Song of Roland Essay - 595 Words

Roland is not depicted as a hero in every way. In what particular way does his heroism cause him to fail himself and others, and what does that tell us about the culture out of which the poem emerges? The Song of Roland is a heroic epic that depicts the tragic defeat of Roland, the courageous leader of Charlemagne’s army. Within the epic Roland is not depicted as a hero in every way. I believe that Roland’s pride eventually becomes the root cause of his failure to himself and to others. It is this pride that Roland carries that sheds light upon the culture out of which the poem emerges. In this culture during the late 700’s, pride in one’s religion is expected and upheld to great extents such as sacrifice. The Song of Roland was†¦show more content†¦I believe that Roland knew that his stepfather would not go to King Marsilion and used that to his advantage to prove himself to Charlemagne. Proving his pride for himself. Additional proof of Roland’s pride that causes him to fail himself and the other Crusaders is his hard-headedness to call for help when being attacked by Saracens. In the Song of Roland, Roland’s biggest enemy is his stepfather Ganelon. Out of spite, Ganelon organizes forces led by the Saracens to detour Roland and separate him from the Christian forces. Being the proud person he is, Roland refuses to sound the battle horn to call for help. His pride leads to a massacre of Charlemagne’s army. Throughout The Song of Roland pride seems to be a major theme. Roland is not the only one with extreme pride for what he believes in. Without pride for religion, I believe, that there would not be a crusade, let alone the story of Roland. With this poem taking place in the latter part of the 700’s, religion and pride in one’s religion was taken veryShow MoreRelatedThe The Song Of Roland 1289 Words   |  6 Pagesknights depicted in the â€Å"The Song of Roland† are a demonstration of the fierce warriorship, aggressiveness, and deep faith of French Knights. A code of chivalry or gallantry existed among these men. At the top of this code of conduct were the highly regarded virtues of honor, faithfulness, courage, compassion, truth, and obedience. Noble knights prized the wares of their trade, such as fine warhorses, armory, battle skills, and fine regalia. In this epic poem, Roland and the other Knights showRead MoreWhat Is The Theme Of The Song Of Roland1747 Words   |  7 PagesThe Song of Roland is the foundation of the French literary tradition. 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