Trouble in Paradise: The Problem of Credibility in the Middle English Song of Roland’s Christian Community

Abstract

The Middle English Song of Roland provides an image of a society of Christian knights united against a common enemy, but also hints at the dangers inherent in a community based on trust and counsel. This article explores the little-studied Song in the light of its fifteenth-century context and its French counterparts. The contemporary debate about false counsel and political upheaval is reflected through the Song’s emphasis on false speech, the advantages and problems of counsel, and the role of God as ultimate advisor. Study of these areas of interest reveals significant differences between the Song of Roland and its French sources.