Essay about Christendom and The Song of Roland - 1119 Words

The Song of Roland is the oldest epic poem in French, written by an anonymous poet, composed in between late eleven century to twelfth century. This epic poetry holds an important place in the history of France and invention of Christendom. The Song of Roland is a cultural artifact that takes us to the journey of Medieval Europe, when religion becomes an important element for the formation of proto-Europe. Religion plays a crucial role in The Song of Roland and becomes the reason of criticism. Some readers might take this poem as a religious text, whereas, for some reader it is a fictional literary work and contain ideological perspective. The Song of Roland cannot be consider as a religious text, however, the poet uses religion for†¦show more content†¦The time, when The Song of Roland was composed, is the era of creating national identity for diverse kingdoms to unite and form a harmonious cultural area. To recognize the â€Å"self† it becomes important to separates the â€Å"other† in terms of race, religion and culture. For The Song of Roland, religion is selected to separate â€Å"others†. The misrepresentation of Muslims as pagans can be found throughout the poem, which helps Christians to recognize themselves righteous and superior to Muslims. Davies Norman quotes T.S. Eliot in Europe: A History, â€Å"The dominant feature in creating a common culture†¦is religion†¦ I am talking about the common tradition of Christianity which has made Europe.† (Norman qtd. Eliot 9). Eliot emphasizes the importance of Christianity for Europe. Christianity become a symbol for medieval Europe and gives a label of â€Å"Christendom† to the nation. The self-recognition by separating others continues. In thirteen and fourteenth century, Christians gain prejudice by persecuting and demonizing Jews. George M. Frederickson quotes Joshua Trachtenberg in Religion and Invention of Racism, â€Å"Not being a human being but a demonic, a diabolic beast fighting the forces of truth†¦was the Jew as medieval Europe saw him.† (Frederickson 21). Followed by Dante Alighieri illustration of Hell (Inferno), Purgatory (Purgatorio) and Paradise (Paradiso) in The Divine Comedy in 1321, where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was placed inShow MoreRelatedWhat Is The Theme Of The Song Of Roland1747 Words   |  7 PagesThe Song of Roland is the foundation of the French literary tradition. One of the earliest poems written in French, it describes the process by which France left behind its Germanic past as a loose confederation of powerful families and accepted its future as a Christian nation united by loyalties to king and country. T his story is told as a clash of powerful personalities who are together engaged in a holy war against the Muslims in Spain. Unfortunately, the role of ignorance and jealousy combiningRead MoreLegitimacy Of Charlemagne And Charles The Great1449 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Franks, the Defender of Christendom, the Emperor of Rome, and he was even said to be the Father of Europe. However, the question is which factor made it possible in order to justify his rule. Many historians say that the most important factor was only the fact that he was a great military leader, however, his heredity as well as the fact that he was a great military leader who also used his military to spread Christianity, being he was the Defender of Christendom, both played great part in legitimizingRead MoreLa Chanson De Roland, And The Song Of Roland1802 Words   |  8 PagesLa Chanson de Roland, or The Song of Roland, is the oldest surviving French poem. It is also the oldest and greatest of the chansons de gest e, medieval epic poems written in French. In old French, geste means a deed or action, often of heroic proportions. A hundred or so of these epic poems survive, dating from around the year 1100 to the late fourteenth century. In their time, they were exceedingly popular. Although we know neither the identity of The Song of Roland s composer nor the date ofRead MoreThe History of Arianism Essay1423 Words   |  6 Pagesverse of his major work, the Thalia. It was widely spread by popular songs written for laborers and travelers. He started off as a priest in Alexandria, where he tried to teach his beliefs but was shortly exonerated locally from his community for teaching Arianism (Arius). After being condemned and deprived of his office Arius fled to Palestine and spread his doctrine there among the masses through his poetry and popular songs. He also had some help spreading his teachings through influential leadersRead More Humanities in the Early, High And Late Middle Ages Essay2132 Words   |  9 Pages Fiero (2002) states Germanic traditions, including those of personal valor and heroism associated with a warring culture, are reflected in the epic poems of the Early Middle Ages. The three most famous of these, Beowulf, The Song of the Nibelungen, and the Song of Roland, were transmitted orally for hundreds of years before they were written down sometime between the tenth and thirteenth centuries. (p.71) Although this age had a brief renaissance, the Early Middle Ages was a shadow of the greatRead MoreEssay about Humanities in the Early, High and Late Middle Ages2248 Words   |  9 PagesFiero (2002) states Germanic traditions, including those of personal valor and heroism associated with a warring culture, are reflected in the epic poems of the Early Middle Ages. The three most famous of these, Beowulf, The Song of the Nibelungen, and the Song of Roland, were transmitted orally for hundreds of years before they were written down sometime between the tenth and thirteenth centuries. (p.71) Although this age had a brief renaissance, the Early Middle Ages was a shadow of the greatRead MoreFeudalism2848 Words   |  12 Pagesthe guy at the top-even smaller and smaller units. With this increase in decentralization, or weakening of central power in Europe†¦ For a while, the Eastern emperor was the only person that even looked like a ruler to many members of Latin Christendom, and they did exercise some power over the folks in the west. But even that was on the wane. In 660, Constantine II visited Rome with a sizable army and an assembly of nobles. Everyone came out to greet him, big parade. A diplomatic mission?