Werewolves: Where Myth, History, and Pop Culture Collide
October…the month when the rest of the world finally catches up to what we millennials have known since approximately 2001: every season is spooky season. Since the calendar insists it's time to celebrate all things creepy and crawly, we might as well lean into it. I’ll be exploring the origins of some classic creatures that haunt our nightmares and dominate our streaming services…and let’s start by sinking our teeth into the subject of werewolves.
You thought your mood swings going through TikTok videos were bad? Hold on a sec.
The OG Shape-Shifters
Werewolves (or lycanthropes, if ya fancy) have been the stuff of legends for ages. These shape-shifting drama queens have been howling their way through folklore across the world. They aren't just a European thing. Cultures worldwide have their own flavor of "Oops, I grew fur again" tales:
Norse mythology has the saga of the Volsungs, where a father-son duo find wolf pelts that turn them into wolves for ten days.
Armenian lore features a prince cursed to become a wolf by the king of the gods.
When Myth Meets Courtroom Drama
Now, hold onto your basically-glued-to-your-hand phones, because this is where it gets wild. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Europe wasn't just dealing with plagues and questionable fashion choices – they were also conducting werewolf trials. You’ve heard of the witch trials, right? This is a lesser known series of horrible things that happened to…*checks notes*...men. (Yay equality?)
That's right, there were legal proceedings against suspected werewolves.
One of the earliest recorded werewolf trials took place in Poligny, France, in 1521 where the Renaissance was in full swing, Leonardo da Vinci had just died, and two unlucky bros named Pierre Burgot and Michel Verdun were about to have the mother of all bad hair days.
These poor guys found themselves in medieval Europe's version of Judge Judy's courtroom, accused of transforming into wolves and committing heinous crimes. After some "gentle persuasion" (read: spa day at Gitmo type thing), our defendants "confessed" to their wolfy misdeeds.
The evidence? Mysterious wolf attacks, suspicious full moon activities, and probably an excess of body hair. Unsurprisingly, they were found guilty - medieval courts not being big on the whole "innocent until proven lycanthrope" thing. Also, no one pointed out that actual wolves exist? Maybe actual wolves were behind the wolf attacks? Idk, just proves that humans didn't need Twitter to spread wild conspiracy theories.
I could go into a whole about this trial but recommend you check out The Werewolf Syndrome: Compulsive Bestial Slaughterers if you’d like to learn more. It’s a fascinating read.
Anyway ladies, next time your boyfriend is looking (and acting) a little scruffy, just remind him you could have framed him for werewolf-related activities and had him killed in 16th-century France.
The Real Tea Behind the Fur
So why were people so wolf-obsessed? Well, it actually makes sense if you're living in a rural community, it's pitch black outside because electricity hasn't been invented yet, and real wolves are a serious threat to your livelihood. Add in some unexplained attacks, a dash of superstition, and a pinch of "I don't understand science," and boom – you've got yourself a werewolf panic.
The Modern Werewolf
Fast forward to today, and werewolves have traded in their terror factor for heartthrob status. From "Twilight" to "Teen Wolf," our furry friends have become the bad boys of supernatural romance. That brings me to this point:
Have you ever noticed how werewolves in pop culture are almost always guys? I mean, think about it. We've got this whole "uncontrollable transformation once a month" thing going on, and yet somehow, the patriarchy missed this golden opportunity to lean into their favorite misogynistic stereotype of women being emotional.
If art imitates life, aren’t women the prime candidates for lycanthropy? After all, society's already got us pegged as "crazy" once a month. Turning into a wild, hairy beast seems like the logical next step but no.
Apparently, even in the realm of supernatural horror, the idea of a hairy woman is just a bridge too far. It seems the patriarchy would rather deal with a psychotic, murderous man-beast than confront the earth-shattering concept of gasp female body hair.
It's almost as if our society is more comfortable with the idea of men losing control and going on violent rampages than with women not meeting irrational beauty standards. I’d love to see more female werewolves in our movies, books, and overpriced Urban Outfitters graphic tees.
Howlingly yours, xo,
Saana