Defining a Monster: The Value of the Werewolf

Werewolf (Image Source: Canva.com)

This blog has covered a variety of monster tales in the past.  Every culture has some sort of definition of what it means to be a monster, along with specific types of monsters.  There are numerous reasons for why monsters in any given culture exist, which have been covered throughout previous blog posts. Ultimately, though, the most common theme revolves around addressing various aspects of what monsters mean within any given society and how they reflect morals, values, and beliefs within the cultural group.  Today’s blog post will continue within this vein of inquiry to discuss the meanings and values of werewolves as they concern European and modern Western cultural groups.

 

Werewolves are defined in multiple ways, although a review of these different definitions will turn up some commonalities.  Ultimately, a werewolf is a human being of any gender or age who either voluntarily or involuntarily changes into a wolf.  This change can be a full physical, psychological, or spiritual change, which can be induced through magic or curse, demonic possession, animal bite, the commission of an immoral or sinful act, or unfortunate genetic/birth circumstances.  Regardless of the type of change the human undergoes it is agreed upon that the individual takes on the characteristics of the wolf, which include but are not limited to ferocity, brute strength, and exceptional speed.

 

It is through the analysis of the divergent definitions of werewolf that social values, beliefs, and ideas about this monster come through.  Among very early European populations (e.g., Bronze Age populations, followed by the ancient Greeks and Vikings) the concerns about werewolves were based in fears of wolves.  Individuals having the ability to physically or psychologically change into werewolves was both awe inspiring and terrifying, particularly as there was such great fear in actual wolves.  These creatures were known for destroying livestock, thereby threatening the livelihoods of humans.  Human-wolf beings were feared and revered, particularly among the Vikings who may have believed that their fiercest warriors were able to channel the spirit of wolves (and bears) to be triumphant in battle.

 

Throughout early European history werewolves were associated with deviant individuals, meaning anyone who committed devious acts or were in some way viewed as deviant (e.g., reclusive individuals, individuals who were sick and/or deformed, those who did not follow the rules of society) was labeled a werewolf and treated accordingly.  This could and did result in various types of formal sanctions, the most common of which was execution.  This was the result of the close association of the werewolf with Satan, and as the soul was ultimately damned the only relief for the individual (and society) was to put the werewolf to death.

 

In the 1600 and 1700s there was a change in the werewolf narrative, due in large part to the rise of science and psychology.  There was a shift from associating the werewolf with deviance and the Devil to instead concluding that an individual who took on “werewolf” like traits was sick. The accused were institutionalized rather than executed.  This period of time also coincides with a drastic reduction in wolf populations throughout Europe, the result of high bounties being imposed by various individuals in power throughout Europe.   By the 1700s wolves were largely eradicated across Europe.  Once the real wolves were gone and no longer a serious threat there were fewer stories and fears of werewolves. 

 

Today, views regarding werewolves are not that different from the past.  They are still largely viewed as scary and uncontrollable monsters that have insatiable hunger.  There are, however, some additional dimensions to modern werewolf tales.  First, the monster is redeemable in some cases, matching modern Western cultural views that no one person is completely bad and that they can change, be it by choice or with appropriate social and environmental circumstances. 

 

There is also the association of the werewolf with the adolescence and puberty.  The ideas of bodily transformations tied to puberty, sexuality, or menses/female periods and the attitudes that go with “that time of the month”.  Western beliefs pertaining to puberty causing drastic and unexpected changes in mood and the documented physical transformation that occurs during puberty match up with the ideas of psychological and physical changes that occur when a human becomes a werewolf.

 

We also begin to see the sociological aspects of werewolf tales.  There are those that focus on individuals who feel like outsiders and their conflicts with the mainstream, which links back to notions of reclusive individuals being deviant throughout previously discussed European history.  In this same vein there is the fear of others/xenophobia which modern werewolf tales allow us to explore.  Ecologically there is the werewolf as an analogy of nature and either protecting or returning to nature. 

 

The most consistent theme that has and continues to persist among all werewolf stories is the psychological aspects of the werewolf: getting a glimpse into the internal conflicts we all feel, specifically how we must fight to give into our deepest, darkest desires.  Werewolves kill indiscriminately.  They are animals.  We can see what happens when those dark desires are indulged unchecked, and why we need to not overindulge in them.  These tales provide a safe space for humans to explore the deviance without actually participating in it, while also simultaneously assessing the costs of indulging in those deviant desires and why one ultimately should not.  This is why the werewolf myths will continue to exist because they allow us to explore the darker sides and successfully reinforce why we should be go that way.  Because even though the werewolf myths and imagery may change, it ultimately stays the same in that it is an untamable beast, and ultimately the opposite of an untamable beast is to be human.

 

References

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O'Donnell, E. (1912). Werewolves. London: Methun and Co., Ltd.

Ogdin, D. (2021, March 7). Four Things You (Probably) Don't Know about the Werewolves of the Ancient World. Retrieved from Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, The George Washington University: http://hnn.us/article/179430

Summers, M. (1933). The Werewolf in Lore and Legend. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Tubner, and Co, Ltd.