Swift yet resonant, this masterful new verse translation conveys
the immediacy, intimacy, and power of this greatest of Old French
epic poems. John DuVal approaches the unadorned syntax of The Song
of Roland in straightforward modern English, attuned to the nuance
and detail of the narrative and the poetry of the original text. In
his concise but thorough general Introduction, David Staines traces
the origins of the poem and its reception in medieval society,
discusses its content and its themes, and in clear, accessible
prose illuminates the epic poem's chivalric spirit. Footnotes
provide glosses on events, characters, and medieval terms. Endnotes
discuss editorial and translational issues. This edition also
includes a selected bibliography, a map, and a glossary and index.
An appendix provides the entire text of the Old French original.