Women in Horror: Part Nine
Today we have something a little different, Michael Randolph takes us right back to our roots…
Ancient Roots
Enough cannot be said of the impact that women have had on horror. For more than a millennium women have written stories that chill the heart, laying laid down roots well before the gothic period. If you look into the deep past…far back into the Middle Ages (12th century), you will find the one of the original werewolf stories or Lais written by Marie De France, a noble woman. Marie wrote a series a poems or Lais with the only one full manuscript known to exist, Harley 978, a thirteenth-century manuscript housed in the British Library preserving all twelve Lais.
Morality played a deep part in her twelve Lais she wrote, yet she always strove to unmask the evil or dark human side of her characters. Her Lais Bisclavet depicted a noble lady and her husband the Baron Bisclavet whom turns into a werewolf for three days out of the week. Thomas Mallory whom we all know as the author of the world famous King Arthur Tales referenced Marie’s work in his own writing.
Now that’s a legacy, influencing one of the true greats in fiction.
Her stories, though having a romantic theme courted the horror of the lives of the characters. Heartbreak, sorrow and the evil they fought against was the central plot in all of her Lais. In her poem Equitan, she summarizes the plot: “Whoever wants to hear some sound advice/ can profit from this example: he who plans evil for another/ may have that evil rebound back on him” lines 307 to 310. This story written in the mist of time, tells of a King and the wife of his Seneschal caught together in unseemly fashion. They had laid a trap for the Seneschal, a tub of boiling water. The embarrassed King jumped into the bath to hide his nakedness, while the Seneschal seeking retribution for his wife’s sins throws her into the scalding water. Sound familiar…revenge, how many horror stories are centered on that theme? Though the theme was not new in her time, she sought to teach others about the dark side of human nature. Marie became a famous poetess and storyteller in the circles of the English Nobility.
Little is truly known concerning her exact identity, yet many famous authors of the Arthurian legends, depicting many of the folktales of the time, rewrote her work.
I bring up this Maries example as a way to illustrate the hardships women have faced in the writing world. She lived in an age of the world, where women served men. Though she was of nobility having no rights and only privileges bestowed upon her husband, she strove to break passed that role and instruct others in morality and selfishness. In a lot of horror, this is the basis of the story.
“Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.” ― Anne Frank.
She was a single candle in a world ruled by men from the lowest peasant to the mightiest king, yet her voice influenced many writers in the coming ages. In turn, her words help influence history and how we look upon the world. We owe so much of our literature to women, from poetess to novelist, this world and its roots would have been vastly different if women such as Marie de France had not sat down and penned stories and poems.
Though having been the major influence of the romance genre, her mark upon the horror genre cannot be disputed. The Lais of Marie de France had a huge impact on the literary world, inspiring a new form of writing as her detailed poems having such imagery that her audience would easily remember them.
Though quiet in nature as not depicting violence in so much of the modern horror, her narrative form became widely used in the coming centuries. Men such as Geoffrey Chaucer in the Canterbury Tales used her narrative form.
She defied church doctrine with many of her Lais, a bold move in those times. The very men they had sworn to obey imprisoned many of her heroines. This led to their suffering, often ending in death.
If we look at how the Vampire genre as developed in concert with the romance genre her influence is monumental. As the forbearer of romance with the inclusion of horror depicted in the many vampire stories that have become popular is traced straight back to Marie. If that doesn’t give you pause to consider that impact women have had on horror, I honestly do not know what would.
The last item most people should consider is her narrative poetic style she created. So much of our classics that exist today is because of her style. She created a new art form, not an easy task. Even in these days, where publishing has become easy, making a name for yourself or creating a style of writing that writers follow over the centuries is simply an astounding accomplishment.
Women should be proud of the impact they have had on writing and in the horror field. We would not have the vast array or literature these days if not for women like Marie de France.
U.S. Army veteran of Desert Shield/Storm. In his youth, Michael was introduced to the horror of life and the monsters inhabiting this world overseas in the barren deserts of the Middle East. Winning many awards and decorations for his service, he looks back on that part of his life with pride. After leaving the service, he has been working in the aviation field for over fifteen years as a structures mechanic on airplanes and helicopters logging over 3,000 hours of flight in his work duties. Aviation has always been a passion, but writing is his true love. Published in multiple genres under separate pen names he relinquished his soul once and for all to horror and the study of humanity in all its beauty and depravity. When not writing, which is rare, he facets exquisite gemstones and loves to travel the world as time permits. London is his second home, as well as the beautiful island of Bermuda with its stunning beaches and wonderful people. Learn more about Michael and his work at http://www.michael-randolph.com
Tomorrow we have author & journalist Natasha Ewendt…same time, same place
