Song of Roland Lesson Plan

Consider how the poet describes the Saracens in this section of The Song of Roland. Do these portraits strike you as accurate depictions of real people? Why does the poet make use them?

The descriptions of Saracens in The Song of Roland range from the banal to the almost fantastical. This is nowhere more evident than in the great battles between the Saracens and the Franks which form the core of the narrative. Certain Saracens like Charles of Munigre are said to possess exceptional strength; other Saracens like Climborin and Abisme are described in light of their great evil. In each case, the poet invests the enemies of the Franks with preternatural qualities which cause...