Understanding this week’s European folklore was honestly rather difficult to me. In the last couple of weeks, when we have read about other folklores or sirens, I could make up a certain pattern: the half human being was either presented as beautiful, dangerous, or sinful, or as knowledgeable, meaning that it can teach the humans something deeper. While reading the stories about Melusine, I was confronted with other themes where it took me a longer time to think about it. In the last weeks we have never actually read something about crossing the line between the mythical and real world. What I mean by that is that never in the stories, the merperson was actually in a relationship with a mortable human. With Melusine, it is different. Even though it is depicted that Melusine’s husband Raymond does not know about her transforming into a serpent as she hides when it happens, they still fell in love with each other. This shows to me, that love can transcend the boundaries of both the real and the divine world. I had to think about the romantic idea, that love can overcome any obstacle.

Even though this sounds great at a first glance, I am still more than confused to put the folklore into its historic context. The people in the Middle Ages were highly religious. How can it be, that a human has fallen in love with a serpent? How can it be, that Raymond has never doubted about her being “different”? Does this story want to teach humans about the power of love, of acceptance, or of understanding?

I honestly did not found answers to my questions above. First I thought that Raymond must have been blinded by Melusine’s beauty, which could mean that his attraction to her was rather superficial (he did not see her true personality). An evidence in the text could be: “In a long and wide pool set within the dark blue mosaic, decorated here and there with the green leaves of violet and black irises, was the flawless figure of a woman, forever young, whom he knew well. Her bent back magnificent in profile, her breasts raised, as she combed her long golden hair, and the exquisite flesh, more pale than usual, pearled almost to transparency” (p.125). But then I started to think about this Christian image of a forbidden desire. Did the story maybe want to warn the people about pursuing relationships which are unaccepted by society? Or is it rather about the image of forgiveness I have mentioned earlier??

I am eager to hear about your opinions in class. Maybe we can find answers together!