The Monster:

Werewolves

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a monster is a "mythical creature which is part animal and part human, or combines elements of two or more animal forms, and is frequently of great size and ferocious appearance." Later, more generally: any imaginary creature that is large, ugly, and frightening. Although this definition tells it all, there are some elements to a monster that is not mentioned such as, a creature known to be connected to the divine and has supernatural powers or that they mostly live in isolation. With that being said, the monster that I have chosen to write about is the werewolf.

The werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope, is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shape shift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely, by being bitten by another werewolf, or after being placed under a curse. This transformation is often associated with the appearance of the full moon. Werewolves are often attributed superhuman strength and senses, far beyond those of both wolves and men. Werewolves were said in European folklore to bear tell-tale physical traits even in their human form. The appearance of a werewolf in its animal form varies from culture to culture, though it is most commonly portrayed as being indistinguishable from ordinary wolves save for the fact that it has no tail, is often larger, and retains human eyes and voice.       

Werewolves are often portrayed as being of huge strength, comparable to that of a dozen normal human beings. They also inherit from the wolf an acute nocturnal vision and a very good sense of smell. Werewolves are immune from aging and from most physical diseases due to the constant regeneration of their physical tissue. They can, therefore, be virtually immortal. However, they have to return to human form and are subjected to the same rules as normal human-beings. Though primarily a true wolf while in wolf form, there is some proof that the werewolf retains enough knowledge to assist his killing; recognition of victims, evasion of traps, and human cunning have all been seen on werewolf cases.

The mythological origin of the werewolf myth comes from the Greek Gods. Transformation into beasts forms an integral portion of all mythological systems as stated in The Book of Werewolves by Sabine Baring-Gould. The werewolf is known as a lycanthrope. Lycanthropy comes from the Greek words lykoi, meaning ‘wolf’ and anthropos, meaning ‘man’. Lycanthropy is the change of a man into the form of a wolf, either through magical means, so as to enable him or her to gratify the taste for human flesh, or through judgment of the gods in punishment for some great offense. "Among the ancients, this went by the names of lycanthropy, kuanthrophy, or boanthropy, because those afflicted with believed themselves to be turned into wolves, dogs, or cows" (Gould 8). Also, "lycanthropy is known as a disease and is associated with men who have the impulse to kill and the love of destroying life" (Gould 131).

In class, we discussed how monsters had the following characteristic: they are animal-like. The werewolf is half human and half wolf. It assumes the human form at will for purposes of vengeance. We also discussed how monsters have supernatural strength, are extraordinarily large in size, and are feared by humans. The Werewolf in Lore and Legend defines the werewolf as a monster mostly by its appearance and abilities. “The distinctive features of the wolf are unbridled cruelty, bestial ferocity, and ravening hunger. His strength, his cunning, his speed were regarded as abnormal, almost eerie qualities, he had something of a demon, of hell” (Summers 65). The werewolf is also defined as cruel, bloodthirsty, and a cannibal, being that they are half-human.

The werewolf being monstrous matches up with the definitions we have discussed in class because they are animal-like, have supernatural powers, extraordinarily strong, related to the divine, and eat humans. Besides these qualities, a monster is a creature that is abnormal, something that is not natural and not acceptable to the common human world.  Monsters are feared by humans and, surprisingly, the werewolf is known as one of the most fearsome. Some monsters are known to live amongst themselves in isolation however, because the werewolf assumes human form, it lives in normal settings as in towns, cities, etc... While in wolf-form, it frolics around in forests and open country land. The werewolf’s diet is humans and most monsters eat humans. This figure is monstrous also because of its 'demonic nature' as told in The Werewolf in Lore and Legend.

The werewolf is one of the most interesting monsters known to man. The characteristics that we have discussed in class and the monsters that we have studied are very closely associated with the werewolf. I chose this creature because I always wanted to know more about it also. The werewolf has become more popular also because of Stephenie Meyers’ Twilight books and movies because of one of its main characters, Jacob Black. His family were descendants of a legendary Indian tribe that were known to shapeshift into werewolves. While unaware of his abilities, he was forced to join a cult to protect himself and others being that he could not control his powers just yet. His diet, appearance, and supernaturalism are the exact same of the werewolf described earlier. He was extraordinarily large but took the actual form of a wolf, he hunted for humans in forests to fest, and he had an abnormally hot body temperature. Monsters are monsters and will always be one of the most popular topics in books, TV, and media.