Bibliograph

The song of Roland, a new translation by Dorothy L. Sayers

Type

Label

The song of Roland, a new translation by Dorothy L. Sayers

Language

eng

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

no index present

Literary Form

poetry

Main title

The song of Roland

Oclc number

505731

Responsibility statement

a new translation by Dorothy L. Sayers

Series statement

The Penguin classics, L75

Summary

Presents the classical epic, glorifying the heroism of Charlemagne in the 778 battle between the Franks and the MoorsThe Song of Roland, as Dorothy Sayers remarks in the introduction to this fine translation, is 'the earliest, the most famous, and the greatest of those Old French epics which are called Songs of Deeds'. Writing around the end of the eleventh century, and recalling an actual disaster in 778, the anonymous poet describes in detail the betrayal and slaughter by Saracens of the rearguard of Charlemagne's army under Roland at Rencevaux and Charlemagne's bitter revenge. Nowhere in literature is the medieval code of chivalry more perfectly expressed than in this masterly and exciting poem

Table Of Contents

Poem -- Feudal picture -- Vassalage -- Tokens -- Chivalry -- Rules of battle -- Nurture and companionage -- Horses and swords -- Verse and the translation -- Acknowledgements -- Note on costume -- Song of Roland -- Note on Laisse

Classification