Analysis

The thematic exploration of Bisclavret and the Capitoline She Wolf unveils a compelling narrative of transformation, empathy, and societal boundaries. Bisclavret, in his werewolf state, challenges conventional notions of monstrousness by evoking empathy and contemplation. Similarly, the Capitoline She Wolf blurs the line between the human and the beast, inviting viewers to reflect on the complexities of love, nurture, and societal norms. The parallel lies in the nuanced nature of their monstrosity, Bisclavret’s transformation challenges prejudices, just as the she-wolf’s protective ferocity defies traditional expectations. The conversation between text and artifact reveals that even in monstrous states, both entities transcend traditional norms, inviting audiences to re-evaluate their understanding of monsters in the face of transformation and adversity. 

Marie de France's Lais prompts a deeper level of consideration and introspection from readers. In sympathizing with Bisclavret's plight resulting from his wife's betrayal, readers are challenged to understand what it would feel like to experience such vulnerability and loss of identity from Bisclavret’s perspective as an outsider. They are confronted with contemplating his struggle to reconcile the two identities - human and wolf - that exist within him. Similarly, the she-wolf's maternal protectiveness in caring for and nursing Romulus and Remus humanizes her beyond just a monstrous veneer. Her actions establish her as more than a savage beast and provide her with relatable maternal emotions.Both Bisclavret and the she-wolf complicate typical perceptions of "otherness" and monsters by revealing hidden emotional depths within them. Their behaviors transcend expectations of mindless viciousness and establish elements of relatability. Readers are invited to reflect on how perceptions of identity and otherness may be more complex than initial reactions of fear or disgust toward their outward appearances might suggest. They prompt contemplation of the capacity for traits like compassion that exist across supposed boundaries between human and animal. In eliciting empathy and sympathy from audiences, these protagonists challenge preconceived notions of monstrosity and normalize the presence of shared humanity, even in unexpected forms. They invite re-evaluation of what it means to be human and how definitions of identity and community are far more nuanced. 

My additional artifacts further contextualize medieval fascinations with shapeshifting. The coins normalized the she-wolf myth as a foundation of Roman identity and power, much like Bisclavret's humanity remained intact beneath his form. Conversely, Cranach's woodcut depicts a werewolf succumbing to bestiality, highlighting shifting cultural perspectives on transformations. Together, these pieces underscore how medieval audiences grappled with the blending of human and animal natures, seeking to reconcile innate fears with recognition of shared traits like love and loyalty. Across media, my examples engage enduring questions around definitions of monstrous identities and what it means to transcend norms.

The varied cultural and temporal origins of the text and artifacts in this exhibit mean that differences in their depictions of wolf-like figures stem not only from diverging cultural traditions, but also shifting perspectives across periods. Bisclavret, written in twelfth-century Anglo-Norman France, portrays its titular protagonist with nuance and empathy, reflecting how the medieval period saw shapeshifting in a more morally ambiguous light. In contrast, the late fifteenth-century German woodcut takes a more fearful and monstrous approach reflective of changing attitudes toward werewolf mythology during the Renaissance. While the Roman coins reinforced a shared founding myth and collective identity, the other artifacts and text from diverse historical periods exhibit a greater range of perspectives on wolf-like figures, reflecting how conceptions of these liminal monsters could evolve differently according to cultural-temporal contexts. Ultimately, these periods observed the natural world and human-animal intersections through lenses informed by religious, scientific and social developments of the time. This exhibit thereby demonstrates how notions of monstrosity and identity shifted across centuries and cultures.