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Essay Subject: Examaines Middle Ages books on life of Christian king: "Song of Roland" & "Two Lives of Charlemagne." Explores leadership, power & heroism.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Examaines Middle Ages books on life of Christian king: "Song of Roland" & "Two Lives of Charlemagne." Explores leadership, power & heroism. Paper Introduction: This study will compare three books on Charlemagne, Two Lives of Charlemagne, by Einhard, and Notker the Stammerer, and The Song of Roland, whose author we do not know. The study will focus not on the life of Charlemagne himself, but on the relative merits of the books themselves from a historical perspective, and the intentions of the authors. In general, both books share the same purpose, namely, to advance the cause of Christian heroism in battle. The books were both written in the Middle Ages at a turbulent time when the futures of both Europe and Christianity were being formed. Would Christianity triumph over paganism (paganism being any non-Christian religion or way of life)? Would chaos result if the great political/royal forces represented by the armies of Charlemagne and Roland failed in battle? The authors of the two books tackle these potent issues Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. In addition, asskilled writers and thinkers, conscious of historical considerations, thethree writers must have also intended to pass on their high-minded andidealized portraits of Christian leaders and soldiers of the Middle Ages toreaders of later eras who would be awed and inspired by the exploits ofCharlemagne and Roland and by the faith those exploits were based upon. The authors of the two books tackle these potent issuesand firmly come down on the side of heroism in battle in the name ofChristianity and the King. The characters in the three works are the elite ofthe society, the powerful and privileged. The king and hissoldiers represent the political state, God, and a sense of order whichheld those perilous times together, which forced men to behave in a certainway to be seen as true men and to save their souls through Christianity,which happened, at that time, to be seen as killing and dying, ifnecessary, in war, as Roland declares himself: "And may God grant [thebattle] to us/ It is our duty to be here for our king:/ . As Thorpe writes in his Introduction to thebiographies, "From . Would Christianity triumph over paganism (paganism being anynon-Christian religion or way of life)? His work is largelyanecdotal rather than historical. His qualifications seem minimal forwriting the book, but Thorpe offers a fascinating conclusion: despite thefact that Einhard is far more qualified, "the Charlemagne of Einhardremains a stiff figure," while Notker's Charlemagne "seems to live beforeour eyes" (Einhard 4 ). Works CitedEinhard and Notker the Stammerer. . . . . New York:Penguin, 1969.The Song of Roland. . Roland!" (Roland 146). Nevertheless, both Einhard and Notker portray Charlemagne as theepitome of the Christian warrior/leader who serves as the foundation forpolitical and religious leadership in a time of great uncertainty anddanger, both physical and spiritual. Although they were not muchinclined to rebel, the peasants were also vulnerable to such tales ofobedience to king as both political and religious leader. She is little more than an idealsymbol of beauty and goodness who is used as an inspiration for Roland togo out and kill and die -- for her, the king, and God. He "seems to have spent thewhole of his adult life in the Benedictine monastery of Saint Gall"(Einhard 25). For example,especially significant in both books is the skill and boldness of theleader in military affairs. Although the French tale is certainly asbasically Christian as those by Einhard and Notker, and while all threeworks clearly argue that heroics in battle in the name of God and the kingare the epitome of right living, the author of Roland nevertheless notesthat humans suffer deeply and despair at times of knowing the meaning oflife. Despite the fact that the French warriors fight and kill pagans anddie for Jesus Christ and Christianity above all, Charlemagne at the end ofRoland is driven to declare, "God, how tiring is my life!" (Roland 175). 768 until . Theauthor of Roland presents the same Christian warrior code as the guidingprinciple of the European culture of the period, at least insofar asCharlemagne and his soldiers are concerned. They lived and wrote in an era --the early Middle Ages--when it was taken for granted that a good leader was a powerful militaryleader, with the ability to be ruthless when necessary. Notker's qualifications are more limited. Ofcourse, those limitations are a direct result of the purpose of the booksin the first place: not to give a no-holds-barred and objective portrait ofCharlemagne or Roland, but to hold up to the people of the time the properway to live and die, in the name of the king and God. As we read in the Introduction, Einhard's work "in a numberof ways . Certainly in part the ideals of the Christian warrior played a partin holding together the noble class which ruled and controlled society, andmust have intimidated the masses of peasants. Nevertheless, as portrayed by Einhard and Notker,Charlemagne did what was needed to fulfill the requirements of a powerful,effective and practical political and military leader, and to fulfill theobligations expected of him by the religious constraints of the era. seems deliberately to obscure the truth, and always in favourof Charlemagne" (Einhard 17). However, Charlemagne also showed a willingness to behave peacefullywith those who behaved peacefully toward him (Einhard 7 ), so that he canbe said to have lived up to the ideals of Christ at times, that is, when itwas easy to do so. The books were both written in the Middle Agesat a turbulent time when the futures of both Europe and Christianity werebeing formed. The pagansare wrong and the Christians are right./ No dishonorable tale will ever betold about me (Roland 83). Ingeneral, both books share the same purpose, namely, to advance the cause ofChristian heroism in battle. He had no personal knowledge of Charlemagne and wrote hisbiography seventy years after Charlemagne's death. None of the books, then, can besaid to be objective portrayals of life as it was lived by the averageindividual of the time. He was willing and eager to use forcewherever and whenever necessary in order to create and maintain domestic"unity" and in order to expand his territory and crush enemies whothreatened or seemed to threaten him and what he stood for. Two Lives of Charlemagne. In The Song of Roland, the same values dominate the portrait of theChristian warrior representing the older king on the battlefields ofEurope, where both political and religious destinies were formed. He sees Charlemagne as a god-like character living in a world ofmere mortals. The era ofMedieval Christianity in the context of leadership and war (the focus ofall three books) was definitely a man's era. Would chaos result if the greatpolitical/royal forces represented by the armies of Charlemagne and Rolandfailed in battle? Einhard and Notker provide the details of the life and achievementsof one specific leader who certainly fulfilled many of the requirements forthe effective leader in such chaotic and uncertain times. . 81 , the reign of Charlemagne wasone long and never-ending series of warlike enterprises" (Einhard 7).The two Charlemagne biographers, especially Einhard, portray their subjectin a positive light. Perhaps the author of Roland has a bit more philosopher in him thaneither Einhard or Notker. This fits neatlyinto the time and place in which Einhard and Notker wrote, the 9th century,a time of great political and military upheaval, and a time in whichChristianity and loyalty to the king provided a measure of stability amidstthe turmoil. New York: Mentor, 197 .----------------------- 9 The study will focus not on the life ofCharlemagne himself, but on the relative merits of the books themselvesfrom a historical perspective, and the intentions of the authors. In all three books, there is also present the warrior code of takingrevenge upon those who had killed a fellow Christian warrior. These authors argueessentially that political and military power can be maintained only by aleader who is willing and able to use whatever means are necessary to bringobedience from one's people and to subdue one's enemies. . Still, despite suggestions of exhaustion and impermanence on the partof the king in Roland, the bulk of the book clearly agrees with the earlierworks that it is the highest calling of a man to glorify God throughbattlefield heroics against pagan enemies, and to exhibit will, courage andloyalty in the face of overwhelming odds. This is more a comment on the relative skills ofthe two men as writers and psychologists than as biographers whoobjectively portray their subject and his importance to the place and timein which he lived. Such avengeful motivation can hardly be said to be grounded in the words ofChrist, but all three books are marked by such contradictions nonetheless.For example, in Roland, it is to the good and brave King Charlemagne whomRoland the hero proclaims and practices his loyalty, and the King plays acrucial role in the victory over the Spanish pagans after Roland is slain.However, Roland postpones summoning Charlemagne and the king's troopsduring the poem's most crucial battle until it is too late and Roland isdoomed. The characters portrayed by these three authors are idealized symbolsof the political and religious ideals of the time. . grant me, in Thy mercy, ifit please Thee,/ the power to avenge . . Einhardintroduces a page-long list of military conquests with these words: "These,then, are the wars which this powerful King Charlemagne waged with suchprudence and success in various parts of the world throughout a period offorty-seven years, that is, during the whole of his reign" (Einhard 68-69). That is the message the two books (three worksin all) are attempting to send, and, in the historical context, they areeffective and dramatic in pushing that message. In Roland, for example, therole of the woman in the world of the warrior in Medieval France istypified by Alde, the betrothed of Roland. . However, from the historical perspective,this was done not merely to show Charlemagne in the best light possible,but to set a shining example for human behavior, for others to emulate aswell, in the name of both honoring the king as a political and religiousleader, and holding Christianity up as the way to salvation. Einhard and Notker also explore leadership and power as expressionsof the life of Charlemagne as a Christian king. This study will compare three books on Charlemagne, Two Lives ofCharlemagne, by Einhard, and Notker the Stammerer, and The Song of Roland,whose author we do not know. Yet this is not so much acriticism as it is an observation of the limitations of the three works. Although Einhard is certainly qualified to write his biography ofCharlemagne, based on his 23-year personal and professional experienceswith the man and the leader, but he loses some of his credibility becauseof his bias toward the man as both individual and symbol of leader andChristian. All three works share an idealization of feudal life as it is livedby the royalty and soldiers of the time. While we should read such a biography with skepticism because ofits bias toward the virtues of the subject, we should also recognize thatit does show us, from the historical perspective, the fact that theauthor's era valued highly the militaristic, acquisitive leader who iswilling to do whatever is necessary through war to rule and to representChristianity, despite any contradictions between the message of Christ andwar. Einhard knew andserved Charlemagne personally; he can in no way be considered an objectiveobserver. . Inall three books, the heroic life and death of the protagonist and otherfeudal warriors loyal to Charlemagne are seen as the epitome of humanexistence, with Christianity serving as a context and reason for suchheroism. . Charlemagne then fights above all for the courageous and loyalmemory of the fallen Roland: "True Father, . It is also important to note the insignificant role which women playin the history of the time as portrayed by these three writers. When she is told byCharles that her beloved has died she can no longer bear to live herself,so dependent on him is she: "'May God, his angels, and his saints forbid/that after Roland I remain alive.'/ Her color gone, she drops at Charles'sfeet,/ is dead--may God have mercy on her soul!" (Roland 166). If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.