The Song of Roland

The poem The Song of Roland would have been popular with the Crusaders on their way to Jerusalem because the war story told in the poem has many similarities to the war the Crusaders were about to fight in. First, both Roland and the Crusaders fight for Christianity and second, they both fight for their king. The poem illustrates how a man fights with courage and loyalty to his death for his king and his beliefs. This is something each Crusader must also be willing to do if they wish to be successful in their battles. This poem made Roland a legend. His willingness to stop at nothing to fight for his king has made him a hero of sorts. This should inspire the Crusaders to follow Roland’s footsteps to be a valiant fighter, and in return hopefully they will always be remembered for their courage. The poem also would have provided entertainment for the Crusaders. Roland’s fighting as well as other aspects has been embellished. Roland seems to have super human strength when he slices a man in half during the ambush. This would be impossible for any man to accomplish such a feat, but it does provide great entertainment and motivation for the Crusaders as they march to the battlefields knowing they may very well not survive.