The Legendary Saga of Werewolves Through Time

Even without watching the 1941 movie "The Wolf Man," most people are aware that a silver bullet is the key to defeating a werewolf. This film defined the archetype for werewolves, much like Bram Stoker's 1897 masterpiece "Dracula" did for vampires, setting the standards for werewolf lore.

As depicted in "The Wolf Man," a werewolf's bite condemns you to a dual existence as a human-wolf hybrid, destined to hunt humans. Later sequels linked the transformation to the full moon, a characteristic now synonymous with werewolves. The film also emphasized that becoming a werewolf is irreversible, with death being the sole escape.

This article delves into the process of becoming a werewolf and the stages of transformation. It also investigates the cultural symbolism of werewolves and explores the medical conditions and historical incidents that have fueled beliefs in their existence.

The Stuff of Legends

Werewolf tales have been told for millennia. However, elements like silver bullets, the full moon, wolfsbane, and the irreversible curse of lycanthropy are more rooted in Hollywood's portrayal than historical fact.

In both literature and folklore, becoming a werewolf can occur in numerous ways, and the transformation isn't always forced or permanent. Despite these variations, most werewolves in films and ancient tales share common traits: they are perilous, shrewd, and often malevolent, evoking fear and terror.

What makes the concept of transforming into a wild beast so captivating and unsettling? Why do these narratives appear in diverse cultures globally? Are werewolf stories grounded in medical or scientific reality, or are they purely imaginative creations?

Bane of the Wolf

In "The Wolf Man," characters pluck wolfsbane stems and pin the flowers to their attire, which is ill-advised. Wolfsbane is highly toxic, and its name likely stems from its historical use in poisoning wolves. Horticultural experts advise wearing gloves when handling the plant and washing hands thoroughly afterward.

Werewolf Origins

The origins of the werewolf legend are difficult to trace, but one of the earliest references can be found in "The Epic of Gilgamesh." In this ancient text, Gilgamesh rejects the goddess Ishtar due to her harsh treatment of past lovers. Ishtar had transformed a shepherd into a wolf, turning him against his friends, flock, and even his dogs [source: History].

Ishtar isn't the sole deity from antiquity to transform a human into a wolf. In Ovid's "The Metamorphoses," a traveler arrives at the court of King Lycaon of Acadia. Suspecting the visitor might be a god, Lycaon devises a test to confirm his suspicions.

Lycaon serves his guest human flesh, only to discover the visitor is Jupiter. Recognizing the nature of the meal, Jupiter punishes Lycaon by turning him into a wolf. The term lycanthropy and Lycaon's name both derive from the Greek word lykos, meaning wolf.

These ancient texts indicate that the concept of humans transforming into wolves has been around nearly as long as civilization itself. Moreover, this idea is widespread, with werewolf tales appearing in regions where wolves are or were present.

In areas without wolves, folklore often features transformations into other predatory animals. African stories tell of humans becoming hyenas or crocodiles, while Chinese tales describe people turning into tigers. Japanese folklore includes transformations into foxes, and some Russian narratives feature humans becoming bears.

In these tales, shape-shifters evoke fear, which stems from three primary sources:

However, a bite isn't the sole method of becoming a werewolf. Next, we'll explore other ways humans can turn into wolves.

A Lycanthropic Note

Originally, "lycanthropy" described a mental disorder — the delusion of being a werewolf. Today, it is commonly used to denote "the ability to transform into a wolf," and "lycanthrope" is often synonymous with "werewolf."

Werewolf Legends

Early werewolf stories often feature gods using lycanthropy as a form of retribution. This theme of werewolves as punished individuals appears in numerous folktales, though deities aren't always involved.

Frisky Werewolves

In some tales, individuals turn into werewolves due to immoral actions — or those who behave badly are revealed to be werewolves. The misconduct often involves sexual indulgence, and the offender is typically male.

One story tells of a woman who believes her husband is a werewolf. While he works in the fields, a wolf enters her kitchen and assaults her. It bites her red skirt or apron and flees. When her husband returns, she notices a piece of her skirt stuck in his teeth, laden with suggestive implications.

Transformation as Punishment

When lycanthropy serves as a penalty, the transformation can be permanent. The wrongdoer either stays in wolf form or shifts into a wolf periodically. In other accounts, the man remains a wolf for several years, often seven or nine, before reverting to human form.

However, in some werewolf myths, becoming a werewolf isn't a curse but a blessing and a source of strength. Legends mention items like belts or straps that grant the wearer the ability to transform into a wolf [source: Historic Mysteries].

Intentional Transformation

This transformation offers several advantages, such as a never-ending supply of poultry and wild game. In many German renditions of this tale, the belt is made from wolf pelts. Destroying the belt also eliminates the ability to transform.

In these depictions, the shift from human to wolf is a choice — it isn't tied to the phase of the moon. A man can switch between human and wolf forms at will, provided he possesses the appropriate garment.

Such narratives are prevalent in northern European nations like Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In the 13th-century Icelandic "Völsunga Saga," men don wolf skins to battle as wolves. This may also connect to Norse berserkers, who wore bear skins in combat.

In some legends, turning into a werewolf involves shedding clothes rather than donning them. The werewolf can only revert to human form by retrieving his garments — though the tales rarely clarify how he accomplishes this without human hands or thumbs.

In one story, a man and his friends venture into the forest. The man strips off his clothes, urinates in a circle around them — turning them to stone — and dashes into the woods. With his clothes now stone, no one can move them, ensuring he can return to human form.

Another fictional werewolf isn't as fortunate. In the Breton lai "Bisclavret," a werewolf's unfaithful wife hides his clothes, preventing him from reverting to human form. When he encounters her again, he bites off her nose.

Transforming From Human Form to Werewolf

Many literary works gloss over the details of the transformation from human to wolf. One moment, a person is human; the next, they are not. Even in films like "The Wolf Man," the change occurs mostly off-screen, with the focus remaining on the man rather than the transformation itself.

Nevertheless, the werewolf transformation in "The Wolf Man" is remarkably effective, especially given the era of its release. Hair sprouts from Larry Talbot's skin, and he eventually morphs into a creature resembling an extremely hairy man with claws and fangs.

In modern films, however, the transformation into a wolf often takes center stage. It is depicted in vivid detail, frequently portrayed as an agonizing ordeal.

Bones stretch and reshape violently, sometimes breaking through the skin. The entire process can last several minutes, resulting in a hybrid creature that blends human and wolf features in varying degrees. Depending on the era's special effects and the techniques employed, these transformations can range from laughable to horrifying to strikingly realistic.

The fate of a werewolf after death varies across books and films. In some stories, if a werewolf dies in wolf form, they stay a wolf eternally. In others, they instantly return to their human shape.

In certain movies, severing a werewolf's paw causes it to transform into a human hand before your eyes. Typically, injuries suffered in wolf form manifest on the werewolf's human body, making it easier to identify which acquaintance or neighbor is a lycanthrope.

In most contemporary depictions, a silver bullet is the sole cure for lycanthropy. However, sometimes potions, medicines, or rituals can halt the transformation or manage it. In the "Harry Potter" series, Remus Lupin can sleep through his werewolf phase by consuming wolfsbane potion. In "Ginger Snaps," an injection of monkshood can cure the condition.

The Good Werewolves

While many portrayals depict werewolves as malevolent creatures that kill animals and innocent people, sometimes for pleasure, other books and films present them as good or sympathetic. They evoke empathy from audiences, primarily due to their struggles to accept or control their lycanthropy.

This shift isn't entirely new. The 1947 story "Eena" by Manly Banister broke conventions by featuring a female werewolf who evokes sympathy. Other characters, like J.K. Rowling's Remus Lupin, are portrayed as entirely good-natured. Oz from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is another example; he masters his werewolf instincts to improve himself and rekindle his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Willow.

Werewolf Metaphors

Like vampires, werewolves carry a sexual connotation. While vampires are often sleek and seductive, werewolves embody hyper-masculinity. They are portrayed as extraordinarily muscular, hairy, and aggressive.

These characteristics stem not only from a werewolf's appearance but also from their folkloric origins. In many tales, a man transforms into a werewolf due to some form of excess. His actions might be overly aggressive, or he may be seen as sexually deviant by societal standards, often involving promiscuous relationships with women.

In 16th-century Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands near France, teenagers who wandered at night, violated curfews, and mingled outside societal norms were labeled werewolves. Some youths even disguised themselves as animals to move between communities. A prevalent belief was that outlaws would eventually turn into werewolves.

Relatable Monsters

This link to unruly behavior also connects to modern psychology. Psychologically, a person's battle with lycanthropy can be seen as a struggle to accept or suppress their primal instincts. When a man becomes a werewolf, his raw, often socially unacceptable urges take control.

Lycanthropy naturally parallels puberty. During puberty, the body undergoes significant changes that can feel alien and uncontrollable. Similarly, in some interpretations, lycanthropy serves as a metaphor for menstruation, where a woman's body changes in a regular, monthly cycle.

In many ways, these changes shape her identity — menstruation signifies womanhood, just as physical transformation defines a werewolf. Given its transmission through bites and often fatal consequences, lycanthropy can also symbolize contagious diseases, especially those spread sexually.

This is why people relate to werewolves despite their monstrous nature. Teenagers and young adults resonate with sudden, unexplained changes in their skin, hair, and body. Nearly everyone has faced the challenge of managing emotions like anger and frustration.

Additionally, certain medical conditions can make lycanthropy feel eerily real. Continue reading to explore some of these conditions.

Real-life Werewolves

Fajardo Aceves Jesus Manuel, from Mexico, has congenital hypertrichosis.

While many are familiar with the witch hunts of the 16th century, fewer know about the werewolf hunts that occurred simultaneously. A widespread belief was that werewolves inverted their skin to revert to human form, leading to interrogations where skin was cut and peeled back to check for hidden fur.

Several infamous cases of lycanthropy emerged during these hunts. In 1573, Gilles Garnier, an alleged werewolf, was burned at the stake. In 1589, Peter Stubbe, also known as Stubbe Peter, was executed near Cologne, Germany, for cannibalism and multiple murders. He claimed to possess a belt that enabled his transformation into a werewolf.

In 1603, Jean Grenier, a young man, confessed to a series of murders and disappearances, attributing his actions to a wolf skin that allowed him to transform. The court deemed him insane and sent him to a monastery for confinement.

Between 1520 and 1630 in France, over 30,000 cases were recorded of individuals who claimed or appeared to be werewolves [source: Dunlop]. Similar to the witch trials, multiple factors likely contributed to the werewolf hunts:

The belief in werewolves isn't limited to ancient history. In the 1930s, researchers in what is now Ghana reported widespread beliefs that people could transform into hyenas. These shape-shifters were often witches from the grasslands.

As recently as the 1980s, a unique tradition in the Iberian Peninsula — encompassing Spain and Portugal — aimed, in part, to prevent children from becoming werewolves. This practice involved older children acting as godparents to their younger siblings, starting with the seventh or ninth child [source: da Silva].

According to local folklore, werewolves recruit new members from large families. Children born with a caul, or part of their amniotic sac covering their face, were believed to be more prone to becoming werewolves — or, alternatively, healers.

In modern, industrialized societies, the concept of werewolves, or even wolves in general, often feels remote and outdated. This might explain why contemporary portrayals frequently depict lycanthropy as a condition that can be controlled or managed.