Women in "The Lais of Marie de France"

After reading the selections for class in, “The Lais de Marie France,” I found that in at two of the tales there was this underlying theme of women embodying a kind of feminine construct, one that assigns the power of manipulation and damnation. In addition to this, women seem to hold the promise of salvation for these men. Although, I haven’t fully developed a working definition for ‘monstrous’ or ‘other,’ from what we discussed in class it seems that the women in these tales facilitate men’s transformation into an ‘other’; at times, they also seem to embody both of these themes (‘monstrous’ and ‘other’), and can be seen as subliminal.

In the beginning of “Bisclavret,” the baron is already exhibiting this idea of the ‘monstrous’ on a literal level for he transforms into a werewolf, yet it is his wife who facilitates his transformation into the ‘other.’ In all of these tales it seems the main characters experience a kind of alienation, and I think this theme of being alien or apart from the majority can be associated with this idea of the ‘other.’ It is curious how Bisclavret’s wife not only insists on knowing where her husband disappears off to, but after knowing his secret, how he transforms into a werewolf, she persists in wanting to know his weakness. One could interpret the wife’s persistent questioning as manipulative in the way it influences the baron, and takes advantage of the love that’s between them. In “Bisclavret,” the lines, ‘You must not hide anything from me or doubt me in any way…that would not seem like true love,’ and, ‘She tormented and harried him so much,’ illustrate the wife’s manipulation. In knowing what will happen to Bisclavret if he ‘lost his clothes and were discovered in the state of a werewolf,’ the wife possesses even more power beyond that of manipulation. ‘Power’ that’s associated or assigned to the construct ‘woman,’ and reinforces the notion that women are manipulative and capable of damning, is reinforced when the wife takes his clothes, literally banishing Bisclavret into the woods and alienating him from his world - Bisclavret experiences a downfall that’s caused by his wife’s actions. In addition to this, by stealing his clothes she facilitates Bisclavret’s transformation into an ‘other,’ for not only does he experience alienation, but at one point in the story he is neither man nor werewolf. Although Bisclavret is physically an animal, he is instilled figuratively with the power of speech when he bites off his wife’s nose, attacks the lover she has taken, and everyone takes notices; by using his mouth, Bisclavret’s ‘biting’ becomes an active way of communicating to those around the grief and anger he feels towards those who have wronged him. Moreover, the wife in this tale not only holds the power to damn, but also promises salvation; it is only when the wife gives back her husbands clothes that he is freed from being a werewolf, for the time being. The wife or ‘Lady’ in this particular tale is never elevated beyond the ‘monstrous’ or ‘other,’ and cannot be taken as a ‘subliminal being,’ for in the end she is ‘condemned to being a ‘monster’ (has no nose), and an ‘other’ (is exiled). Yet, Lanval’s maiden I think embodies the sublime, while still retaining the ability to corrupt, damn, and save her lover.

In the tale of “Lanval,” the maiden facilitates his transformation into an ‘other,’ by figuratively alienating him from those around him. The maiden threatens to disappear with the line, ‘you will lose me forever if this love were to be known,’ and because of this Lanval can never voice his love or talk of his ‘beloved.’ One could argue that this threat is a form of manipulation, and even further, acts as method of alienating Lanval from the majority for he cannot talk freely and is verbally cut off from the world. In addition to this, the maiden’s threat also seems to foreshadow Lanval’s ‘damnation.’ The line, ‘He took his leave…often looking behind him, for he was greatly disturbed, thinking of his adventure and uneasy in his heart,’ seems to speak to this. Also, Lanval’s damnation is further reinforced when he experiences the loss of his love, having been confronted by the queen, and having confessed, ‘I love and am loved by a lady that should be prized above all others I know.’ The maiden’s threat to disappear becomes a promise of ‘damnation,’ and Lanval is further subjected to this state of being when he’s taken to court for having ‘offended’ the queen, and is unable to ‘provide proof’ of his beloved. Moreover, the woman in this tale also possesses the promise of salvation, and is elevated to the status of a ‘subliminal’ being. In the end, it is only at her mercy that he is spared, and she is finally revealed to everyone. The maiden is illustrated as a subliminal being not only through the beauty she possesses, but also through the animals she enters the court with. The ‘sparrowhawk’ is a symbol not only of royalty and power, but of the heavens and is also associated with many gods. The dog is a ‘keeper of boundaries between worlds,’ and is also associated with many goddesses. These animals reinforce the image of the maiden as subliminal, as a supreme or one can even say, spiritual being. But I also think it’s in her ability to facilitate Lanval’s transformation into an ‘other,’ and also through her power to both damn and save him that she too becomes subliminal.

Reading these selections I was always struck by the ‘power’ or influence women possessed. In “Guigemar,” the lovers’ anguish is only put to rest after the Lady unties the knot, and after Guigemar ‘sees’ her, feels the belt around her hips. Even in Yonec’s tale, the woman promises damnation/death and salvation, for she calls on her lover to come, and he is 'mortally wounded.' Athough the lover dies, he is avenged by and lives on through his son, Yonec. The women in these tales seem to embody polarities (monstrous vs. other, damnation/death vs. salvation/life, beauty vs. ugliness, etc.), and in doing so, surpass my ideas of the ‘monstrous’ and the ‘other,’ and become subliminal. It will be interesting to hear how everyone else reacts to these women, their actions, and if they too see them as elevated creatures. On a final note, isn’t it curious how in the introduction Marie’s identity/existence is questioned, and how like the women in these tales, at times she seems to be exhibiting the power of manipulation in her storytelling?