Slideshow for teaching Song of Roland. Note that the final slides are teacher's notes. Some materials are from a variety of other sources; all of which I believe are credited. Please inform me if work that is included is not properly credited.

1. What is a song?

2. The Song of Roland

3. What is a song? Style Lyrics Culture: If we know about the culture we can explain the lyrics.

4. Songs to Consider E-40, “Tell Me When to Go” Usurla Rucker, “L.O.V.E.” M1: from “Confidential” Gyptian, “Serious Times” Musiq Soulchild, “ Akon, “Don’t Matter” The Roots: Interview The Roots: Blog and YouTube Link

6. Painting of the death of Roland, with angels carrying his soul to heaven. From a medieval illuminatedmanuscript.

9. The Song of Roland is a chanson de geste portraying a medieval European view of Moslem*- Christian* conflict

12. Roncesvalles: Now a Spanish village in the Pyrenees.

18. The Song of Roland Fragmento del Cantar de Roldán, conservado en el Archivo General de Navarra (Pamplona). .

22. Plot of The Song of Roland

23. The Song of Roland Illustrations by Javere Pinnock

25. Marsilla is tired of fighting and has no hope of beating Charles. Marsilla Blancandrin Blancandrin advises tricking Charles to leave Spain by offering him gifts and loyalty.

26. Marsilla sends Blancandrin to the camp of Charles with his offer.

27. Charlemagne’s men must choose someone to go to the pagan (Moslem) camp to receive their formal surrender. This is a dangerous task. Roland recommends Ganelon for the task. But Ganelon doesn’t want the job. Ganelon

28. Ganelon is very angry at Roland because Roland was the one who got him sent on the dangerous mission. Ganelon conspires with the enemy, Blancandran, to ambush Roland. Ganelon Blancandrin

29. King Charlemagne Ganelon has returned and says that the pagans will surrender and be baptized after we return to France. Now we can go home. They send gifts and hostages.

31. Oliver warns Roland that Ganelon is scheming. Roland is not worried.

32. Oliver was right, the pagans, led by Marsillas, attack Roland’s group.

33. Oliver begs Roland to blow his horn (the Olipahnt) to call for Charlemagne to help them. Roland refuses twice.

40. So how can we explain the radical differences between the plot of Roland and the history of the conflict?

41. Roland Falls at Roncesvalles

42. How does understanding the context help us?

43. Context Clue 1: Charlemagne

44. A portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer that was painted several centuries after Charlemagne's death.

46. The poem describes what was impossible for Charlemagne but what would be possible during the Crusades: conquest of fabulously rich Moslem lands .

47. Context Clue 2: Crusades

49. The poet has no qualms about changing facts to fit in with the spirit of the new Holy Wars.

50. The Song of Roland can be considered propaganda for the Crusades

51. Context Clue 3: chanson de geste

52. How can knowing the genre of a piece of literature help us to understand that literature?

53. What if we knew that The Song of Roland was somewhat like a poetry slam?

54. What if we knew that The Song of Roland is a song intended to be performed meant for an upper-class audience performed in Medieval Europe (for an audience that is mostly illiterate) ?

64. Stained glass window depicting a scene from The Song of Roland in Chartres cathedral.

67. Roncesvalles