The Ysengrimus is a twelfth-century Latin beast epic probably written near Ghent in Flanders. Its two main characters are Ysengrimus the wolf and Reynard the fox. They superficially interact with each other as if they were relatives and friends and learned persons. At the same time, they plot physical harm to each other. In addition to satire on monks and church officials, the Ysengrimus seems to allude to sharp, sub-surface antagonism among identities and political allegiances in twelfth-century Flanders.
Along with much other evidence, medieval women trouvères themselves attest to women’s strong, independent sexuality. In counterpart, men gender-protested. … Read the post medieval counterparts to women’s strong, independent sexuality
Flanders in 1128 offers plausible referents for the ultimate cuckold: the wolf Ysengrimus in a medieval Latin text from 12th-century Flanders. … Read the post ultimate cuckold recorded in medieval Flanders near Ghent
The Latin phrase “satis est” (“that is enough”) flows from an ancient Jewish Passover song of gratitude to God and the foolish greed of Ysengrimus. … Read the post Ysengrimus enduringly influenced Christian devotional practice
An enormously influential Latin beast epic of the mid-12th century, Ysengrimus remains highly relevant to intellectual life today. … Read the post Ysengrimus: prophetic beast epic in vital medieval Latin literature