Bisclavret Killing Gender Roles

The story of Bisclavret by Marie de France deserves an extensive look into the under tones of anti-feminism. The typical feminine characteristics that literature and ideals reflect have been domestic, emotional, weak, nurturing, etc. This writing does not reflect any of those motifs, and it challenges one to question what things should or shouldn’t be attributed to each gender. The plot summary of this story is the author’s masterful way of bringing certain issues with gender roles to the forefront. So the question is, “Is Bisclavret an attack on the traditional gender roles”?

This story is definitely an attack on the role of women and their portrayal. The wife defies most of the traditional things one has come to expect from a woman. She shows an utter disregard for the men in her life. The focus of the wife seems to be on manipulating the men in her life until she is satisfied and content. Bisclavret makes a very heartfelt confession to his wife: “Dame, I become a bisclavret / in the great forest I’m afoot” (Lines 63-4). The wife takes full advantage of his sincere confession, and she pumps him for the necessary information to destroy him. The only emotion that the wife shows is worry for her own well-being above anyone else’s.

The relentless questioning that the wife put the Lord through is also a testament to an unfamiliar characteristic of feminine behavior. Women were not known to question their husbands, and the Lord expressed that he did not want to reveal all of the information to her, but she was persistent. After her continuous questioning didn’t get her the results she wanted, she played the guilt card: “Sire, more than all the earth I love you. Why / hide, why have secrets in your life?” (Lines 79-81). One would expect the wife to cease her questioning after the Lord refused to tell her, but throughout the entire story she challenges her husband and every stereotype of what a woman does.

The wife did not waste any time constructing a plot after she learned why her husband disappeared during the week. The wife set out to find a man who had shown interest in her previously. She quickly initiated a back-up plan: “She told in detail how and where / to find the road and clothing cache; / and then she sent him for the stash” (Lines 122-4). Women were thought to be domestic and nurturing, but the wife was the exact opposite with her skillful plotting and manipulation techniques.

In conclusion, Bisclavret is definitely a huge challenger of the typical roles that women have been known to play. The wife shows herself to be relentless, ruthless, and calculating. These are not the typical feminine characteristics that have been present in the past. The wife destroys all of the preconceived notions of how a woman conducts herself, and she shows that women can manipulate things to achieve their ultimate goal the same way a man could.