The epic The Song of Roland displays the themes of religion, heroism, bravery and honour. In this epic Roland seems like a normal soldier who is simply doing his job in defending his territory and doing as Charlemagne says. He does not seem to have any want for personal glory like heroes in other epics. The question that arises about heroism is it possible to grow into a hero or are you born a hero? And what makes a true hero? Roland is an example of a true hero who shows bravery throughout the epic even up until the day that he dies.
In Florence Goyet 's article " Narrative Structure and Political Construction: the Epic at Work" she discusses how Roland’s personal choices affects his relationships and how he makes his decisions that ultimately makes him a hero. Ganelon’s hatred for Roland, which is so far the only real “personal” thing in The Song of Roland, seems quite impersonal. He hates his stepson, so he decides to try to get him killed. Though it is a choice based on personal emotion, it seems logical and not very emotional. So far there has been no great shows of emotion in the epic, and though we see many choices that are based on the personal interests of the characters, the epic still seems quite stiff/prescribed.
...ke Roland who he is and the hero that he has become (7).
countless deaths. Repetition shows the audience the good, the bad, and the ugly. It also places significance on fleeting moments that come to pass, allowing the audience to stop and think about the weight of what has just occurred.