Writing workshops: Animal. Animals.

Everyday companions, actors of history, and figures of the imagination, animals hold an essential place in the medieval societies of Normandy, England, and Sicily. Allies of humans, they participate in battles, nourish populations, accompany work, and inspire stories, legends, and artistic representations. This writing workshop aims to explore these multiple facets through the creation of short stories, be they fantastic or realistic. Among the proposed themes, Talbot, the dog introduced in England by William the Conqueror, invites participants to trace the history of hunting, guard, or working breeds that still form a living heritage today. A writing direction will be proposed and supported in the workshop. The horse, omnipresent in medieval society, is also a significant source of inspiration. A companion of knights, subject to a specialized vocabulary, it traverses tales, legends, epic poems, and courtly love stories. Through the sculptures of churches, bestiaries, and aviaries, the animal also becomes a tool for interpreting the world. Bearing symbolic and moral values, it sometimes transforms into a fantastic creature or a chimera. On the north portal of Rouen Cathedral, for example, nearly a hundred sculpted figures seem to escape all known species. In the Middle Ages, the animal closely shares the lives of humans. Present in streets, farms, meadows, and forests, it also populates manuscripts and images. Real or imaginary, familiar or exotic, it possesses its own qualities and becomes the hero of fabulous stories. In a society where reality and imagination closely intertwine, unicorns and elephants naturally find their place in representations of the world. Animals are then considered responsible for their actions and can even be judged and condemned when they cause an accident or a death. This exploration also relies on bestiaries, illustrated collections devoted to real and fantastic animals. True educational tools in the Middle Ages, they attribute to animals characters and emotions comparable to those of human beings. All these sources of inspiration nourish a writing experience focused on creation, history, and imagination. Writing workshop led by author Nathalie Féron Practical Information: Open to the public Duration varies according to the writing workshop Free Contact Partnerships: Schools, including Marco Polo School, St. Germain La Blanche Herbe; IMEC; Château de Caen, Normandy Museum; CROUS Campus 1; Vent d'Ouest