Blog 4, October 2013
WEREWOLF: A person who (according to
mediæval superstition) was transformed or was capable of transforming himself
at times into a wolf; †also, an exceptionally large and ferocious wolf.
It
could be argued both ways in reference to who is seen at the monstrous one in
“Bisclarvert,” a story by Marie de France.
The wife had watched her husband disappear weekly for three full
days. She pressured him to be truthful
as to the nature of his disappearance.
Finally, he gave in and explained to his wife that he became a werewolf
for those three days. Bislclavert
attempts to include his wife in his secret.
Though she denies him and marries another man. Initially, the werewolf is seen as the
monster. Though once the King sees the
lone wolf in the forest and the wolf demonstrates gentility, the role of
Bislclavert changes. The King then takes
the wolf to the palace to live. Once in
the castle, Bislclavert sees his wife and her new beau. The wolf bites off the nose of his former
wife causing her grave disfigurement.
Subsequently, all of her offspring are born without a nose. Oddly, she
is then seen as the monstrous one.
Wulf
and Eadwacer
Trying
to understand the interpretations of this poem leads to debates for me as a
reader. Who is the woman married to?
Both Wulf and Eadwacer are male characters, though are they the same character?
I am honestly not sure. In the poem, Eadwacer
is not used as a proper noun, and the term means property owner. It is likely she is married to Eadwacer, or Eadwacer
is a representative of her lover’s manhood.
Wulf is likely her offspring, maybe the child of the woman’s and Eadwacer. Her relationship with Eadwacer could be one
of love/lust or he represents the manhood she longs for her “whelp” or her
child. In analyzing this text, a third idea is brought forth; a love triangle
where the woman speaks of her love for these two men. However modern this poem is, not often was a
sexual relationship discussed during this century.
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