Bisclavret Reimagined

Reflection

Ever since I read Maria de France’s Bisclavret, I fell in love with the tale of a man turning into a werewolf, going through the struggle of being betrayed by ones he thought he loved only to be saved in the end by someone who truly loves him. As a story writer and lover of original modern-day fiction, I loved taking an old classic and remaking it to today’s standards (something very old from the 12th century, not like what Disney’s doing to its animated movies made twenty years ago). Reading Bisclavret, I saw a lot of potential for modern interpretations to be put into this story, mainly the LGBT+ romance between the werewolf and the king. While staying true to the original story, I also implemented other themes that were either not included at the time (man vs nature) or introduced through my interpretation (bisexual awakening). My project is a simple summary of Bisclavret told as a modern story, to be interpreted through any form of media (movie, novel, comic, etc.) 

At first, my reaction to the story was to write a modern-day peace that reflected the LGBT+ themes that have been showcased in media recently (ex. Steven Universe, She Ra, RWBY, etc). But as I wrote more of the story, I realized there was another LGBT+ theme that could be represented through Bisclavret: bisexual awakening. The character chooses to live as both a man dedicated to serving his king while also utilizing his werewolf curse to go into nature every now and then to live as a wolf. Given how the original story heavily emphasized the king admired the wolf while making it clear the werewolf was married to a beautiful woman, I wanted to showcase the bisexual themes of a person given two sides that they can’t choose from and would rather explore them both, like how a bisexual chooses to date men and women. The story arc this werewolf goes through showcases his desire to live his life as both a man and a beast while struggling to rethink his decisions, including playing the part of a perfect human aristocrat and marrying a woman for beauty and conception. 

This response to literature matters because we are living in a decade that’s slowly telling more stories from other people’s perspectives. It’s important to reflect on stories that have already been told and see them in a new light. LGBT+ stories are rarely told in most places and are often pushed aside so people can study stories that have enough meaning to look into (The Great Gatsby, Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies, etc.). Because we spend so much time understanding those stories told by typical straight white men, we rarely explore other tales that have been written in the last few centuries, including a 12th-century poem written by a woman detailing the good side of a werewolf. 

Maybe she had a different meaning behind the king’s admiration for the wolf in the original tales. But as a modern audience, we desire to hear more stories that showcase love in different formats aside from the typical heterosexual romances we’re used to today. Therefore, we desire to express ourselves and learn about love in other shapes and forms. Bisclavret is a beautiful tale that deserves more recognition, especially in the genres of werewolves, man vs nature, and LBGT+ romance. My reaction to this reading stems from my love of adapting old stories into new forms of art, and I can say you will enjoy this reimagined tale of Bisclavret. 

Bisclavret Reimagined by Sara Howell

In the 12th Century, King Valéry rules the kingdom of Brittany, along with his seventeen-year-old daughter, Princess Maria-Rose. The king’s reputation is slightly tarnished as rumors spread by the knight, Herewald, reveal Valéry may be homosexual. There is little proof of this except that he favors the prestigious baron Bisclavret, who works in his castle as a manager of lands and treasure. He is happily married to the beautiful Claribel, though the couple fears they cannot have kids through unknown means. Herewald, who adores Claribel, often tries to win her over through the rumors of the king’s potential infatuation with Bisclavret, but the agitated baron pushes him away usually. 

Bisclavret has interests in wolves, nature, and the supernatural. These are interests not shared by most people in the kingdom, so he keeps this interest to himself. Maria-Rose knows the baron well and is more intrigued by her father favoring him. Other notable members who work in the castle’s court include wise man Count Julian, war-hungry and stubborn Duke Herbert, and the princess’s uptight Lady-In-Waiting, Nettle. 

During a castle party one night, Bisclavret and Claribel join Valéry and Maria-Rose in their conversation circles. To embarrass Bisclavret into making Claribel leave him, the drunken Herewald makes a scene that involves vocally voicing the king’s homosexuality and unfaithfulness to his deceased wife. Bisclavret angrily calls him out and Valéry throws Herewald out of the party, embarrassing him heavily. Valéry has Bisclavret send Claribel home so the two can talk in privacy. Maria-Rose, suspicious of her father’s infatuations once more, pick-pockets Bislcavret’s keys from his coat and sneaks off to investigate his office for clues of who he is. 

Bisclavret and Valéry talk in regards to their pasts and connection to each other. The two were childhood friends before taking responsibility for their families. Bisclavret was born of his noble father and peasant mother, who both died long ago, leaving him his legacy as an aristocratic baron. Valéry had married a noblewoman named Maylis as part of an arranged marriage that resulted in Maria-Rose’s birth, but Maylis died from the plague years ago. Their interaction displays signs of feelings for each other, but Bisclavret is confused by his sudden attraction to the king. When they evade guards and find a room together, Valéry confesses he loves him dearly and kisses him. They end up sleeping together, with Bisclavret giving into temptation despite his duties to Claribel and his reputation. 

At the same time, Maria-Rose reads through the notes in Bisclavret’s office and learns his secret: when he removes his clothes, he turns into a werewolf. Because he only keeps his shirt on, Bisclavret sprouts wolf ears, teeth, claws, and a tail, but he keeps them hidden when sleeping with Valéry. He licks Valéry’s neck in a way that becomes unique to him. When they fall asleep, Bisclavret awakes to the sound of guards coming. He locks the door and escapes out the window to avoid being discovered, yet returns his love for Valéry. Valéry wakes up to find him gone and fears he made him cheat on Claribel. But he barely has time to dwindle on this as he tends to the room and the guards. 

Bisclavret retreats to a chapel and panics about what he just did with Valéry, with his feelings mixed between him and Claribel. But when he gets a look at the forest scenery, he slows down and finds peace in it. To avoid travelers recognizing him, he removes his clothes, leaves them at the chapel, and explores the forest in his werewolf form. For the first time in his life, he finds peace in the woods, feeling wild and free. He is watched from a tree branch by a crow. 

He returns to Brittany just in time as Valéry and Claribel fear his disappearance. Bisclavret claims bandits kidnapped him and he recently escaped. Valéry sends knights into the woods to find them, only to not get any reports of them later. The two men try to talk about their night together but don’t get a chance due to watchful eyes. Suspicious, especially now knowing about his curse, Maria-Rose consults birds in the garden, having the ability to communicate with animals. The black crow from the forest, named Nigel, stops by, being a frequent visitor and friend of Maria-Rose. He passes on the knowledge of the wolf to her, which Maria-Rose holds onto for safekeeping. She tells him to meet Bisclavret as the wolf the next time he sees him in the woods, which Nigel agrees to. 

Bisclavret sneaks out into the woods every three days and explores it more as a wolf. At one point, after an encounter that showcases a potentially lethal side to his wolf form, Bisclavret meets Nigel. The bird and the wolf befriend each other easily. People in the kingdom become suspicious of this. When Claribel confronts him one night, he confesses his curse, his process, and his enjoyment of the woods. She agrees to keep it secret so long as he stays loyal to her. He does and the two sleep together that night. However, Bisclavret doesn’t feel as into it as he thinks more about his sexuality and admiration for the king. He considers being bisexual as he cannot choose between either side and wants the best of both worlds (men and women, man and wolf, civilization, and the forest). However, his heart is torn between Claribel and Valéry. 

On the day of Maria-Rose’s birthday, Bisclavret returns to the chapel after exploring the woods with Nigel. However, he finds a knight stealing his clothes and chases after him. The knight shoots him with an arrow, leaving him injured. Nigel tries to help him before a wandering wolf pack comes by to look after Bisclavret and nurse him back to help. The knight delivers the clothes to an unknown person, who locks them in a drawer. When Bisclavret fails to return to Brittany, everyone assumes he’s dead, to the heartbreaks of Valéry and Claribel. Herewald comes to comfort Claribel while Maria-Rose becomes highly concerned for him, especially when Nigel fails to return. 

A year passes and Bisclavret has adapted to wolf life thanks to the pack. But when they prepare to head south for the winter, Bisclavret bids them farewell and stays close to Brittany. Maria-Rose has turned eighteen, yet dislikes it as she begins to receive letters from suitors from other kingdoms. Valéry has been depressed most of the time due to losing Bisclavret, so he joins Duke Herbert for a hunting party to cheer up. Bisclavret, in wolf form, finds the party and tries to get close to Valéry, but gets chased by the hunting dogs in the process. Just as he’s cornered, he showcases his intelligence by kissing Valéry’s feet and nuzzling his leg. The stunned king holds the men back. Growing fond of his friendly nature, Valéry takes the wolf back to his castle. 

At the castle, the wolf becomes well-liked by the castle’s inhabitants, though some, mainly Duke Herbert and Lady Nettle, are still suspicious of it. Bisclavret, though unable to communicate, comes across as a friendly wolf with intelligence higher than normal wolves. He never shows any aggression to anyone. However, when he sees a knight wearing the same armor as the knight who stole his clothes, Bisclavret growls at them, to the court’s confusion. When he retreats to the garden, Maria-Rose confronts him about his intelligence and intentions. Bisclavret mumbles when she tries to leave, but hearing him and recognizing his voice, Maria-Rose reveals she can understand him, to his surprise. She explains she connects to nature, unlike most people, which gives her this power. 

Maria-Rose reveals after Bisclavret was declared dead, she saved his notes and learned of his curse. The two agree to work together to find his clothes, become human again, and expose the treachery of one of the knights. When Valéry comes in and escorts the wolf to his room, he relinquishes his thoughts and regrets to him, which include his love for Bisclavret and regret for Maylis’s death. Biscavret sleeps with the king that night, feeling warmed by his company. 

During a party at the castle, Bisclavret is well-liked by the attendees. However, shock fuels him when he sees the knight enter with Claribel, announced as the knight’s wife. The knight takes off his helmet to reveal Hereweld, making Bisclavret realize he trapped him in his wolf form to make Claribel a widow and marry her. His angered growls get picked up by Valéry and Maria-Rose, yet no one can stop him as he viciously attacks Herewald, scratching and blinding his left eye. Valéry slams his staff to stop the wolf. Bisclavret regains his senses and sadly rejoins the royals, keeping his head lowered as the party talks about him. 

After Hereweld is sentenced to the castle’s medical room to heal, the court meets to discuss the wolf. Herbert insists it’s dangerous, but Count Julian claims it must have a reason to attack Hereweld as it hadn’t shown any aggression to anyone else before. Maria-Rose learns from Bisclavret his theory regarding Hereweld’s intentions to marry Claribel. She passes this to her father who insists on speaking to her, which he agrees to. 

Valéry, Maria-Rose, and Bisclavret go to Claribel’s house to speak to her. She wears a luscious gown and presents a gift to the king as a thank-you for taking care of her injured husband. Valéry speaks with Claribel alone while Maria-Rose and Bisclavret sneak inside her house to find the clothes. Nigel flies outside to spy on the conversation. Claribel discusses her regrets with Bisclavret, yet shows more concern for Hereweld, to Valéry’s suspicion. She leaves him to check on something inside, leaving him to search for the wolf and Maria-Rose. 

When she and Bisclavret split up, Maria-Rose unlocks a room that’s filled with Bisclavret’s items. She also finds a cradle housing a baby girl named Morrígan who bears her father’s hair color. Finding the clothes inside a locked drawer next to the cradle, Maria-Rose realizes Claribel was behind Bisclavret’s predicament all along. Taking a sword from a decorative knight piece, Claribel confronts Maria-Rose. 

Claribel confesses she didn’t want to be with her werewolf husband and plotted with Hereweld to get rid of him, admitting she loved Hereweld before marrying Bisclavret. Because she didn’t have the strength to kill him, she decided to send him to the wild and let him stay a wolf forever. She also confesses her intentions to deliver Morrígan to her father because she was born with his curse and didn’t want to deal with the responsibility of raising a werewolf daughter. Bisclavret heads to the door just in time to hear this confession, which makes him growl. Maria-Rose backs up to the door and hears him. 

Declaring she will make Claribel pay for her crimes, Maria-Rose opens the door, revealing the angered wolf to Claribel. He viciously attacks her, tearing off her nose in the process. Maria-Rose grabs Morrígan and protects her from the attack and calls out to her father to help. Valéry arrives and forcefully shoots Bisclavret with his crossbow to stop him. 

Bisclavret is locked in the dungeon, wearing a metal collar attached to a ball and chain. His injured leg is bandaged up, yet prevents him from walking far. Claribel is treated for her injuries, yet is rendered noseless. News of her condition reaches Hereweld, who is recovering from his injuries. But he is not happy with this news once so ever. Maria-Rose is locked in her room with the baby and Bisclavret’s clothes as the court believes she needs to recover from her trauma from the attack. But she insists on getting out to return Bisclavret his clothes and clarify his curse to the king. Lady Nettle doesn’t believe her when Maria-Rose tries to claim the wolf is Bisclavret. But to her objections, Maria-Rose orders her to have Claribel confronted about Bisclavret’s disappearance. 

The court discusses the wolf’s fate yet again, believing an attack on a woman should call for punishment by death. Valéry doesn’t want him dead, but before Herbert can convince him otherwise, Count Julian confirms the wolf only showed aggression to Hereweld and Claribel and nobody else. He declares Bisclavret was Claribel’s husband before his death and believes he might be a clue as to why the wolf hates them so much. With Lady Nettle passing on the same message when she shows up, Valéry orders Duke Herbert to interrogate Claribel about what she knows regarding his disappearance. 

Bisclavret begins to lose hope as his wolf form has caused damage to those around him. But when Nigel flies in and talks to him, he claims he can keep going as he has control over both his forms and thinks he has a chance to be with Valéry considering Claribel betrayed him. Valéry comes in to speak to the wolf, begging it to find a way to tell him why he attacked Hereweld and Claribel and who he really is. Remembering a trick that became unique to Valéry, Bisclavret licks his neck the same way he did the night they slept together. Valéry pulls back in shock, now seeing the wolf is Bisclavret. 

Claribel is put through physical torture with Herbert watching. Nettle walks in as well to tell him Maria-Rose’s theory about the wolf’s identity. When she has enough, Claribel confesses the wolf is Bisclavret and her and Hereweld’s plan to get rid of him. With the princess’s story confirming it, Herbert orders her and Hereweld to be arrested and banished from Brittany. He leaves with his knights to retrieve Hereweld. 

Maria-Rose is released from her room by Nettle and Julian. The trio prepares to return the clothes to Bisclavret, but on their way, they find a bloody hall with injured knights, having been attacked by Hereweld. They find Herbert, injured and bleeding, who confirms Hereweld went mad once he woke up. They order more guards to take care of him. But they fear Hereweld is going to kill Bisclavret, with Valéry potentially getting hurt if he’s in the way. 

Valéry removes Bisclavret’s chains and tearfully embraces him. He’s saddened by his predicament but relieved that he is alive. However, Hereweld arrives and orders the king to step aside. Valéry tries to protect Bisclavret, claiming the wolf can’t be harmed. But Hereweld accidentally reveals he knew it was Bisclavret the whole time, yet still intended to get rid of him nonetheless. Hereweld pushes Valéry and prepares to strike Bisclavret, but Valéry uses his gold crown to knock him away. Bisclavret runs out of the cell, but Hereweld locks Valéry inside and pursues the wolf, to Valéry’s fear and anger. Thankfully, he is released by Maria-Rose, who hugs her in relief. He leaves her in the throne room and rallies his knights to find Hereweld, but she intends to follow them, taking her father’s crossbow from his throne. 

Hereweld chases Bisclavret to the roof of a castle stairwell tower, where Bisclavret’s leg injury slows him down. Valéry and the knights find them from a separate balcony, unable to reach them in time. However, as Hereweld swings his sword down at Bisclavret, he is shot in the back by a bolt. It was fired by Maria-Rose via her father’s crossbow, having followed him up the stairs. He falls back in pain, leaving her to reach the wolf. But as he attacks again, Bisclavret regains enough strength to push Hereweld down the stairs. The knights recover him and send him to the dungeon just as Valéry reunites and hugs Maria-Rose and Bisclavret. 

In the room where Bisclavret and Valéry slept in a year ago, Bisclavret’s clothes are returned to him by Maria-Rose, with Valéry, Julian, and Nettle present. He’s nervous at first, so Julain suggests they leave the room to let him change in privacy. Nigel visits once again, confused about his weariness. Bisclavret is hesitant because he might miss his time as a wolf. Nigel claims he can be a man and a wolf anytime now that Claribel and Hereweld can’t hold him back anymore. 

Outside the room, Valéry grows impatient and enters despite Julain’s pleas to stop. However, they bask at the sight of Bisclavret back in his human form. Valéry, relieved to see his lover again, breaks down in tears of joy, rushes over, and hugs him tightly. He kisses him many times, plenty on the cheek and one on the lips. The trio behind them watch in glee. 

A couple years later, Bisclavret gets his home back, along with his daughter, Morrígan, whom he happily raises. Hereweld and Claribel were banished from Brittany forever and were rumored to have many children with deformities thanks to Claribel missing her nose (though this fact may not be entirely true based on genetics). Julian and Nettle continue to serve the court with Herbert, who recovered from his injuries. Maria-Rose continues to hold off on marriage, denying more suitors, and takes up an interest in writing. Her first story is based on Bisclavret’s adventure. 

Valéry continues to rule Brittany as a single king, however, now and then, he gets visited by Bisclavret, either from around the castle or from the window leading to the woods. To avoid controversy in the kingdom, the two date in secret, vowing to keep their love strong while being there for their responsibilities and families. Bisclavret returns to the woods every and then, enjoying his life as a wolf. This time, he shares it with his daughter, Morrígan, as she has inherited her father’s curse, now seen as a gift. The two even reconnect with the wolf pack that visits the area every summer. 

The story ends with Bisclavret embracing his balanced world as a man living a proper life in a kingdom, and a wolf enjoying his freedom in the forest with his allies and daughter. The story’s narrative closes with the lines of the original tale through Maria-Rose’s words: 

“The adventure you have heard, is true–don’t doubt a single word. Of Bisclavret they made the lay, to remember, forever and a day.“

-The end. 

Works Cited

Burgess, Glyn S. The Lais of Marie de France: Text and Context. Manchester University Press, 1987.