Introduction
Werewolves have long been creatures of fascination both in historical texts and within modern media. Bisclavret is one of the twelve Lais of Marie de France. Written in the 12th century and originally written in the French language, the poem tells the tale of a knight, who for three days of the week, is cursed into assuming the form of a werewolf. The only way he can return to his human form is through his human clothing. Upon his wife discovering his curse, she steals Bisclavret’s clothing, thereby trapping him to roam in his wolf form.
Werewolves are unique creatures as they straddle the line between human and monster. This digital exhibition will focus on the unique depiction of monsters such as the werewolf in Bisclavret and whether he can truly be considered as fully monstrous as he displays uniquely human characteristics. The passage I will be featuring in this exhibit, lines 139-168, describes Bisclavrets encounter with the king. This scene specifically, displays several important themes that I will be discussing throughout this exhibit, particularly regarding the portrayal of this monster and the emphasis placed on the human characteristics that it possesses. These ideas will be explored further when discussing the medieval objects featured throughout this exhibit.
The primary object in this exhibit is Topographica Hibernica and I will be highlighting how the depiction of the monsters in this image bears similarities to the depiction of the protagonist in Bisclavret. I will be using the secondary objects presented within this exhibit to support the unique depiction of Bisclavret as a monster. I will be drawing comparisons from the monsters presented in Beowulf and how they differ from Marie de France’s depictions of a monster. Overall, this exhibit and analysis of the text and objects, will showcase how the portrayal of these monsters in a way that highlights their human characteristics poses a question of what is considered human and what is considered a monster and whether Bisclavret can truly be considered a monster.