uring the Middle Ages, when reading was a luxury, the use of imagery in literary and visual arts was of utmost importance. In order to reach the largest audience an artisan needed to effectively use imagery to convey important messages. Whether it accompanied a textual piece or a visual piece, the imagery had to be clear, concise, and most of all easily understood by the uneducated majority. One surviving piece from the Middle Ages that will to be examined is The Song of Roland. In the poem imagery is used to convey the cultural importance of trust versus betrayal.

he Song of Roland shows the cultural importance of trust and betrayal. Using contradictory imagery the betrayal of Charles by Ganelon is foreshadowed. Turoldus uses imagery, not only to show the importance of betrayal in medieval society, but also how to avoid it.

n laisse fifteen Ganelon is the only Frenchman who stirs about before Charlemagne as he thinks about what to do with Marsilion. Ganelon’s ferocity in his speech to Charlemagne is indicative of the power that Ganelon has. Despite his power, Ganelon suggests a peace with the Saracens in lieu of a war. From the beginning, Ganelon believes that peace is the only way to leave this situation with the Saracens alive. This serves as the motivation for Ganelon’s betrayal and is the first sign for the audience to watch for betrayal in their own lives.

n laisses twenty-four through twenty-six, Ganelon’s hatred of Roland is revealed to Charlemagne. Charlemagne does not understand this hatred. He feels that if the Franks volunteered Ganelon, he should be happy to serve Charlemagne. When Ganelon takes the right glove of Charlemagne, he drops it. This is an omen of the betrayal to come. Ganelon is then blessed with Charles’s right hand and is given the letter and staff, a symbol of the kingdom. This uses the visual metaphor of right and left that is seen in The Bayeux Tapestry.

hen Ganelon first meets Marsilion in laisse thirty-three he again speaks ferociously. In fear of Charlemagne’s wrath, Marsilion attempts to strike Ganelon, but is held back by the other pagans. Ganelon did not trust Marsilion or the other pagans and was quick to ready his sword. The pagans saw a great man in Ganelon. Earlier in the poem the pagans were portrayed as ultimately incorrect in judgment, this contradiction leads to the conclusion that Ganelon was really a lower creature, not a great man, which supports the belief that great men do not betray their lords.

n laisse thirty-eight when Blancandrin leads Ganelon into the orchard by his right fingers, Blancandrin was leading Ganelon in the right direction. This also uses the right hand and trust metaphor seen in The Bayeux Tapestry. Blancandrin showed Ganelon the way to treason by showing him to Marsilion. Marsilion offers Ganelon furs to show good faith. Through laisse forty-two Ganelon and Marsilion boast to each other of Charlemagne’s greatness. This indicates that even pagans and traitors marveled at Charlemagne. It also shows that anyone, even those who admire you, can betray you and serves as warning to the audience in its contradiction.

n laisse forty-three Ganelon promises the fall of the Franks if the pagans listen to him. A contradiction to the advice Ganelon gave to Charlemagne to follow his own self-interests and not that of others. This is the pivot around which Ganelon turns. Once Ganelon gives this faulty advice, he becomes as two-faced as the pagans and joins their side. Ganelon lies to Charlemagne in laisse fifty-four. He betrays Charlemagne with these lies and conspiracies with the pagans.

hen Charlemagne asks for appointments to the rear-guard, he is angered by Ganelon’s appointment of Roland to the rear-guard. This is exactly opposite to the reaction Charlemagne had to Roland’s appointment of Ganelon as messenger to Marsilion. Charlemagne sees Ganelon’s plan, as he saw the leopard in his dream. And as Charlemagne was not disturbed enough by his dream to awake from it, he is not disturbed enough by Ganelon’s plan to stop it from taking place.

hen Charlemagne hears the olifant through the canyons, Ganelon attempts to convince Charlemagne that Roland is just fooling around. He reminds Charlemagne of Roland’s past follies. The images of Roland’s triumphs in battles that Ganelon uses are akin to Roland’s life flashing before the audience’s eyes. Charlemagne sees through Ganelon and has him held prisoner. Charlemagne runs to Roland’s aid, but far too late. The warning from his dream has manifested itself, but Charlemagne did not see it. Throughout the poem the audience is warned, through imagery, of the horror of betrayal and encouraged not to avoid it like Charlemagne.

he Song of Roland uses imagery to represent the cultural importance of trust and betrayal. Even the most uneducated person, when examining this piece, is able to see the signs of trust and betrayal within it. Even though ths piece is hundreds of years old, the importance of its message can still be understood today through its imagery.