Analysis

The passage from Bisclavret and the illustration of The Werewolves of Ossory bring into focus the complex nature of the duality of a medieval werewolf. It possessed a balance of brutality and humanity. By examining these two works together, it is clear that these docile werewolves  were outside of the traditional depictions. Although traditional werewolves were capable of humanity, it was limited often to the human emotion of remorse, after a beastly action. These two stories show outliers where the unfortunate creatures have committed no atrocious deed and are simply acting like mild mannered humans. They engage the viewers’ empathy, unlike the traditional demonic representations of werewolves.

Werewolves were a controversial topic in the medieval period, especially in medieval Europe, and there are many reasons for their connection to the Devil. Christian doctrine rejected them and, in many werewolf stories, the creature evolved because it went against God for reasons of transformation or other sinfulness. Viciousness may also be attributed to werewolves based on people’s hatred of regular wolves in Europe. Their predatory need and desire to eat livestock and crops, made people live in fear of them. This fear then extended to the world outside the pages of manuscripts. The fear of the werewolf was so great, that in the later medieval period, people were burned at the stake for being a suspected werewolf. The word werewolf has also been found in medieval legal codes to label someone who was exiled from a medieval community.

Marie de France and Gerald of Wales challenge the audience to see more: a humane werewolf, capable of feelings and worthy of compassion.  It is a creature who has been misunderstood.  These artists’ interpretations of the dichotomy of viciousness and gentleness of the werewolf, favour the humanity of the monster.