The Role of Women in the Song of Roland

Women are not mentioned often in the Song of Roland. They appear in only seventeen

of almost three hundred laisses. It is because they are included so rarely, however, that the

women stand out amidst the throng of male characters and call attention to the areas of the text

in which they appear. One of the principle woman characters is Queen Bramimionde, wife of the

pagan King Marsile. She plays an important role at the end of the text, becoming by association

the whole of pagandom, and it is only through her that the French emperor Charlemagne can

achieve a true victory over the Saracens.

The first mention of women in the Song of Roland comes in laisse 23, when Ganelon

speaks to Charles: “I well know that I must go to Saragossa;/Whoever goes there cannot hope to

return./Moreover, I have your sister as my wife....” In these lines, Ganelon uses kinship as a

means to link himself to Charlemagne, via the woman. He is in effect communicating his ‘last

words’ to the emperor and, being reluctant to perform the dangerous task set before him, is

attempting to evoke guilt in Charles. A suitable paraphrase of the lines would be: “Remember

that I am married to your sister, whom

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Some common words found in the essay are:
Charles Spain, Song Roland, King Marsile, Charles Saragossa/Whoever, Roland Queen, Help Muhammad/O, Ganelon Additionally, Queen Bramimonde, Christians/And Bramimonde, Song Rolands, song roland, laisse 23, laisse 195, laisse 50, king marsile, laisse 23 ganelon, charlemagne achieve, association pagandom, achieve true, pagan gods, woman characters, women song roland, laisse 50 queen, charlemagne achieve true, achieve true victory,
Approximate Word count = 1441
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)