One of my favorite sites to follow on Facebook is that of the History Boys. Jeremy Willard and Michael Lyons always seem to entertain as well as educate us with historical LGBT facts, fiugures, and stories. They're writings appear on DailyXtra.com out of Toronto, but like Sophia Petrillo, they could have their own show.
Their most recent writing accomplishment is that of "A Gay Werewolf Tale From The 12th Century" where they seem to have uncovered a LGBT page turner. Michael Lyons writes:
As far as I can tell, Marie de France wrote the first gay werewolf story in history. Little is known about the 12th century, Normandy-born English writer, but she did pen a series of 12 short romantic lais, Anglo-Norman romance tales with fantastical elements. Among stories about cheating kings, horny knights, slutty beauties, polygamist noblewomen, sex and murder is the tale of Bisclavret, the lycanthropic love of the king.
The lais starts with a happily married Breton knight. He and his wife love each other, but she worries when he disappears into the woods for days at a time, returning “happy and gay.” What double life does he lead? Does he have another lover?
She prods and pries, and the nobleman fears how she’ll react if he tells her, before he finally relents. The nobleman explains that he is “bisclavret”— the writer compares this term to the Norman lore of the “garwolf,” a savage beast that, “eats men, wreaks havoc, does no good / Living and roaming in the deep wood.”
A man lost to his primal urges, forsaking his wife and disappearing into the woods, you say? The erotic connotations are palpable . . .
No doubt with the Norman lore of the garwolf in mind, the lady is terrified, not even wanting to share his bed. At this point, it’s revealed there is another knight in love with her, and that she’d never thought of him with affection until her husband’s bestial revelation.
She calls for the other knight and they carry out a plot to separate Bisclavret from his clothes, which he hides near an old chapel on the road.
When he doesn’t return to the household, the lady assumes her husband disappeared into the woods for good and she marries her scheming knight, taking over Bisclavret’s estate.
A year on, the king is hunting in the forest where Bisclavret had disappeared when he spots the beast and calls for a chase. Eventually, Bisclavret throws himself at the king’s feet, kissing his foot and leg.
The king is amazed by the beast’s begging for mercy and calls off the hunters. The creature follows the king, who decides to keep it “as a great treasure. He tells his people it’s his pleasure / For them to take the best of care / Of it; let no-one harm it, or dare / To strike it, for love of the King.”
The court is impressed by the beast’s gentle, well-bred nature. “Wherever the King might go / It didn’t want to be separated, so/ It went along with him constantly / That it loved him was easy to see.”
The king’s connection to Bisclavret deepens even further when they return together to Bisclavret’s lost lands …
There is plenty more to the story. Head over to the History Boys blog / column and finish the tale and see who the king may be historically based upon. You didn't get to the good part yet so please click and read.
After completing the story, it reminded me of the original Beauty and the Beast movie from 1946 by Jean Cocteau. If this werewolf story was made into a movie, it would be wonderful in black and white.
Thanks again History Boys for the entertainment and education. Once again, check out their Facebook page for more stories, like them, and love them like we do. Another story they did just recently was A Dirty Tale From Japan's Book Of Acolytes: Chuta and the acolyte’s ass. That was a might fine read, too.
h/t: History Boys appears on Daily Xtra on the first and third Tuesday of every month. You can also follow them on Facebook.
Fascinating! I’d actually
Fascinating! I'd actually just come across the Bisclavret tale the other day… and now I discover this about it. Pretty great interpretation. I have to wonder, though, if I happen to have the latest gay werewolf story brewing. My webcomic Wolverton is about the town of werewolves, and one of the main characters is gay. Thanks for sharing this!