CAMELA THOMPSON — AUTHOR
  • Home
  • Books
    • All The Pretty Bones
    • Blood, Spirit, and Bone
    • Visions & Bones
  • Blog
  • About
  • Home
  • Books
    • All The Pretty Bones
    • Blood, Spirit, and Bone
    • Visions & Bones
  • Blog
  • About
Search

Werewolf: From Villain to Sex God

6/8/2015

2 Comments

 
Picture
by Camela Thompson

The wolf is a beautiful, intelligent creature, and the source of much fear and anxiety ever since humans took up farming. That is a long history of contention! The impulse to fear them is quite natural--they stand taller than just about any dog and those eyes carry a light in them that demands respect. Rabies, a disease that could drive the animals to viciously attack and leave behind a terrifying fatal sickness, added a fervor to the fear. No wonder the wolf began as a villain. But did it? The conversation that took place on our podcast, Shadows on the Sound, inspired me to do a little more research.

Going back further than fairy tales (Red Riding Hood, Three Little Pigs, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, etc.), there are several instances of gods shifting into animal form. Many early religions regarded the wolf as the mightiest of all animals. From Gaul to Breton to Romania to Greece, cultures gave their gods the ability to take the form of the wolf or used wolves as the symbol for their god. Even Apollo had an affiliation with wolves. Germanic paganism gave a slightly less flattering portrayal of wolves (Fenrir slayed Odin), but they held their ferocity in esteem and wore their pelts to denote their totem animal in battle

Wolves became demonized when commercial farming became a primary source of income throughout the world. Efforts to exterminate the wolf as vermin grew into an organized effort in the Middle Ages in Europe. The wolf population went from half a million living peacefully with the Native American population to 300 grey wolves by 1960 (red wolves were extinct except for the small population living in captivity-go here for more info). A similar job was done in Europe, they were driven to extinction in Japan, maned wolves (not technically wolves, but still persecuted) are endangered in South America, and Tibetan wolves are still hunted. Attacks by rabid animals fueled the hysteria and attitudes have only shifted in the last forty years towards rehabilitation and protection.

Japan had the kitsune (a fox, not wolf), the French had the Loup-Garou (which travelled over to Louisiana and emerged as the Rougarou), and the Navajo yee naaldlooshi. Nearly every culture has lore that involves transformation from man to beast. More modern depictions have traditionally fallen into the Thriller genre. The most common construct involves a man being bitten by another werewolf only to turn into a wolf himself on the full moon. The myth often differs from vampirism in that the infected person is left alive and human for the better part of each month. The werewolf is a rare creature. It gets to retain its humanity for the majority of the time, which also means he/she has to live with whatever havoc they wreak on a full moon for the rest of their very long lives. Vaguely romantic, but still entirely terrifying.

Over the last several years, werewolves have been cropping up in romance. It's an interesting transformation, and one I feel is linked to the increased awareness about the damage we have inflicted against a creature that largely leaves people alone (livestock is another matter). The incorporation makes sense on more basic levels. Men and women with more animalistic tendencies are viewed as more hot-blooded in the bedroom. In a culture that seeks alpha male behavior, the werewolf is the jackpot. Danger and sex and are often intertwined, and even more so when a werewolf is involved. The lack of inhibitions don't hurt either.

Maybe we're going back to our original regard for an animal that embodied strength, cunning, and loyalty.

What do you think of the surge in were-animals in romance? While they still have a place in thrillers, can you also picture them as heroes?

2 Comments
Judith Post link
6/11/2015 03:40:05 am

Shifters in paranormal romances are fun, but I love urban fantasy, and Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews have created wonderful, complex backgrounds and social structures for shifters. Their rules to contain their animal sides are intriguing.

Reply
Camela Thompson link
6/12/2015 02:10:59 am

Very cool! I will have to check those authors out.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Camela Thompson

    Freelance writer and Dark urban fantasy author featuring vampires with bite.

    My Books

    Categories

    All
    All The Pretty Bones
    Dogs
    Fiction Writing
    Guest Post
    Horror
    Influential Writers
    Interview
    Lupus
    Marketing Talk
    Nonfiction
    Non Fiction
    Recipe
    Review
    Social Media
    Stalker
    Vampires
    Writing Conference
    Writing Tip

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    September 2017
    July 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014

© Camela Thompson 2020. All Rights Reserved.
Contact | About Me
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Books
    • All The Pretty Bones
    • Blood, Spirit, and Bone
    • Visions & Bones
  • Blog
  • About