Chanson de Roland: Difference between revisions
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'''Chanson de Roland''' is a [[French]] [[Chanson de Geste]], that was written in 1130-1170. The author is unknown(?). |
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==Plot:== |
==Plot:== |
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Loosely based on real events in 778. French King [[Charlemagne]] is fighting in Spain when a fake peace offer is recieved. Knight [[Roland]] volunteers his stepfather, Ganelon, to the almost certainly fatal job of responding to the offer. [[Ganelon]] betrays his King to the |
Loosely based on real events in 778. [[Frank|French]] [[King]] [[Charlemagne]] is fighting in [[Spain]] when a fake peace offer is recieved. [[Knight]] [[Roland]] volunteers his stepfather, Ganelon, to the almost certainly fatal job of responding to the offer. [[Ganelon]] betrays his King to the [[Muslim]]s (and assorted demonised non-[[Christian]]s) in order to get his revenge on Roland. Charlemagne takes the offered [[gold]] to return to [[France]], but Ganelon engineers an attack on Roland, who he entraps to lead the rearguard of the [[army]]. Roland, too proud to call for Charlemagne's help until too late, is slaughtered along with the 12 finest [[Lord]]s of France, including his brave companion [[Oliver]]. Charlemagne avenges their death and Ganelon is brought to [[law|justice]] by [[trial]]. |
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==Poetic style:== [[decasyllabic assonanced couplets]] in [[Old French]] |
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==Translations:== |
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Very widely translated, one of the most famous chansons. |
Very widely translated, one of the most famous chansons. |
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*"The Song of Roland" trans Glyn Burgess (Penguin Books, London, 1990) ISBN: 0-14-044532-3 |
*"The Song of Roland" trans Glyn Burgess (Penguin Books, London, 1990) ISBN: 0-14-044532-3 |
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**[[translation style]]: English translated line |
**[[translation style]]: [[English]], translated line-by-line, some editing of word order for easier reading. Part of the old French Text presented in an appendix. |
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Revision as of 21:26, 26 January 2006
Chanson de Roland is a French Chanson de Geste, that was written in 1130-1170. The author is unknown(?).
Plot:
Loosely based on real events in 778. French King Charlemagne is fighting in Spain when a fake peace offer is recieved. Knight Roland volunteers his stepfather, Ganelon, to the almost certainly fatal job of responding to the offer. Ganelon betrays his King to the Muslims (and assorted demonised non-Christians) in order to get his revenge on Roland. Charlemagne takes the offered gold to return to France, but Ganelon engineers an attack on Roland, who he entraps to lead the rearguard of the army. Roland, too proud to call for Charlemagne's help until too late, is slaughtered along with the 12 finest Lords of France, including his brave companion Oliver. Charlemagne avenges their death and Ganelon is brought to justice by trial.
==Poetic style:== decasyllabic assonanced couplets in Old French
Translations:
Very widely translated, one of the most famous chansons.
- "The Song of Roland" trans Glyn Burgess (Penguin Books, London, 1990) ISBN: 0-14-044532-3
- translation style: English, translated line-by-line, some editing of word order for easier reading. Part of the old French Text presented in an appendix.
