''In a Dark Wood Wandering'' (original title ''Het woud der verwachting'') is a 1949 Dutch novel by Hella S. Haasse. It was translated from the Dutch into English in 1989 by Lewis C. Kaplan and revised and edited by Academy Chicago.

Synopsis

The story is set in the fifteenth century, during the

Hundred Years War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French throne between the English House of Plantagen ...

. The book opens with the christening of Charles, son of

Louis I, Duke of Orleans Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis (d ...

, by his wife Valentine, who is not well enough to attend and must remain in her chambers. Among those attending is Charles VI and his wife

Isabeau ''Isabeau'' is a ''leggenda drammatica'' or opera in three parts by Pietro Mascagni, 1911, from an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica. Mascagni conducted its first performance on 2 June 1911 at the Teatro Coliseo, Buenos Aires. A retelling of the ...

. Charles VI has been suffering from madness, and it has reached the point where he doesn't recognize his own wife. Poet

François Villon François Villon (Modern French: , ; – after 1463) is the best known French poet of the Late Middle Ages. He was involved in criminal behavior and had multiple encounters with law enforcement authorities. Villon wrote about some of these ex ...

also appears in the novel, first as a young man, later as an adult visiting the royal court. 20th-century Dutch novels 1949 novels Hundred Years' War literature Novels set in the 14th century Cultural depictions of François Villon {{1940s-hist-novel-stub