Chanson de Roland 'twist' moments - distinction-level arguments

Roland and his pride

Kiebler - Roland continues to show pride even after a so-called moment of “contrition” (vv. 2396-2397) where his former pride gives way to Christian humility. (i.e. arguing against critics who assert that Roland’s expiatory and redemptive moment)

Conversion campaign

• Initial plot between Marsile and Blancandrin where Marsile would feign desire to convert to Christianity in order to create a false layer of trust put up in front of Charlemagne.

• Bramimunde and conversion ‘pur amur.’ Her faltering faith is already described through her denouncement of Mahomet, Tervagan and Apollin (Saracen idols), potentially leaving her vulnerable to conversion at the end of the poem.

The council scene

• Ganelon vs Roland. Roland originally steps forward to be appointed ambassador, but eventually proposes his parastre to go to Saragossa as an envoy. 

• Roland actually casts Marsile as a traitor, reminding Charlemagne of a treacherous deed 15 years prior (Marsile beheaded two men) - stresses importance of step-father and stepson relationship. 

• Abisme also potentially another traitor figure (Ganelon certainly not the only one) Turpin labels him a heretic and wishes to kill him. Further discrediting weight of pagan/Muslim religion.

Symbolism (6 things)

• Roland’s lance shatters. Durendal and striking it incessantly against a rock (it does not break)

• Oliver does the same with a broken spear, doesn’t need to use Hauteclaire.

• Ganelon’s glove falls to the ground when he is bestowed with the glove and baton.

• Marsile holds himself back from firing a golden dart at Ganelon, so Ganelon brandishes his sword in response to Marsilie’s anger.

• Weapons seem to have a sacred quality (bestowed upon Roland and Charlemagne) but also give the characters murderous capabilites, and astonishingly violent ones too.

• Charles’ dream where Ganelon seizes and breaks his lance (symbolic of Roland’s death - twisted around Ganelon. Two later dreams where he is attacked by a multitude of animals, and another where a greyhound attacks a bear, but he cannot determine who wins or loses.

Olifant scenes (2 scenes and Ganelon’s involvement in the sequence + Naimes)

1st scene - Roland refuses to sound it

2nd scene - Roland wishes to sound it, Oliver pushes back against this cowardly move. Turpin sides with Roland and suggests that it is still wise to sound it. Roland blows it so ferociously that blood pours from his mouth.

Ganelon encourages Charlemagne not to spring into action upon hearing the alarm call. But the Duke of Naimes senses something is afoot - undermining Ganelon and proving his loyalty to Charles (foils for each other)

Violence

• The battles themselves, religious tensions

• Ganelon’s dialogic vituperation causes him to suffer physical violence and torture. (body ripped apart when tied to a horse)

Religion

• Marsile’s followers curse Apollyon (one of their gods) and they boot Mahomet (their idol) into a ditch, where pigs and dogs trample all over it. This further solidifies the loss of faith idea on the Saracen side, also implicitly triumph of the Christian clan. 

Charlemagne and Roland

• Charlemagne weeps both for Roland being left behind at Roncevaux and for the sight of his dead body (when he faints, twice) Roland hoped never to die on foreign soil. 

• Charles wanders the battlefield, surveying the sea of fallen soldiers and weeps at the sight of their corpses.

Turpin’s role in Roland and Oliver’s deaths

• Some of the French urge Roland, Oliver and the peers to leave the battlefield, but Turpin encourages them to stay. (trust in religious authority?)

• Also aspect of blame. Significant French losses after this (Engelier, Samson, etc)

Oliver and Roland

• Oliver swings at Roland with his sword, apparently in a moment of blind impulse. (he was injured so gravely that he loses his sense of sight) But he can absolutely detect the presence of a figure, a figure quite distinctive in stature, armour etc… (differing interpretations)

• Ironic that it is this frenzied scenario, coupled with Oliver’s nearing death, that brings them together again. (although they do always refer to each other as ‘cumpainz’ even when they are at each other’s throats.

Baligant and Charlemagne

• Baligant tries to talk sense into Charlemagne with a peace offering, but Charlemagne shuts down his proposals, vowing never to make peace with the pagans. Baligant strikes Charlemagne’s helmet so fiercely that it cracks, cutting off a piece of flesh and exposing the skull. Charles fights back, spurred on by this brutal blow and cracks Baligant’s skill.