Bisclavret by Marie De France (12th Century)

Bisclavret is about a married baron who is secretly a werewolf and disappears for three days each week and transforms into a wolf.  The poem begins by presenting the werewolf’s relationship with his wife in pleasant terms.  The text states, “He’d married a worthy woman, truly; always she acted so beautifully.”  The story continues on with the woman questioning her husband on where he disappears to.  He refuses to tell her but as she continues pestering him, he succumbs and reveals his secret.  The werewolf’s transformation depends on his clothing which he must have in order to go back to his human form.  The wife hears the news and acts casual at the time, but inside is horrified and disgusted at the thought of her husband being a werewolf.  She thinks to herself, “Often and often passed through her head plans to get right out, escape, for she didn’t want ever to share his bed.”  The text goes on and the wife connects with an old admirer and together they plot and steal his clothes forcing the bisclavret to remain in wolf form.  The tale does not end there but continues on with adventure and revenge.  

De France, Marie, and Judith Shoaf. "Bisclavret." University of Florida. 1 Jan. 1996. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://users.clas.ufl.edu/jshoaf/marie/bisclavret.pdf>.