Malcreatiure: The Monster & Human

We encountered more monsters in this third section we read for class! On page two-hundred-sixty-three Gawan encounters Malcreatiure, Cundrie’s brother. Similar to Cundrie, Malcreatiure has ‘two fangs like a wild boar,’ and enters with a reproach, only he directs his criticism to Gawan for leaving with Orgeluse. We’ve encountered a new kind of monster here with Malcreatiure. Yes, Malcreatiure fits out definition of the monstrous in physicality, but I think he pushes it in a number of ways in the short passage where he appears.

There is an interesting tension between Malcreatiure’s human and monstrous qualities. Malcreatiure is established as human when Wolframs states ‘he was the splitting image of Cundrie, except he was a man.’ Here, Malcreaiture quite literally is established as a human, and his role as a ‘squire,’ also seems to reinforce this, for it establishes him as insider within Gawan’s world. The monsters we’ve encountered in the previous novels/poems we’ve read, all appear to be outsiders from an ‘unknown world,’ and Malcreatiure’s status as a ‘squire’ lends a new dimension to what we’ve defined as the ‘monstrous,’ for it gives him a place within this dominating society. It is also interesting how a squire’s role is to attend to or escort a woman, can act as a judge, and is ranked below a knight in the feudal hierarchy; this not only reinforces Malcreaiure’s position within dominating society, but I think lends him certain characteristics associated with knighthood, such as protecting those in need. In this case, it seems that Malcreatiure is ‘protecting’ Orgeluse, and if we do consider him ‘monstrous,’ this is a quality we’ve never seen in the monsters we’ve encountered. In light of this though, Malcreatiure asserts, “You (Gawan) strike me as a fool…You will have high praise if you can fend off the correction in store for you.’ Malcreatiure’s words also seem to invoke a warning for Gawan, and in the same instance, foreshadows what comes next; strangely, in warning Gawan, Malcreatiure could be seen as protecting him. Wolfram seems to repeatedly blur the line between humanness and monstrous both physically, and I would say psychologically, to the point where Malcreatiure’s seems to be pushed outside of the ‘monstrous’ realm, and exhibits humanness. As ‘frightful’ as his appearance is, he holds the position of a ‘squire,’ and unlike Grendel or Grendel’s mother, talks, engages in conversation; he also adheres to a form of conduct (‘If you are a knight you might in decency have refrained!’). Yet, these are not the only characteristics that push Malcreatiure away from the monstrous.

After Gawan flings Malcreatiure to the ground, Malcreatiure is described as a ‘sapient,’ wise and discerning, squire that ‘looks up timidly.’ Yet, this image is quickly contrasted with Malcreatiure’s physical monstrousness, his ‘hedgehog bristles. An interesting thing happens in the fight between Gawan and Malcreatiure. One may argue that Malcreatiure’s ‘timidness,’ seems to readily invoke not only his defeat, but works to victimize him; the reader, in my case, sympathizes with Malcreatiure because the description of him ‘looking up most timidly,’ illustrates him as weak, almost fragile, fearful and hesitant; this paired with the fact that he is established as an ‘insider,’ as well as someone who adheres to a mode of conduct like Gawan’s, makes us further sympathize with him, something we could never do with for example, Grendel’s Mother, who could be seen as justified in avenging her son’s death. The image of Malcreatiure as ‘timid’ is quickly contrasted with vengeance (‘Yet his hedgehog bristles avenged him, cutting Gawan), and ultimately it is his monstrous physicality that ensures him protection from Gawan. Like Siegfried who after bathing in the Dragon’s blood, had ‘skin that grew horny so that no weapon should bite,’ it is Malcreatiure’s monsterous physicality, his hedgehog bristles, that protect him; in this instance he seems to mirror Siegfried, and exists as both a human and monster. In addition to this, in this part of the passage (‘Yet, his hedgehog bristles avenged him…) it is a little ambiguous whether or not Malcreatiure intended to hurt Gawan and avenge himself. Malcreatiure quickly disappears from the story, and we’re not given any information indicating that he was motivated by ‘rage,’ a characteristic associated with the monstrous, and whether he intended to cut Gawan. But the passage could be read that when Malcreatiure looks up ‘most timidly,’ he is almost putting on a show, as if manipulating an expression of weakness in order to later inflict his vengeance; this is probable because of the human qualities that have previously been established within him. In light of this, Malcreatiure’s intent is never concretely established, and I think this speaks to how Wolfram is conscious of manipulating human and monsterous qualities in order to carve out a new kind of monster, one that is both human and monster, and may be even said necessary. Like the beast in, “The Good Book,” Malcreatiure can be seen as a monster unleashed, that acts as warning. After the fight, Gawan is forced to face a number of ‘ordeals,’ and Malcreatiure’s words, ‘You will win high praise if you can fend off the correction in store for you,’ echo in the pages that follow.

The monsters in “Parzival,” specifically Cundrie and Malcreatiure seem to have a different purpose then Grendel or even the Green Giant; they appear as both human and monster, but do not epitomize the Christian idea of ‘hell’ or ‘evil doers.’ Also, they are not outsiders, nor can they truly be seen as negative characters, or better said, ‘enemies.’ In addition to this, they seem to have an agency that I don’t believe we’ve really seen in any of the monsters that have appeared in class. It is hard to determine exactly what Cundrie or Malcreatiure are ‘aiding’ or facilitating in the story, but they both seem to be characters that ‘warn,’ and foreshadow turning points. With Cundrie and Malcreatiure the line between monstrous and human is blurred to such a degree that they are ‘othered,’ for they only really fulfill the monstrous in physicality, are human, and have a place and agency within dominating society.