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Considering himself so well versed with the Rule, Ysengrim feels free to add a few things, like “I give nothing, I spurn moderation, and I have sworn off faith” (Ziolkowski, 217). Ysengrim is a selfish slave to his stomach, externally practicing piety by observing Benedict’s Rule, wearing a black cowl, and taking the tonsure. Thus, an ineffective or gluttonous ecclesiastic who joins the clergy for the comfort it might provide was often likened to a wolf, being a ravenous and greedy creature (Ziolkowski, 204-205). Inspiration for the wolf-monk hybrid can be traced to the Bible, specifically Matthew 7:15, which cautions “the flock” to beware of false prophets i.e., wolves in sheep’s clothing. The wolf-monk was not born out of Ysengrimus, but was actually figured in several medieval fables, including “The Wolf”, “The Wolf by Ovid”, and “The Wolf Goes to Hell”.
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Reinard the fox features prominently in the seven books that comprise Ysengrimus as his deceptive foe, but the story is after all, named after its chief character Ysengrim the wolf monk, and the work functions as a parody of the corrupt monastic system (Ziolkowski, 214-215). What I find so interesting about Ysengrimus is that the character of Ysengrim the wolf is also a monk, and a hypocritical and foolishly greedy one at that. Terry makes brief mention of the Ysengrimus in her introduction, however dismisses similarities between the two tales as merely plot based (Terry, 6). Probably the most distinct literary ancestor to Pierre de Saint-Cloud’s Roman de Renart is the Latin epic poem Ysengrimus, most likely written by Nivard of Ghent, between 1148-1149 (Ziolkowski, 210). In short, my question is, is there any moral underpinning present in Renard? In order to glean a better understanding of the purpose that lurks behind this massive poem, I did some research on the history of Renard’s typographical animal characters, which is fairly insightful. However, as such, does he not reveal the failings and absurdities of his contemporaries, who may be equally culpable in their misfortunes owing to their sheer stupidity? According to Terry, the take-away from the Roman de Renart lies in its criticism of twelfth century French monarchy however, I would like to examine more closely the less substantial religious satire. Is Renard merely a mischievous hooligan who wreaks havoc for pleasure and tempts his “kinsmen” as Satan might? Probably. No doubt it is intended to be instructive, but the more it exposes the complex weaknesses that constitute the very fabric of the society that it depicts, the more it makes them an occasion for enjoyment” (Terry, 3). One issue still gnawing on my mind after last Friday’s discussion is the very nature of the Renard tales, to put it simply: What is the point? In her introduction to Renard the Fox, Patricia Terry makes quite clear that the work is not didactic in any religious sense: “ Roman de Renart has no overt moral purpose. Renard the Fox : Foxy Devil and Didactic Fabliaux