Wait, did we wander into Hamlet? No one's dad died (and that's an angel not a ghost) but yeah, in the Song of Roland pretty much everyone is out for revenge. Marsile wants revenge for the seven years of warfare he's endured in Spain. Ganelon wants revenge on Roland for making him negotiate with Marsile and being a bad stepson. Charlemagne wants revenge for Roland's death. The Emir wants revenge for Marsile's defeat. Do we need a little love here or what?
Even though everyone's out to get it, Ganelon's revenge is the most talked about. Notice that Ganelon publicly swears revenge against Roland three times. You might have thought this was a problem in the manuscript, kind of like a broken record, but it actually has a narrative point. According to medieval law, to swear three times publicly was to legally declare a personal feud.
Questions About Revenge
- What is the difference between treason and revenge? Are they ever the same?
- Did Ganelon arrange the rearguard attack as private revenge on Roland? Or did it end up being treason against Charlemagne and France?
- Are the Saracens justified in taking revenge on Charlemagne?
- What is the relationship between taking revenge on the Saracens and converting them?
Chew on This
Marsile's desire to take revenge on Charlemagne is justified until Ganelon convinces him to make Roland's death part of the plan.
In the Song of Roland revenge is always justified.