Most good stories start with a fundamental list of ingredients: the initial situation, conflict, complication, climax, suspense, denouement, and conclusion. Great writers sometimes shake up the recipe and add some spice.
Exposition (Initial Situation)
France on My Mind
The Franks are coming out of a seven-year war in Spain with only Saragossa left unconquered. We get to hear both sides of the situation: the Franks want to go home but they also kind of want to get Saragossa before they leave; Saragossa just wants to be left alone.
Rising Action (Conflict, Complication)
Do I Smell a Traitor?
Ganelon plots with King Marsile to kill Roland, decimate the cream of Charlemagne's army, and ensure a peaceful Spain forever. This treachery sets the conflict in motion by putting Roland in the wrong place (a narrow mountain pass) at the wrong time (just ahead of more than 100,000 Saracens on the warpath). Sensible Oliver sees the danger, but Roland decides that God and bravery are more important than the safety of his men. Bring it on, Marsile!
Climax (Crisis, Turning Point)
Oliphants and Woozles
The Song of Roland has two potential turning points. In the thick of fighting, Roland realizes Ganelon's betrayal and knows that the Franks can never prevail. Later, once his Franks are destroyed, he seems to also recognize his mistake in not using the oliphant before (duh).
When he finally does blow, he is both admitting the disaster and communicating it to Charle-magne. It is the moment of greatest peril in the poem: Roland's men realize they are done for and Charlemagne's men realize on a bigger scale that France's reign of glory also might be done for. Cursing Ganelon's treachery, Charlemagne rushes to Spain to take revenge.
Falling Action
But aren't we still fighting here?
Charlemagne destroys the rest of Saragossa's army and allies, revenging Roland and restoring France's Christian glory. Even though this seems like some important fighting going down, Charlemagne's war is actually just an extended response to the real meat of the poem, which is Roland's battle in the mountains.
Resolution (Denouement)
Kill the Beast!
With Saragossa tied up like a Christmas present, the Song of Roland gets down to the final business: converting the rest of the pagans, including Marsile's grieving queen, Bramimonde, and getting Ganelon on trial.
But even then the bigger struggle of pagans v. Christians is not over. In the final scene the angel Gabriel visits Charlemagne with news: the fighting ain't over yet, kid.