The curse of the werewolf

The modern myth of the werewolf may be traced back in substantially the same form to ancient Greece, where it was believed that werewolves were hereditary, and originated from a curse of the gods on particular families or clans The Greek werewolf actually transformed into a wolf, and was condemned to seek out human flesh … Read more

The metamorphosis

The medieval chronicler Gervase of Tilbury associated the transformation with the appearance of the full moon, but this concept was rarely associated with the werewolf until the idea was picked up by modern fiction writers. When the change from human to beast occurs, the features blur and coarsen, the body and palms of the hand … Read more

Evil motives

“Changes may be voluntary or involuntary, self-transformation belonging more frequently to the former class and transformation by sorcery, witchcraft or black magic more often to the latter class. The motives of a human being who wishes to change into an animal are naturally regarded with suspicion.” Human animals, a book by Frank Hamel Greed, cruelty, … Read more

How to recognize a werewolf

It is important to be able to recognize a werewolf in his human form, as it is the only circumstance when he is vulnerable. Physical signs “A werewolf may easily be detected, even when devoid of his skin; for his hands are broad, and his fingers short, and there are always some hairs in the … Read more

Sympathetic wounding

When a werewolf is injured in its wolf form, the wound sympathetically carries over to the human form and may eventually reveals the identity of the werewolf. However, the werewolf’s increased vitality causes him to heal much more quickly than an ordinary person, and to be able to tolerate injuries that would incapacitate the average … Read more

How to kill a werewolf

There is no safe way to dispose of the werewolf, a resilient and very harmful monster.  Unlike vampires, they are not generally thought to be harmed by religious artifacts such as crucifixes and holy water. In some cases, the werewolf is portrayed as being invincible and nearly indestructible, with decapitation of its head and removal … Read more

Cures for werewolves

Various cures have been prescribed for removing the werewolf curse. In antiquity, the Ancient Greeks and Romans believed in the power of exhaustion in curing people of lycanthropy. The victim would be subjected to long periods of physical activity in the hope of being purged of the malady. This practice stemmed from the fact that … Read more

Werewolves powers in fiction

In recent popular fiction, werewolves have been endowed by various authors with supernatural powers and abilities that are absent from the original mythos. Superhuman Strength – The werewolf possesses superhuman strength. Their more wolf-like form, during a full moon, is more powerful and they are capable of lifting at least over 150 tons, enabling them … Read more