‘C’est li definement” (L. 1423-1434)These signs omen the death of Roland and the scene recalls a passage of The Apocalypse Of Saint John (Revelation) “And the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it on the earth, and there were thunders and voices and lightnings, and a great earthquake.” (Chapter 8, 5) These signs suggest that Roland represents France itself as the omens of his death have lead to calamities in his country. Furthermore, the scenes resemblance to the passage to The Apocalypse Of Saint John may have been used to indicate Roland’s proximity to god, giving importance to his death. Considering the fact that Rolland is portrayed as France, there is no doubt that his love of his country was excessive as he symbolises