Introduction

Dorothy Gilbert, in her introduction to Marie de France's work, found in The Norton Anthology of World Literature, speculates that Marie was likely a nun, potentially held a position of authority, such as an abbess, and could have been an illegitimate offspring of a noble or royal. Gilbert contends that Marie's work lies at multiple crossroads - between the oral and written tradition, and between French and English, and with Breton, or Celtic, culture as well (296). Bisclavret is the story of a lord said to be the prime example of the nobility who marries a woman that becomes concerned when she discovers he disappears for days at a time. Using her skills of persuasion, his unnamed wife manages to gain the lord's trust and discovers he turns into a werewolf, unable to return to his human form without his clothing. Promptly, the wife enlists the help of a knight who has long loved her, and together they betray her husband, leaving him trapped in his wolf form.This exhibit examines how Bisclavret interacts with and complicates the Medieval tradition of the hero, the villain, and what constitutes as monstrous.