SONG OF ROLAND CHARACTERS

Meet the Cast

Roland
The Happy HeroRoland—that cocky, pious, stubborn, emotional knight—is a variation on the classic
tragic hero: well-born, well-loved, and headed straight for disaster.

Charlemagne
The Awesome RulerVenerable and experienced and still going strong at 200 years old, Charlemagne
has spent his life conducting devastatingly successful campaigns in Spain and across Europe.

Oliver
Roland's best friend, equally fantastic knight and high-ranking nobleman, Oliver is the wise and
sensible foil to Roland's passionate convictions.

Marsile
Full of resentment and fear, Marsile wants above all to have peace in Spain and to keep Saragossa
away from the Franks. He hates Charlemagne bitterly for what he has done to Spain and wants
revenge...

Ganelon
He's a Frankish nobleman and a Christian, but that doesn't make him good. You're never on solid
ground with Ganelon.

Turpin, Archbishop of Rheims

Turpin is Charlemagne's Archbishop of Rheims but also a pretty sweet knight, who embodies the
tradition of the church militant or fighting Christianity.

Duke Naimes
Although he has his fighting moments—he kills Baligant's son Malprimes and has an excru-ciatingly
close call with Baligant's brother, Canabeus—he's primarily a man of advice.

Blancandrin
As cunning as Ganelon himself, Blancandrin is the man of the hour when he formulates the plan to
get the Franks out of Spain. Persuading the Saragossans is easy.

Emir Baligant
Baligant might just win the gold star for being the most mysterious fellow in the entire poem. Broadly,
he serves as a narrative foil to Charlemagne: Charlemagne is ruler of the Frankish empire.

Bramimonde
Although she has a minor role in terms of action, Bramimonde's commentary is crucial to the poem's
larger philosophy: she illustrates the uselessness of non-Christian religion.

Pinabel
Strong, brave, and 100% committed to family, Pinabel fights to the death for Ganelon's reprieve.
He's powerful and well-spoken enough to intimidate the rest of the Franks on Ganelon's jury.

Thierry
Small and slight, Thierry is the Timon to Pinabel's Pumba—if those furry cartoons had been fighting
to the death over Simba's innocence.

Alda
Alda's a pretty one-dimensional character: she loves Roland so much that when he dies, she dies too.
Her big moment comes when Charlemagne offers to replace Roland with his own son, Louis.