Melion
Encyclopedia
Melion is an anonymous Breton lai
that tells the story of a knight who transforms into a werewolf
for the love of his wife who betrays him.
The lai of Melion is contained in one existing manuscript: C. Paris, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, 3516, f. 343r, col. 1 - 344r, col. 4. This manuscript dates from 1268. The text is written in the Picard dialect
.
and who vows that he will never marry a woman who has loved another man. In the age of courtly love
, it is impossible for Melion to find such a woman at court.
One day while out hunting, Melion meets the daughter of the King of Ireland
who tells him that she has never loved a man other than him. They marry and have two children.
Three years later, Melion, his wife, and a squire go hunting. Melion sees a beautiful stag, and his wife declares that she will die if she does not eat the flesh of this particular animal. Melion promises her the meat and asks her to help him transform into a wolf using a magical ring. The wife touches Melion's head with the stone of the ring, and he heads off into the forest after the stag. Meanwhile, the wife takes Melion's clothes and the ring, and she elopes to Ireland with the squire.
When Melion returns to the place where he left his wife, he sees that she is gone. Still in the shape of a wolf, he stows away on a boat to Ireland, where he is persecuted by the sailors and the townspeople because of his lupine form. Melion bands together with ten other wolves and begins killing livestock and people. The people complain to the king, who hunts down ten of the eleven, leaving Melion alone.
King Arthur arrives in Ireland, and Melion goes to him. The king and his knights are surprised by the tame and courtly behavior of the wolf, and they keep him on as a companion. At the court of the King of Ireland, Melion sees the squire who left with his wife and he attacks him. Knowing that Melion is tame, King Arthur and the knights investigate why he attacked the man. The squire confesses, and the daughter is forced to come to court with the magical ring to restore Melion. After becoming a man again, Melion considers punishing his wife by transforming her into a wolf, but instead, he leaves her and returns to Britain with King Arthur.
's Bisclavret
and the anonymous Biclarel where the hero is also a werewolf
. Some scholars believe that Melion and Bisclavret in particular evolved from the same source. The introduction of a magic ring, however, is unique to Melion.
Just as Arthur is associated with the court, the lady is associated with "the ungovernable, inexplicable wilderness, with chaos, with the other."
Breton lai
A Breton lai, also known as a narrative lay or simply a lay, is a form of medieval French and English romance literature. Lais are short , rhymed tales of love and chivalry, often involving supernatural and fairy-world Celtic motifs...
that tells the story of a knight who transforms into a werewolf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
for the love of his wife who betrays him.
Composition and manuscripts
The actual date of composition is estimated between 1190 and 1204.The lai of Melion is contained in one existing manuscript: C. Paris, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, 3516, f. 343r, col. 1 - 344r, col. 4. This manuscript dates from 1268. The text is written in the Picard dialect
Picard language
Picard is a language closely related to French, and as such is one of the larger group of Romance languages. It is spoken in two regions in the far north of France – Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy – and in parts of the Belgian region of Wallonia, the district of Tournai and a part of...
.
Plot summary
Melion tells the story of a knight named Melion who serves King ArthurKing Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
and who vows that he will never marry a woman who has loved another man. In the age of courtly love
Courtly love
Courtly love was a medieval European conception of nobly and chivalrously expressing love and admiration. Generally, courtly love was secret and between members of the nobility. It was also generally not practiced between husband and wife....
, it is impossible for Melion to find such a woman at court.
One day while out hunting, Melion meets the daughter of the King of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
who tells him that she has never loved a man other than him. They marry and have two children.
Three years later, Melion, his wife, and a squire go hunting. Melion sees a beautiful stag, and his wife declares that she will die if she does not eat the flesh of this particular animal. Melion promises her the meat and asks her to help him transform into a wolf using a magical ring. The wife touches Melion's head with the stone of the ring, and he heads off into the forest after the stag. Meanwhile, the wife takes Melion's clothes and the ring, and she elopes to Ireland with the squire.
When Melion returns to the place where he left his wife, he sees that she is gone. Still in the shape of a wolf, he stows away on a boat to Ireland, where he is persecuted by the sailors and the townspeople because of his lupine form. Melion bands together with ten other wolves and begins killing livestock and people. The people complain to the king, who hunts down ten of the eleven, leaving Melion alone.
King Arthur arrives in Ireland, and Melion goes to him. The king and his knights are surprised by the tame and courtly behavior of the wolf, and they keep him on as a companion. At the court of the King of Ireland, Melion sees the squire who left with his wife and he attacks him. Knowing that Melion is tame, King Arthur and the knights investigate why he attacked the man. The squire confesses, and the daughter is forced to come to court with the magical ring to restore Melion. After becoming a man again, Melion considers punishing his wife by transforming her into a wolf, but instead, he leaves her and returns to Britain with King Arthur.
Structure
The poem can be broken down into the following sections:- Introduction (vv. 1-14)
- Melion makes his vow and meets the lady (vv. 15-133)
- The lady learns the truth (vv. 134-182)
- The lady betrays Melion (vv. 183-218)
- Melion follows his wife and joins the wolves (vv. 219-280)
- Melion joins King Arthur (vv. 281-485)
- Melion attacks (vv.486-502)
- The knights investigate the cause of the attack (vv. 503-520)
- The wife confesses; Melion regains human form (vv. 521-564)
- The wife is punished (vv. 565-586)
- Epilogue (vv. 587-592)
Allusions
This lai shares many plot features with Marie de FranceMarie de France
Marie de France was a medieval poet who was probably born in France and lived in England during the late 12th century. She lived and wrote at an undisclosed court, but was almost certainly at least known about at the royal court of King Henry II of England...
's Bisclavret
Bisclavret
"Bisclavret" is one of the twelve Lais of Marie de France written in the 12th century. Originally written in French, it tells the story of a werewolf who is trapped in lupine form by the treachery of his wife...
and the anonymous Biclarel where the hero is also a werewolf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
. Some scholars believe that Melion and Bisclavret in particular evolved from the same source. The introduction of a magic ring, however, is unique to Melion.
Symbolism
The hunt can be seen as a symbol for change. Melion meets his wife while out hunting, later he is transformed into a wolf and loses his wife on a hunt, and he is hunted while in the form of a wolf.Just as Arthur is associated with the court, the lady is associated with "the ungovernable, inexplicable wilderness, with chaos, with the other."
See also
- Breton laiBreton laiA Breton lai, also known as a narrative lay or simply a lay, is a form of medieval French and English romance literature. Lais are short , rhymed tales of love and chivalry, often involving supernatural and fairy-world Celtic motifs...
- Anglo-Norman literatureAnglo-Norman literatureAnglo-Norman literature is literature composed in the Anglo-Norman language developed during the period 1066–1204 when the Duchy of Normandy and England were united in the Anglo-Norman realm.-Introduction:...
- Medieval literatureMedieval literatureMedieval literature is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in Europe and beyond during the Middle Ages . The literature of this time was composed of religious writings as well as secular works...
- Medieval French literatureMedieval French literatureMedieval French literature is, for the purpose of this article, literature written in Oïl languages during the period from the eleventh century to the end of the fifteenth century....
- Werewolf fiction
External links
- Melion in English translation alongside Old French verse