Beginning with the Mysterious Background of Their Authors, the Epic Poems of the Iliad

Considering an epic to be a glorified history in an elevated format about elevated things, the epic poems of the Iliad and The Song of Roland traverse parallel paths. Beginning with the mysterious background of their authors and drawing from similar formulas of plot, setting, and purpose, The Song of Roland is a ‘Christian Epic’ that borrows these features from the master epic, the Iliad.

Along the way however, The Song of Roland is able to distinguish itself and galvanize its position as Christianity’s first epic.

Starting off with a bang is a feature that both epics share. The Iliad starts off ‘in medias res’ with a shouting match between military commanders and the angry withdrawal of one. Similarly, The Song of Roland sets the reader in the seventh year of battle between Charlemagne and the Saracens. Through reading, one is able to piece together why the Greek are battling the Trojans. A character here will give insight and gods conversing will give another.

Conversely, the poet fills in all the necessary background at the beginning of The

Song of Roland. Interestingly, throughout the poem, there are no flashbacks and no profound deviation from the story of Roland’s battle and the revenge pursued by Charlemagne. In the Iliad, flashbacks take place frequently and many subplots are supported. Why are these battles being fought is the question that is raised, for what or more interestingly, for whom.

‘Kleos’ the ultimate compensation in battle or in death is what allows the whole Iliad story to exist. Devotion to God through chivalry is the driving force of

The Song of Roland and vanquishing the pagans in the process is the underlying motivation in this epic. Kleos was honor and reputation to the Greeks. Though one was a soldier and could obtain some tangible gain such as booty, it was dangerous and temporal. However, if one could be remembered and talked about, then his ‘kleos’ would immortalize him in the chants and songs of generations. Similarly, in The Song of Roland a similar boast could be “No pagan was left within the city who had not been slain or made a Christian” (The

Song of Roland, 101-102). Devotion to God and King was valued and prized utmost. Adding an interesting ‘Christian’ twist however was that a servant would not be only immortalized in song, but be glorified in the life hereafter.

Both epics respectively are based on a kernel of truth, and each is symbolic and representative of the cultures they portray. The Iliad was originally thought to be full of inaccuracy with its inconsistency of describing artifacts and such. Nevertheless, an event did occur that led to the Iliad and that helped the people of Greece remember sacrifices and feasts. Having explored the Iliad, there is no clear-cut good side or bad. In fact in the end, there is no distinctive winner or loser. This illustrates the Greeks perception of themselves and how they approached things. The Iliad is neither pro-war nor anti-war. It was written not only for nostalgic reasons but also to emphasize that no one escapes war unscathed. The Song of Roland portrays Good vs. Evil straightforward, like Luke

Skywalker vs. Darth Vader. The horrors of war are not intensified by ambiguous moral justifications; war is necessary, even desirable. The mentality was that of us, the Christians and them, the non-Christians. “May God grant it to us. It is our duty to be here for our king … now let each man take care to strike great blows, so that no one can sing a shameful song about us. The pagans are wrong and the Christians are right, no dishonourable tale will ever be told about me”(The Song of Roland, 1008-1016). This mentality captures their desire to

‘save’ the heathens, the rationale of the crusades, and the justification for doing so.

Adding to the mystique and attraction of these epics is their setting. Both take place in far away lands against foes that do not share similar beliefs. ‘A long time ago in a galaxy far away’ immediately draws in the crowd and sparks curiosity. Considering each was sung before being written down, the Iliad, by the

Bards and The Song of Roland by the jongleurs, entertainment was function.

These epics show each culture’s fascination with nostalgia and how things used to be. Their minds wander back to a time when men were great and did extraordinary things. In the Iliad, we have men like Achilles whose every mention is followed by an epithet, “Achilles, the great runner “(Iliad, line 91). Not to be outdone, each time the king of France is mentioned, a similar epithet is found,

“Charlemagne the brave “(The Song of Roland, line 430). Hearing these poets brings entertainment and causes the crowd to reminisce. However, a deeper meaning to these epics still exists.

The Song of Roland was the epitome of pro-war propaganda and the predecessor of every military chant and school fight song. God was the reason, heathens were the enemies and war was the vehicle to get the job done.

“Various chronicles of the Middle ages report that in 1066 a certain jongleur,

Tallefour, was heard signing parts of the epic at the Battle of Hastings in which the Norman French successfully invaded England”(The Medieval Epic). The Song of Roland was an outlet and an inspiration to the people of what we now know as

France. Conversely, the Iliad was written was written for entertainment purposes and to show that war should not be glorified, but avoided. This is an interesting point to explore for Christians proclaim to believe in Christ, who is the Prince of

Peace. In the New Testament it is found, “But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also” (New Testament, Mathew 5:39). It is doubtful that Christ would employ such tactics in helping convert the nonbeliever.

Therefore in pursuing and battling the ‘heathens’, Charlemagne and Roland betray the very thing they fight for. This in turn leads to the next topic of discussion, the aspect of divine intervention.

A story is not a story unless it contains things not explainable or mysterious. Divine intervention was a topic that both the Greeks and Christians could relate to and hope for. “God performed a great miracle for Charlemagne, for the sun remained where it was” (The Song of Roland, 2458-2459). Because

Charlemagne was ‘right’, God favored him to continue with the almost cartoon like slaying of the Saracens. Heads fly off, helmets are crushed and the impossible is accomplished; an image of G.I. Joe comes to mind that borders on absurdity. This coincides with the inhabitants of Mt. Olympus who constantly shuffle their human pawns to their benefit. Certain gods cheered for the Trojans, others for the Greeks and some rooted back and forth for mere entertainment.

Recalling the would-be conclusion of the Iliad, when Paris, the cause of the war, was about to lose to Menelaus in battle, “Aphrodite whisked Paris away with the sleight of a goddess” (Iliad, 406-406). If natural actions were to take their course, Menelaus would have killed Paris, and ‘Kleos’ would have been satisfied, resulting in the end of the Greeks fighting the Trojans. Yet a story cannot end so simply, there is no entertainment in that. Similarly, The Song of Roland could have seen a resolution if Roland would only sound the Oliphant. Nonetheless, an epic must be tragic, and keep the audience enthralled as either destiny or divinity dictate.

Taking into consideration the definition of an epic, The Song of Roland is as much a ‘Christian Epic’ as Star Wars is a Western. Using the Iliad, as the authority in what an epic should be, The Song of Roland closely follows epic guidelines while brandishing its own ‘Christian twist.’ If one were to read The

Song of Roland while never studying the Iliad, one would come away with a story of legendary account that included heroic proportions. Having studied both, these epics respectively can be classified as a continuation of the human spirit to remember the past better than it was and hope that the future can in some way recapture what once existed.

Works Cited

1. New Testament, The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1979

2. The Medieval Epic

http://newman.baruch.cuny.edu/digital/2000/c_n_c/c_04_medieval/medieval_epic.htm

3. www.classicnotes.com