Song Of Roland And Dante's Inferno

To understand the literature of the medieval period, you must first understand the medieval world. Song of Roland and Dante’s Inferno clearly state two major medieval values as to how humans should act. Starting around the 14th century, European thinkers, writers and artists began to look back and celebrate the art and culture of ancient Greece and Rome. Then, they dismissed the period after the fall of Rome as a “Middle” or even “Dark” age in which no exact accomplishments had been made, no great art produced, no great leaders born.
After the fall of Rome, no single state or government united the people who lived on the European continent. Instead, the Catholic Church became the most powerful influence of the medieval period. Kings, queens
and other leaders served much of their power from their alliances with and protection of the Church. During, the Islamic world was growing larger and more powerful. After the Prophet Muhammad’s death in 632 CE, Muslim armies conquered large parts of the Middle East, uniting them under the rule of a single caliph. At this point, the medieval Islamic world was bigger than all of Christendom.
Toward the end of the 11th century, the Catholic Church began to authorize military journeys, or Crusades, to expel Muslim “infidels” from the Holy Land.
Some crusaders would wear a red crosses on their coats to show their status, believed that their service would guarantee the remission of their sins and ensure that they could spend all eternity in Heaven.
In medieval Europe, country life was governed by a system call “feudalism.” In a feudal society, the king gave large pieces of land called fiefs to noblemen and bishops. Peasants without land were known as serfs, they did most of the work on the fiefs: They planted and harvested crops and gave most of the produce to the landowner. In exchange for their labor, they were allowed to live on the land.
Most of the literature produced during the medieval period was written by religious members and monks. During this time only a few people knew how to read and write. If anyone was writing, it was mostly hymns, or songs, about God. Some also wrote philosophical documents about religion. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri is often considered one of the greatest works in world literature; this story describes Dante's view of the afterlife. Song of Roland was as well a great piece to literature during this time. It was a story of knightly bravery and
honor.
Dante Inferno was an allegorical religious poem telling of the journey of Dante through Hell, guided by his companion Virgil. Dante falls asleep and loses his way on the journey through life. The poet Virgil is sent to help him begin a series of travels. “Canst thou be Virgil? Thou that fount of splendor. Whence poured so wide a stream of lordly speech? (Dante)” Dante and Virgil go to Hell where they witness the many punishments for those who disobeyed God during their lives. Dante meets all kind of sinners and sees the never-ending punishments they have to undergo. The different punishments are adjusted to the different sins. For example, in a scene Dante encounters a sinner who he does like. It is Bocca degli Abati, who betrayed the Florentine Guelphs in battle. Bocca tells Dante to leave him alone; Dante gets angry with the sinner and pulls his hair. Finally the two end up reaching the last level of Hell and have to climb down the sides of Lucifer, to reach the subterranean way which leads out of Inferno. The major themes that are shown throughout this journey are sin, good vs. evil, justice, punishment and God.
As well being a big influence in medieval literature was the heroic epic Song of Roland. It reflects a shame culture rather than a guilt culture. The story is about how The King Charlemagne starts a battle to keep the land of The Franks. Roland leads the rear guard, as predicted by his crooked stepfather Ganelon, with the wise Oliver and the fierce Archbishop Turpin. The Muslims ambush them at Roncesvalles, and the Christians are overwhelmed. Oliver asks Roland to blow his horn to call for help from the Frankish army; but Roland proudly refuses to do so. At end of the battle Roland and his army are kilt after Roland decides to blow the horn too late. Ganelon betrayed his country and is kilt for his unroyal behavior. In a scene you see where King Charlemagne is offering the noble glove to Ganelon, but Ganelon drops the glove, which the rest of the Franks take as an evil doing. The major themes that are shown throughout this epic are heroism, loyalty, God, good vs. evil and knightly virtues.
The two themes that are shown and are major in both Dante’s Inferno and Song of Roland, they are God and good vs.
evil. The theme of God is seen the same in both stories, but good and evil are told different between the two stories. In the two stories the main characters Dante and Roland are forced to go on a journey within themselves, in order to overcome fears affecting their lives to the wills of Gods and Satan, representing justice. In Dante's walk through Hell, God's justice is strongly specific, balanced, and precise. As the story goes on, in many scenes Dante becomes less and less wise toward pity for the sinners, drawing to the conclusion that to pity their suffering is to disobey a lack of understanding of God's. God in the Inferno is seen to be the all-powerful and all-good; the same is assumed by the Roland in The Song of Roland. This is proven for example in the scene where it was decided at Ganelons trial by the verdict of his fate. “whatever Roland may have done to Ganelon, The act of serving you should have protected him. Ganelon is a traitor in that he betrayed him. (Thierry)” The behavior and acts of God is unconsciously put in the medieval mindset. Characters in The Song of Roland assume that God will step in events. They believe God will supposedly guide man in the right. And even though evil things happen, the epic manages to turn these events into part of God's
plan.
From the theme of good and evil, we are able to see how the characters are taking journeys so as to be good or evil. To understand good and evil, one must realize that Dante’s narration follows strict Christian values. His moral system focuses not human happiness on Earth but rather God’s will in Heaven, which is consider as good. Dante in results sees violence as evil. In the end, it concluded that evil is evil simply because it contradicts God’s will, and God’s will does not need further justification. “Here pity, or here piety, must die If the other lives; who's wickeder than one That's agonized by God's high equity? (Virgil)” As in The Song of Roland, The Franks represent pure Good; they are moved by the will of God. The Saracens are evil, and by their souls they are dragged down to hell. Just like the Crusades, the war in The Song of Roland is seen as a holy mission.
As a knight it refers to a warrior or nobleman in medieval times, or today it refer to a person who has been given a royal recognition or as I compare them to people in the military. As a knight you had to live in a code of humility, honor, sacrifice, loyalty and courage. This sense of code knightly conduct was supposed to be followed during the medieval period. As in the stories, the characters were based on a moral system which went beyond rules of combat and formed the concept of knightly conduct. Which were idealized by the medieval knights such as bravery, courtesy, honor and great courtly love toward women. As I compare the knightly virtues from medieval times to the soldiers in the military today. I believe the people who serve for our country in the military, army or wherever have to show a sense of bravery, loyalty, heroism. I compare this to Roland as he found in the battle and died defending the King and the land of the Franks. “I will not sound on mine ivory horn: It shall never be spoken of me in scorn, That for heathen felons one blast I blew; I may not dishonor my lineage true. But I will strike, ere this fight be o’er, A thousand strokes and seven hundred more. (Roland)” Soldiers morals are expected to have not only the strength and skills to face a battle but are also expected to have an aggressive side with a courageous side to their nature. Seen throughout the stories of The Song of Roland and Dante’s Inferno, in a daily experience of life as a US citizen people must stand by protecting the weak, live by honor and for glory, obey those placed in authority, to guard the honor of fellow memorable figures and at all times to speak the truth.