Song of Roland Stanzas 93-111 Summary

  • Stanzas 93-102 detail the major Frank-on-Saracen fighting, beginning with the wicked Aelroth, Marsile's nephew. He rides in front of the Saracens and gleefully shouts that today France will be trounced. Roland is incensed and strikes him dead. Whenever a new Saracen gallops up, shouting rude things about Roland or Charlemagne, a brave Frank skewers him with a spear and shouts back that Franks rule.
  • The pagan Margariz takes a swipe at Oliver, but God deflects his spear, so Oliver is unwounded.
  • Meanwhile Roland is kicking some major butt with his sword Durendal, cleaving pagans in half, severing horse spines, you know the drill.
  • Oliver struggles to fight with a splintered spear until Roland reminds him to draw his sword. The Archbishop also gets some good kills in.
  • In stanzas 109 and 110 the action swings between Roland's men fighting in the mountain pass and Charlemagne and the rest of the Franks, worrying and weeping in France. At the end of 109 we get a fast-forward to Ganelon's future punishment: his trial and his hanging.
  • Thousands of pagans are killed through Frankish bravery, but the odds are stacked against Roland's men. The poet warns that they will never see their relatives again.
  • Back in France earthquakes and storms reflect the violence of Roland's fight. The sky blackens in the middle of the day, and the Franks wonder if the end of the world has come.