The Song of Roland (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

John O'hagan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0331893967 ISBN 13: 9780331893960

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Explore how legends grow—from simple ballads to a shaping epic that still fires the imagination.

This edition presents a translation of the early tale known as the Song of Roland and locates its origins in a world where oral storytelling, historical events, and shifting cultures mingle. It discusses Charlemagne’s era, the clash between old Rome and emerging feudal Christendom, and how listening peoples turned rough lays into a lasting epic.

Readers will gain insight into language and culture, the making of legends, and the ways protagonists, battles, and places become symbols across centuries. The notes trace how old texts were written, altered, and interpreted, offering context for one of the most influential medieval narratives.

• How ballads evolve into a national epic and why this matters for our understanding of legend
• Historical backdrop: Charlemagne’s world and the collision of civilizations
• Language and transmission: Teutonic and Romance roots in the enduring poem
• Character cast and key moments that shape the tale’s memory across time

Ideal for readers new to medieval legends and fans of literary history alike, this edition clarifies the origins, transmission, and significance of a foundational epic.

About this title

About the Author

Charles Kenneth Scott Moncrieff, (1889 – 1930) was a Scottish writer, most famous for his English translation of most of Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu, which he published under the Shakespearean title Remembrance of Things Past.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0331893967
• ISBN 13: 9780331893960
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 238