The Making of a She – Werewolf
Hayley Marshall- Vampire Diaries, The Originals
Elena Michaels- Bitten
Is there a big difference between how a female werewolf is portrayed on TV? Well the pack is a lot more protective of the women-folk. But that tends to just be a thing. Of human (anthropomorphism) and wolf nature (zoomorphism). From whichever direction they view their nature and extend it. Don’t you think? So it makes sense that they’d translate that to werewolves.
And then there is how they become the grander version of themselves too. By their love of their mate? By their willingness to go beyond the traditions of the pack and it’s leadership, in an all or bust version of change? Then end up being part of the pack hierarchy, because they were able to oversee the change? Even if it costs them almost every member of their pack? And are still viewed as the heroine of the story… I mean if I went in to a battle with 10 people and came out with 2, I’d see it as a loss.
Then there is the importance of the “secret”, the life and death need to not have humans know about the existance of werewolves. They isolate themselves on huge estates, parks, farms, … countryside estates where they can change form as needed and run without humans detecting them. Where they can be wild and feral.
But realizing that humanity is getting closer, in the form of hunters and just the world getting more crowded, their human-self learns to live the urban life. In some artistic, avante-garde, bohemian way. So they live outside/inside. One foot in both worlds.
And that need for secrecy wears on them. To the point where they seem depressed. Which the leader of the pack doesn’t get in the same way. Because they are out on the estate. Which may be why, when they get to be part of the hierarchy, they don’t want to maintain the secret, the traditions for it. Certainly not to the point of killing humans who become aware of the werewolves.
….Did the shows portray the female werewolf fairly?
It seemed to be a rare thing for a female human to become a werewolf. Even if bitten, they only can if they have werewolf in their genes. And when they do, it’s far more about the pack or their mate and their relationships with them taking them over, than it is about them being a woman or a female werewolf. And as humans this often causes severe depression. It’s important to keep something of yourself going. So you can give to others.
So they have to find a way to be their own person, and keep all these balls juggling. And to find a path between traditions and modern life that works for them and the people they love, want to protect.
Did they? I’ll leave that to you to decide.
Sometimes you have to shut off the feminist training to watch TV, but sometimes it’s fun to actually trigger that and assess the show. And these two characters made that possible. So worth the view IMO
… the story of a were-beast
the myth vs the TV or movie portrayal
Live Science
history.com
Greek – Zeus
Norse – Loki
were-wolves, were-foxes, were-dogs (China) , were-tigers, were-snakes, were-hares, were-bears and even were-crocodiles.
Are they shapeshifters? Do they shift their body, their mind, their astral body? Awake or in dreams? Are they spirit guide and human united? Are they trixsters, gods or demons in animal form? Are they cursed by witches? Do they have a magical totem or herb that changes them? Are they delusional humans, as an individual or a superstitious group? Is it an illness, like having light-sensitivity and/or excessive body hair? Is it real, or a “cover” for a serial killer? Are they changed, due to cannibalism? Does the full moon cause or contribute to their feral nature? Are they a witch’s familiar? What can put them down? Do they hunt humans to eat? Or to mate/have sex with them? (which would be important, if like the TV show Bitten, they are far more often men and not immortal. How else would they have the next gen?
Where and when did they originate? Possibly the Middle East?
They are mentioned in the story of Gilgamesh , from ancient Mesopotamia. And from Greco-Roman myths.
Possibly Native Americas? They have stories about trixsters and windigos.
Have you heard of the werewolf trials of 1521?
the first recorded instance of anyone being accused and convicted of lycanthropy occurred in Poligny, France in 1521. As the story goes, a supposed wolf attack led authorities to the home of Michel Verdun, who, after being arrested and tortured, confessed to being a werewolf, along with two other men, Pierre Bourgot and Philibert Montot.
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