Song of Roland
The idea of the perfect knight of the Middle Ages even today engenders a clear ideal, an ideal associated with valor and insurmountable strength under pressure.

The idea of the mounted knight brings up romantic thoughts of inhumanly handsome and strong men covered from head to toe in armor, or possibly carrying only the helmet, as he gallops across a former field of battle to celebrate his victory and briefly lament his losses. The Middle Age Knight is brave without error, loyal beyond the average, inhumanly strong, filled with the wisdom of leadership, tireless and always, always mounted on a noble steed. "Roland is brave and Oliver is wise; / Both are marvelous vassals. / Now that they are armed and mounted on their horses / Neither will avoid the fray for fear of death." (Burgess 36)

t is without a doubt that the tireless knight will serve their…...

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It is clear that through the ideals of the Knight came an ideal savior, one willing and able to protect both lord and country. The loyalty of real men in this age was likely much more flagging and regardless of the outcome of any battles the victor is the clear writer of history.

The deaths of Christian men at the hands of the pagans is a serious motivation to continue the fight to keep and even regain the lands lost to them and also a good motivator for moving toward historical pagan strongholds and creating wealth through vengeance, as would occur within the crusades. " In the poem itself the enemy becomes, not the Basques or the Gascons, but the Muslims, who the poet calls Saracens. This change permits the clash to be raised to the status of a struggle between Christinas and Pagans." (10) Burgess notes that it is through this universal fight between two faiths that the persuasion of propaganda allows the deeds of men to be bolstered and the hearts and minds of many to be convinced of the right of the church and state.

Burgess, Glyn, The Song of Roland (Penguin Classics), New York, Penguin Press, 1990.

Song of Roland essentially functions as folklore, which lionizes and creates legends of the works and characters of Charlemagne the Great and his men. The author of this epic poem is unknown, as is the exact date in which it was written. It is commonly believed to have been written in the 12th century. The poem's central action utilizes elements of the history of Charlemagne and his Muslim enemies quite loosely. It takes certain historical events and effectively distorts them for the author's own purpose, which is linked to the encouragement of the spread of Christianity. However, many of the major events depicted within this work actually took place. How and why they did, as well as the intimacy of details that poem supplies by effectively flushing out those particulars, is largely fictional and merely helps to spread the legend of Charlemagne, his men, and the perceived greatness of…...

These characters possess freewill, such as Ganelon and his plotting against the Franks. ut the God in the epic does intervene to make sure that good really comes out victorious in the end, such as when he makes Thierry win over Pinable in a duel.
The unknown author of the epic presents the Muslims as unquestionably and inherently evil and base, the reverse of the Christians (ouneuf 2005). Although the Muslims are more monotheistic than Christians and that Christians of the early Middle Ages took Islam merely as another form of paganism, they assumed that Muslims worshipped Apollo. In making this presentation, the poem employs a technique of opposite images, such as 12 Saracen peers matching 12 Frankish peers in battle, opposing armies organizing themselves in the same form, but with Christians outperforming the Muslims and fighting more nobly.

Awesome medieval Christian heroism centers on the idea of vassalage (ouneuf 2005)…...

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Bibliography

Borey, Eddie. ClassicNote on the Song of Roland. GradeSaver LLC, June 10, 2001.  http://www.classicnote.com/ClassicNotes/sources/roland.html 

Bourneuf, Annie. SparkNotes on the Song of Roland. SparkNotes LLC, August 9, 2005.  http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/songofroland 

Crosland, Jessie, trans. Song of Roland by Anonymous. Old French Series Publications, 1999. http://www.yorker.ca/inpar/roland_crosland.pdf

Dagenais, John. Roncesvalles and the Legend of Roland. The Pilgrim's Cross. Camino de Santiago: Compton's Learning Company, 1991. http://www.hument.uc./edu/santiago/roncesva.html

oland's fame is legendary, and so, he seems larger than life to the reader, but not so large that he is unconquerable.
oland is also extremely proud, and this pride also helps lead to his death. He refuses to sound the oliphant and call back Charlemagne's troops, and so, his pride is larger than his common sense. He says, "Better to die than to learn to live with shame -- / Charles loves us more as our keen swords win fame'" (44). Sadly, too much pride is a sin, but oland cannot admit this, and cannot admit that he might need help. Oliver is the wiser of the two men, and understands the odds they face, but he cannot convince his friend to call back the King and his men to help in the fight. Oliver rebukes him for his pride, but not until it is too late, and all…...

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References

Terry, Patricia. The Song of Roland. New York: The Library of Liberal Arts, 1965.

Lais of Marie de France and the Song of Roland -- Epic Expressions of Romantic Cultural Imagination and a Romantic Epic of National Identity
Both The Lais of Marie de France and The Song of Roland are early works of medieval verse. The Lais hail from France, The Song from England. Both are stories that depict an area of history now lost to most readers. However, there the similarities between the two tales seem to effectively end, stylistically and thematically. The Song of Roland is an epic tale of the reign of the Great Emperor Charlemagne. Thus, The Song of Roland, for all of its use of medieval and fantastic narrative tropes, such as a woman who dies for love and the healing and miraculous value of prayer, has its basis in an historical and national French reality. In contrast, the Lais are short stories that are relatively self-enclosed and…...

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Works Cited

France, Marie. The Lais of Marie de France. Translated with introduction by Robert Hanning & Joan Ferrante. Durham, NC: Labyrinth, 1978.

The Song of Roland. Translated by John O'Hagen. New York: P.F. Collier & Son Co., 1909-14. New York: BARTLEBY.COM, 2001 Accessed on March 30, 2004 at  http://www.bartleby.com/49/2/

Everyman," and "The Song of Roland," both written by anonymous authors. Specifically, it will compare and contrast the two texts, illustrating their commonalities and distinct differences.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST

Both of these medieval manuscripts, written by people long gone and forgotten, are extremely important historically. They give the reader a deeper understanding of medieval times, from the chivalry and bravery in "The Song of Roland," to the moral condition of the time in "Everyman." They both use different forms of writing to get their significant messages across to readers, and they both have messages they hope the reader will learn from and act on in their own lives.

Everyman" is known as a "morality play." This genre of 15th century writing urged readers to examine their own morals and beliefs, and make sure they were aligned with those the church and state deemed were correct. As such, morality plays were often highly…...

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Works Cited

The Second Shepherds' Play, Everyman, and Other Early Plays. Ed. Child, Clarence Griffin. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1910.

The Song of Roland. Trans. Scott-Moncrieff, C.K. 1st ed. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1959.

Everyman and the Song of Roland focuses on the leading characters of the plays, namely, Everyman and Roland. This paper gives an in depth analysis of Everyman and the ingredients necessary for any man to abode paradise. This paper also reviews the character of Roland and how he earned great praise and respect not only among his mortal friends but also among angels and saints in heaven. By comparing both characters, this paper emphasizes on life after death according to Christian ideals.
Compare And Contrast Everyman And The Song Of Roland

Everyman is a medieval morality play, written anonymously between 1509-1519. This play may have been inspired by an anterior Dutch morality play, Elckerlijk. The play Everyman is an allegory of Death and the destiny of the soul. Everyman calls for Fellowship, Goods and Strength when he is summoned by death but sadly they betray him due to their true nature.…...

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Works Cited

Eveyman. Mideival Source Book. Available on the address   Accessed on 22 Feb. 2003.http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/everyman.html .

The Song Of Roland. Available on the address   Accessed on 22 Feb. 2003.http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/songofroland .

In this duty as well as in others, Roland somewhat pales in comparison to the unquestionable figure of leadership cut by Charlemagne, who not only emerges victorious and unscathed where Roland and his men are killed, but also establishes a clear system of justice that both makes sense to the participants and fully serves the needs of his men and their shared values and beliefs. In other words, it is necessary for a leader to maintain leadership, both by presenting a continually strong presence at the head of the community, and by ensuring that there will be a common community for this leadership to preside over in coming years and generations.
It is impossible to state with any certainty whether or not Roland's men perceived him as a good leader overall or not; this is not something that is directly addressed in The Song of Roland nor are there enough…...

These warriors are unique in that they stand out from the typical images we normally associate with knights and warriors. Soldiers and knights, as well as chivalry were aspects of life that were first examined through Christianity. The fight was not just a fight on this world -- it had an otherworldly aspect to it in that it was also for and about God. These men were energized by this higher calling and people wanted to hear these astonishing stories of defeat in the name of the church. Just like fight was not just fighting, death was not just death. It was all for a higher calling and a higher purpose. Information like this allows us a greater appreciation for cultures different from our own. hat we learn is that even with all of the advancements of technology and education, we are still the same people underneath. e still…...

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Works Cited

Davies, Jon. The Christian Warrior in the Twentieth Century. New York: Edwin Mellen Press.

1995.

The Song of Roland. Sayers, Dorothy, trans. Baltimore: Penguin Books. 1961.

Sayers, Dorothy. Introduction: The Song of Roland. Sayers, Dorothy, trans. Baltimore: Penguin

villains in Beowulf and the Song of Roland, I believe those in the last-mentioned work are more justified in their actions than those in Beowulf. This at least is true from the perspective of the 20th century religious paradigm. In the modern world, it is vitally important to display a tolerant attitude towards all pardigms of religion and other directions of philosophy. In Beowulf there is a direct rivalry between the villagers and the monster, Grendel. There is little doubt that Grendel is a monster and a bully, without any right to reprieve or defense. His mother is the only one prepared to defend him, and she does so to her own demise. Of course this could be understood from the perspective of the family paradigm. Nonetheless, Grendel was never justified in his slaughter of the celebrating party. His villainy is apparently inherent, and he simply enjoys terrorising people…...

Yin and Yang in Literary Relationships
Yin and Yang in eastern philosophy constitute two parts of a whole. The one cannot exist without the other. They also represent perfect balance; if one dominates, the balance is disturbed and there is conflict. This idea can be applied to several literary relationships, including Adam and Eve from Milton's Paradise Lost and Gilgamesh and Enkidu from the epic Gilgamesh.

Adam and Eve

The Biblical Adam and Eve begin their lives in perfect wholeness and bliss. God makes them equal, they share everything and they lack nothing. Their love binds them in complete unity and balance. They are also bound together by their obedience and love for God.

The imbalance comes with the arrival of the snake. The snake tempts Eve away from what she knows is right. When she tempts Adam, there is an imbalance between the two of them and Adam attempts to restore this imbalance…...

El Cid and Medieval History
Medieval Spain was a constant battlefield where Christians and Moors fought constantly. The Moors had invaded Spain in the early stages of the 7th century and remained in control of the area well into what are now known as the Middle Ages. The Moors had begun their campaign in Europe intent upon conquering the entire continent but had been stopped at the Pyrenees by Charles the Hammer. Nevertheless, the Moors remained in Spain for over 700 years and their influence on Spanish culture remains evident to this very day. These influences include the Spanish language and its architecture.

In the course of over 700 years many legends and tails arise both fictional and real. When these legends and tails begin, at least when they are based upon living characters, they tend to accurately reflect the conditions and events as they occurred. As time progresses, however, the legends…...

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References

Fletcher, Richard, The Quest for El Cid, Oxford, Oxford University Press (1991)

Heaney, Seamus (translator), Beowulf: A Verse Translation, New York, W.W. Norton & Company, new edition (2002)

Sayers, Dorothy L.(translator), The Song of Roland, New York, Penguin Classics (1957)

Simpson, Lesley B (translator)., The Poem of the Cid, 2nd Ed., Berkeley, University of California Press (2007)

knight was "a mounted warrior in the service of his liege-lord." Knights were professional soldiers. They were higher in rank in the cavalry. They wore coat of arms that bore the names of their heritage. They carried the colors of their Lords. (Hopkins, 1990) Their job was protecting the lands that belonged to their Lords and by extension the domain of the king. The rise of knights was associated with a martial meritocracy and an eventual aristo-meritocracy. Those knights who won battles for their masters rose through the hierarchical ranks. They were accorded greater power, lands and servants. The raison d' tre for knights was martial supremacy. Fighting was an often occurrence, because the common person could not defend themselves against an invading foe. In time of danger the people fled to the castle. When not engaged in combat, knights would participate in tournaments to win favors, power, and…...

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Bibliography

Bacon, Leonard. The Song of Roland, Dover Thrift Editions. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2002.

Brault, Gerard J. Early Blazon: Heraldic Terminology in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries, with Special Reference to Arthurian Literature. Oxford,: Clarendon Press, 1972.

Gies, Frances. The Knight in History. London: R. Hale, 1986.

Hopkins, Andrea. Knights. 1st American ed. New York: Artabras, 1990.

Dark Ages
The author of this report is asked to answer to a number of questions relating to the Dark Ages. Specifically, the author is asked to define what "Dark Ages" means. Second, the author is asked to ask how this society unwittingly paved the way for a preservation of literature and art from the classical era. In particular, the author is asked to identify how Ireland was instrumental in this re-emergence. Finally, there is to be a summation of the Arthurian legend and how modern ethics is driven in part by this literature and dynamic and a definition of chivalric code is also to be offered.

Questions Answered

In terms of history, the Dark Ages is the millennia or so that followed the end of the oman Empire. It refers to the cultural and economic downfall that ostensibly happened in Western Europe after the oman Empire was reduced to waste. For the…...

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References

Fordham. (2013, October 9). Internet History Sourcebooks. FORDHAM.EDU. Retrieved

October 9, 2013, from  http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/roland-ohag.asp 

MLT. (2013, October 9). Code of Chivalry. Medieval Life and Times. Retrieved October

9, 2013, from  http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-knights/code-of-chivalry.htm

"
In total contrast with these heroes lies the modern hero or better said the modern man defined by his struggle for power. The idea of an individual selling his or her soul to the devil for knowledge is an old motif in Christian folklore, one that is centered upon in Cristopher Marlowe's "Doctor Faustus."

Doctor Faustus, a well-respected German scholar unsatisfied with the traditional forms of knowledge decides he wants to learn to practice magic. He begins his career as a magician summoning Mephastophilis, a devil while Valdes and Cornelius instruct him in the black arts. Despite the devil's warnings about hell Faustus tells the devil to return to his master Lucifer with an offer of Faustus's soul in exchange for twenty-five years of service from Mephistopheles. As the twenty-five years have passed, Faustus begins to dread his impending death and on the final night he is overcome by fear and…...

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Bibliography

1. The Norton Anthology of English, Norton Topics Outline. 2003-2006. W.W. Norton and Company. On the Internet at   retrieved on November 24, 2006http://www.wwnorton.com/nael/middleages/topic_4/welcome.htm.Last 

2. The Sixteenth century topics: The Magician, the Heretic and the Playwright: Overview. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 2003-2006. W.W. Norton and Company. On the Internet at http://www.wwnortoncom/nto/16century/topic_1/welcome.htm

3. Jokinen, Aniina. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature. November 2006. On the Internet at   retrieved on November 24, 2006http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/gawainintro/htm.Last 

4. Sera, Joseph. A character analysis of Sir Gawain. Pace University Student Projects on Gawain. November 2006. On the Internet at retrieved on November 24, 2006http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projs2d/ana/page.htm.Last