The Song of Roland represents an epic poem of the Middle Ages during the reign of Charlemagne revealing notions of betrayal, forced Christendom, and war. Looking at the end of the epic, specifically the last stanza or laisse 291, Charlemagne has become victorious in the unending battle against the Saracens under Marsillas’ reign, until Saint Gabriel requests of his assistance to reclaim another city under siege of the Saracens. Symbolically, the last laisse demonstrates the Franks’ loss of spirit for the true notion of conversion by instead forcing it alongside war, which is seen throughout the entire poem.. In relationship to these concepts, the author uses ten syllables to develop rhythm, as well as assonance to connect each line in order to change the plot. The poetic devices used by the author as well as the continuous skewed vision of faith and God through the epic depict a problematic attitude in the views of modern readers on whether Christianity was actually true to it’s original roots.
The last Laisse of the epic poem presents not only a conclusion to a war Charlemagane has endured for many years, but the poet chooses near the end of the poem to give us a reminder that Christendom is not all forced conversions and dismemberment. In line 3991, the author quotes “he put the Christian Faith in Bramimunde” to explain Charlemagnes’ powerful persuasion to convert the previous Saracen Queen to Christian faith (291, vs. 3991). Ironically, the author makes it as though she herself became…show more content… The final message is that a Christian must submit to the will of God and the audience should follow Charlemagne's example. The ending leaves some ambiguity as to whether this piece as a whole was to show the heroicness of the Franks, or truly to show how Christianity trumps all other
