Faith as the Basis of Strength: The Christian Faith Conquers All The French epic poem, The Song of Roland, tells a highly dramatized account of the Battle of Roncevaux in 778 during the reign of King Charlemagne of the Franks. Although Roland is mentioned once in a historical account of Charlemagne’s life by Einhard, the author elevates Roland to the status of Charlemagne’s nephew and leader of the Frankish army in a bloody battle against the Spanish Muslims. This poem, however, does not stress the heroism of Roland, Charlemagne, and the Frankish army based on their physical prowess in the heat of battle, but the courage and bravery they receive based on their strong faith in the Christian God. The Frankish army’s ultimate victory against
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As portrayed in the Song of Roland, the Muslims engaged in war, refusing peace, in order to keep the entirety of Spain under their dominion with no further threat of war from King Charlemagne. Therefore, this superficial reason to risk their lives did not give them a strong enough incentive to continue to fight when death shrouded over them. They understood that upon Charlemagne’s arrival, they would not live to see another day. They …show more content…
This directly parallels Turpin and Roland, who fought until they died in order to save their soul, not for earthly wealth. Unlike Turpin and Roland who continued to love and trust God in death, the Muslims are further portrayed as weak in faith by desecrating and abandoning their gods after suffering loss. For example, when the king of the Muslims, King Marsilion, returned to Saragossa without his right hand his people became enraged that their God could allow such an evil to happen. They abandon their God by desecrating their sacred idols (The Song of Roland, 187.2580-2591) and blame their cowardice and inevitable defeat on their gods who the Queen states to be “... failures, deserters!” who “let our men be killed…” (The Song of Roland, 195.2715-2717) Through the display of the miracles bestowed on King Charlemagne, the author further depicts that the gods which the Muslims worship are not true gods, but false idols that will only lead them to their ultimate doom. The Song of Roland is not the typical epic poem which focuses on the great deeds of a single hero accomplished through that hero’s physical and mental strength and fortitude. Rather, the Song of Roland is an epic poem that tells the tale of all the great deeds a collective set of men can accomplish with the bravery, courage, and strength bestowed upon them by their faith in the Christian God. Without this faith, as portrayed through the immoral, cowardly, weak hearted
As portrayed in the Song of Roland, the Muslims engaged in war, refusing peace, in order to keep the entirety of Spain under their dominion with no further threat of war from King Charlemagne. Therefore, this superficial reason to risk their lives did not give them a strong enough incentive to continue to fight when death shrouded over them. They understood that upon Charlemagne’s arrival, they would not live to see another day. They …show more content…
This directly parallels Turpin and Roland, who fought until they died in order to save their soul, not for earthly wealth. Unlike Turpin and Roland who continued to love and trust God in death, the Muslims are further portrayed as weak in faith by desecrating and abandoning their gods after suffering loss. For example, when the king of the Muslims, King Marsilion, returned to Saragossa without his right hand his people became enraged that their God could allow such an evil to happen. They abandon their God by desecrating their sacred idols (The Song of Roland, 187.2580-2591) and blame their cowardice and inevitable defeat on their gods who the Queen states to be “... failures, deserters!” who “let our men be killed…” (The Song of Roland, 195.2715-2717) Through the display of the miracles bestowed on King Charlemagne, the author further depicts that the gods which the Muslims worship are not true gods, but false idols that will only lead them to their ultimate doom. The Song of Roland is not the typical epic poem which focuses on the great deeds of a single hero accomplished through that hero’s physical and mental strength and fortitude. Rather, the Song of Roland is an epic poem that tells the tale of all the great deeds a collective set of men can accomplish with the bravery, courage, and strength bestowed upon them by their faith in the Christian God. Without this faith, as portrayed through the immoral, cowardly, weak hearted