Medieval Love In Bisclavret By Marie De France

Marie de France’s lais translate a multitude of different medieval ideologies/topics into text. One of the most prominent being the ideal of medieval love. In Marie de France’s lay “Bisclavret”, Marie explains to her readers, through a variety of symbols and messages, that medieval love is set in the truth beneath appearances- virtues like loyalty and modesty- whereas love based on appearances, as manifested by Bisclavret’s wife, is in fact a form of vanity. Bisclavret turning into a werewolf is not the only form of bestiality in this lay, in fact it is far from it. Bisclavret and his wife, who is unnamed (possibly to make her seem more animalistic), share a love in the beginning of the story. However, the love is neither true nor just. Bisclavret

They are driven by their own sexual and bestial desires, except for the instances in which they are in control and using them for personal gain. “she kept asking him, coaxed and flattered him so much, that he finally told her what happened to him ---- he hid nothing from her” (Marie de France, 59-62). Often times in medieval texts the reader must read in between the lines, for example, in this case the wife’s flattering was likely implied to mean that she was using her body to seduce/convince Bisclavret. This point is reinforced later in the passage when Marie de France writes, “He tore the nose off her face. What worse thing could he have done to her?” (235-236). Bisclavrets revenge is so detrimental to his wife because he takes the trait most precious to her, the bestial ability to tempt men with her body. He gives her a taste of her own medicine by eternally forcing her to face her vanity. The wife and her suitor are not the only characters who have an animalistic side, however, and Bisclavret is literally trapped in the form of an animal for years. The way he handles himself, however, is in stark contrast when compared to his counterparts. (does this sentence sound weird?). Bisclavret is deeply ashamed of his animalistic side and has the decency to try and hide this side of himself, even from the people he loves most dearly. This is vastly different then the actions of his counterparts. Who, immediately caved to their sexual desires. Bisclavret is, in fact, so ashamed of his curse that when given the chance to turn back into a human, after years of torment, he waits for privacy as to not be unseemly in front of his loving king. “My lord, you’re not doing it right. This beast wouldn’t, under any circumstances, in order to get rid of his animal form, put on his clothes in front of you; you don’t understand what this means: he’s just too ashamed to do it here” (Marie de