Section outline

  • In this seminar, we will consider the narratological categories of 'story', 'event' and 'character' in relation to the 12th-century epic of military conquest La Chanson de Roland (The Song of Roland), which presents events and characters in ways heavily indebted to the tradition of oral recitation in pre-literate societies.  We will carry out close readings of two extracts from the poem.

    In advance of the session, students should read La Chanson de Roland (The Song of Roland). You should also take notes on the following questions, which we will discuss in the seminar:

    1.Some aspects of the Roland myth would be familiar to its medieval audience. How might this affect our view of events and characters? Give examples.
    2.A 12th-century public wouldn’t have read the Roland individually or in its entirety; they’d have been a collective audience for a partial recitation. How might this affect our view of events and characters? Give examples.
    3.Look at the sequence of events in laisses 58-62, where Ganelon nominates Roland to lead the rearguard of Charlemagne’s army. What are the constituent events in this sequence? Which of them could be seen as kernels?

    Vitrail de Charlemagne - Chartres