The Song Of Roland Essay

A big theme in the Song of Roland is the thought of an all benevolent and all-kind God. People in The Song of Roland assume that God will step into events and help them it they submit to him. It seems believable that deciding the verdict at Ganelon's trial should be done by combat, because God will supposedly aid the man in the right, and yet evil things happen. And even though bad things happened the poem manages to turn them into part of Gods plan. Several times through the book event, whether good or bad, and used for God's greater glory, as we shall soon see. Throughout the book the Franks stand on the side of God no matter what the outcome. Whether it be mass slaughter or a glorius victory. The Franks and the English fight the pagan King Marsile. At the
Along the way he buries the bodies of Roland, Oliver, and the Archbishop at the church of St. Romain. At his capital the trial of Ganelon is started, many of Ganelon's kinsmen speak of for him, and one such individual, Pinabel, who is said to be a gifted speaker, persuades the judges to ler Ganelon go free. Most of the judges agree, but Thierry won't have it. He feels that Ganelon should die for plotting to and killing Roland. Thierry challenges Pinabel to a duel for thier views, Pinabel, who is by far taller and stronger than Thierry, agrees. They make confessions at the church and they duel, during the duel each tries to comprimise to make the other stand down, neither do. Pinabel, being much larger, badly wounds Thierry, but as the poets say, God gives Thierry strength to finally smite Pinabel so hard he dies. That is another ludicris way of the poets making everything seem to be in God's big plan. THe only reason they fought was to stand up and do what was right, which is what the current church taught was the best thing you can do. SO really the fight was started by the misguided views of the