The Story of Roland has all the essential features of a medieval romance. It is a lengthy narrative which consists of a series of loosely connected episodes. The actions depicted in these episodes involve descriptions of knightly combats, siege warfare, dangerous quests, romantic interludes, and encounters with giants, dragons, dwarfs, elves, and magicians. In such a work a large element of fantasy surrounds a core of realism. The tone is generally lighthearted, the mood optimistic, and the atmosphere magical, in contrast to a work such as Beowulf where the general outlook is gloomy. Such a contrast in tone and mood represents one general difference between romance and epic.

Also characteristic of medieval romance are the chivalric values reflected in The Story of Roland. Scorn falls on the many who fail to live according to such values, while those few who manage to live in accordance with...