Bromance in the Runsivals stríð (The Battle of Roncevaux)

In this presentation, I will discuss the bromance in the Faroese ballad Runsivals stríð (The Battle of
Roncevaux) by analyzing the connections between the characters and how they interact with each
other. The presentation will be based on my master’s thesis, in which I aim to explore how
masculinity and homosociality are portrayed in the Faroese ballads Emunds ríma (Emund’s ballad)
and Runsivals stríð.
The ballads are about the Roman emperor Karlamagnus (Charlemagne) and his Paladins, particularly
Rólant (Roland) and Ólivar (Oliver), and correspond to a certain degree to the French chanson de
geste The Song of Roland. In Emunds ríma a young Rólant kills the giant Emund to save Karlamagnus,
and the story continues in Runsivals stríð, where Emund’s father wants revenge, and the battle of
Runsival takes place. All of Karlamagnus’ Paladins are killed in the battle, and he avenges their
deaths. Both ballads are categorized as heroic ballads in The Types of the Scandinavian Medieval
Ballad.
Homosociality was the norm in the feudal society, the man-woman pair was not regarded as a major
priority before the courtly love. A great example of homosociality is the friendship between Roland
and Oliver in The Song of Roland in which Roland cries and faints after losing his friend Oliver, and
the poet states: “See how they part with such great love”. In the Faroese ballads, their love for each
other is well hidden beneath the fighting and the blood.