The Evolution of A New Type of Hero: An Analysis of Beowulf and Roland

Abstract

The characterization of the hero has undergone many transformations over centuries of literature. The purpose of this study is to examine the shift of the heroic ideal from a pagan Germanic to a Christian type by the end of the eleventh century. In examining the eponymous heroes of the epics Beowulf and La Chanson de Roland a shift from pagan Germanic to Christian hero can be traced and understood. The epic poems of the Middle Ages, which celebrated the feats of a legendary, traditional hero whose actions were deemed epic in his cultural context, had existed in an oral tradition for centuries before they were recorded (Ferrante, 3). Many of these works featured Christian heroes who fought pagan enemies, and the desire of this hero was to do battle and win fame through a heroic death (Miller, 163); such were Beowulf and Roland. These heroes sought glory in their actions as they worked for their lords, but the evolution of the character of Roland appears to point to the beginnings of a new trend for the hero in the literature. Roland and Beowulf were heroes who fought for a particular cause and were the victims of a fatal flaw. Beowulf died leaving no heir for his people, who eventually disappeared from historical record. Roland's death, however, was avenged and in the poem led to Christianity conquering the infidels. Beowulf was recorded sometime in the early eleventh century and is the oldest surviving epic poem in the English Language. The Chanson de Roland was recorded in Anglo-Norman French and the Oxford manuscript dates to the late eleventh century. A difference in the nature of the two heroes in the epics is evident, but what prompted this evolution of a new type of hero? Was the impact of the Crusades and a crusading mentality a factor in the spread of the concept of this new type of hero from the continent of Europe to the island of England where both Beowulf and the Chanson de Roland were first written down? In this paper, I will examine both heroes and their pagan Germanic and Christian traits. I will then look at the death scenes of each character in order to pinpoint a significant shift in the nature of the heroes. An analysis of the early Crusades and other chansons de geste that were written down soon after the Roland will also be provided. By examining these elements, the evolution from Germanic pagan to Christian becomes evident. I plan to show that the transformation of the hero to one with Christian attributes was greatly influenced by the call to the Crusades