Ganelon

Roland interacts with Ganelon, Olivier, and Charles in many ways, both similar and different. One of the first characters Roland interacts with is his stepfather, Ganelon. From the beginning it is obvious there is tension between Roland and Ganelon. Marsilla tells Charles that if he goes to France, he will follow him to Aix and he and his men will become Christians. Charles asks who they will send to Marsilla, and after being rejected, Roland volunteers Ganelon, “. . . Ganelon, my stepsire, is your

army. At the end of the battle, as Roland lay dying, he also questioned his decision not to blow the Oliphant to alert King Charles’ Army. The poem notes that the idea of service to all is the same as service to the King. In the trial of Ganelon, they first see France as their complete realm of unity. They value their homes, families, and country. Ganelon’s treason was a threat to their France. The pagans do not identify that closely as a country. Good knights show compassion for their

belittling of Roland and Ganelon is very evident but is not really explained why they hate each other. It is easily seen they have a relationship as step-father and step-son that can be quite full of altercations in most cases yet, Roland is still not letting friends such as Oliver talk about Ganelon even when they have noticed being set up for death. The scholar T. Atkinson Jenkins has looked into reasons for the hatred and treason that occur in the journal “Why Did Ganelon Hate Roland?” Jenkins

specifically looking into the trials can prove them similar in numerous ways. Ganelon in The Song of Roland and Lanval in Lanval are both being tried for crimes against their kings. The trials are similar in that both characters are being accused of treason and are loyal to their king. On the other hand, the trials are dissimilar due to the reputations and attitudes of each character and the outcomes of the trials. In the texts, Ganelon and Lanval are both being accused and put on trial for treason. In The

of thousands of Franks. Charlemagne, Roland, Ganelon, and Charlemagne’s barons attest that a person or nation is subject to attest for actions regardless of nobility. They prove there are flawed characters within every nation despite how powerful or righteous it may seem. Charlemagne’s status as a powerful king does not protect him from losing his nephew and thousands of Franks due to failure to act. Likewise nobility does not protect Roland, Ganelon, or the barons from death caused by their own

characters like Roland, Ganelon, and Marsilion as bravery to the point of stupidity and ultimately even death. Honor was not defending others, but safeguarding one’s own reputation and legacy. And a multitudinous amount of characters in this epic put honor above all else, and it’s not always smart. One particular character

of the Frankish campaign with Spain as a crusade, and never allowed settlement with the Saracens. Ganelon, Roland’s stepfather, was also a great warrior and was named the messenger to the Saracens by Roland. This infuriated him so he sought revenge.

including his loyalty to King Charlemagne, but his bold personality also got him into trouble and ultimately led him to death. He maintained an honor and loyalty that led him to a martyr’s death, though. Although he was disliked by many, including Ganelon who was his own father, he came to be known as a great man in history and he played a major role that helped shaped medieval times. His temper and bold attitude are just a few attributes that helped propel him forward in his successful, heroic lifestyle

Roland, an expert military leader shows many different qualities such as his heroicness, his pride, and his loyalty to his uncle King Charlemagne. Roland and Oliver his best friend work through many struggles in this book. Everyone has great love, support, and devotion for Roland the great warrior. “They love him so much, they will never fail him.”(30.397) Roland gives generously “gifts, masses of gold, and silver, mules, battle horses, brocaded silks, supplies.” (30. 37) Because of this unquestioning

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