The Song of Roland, Dorothy Sayers, tr.

Anonymous

ISBN 10: 0140440755 / ISBN 13: 9780140440751

Published by Penguin Classics, New York, 1957

About this Item

Larger 7 3/4" x 5" ed. - Square, strong, and completely unmarked copy with light shelving wear and lightly toned interior; retains a strong and supple spine for reading. 46th printing.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1735577547466

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Song of Roland, Dorothy Sayers, tr.
• Publisher: Penguin Classics, New York
• Publication Date: 1957
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0140440755
• ISBN 13: 9780140440751
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

On 15 August 778, Charlemagne’s army was returning from a successful expedition against Saracen Spain when its rearguard was ambushed in a remote Pyrenean pass. Out of this skirmish arose a stirring tale of war, which was recorded in the oldest extant epic poem in French. The Song of Roland, written by an unknown poet, tells of Charlemagne’s warrior nephew, Lord of the Breton Marches, who valiantly leads his men into battle against the Saracens, but dies in the massacre, defiant to the end. In majestic verses, the battle becomes a symbolic struggle between Christianity and paganism, while Roland’s last stand is the ultimate expression of honour and feudal values of twelfth-century France.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

About the Author

Glyn Burgess teaches at the University of Liverpool. He is an expert on early medieval French literature, and has translated and written widely on this area.