“The Song of Roland” is the oldest French rhymed text. It is the historical epic poem that depicts the events of the Battle of Roncevaux Pass. It is a fascinating text that is a must read for any citizen of the world.

Even those who aren’t fond of poetry must read “The Song of Roland”. It is exciting, thrilling, impressive and useful for your general knowledge of history. Each of the 4000 well-crafted lines submerges the reader into the majestic mountains, fierce battlefields, beautiful green nature and courageous characters.

Many of us know the story of Roland from the early childhood. The poem is a glorious depiction of the Charlemagne reign and the challenges his army had to face. His army is taking advantage of the Muslims in Spain, but exhausted from years of wars, they decide to accept the Muslim king Marsilla peace offer. The reader is left wondering how sincere this peace offering is, but the French are already sending their representative to seal the deal and are preparing to go back home.

Ganelon, the stepfather of Roland, is nominated as a messenger to deliver the good news to Marsilla. Outraged, he turns against his own army and helps Muslim plot a revenge on the French army and Roland. Roland was the bravest and the most respected warrior of the army, thus by trying to eliminate him the enemies wanted to weaken the French and tip the scale.

What could have been the greatest tragedy actually turned into a glorious battle where French have proved to be the winners once again. The courage, the help from the external forces, the luck – everything was on the side of Charlemagne loyal people.

“The Song of Roland” reads more like a picturesque film than a poem. It’s rich in wordings and meanings, it’s also rich in heritage and symbolism. All this makes the poem an easy and fascinating read for anybody.

Author: Arnold Campbell