The Song of Roland

The word “Saracen” was used by Europeans up until the 16th century to refer to people from the Islamic world. During the Middle Ages, the term expanded to denote anyone from outside Europe who worshipped gods other than Christ. The Song of Roland combines both of these definitions in its depiction of the kings and warriors who occupy Spain. The speaker introduces King Marsile, for example, as one who “serves Muhammad and calls upon Apollo” (Line 9). This conflation of Islamic and pagan beliefs continues throughout. In the poem, the “Saracens” represent the uncivilized, ungodly world that Charlemagne sets out to correct.

Roland’s use of “Saracen” in this way is xenophobic and reductionist. The poem conflates Spaniards, “Slavs” (Line 3225), “Persians” (Line 3240), “Huns” (Line 3254), peoples from the African continent, and many others as “Saracens” to label them enemies of Charlemagne’s empire. While some characters, such as Ganelon, show sympathy for the Saracens, saying it “it would be a sin to proceed” (Line 240) with the war, the work as a whole demonizes this diverse group of people.

To further dehumanize the poem’s antagonists, the speaker associates Saracens with animals, darkness, and lack of civilization. Some are described to be “bristly as pigs” (Line 3223), while others come from areas where “The sun does not shine and wheat cannot grow” (Line 980) and where “devils live” (Line 983). The speaker often describes the Saracens’ complexion as dark or “black as molten pitch” (Line 1474), adding that Marsile’s uncle Marganice “has the black race in his power” (Line 1917). The poem’s racialized descriptions of “Saracens” underlines the term’s xenophobia and its use as a catch-all for non-Christians. This problematic term fell out of favor during the Renaissance.