There are many ways to become a werewolf, according to historical folklore.

Werewolves have been a common mythological creature in folklore around the world for centuries. The legends of humans transforming into wolves under the full moon or by other means have captivated people’s imaginations and appeared in many stories and myths across different cultures. While the origins of werewolf myths can be traced back to ancient Greece, there are many variations on how people become werewolves according to different folklore traditions.

But where did the idea of the werewolf come from, and how do people become werewolves?

The legend of the werewolf has roots that stretch back to ancient Greece. One of the earliest recorded instances of werewolf mythology is found in the story of Lycaon. According to Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Lycaon, the king of Arcadia, tested Zeus by serving him a meal made from the remains of a sacrificed boy. Zeus, enraged by this act of impiety, changed Lycaon into a wolf. This tale not only illustrates the supposed origin of the werewolf but also serves as a moral lesson about the wrath of the gods and the thin line between man and beast.

This myth connected the wolf form to wildness, violence, and a loss of humanity, themes that have endured in werewolf lore. The word lycanthropy, meaning transformation into a wolf, comes from Lycaon’s name. The Greeks believed that people could transform into wolves by the will of the gods as an act of punishment or curse.

Transformations and Transmissions: Becoming a Werewolf

Throughout the ages, folklore has proposed numerous ways in which a person might be transformed into a werewolf.

In many stories, becoming a werewolf was the result of a curse. This could be a punishment from a deity, as in the case of Lycaon, or from a witch or another person who has been wronged. Many Christian-influenced medieval tales cite witchcraft and the devil as the sources of the werewolf curse.

One of the most well-known methods in modern lore is the transmission of lycanthropy through the bite of another werewolf. According to folklore, if a person is bitten by a werewolf, they will transform into a werewolf themselves during the next full moon. This notion parallels the way diseases spread, reflecting societal fears about contagion and illness. This originated in European legends and remains one of the most common beliefs about how people transform.

In some legends, donning the skin of a wolf or a magic wolf-skin belt could cause an individual to take on the characteristics of a wolf, including its form. This practice may be symbolic of taking on the nature of the wolf or invoking its spirit. This comes from Baltic and Scandinavian traditions, where magic could induce the transformation into a wolf.

Tales from certain regions suggest that a person could become a werewolf by drinking water from a footprint or stream that a wolf has touched. This comes from Germanic lore and suggests nature’s power to turn humans into beasts.

In some folktales, it is said that eating the meat of a wolf will cause a person to become a werewolf.

Performing an arcane ritual or spell is believed to spread lycanthropy. Various magical rituals have been cited as ways to become a werewolf in medieval European folklore. The person who wants to turn into a werewolf can do this magic themselves or have someone else do it for them.

Folklore also recounts stories of ointments or potions that, when applied to the body, can transform a person into a wolf. These substances often contain powerful and taboo ingredients, like the fat of a child or herbs of a particular potency.

The full moon’s influence on werewolf transformation is a relatively recent addition to mythology, which ties the werewolf’s appearance to the lunar cycle, symbolizing the cyclical nature of life and the primal instincts that rise when the night is at its brightest.

Some legends propose that lycanthropy can be inherited, with the curse passing down from one generation to the next, reflecting the idea of ancestral sins or traits being carried through bloodlines.

In some cultures, it is believed that being born on a certain day, such as Christmas Eve or during a full moon, can make a person more susceptible to becoming a werewolf.

Modern Metamorphosis: Psychological and Societal Implications

In contemporary media, the werewolf has been depicted in countless ways, from tragic heroes to monstrous villains. Modern interpretations often focus on the struggle between human and animal natures within the werewolf, mirroring our own struggles with our primal instincts and societal rules. Themes of infection and uncontrollable transformation are explored in relation to modern issues such as disease, genetic manipulation, and psychological transformation.

In modern werewolf narratives, the psychological transformation aspect often plays a significant role, delving into the complexities of the human psyche. This transformation can be a metaphor for various psychological and emotional states and processes.

In psychoanalytic theory, the Id represents the instinctual, primitive part of the psyche that operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification. The werewolf’s transformation can be seen as the liberation of the Id, with the human side (the Ego and Superego) losing control to these base desires and instincts. This loss of control can be an allegory for various human experiences, such as anger, addiction, or other forms of compulsion where an individual’s rational self is overwhelmed by primal urges.

The transformation into a werewolf, particularly when depicted as a painful, confusing process, is often used as a parallel to puberty and adolescence. The physical changes in the body, the emergence of new and often disturbing desires, and the sense of alienation from one’s own body are experiences common to both teenagers and werewolves. This metaphor extends to the idea of discovering one’s identity and the struggle to fit into society while reconciling the changes occurring within.

Werewolves embody the duality of human nature, the eternal conflict between civilization and savagery, morality and desire, control and freedom. The human-wolf transformation can represent the struggle to reconcile these opposing forces within a single individual. This duality is often portrayed as a psychological battle, with the character experiencing guilt, shame, or fear as they confront their own darker side.

Conversely, becoming a werewolf can be depicted as an empowering transformation. It can symbolize the embracing of one’s strength, assertiveness, and sexuality. For characters who feel powerless or repressed in their human form, the werewolf can represent liberation and the acceptance of their full potential, albeit with the risk of losing themselves to their more animalistic traits.

Modern werewolf stories often explore themes related to mental health and the stigma associated with it. The secrecy, fear of discovery, and the struggle to maintain normalcy can mirror the experiences of those with mental illness. Furthermore, the periodic nature of the werewolf’s transformation can be analogous to cyclical mental health issues, such as bipolar disorder or depression, with periods of ‘normalcy’ punctuated by episodes of extreme behavior.

The werewolf’s transformation can also be a vehicle for social commentary, reflecting societal fears and prejudices. The way werewolves are hunted or ostracized by society can be a critique of how we treat the ”other”—those who are different, whether by race, sexuality, or behavior. The fear and suspicion directed at werewolves can encourage audiences to reflect on issues of intolerance and social injustice.

Conclusion

The modern werewolf is not only a creature of the night but a complex symbol of psychological transformation. The werewolf myth allows for a rich exploration of human emotions, behaviors, and experiences, and continues to be a powerful tool for storytelling that resonates with a wide range of personal and societal issues.

The werewolf remains one of the most enduring figures in folklore, a symbol of the human-animal boundary and the fear of our own darker instincts. From the ancient myth of Lycaon to the complex characters in modern cinema, the werewolf continues to evolve. Whether viewed as cursed beings or misunderstood creatures, werewolves remind us of the power of nature, the mystery of transformation, and the perennial human quest to understand the beast within. As society changes, so too does the werewolf legend, adapting to new fears and fascinations, ensuring that this ancient myth will continue to howl through the ages.