Song of Roland Lesson Plan

Film Screening: The Song of Roland ft. Klaus Kinski

Kind of Activity:

Classwide Discussion

Objective:

Students will broaden their knowledge about the themes of the text.

Common Core Standards:

N/A

Structure:

For this exercise, students should watch the first 44 minutes of the 1978 film The Song of Roland (directed by Frank Cassenti). The film can be watched in its entirety with English subtitles here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuOlCII3UNY

The film does not adapt The Song of Roland directly, but shows selected scenes from the poem as it is performed by a band of pilgrims travelling from France to Spain on the Way of St. James. In the process, the film depicts...