Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers each night may become a wolf when the wolf-bane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.
Werewolves on Wikipedia
A werewolf or werwolf, also known as a lycanthrope (from the Greek ???????????: ?????, lukos, "wolf", and ????????, anthr?pos, man), is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely, by being bitten or scratched by another werewolf, or after being placed under a curse. This transformation is often associated with the appearance of the full moon, as popularly noted by the medieval chronicler Gervase of Tilbury, and perhaps in earlier times among the ancient Greeks through the writings of Petronius.
Werewolves are often attributed super-human strength and senses, far beyond those of both wolves or men. The werewolf is generally held as a European character, although its lore spread through the world in later times. Shape-shifters, similar to werewolves, are common in tales from all over the world, most notably amongst the Native Americans, though most of them involve animal forms other than wolves.
Werewolves are a frequent subject of modern fictional books, although fictional werewolves have been attributed traits distinct from those of original folklore, most notably vulnerability to silver bullets. Werewolves continue to endure in modern culture and fiction, with books, films and television shows cementing the werewolf's stance as a dominant figure in horror.
Werewolf Lore
- How are werewolves created?
Most werewolves are made, not born. The most frequent method in most contemporary literature is by infection - when a victim is bitten (or sometimes scratched) by a werewolf at the full moon, he or she also becomes a werewolf. In traditional legends, however, werewolves were more commonly created through magical means. Some evil people use spells or curses to turn themselves or others into werewolves. Common magical and supernatural means include donning the pelt of a wolf, using special potions or ointments, drinking from the footprint of a wolf, or making a pact with the Devil. People can also be born werewolves, though this is rare in most versions of werewolf lore. Often, a family curse is involved in these cases. - How can werewolves be killed?
Although the best-known way to kill werewolves is by silver bullets or other silver weapons, this method is not a common feature in werewolf folklore and was actually popularized by Hollywood's Wolf Man films. Unlike vampires, werewolves are not harmed by religious artifacts like crosses or holy water. However, in many versions of the lore, they can be repelled, injured, or killed by the plant wolfsbane (Aconitum), though in other versions, wolfsbane could be used to cause the transformation. - Are werewolves inherently evil?
Not necessarily. Although in traditional legends, many people become werewolves for the primary purpose of enabling themselves to perform greater acts of evil, and the werewolf has long been associated with the Devil, modern stories often offer more sympathetic interpretations. Werewolves who have been infected through bites are often unable to control their transformations or prevent the vicious acts they perform in that state. This type of werewolf sometimes does not even realize that he or she is a werewolf. In other versions, werewolves can retain human consciousness when in their animal form and thus can work for good or evil, depending on their own proclivities. - Do werewolves have any special powers?
Again, it depends on the version. Because the transformation to wolf form is often considered painful and difficult, werewolves are often attributed with unusually high pain tolerance and accelerated healing powers. Injuries experienced in one form may or may not remain in the other, and a frequent component of werewolf legends is that the corpse of a werewolf killed in wolf form will revert to human form soon after death. Werewolves are also often credited with unusual strength and/or speed. These traits may or may not transfer to the werewolf's human form. In some lore, the human form of a werewolf may experience enhanced senses or exhibit other animal traits, especially when stressed or angered.
Books on Werewolf Lore
The Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting Beings
Amazon Price: $14.93 (as of 12/28/2009) 
The Werewolf in Lore and Legend
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 12/28/2009)
The Book of Were-Wolves
Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 12/28/2009)
Werewolves
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The Essential Guide to Werewolf Literature (A Ray and Pat Browne Book)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/28/2009)
Famous Werewolves: The Wolf Man
The Wolf Man - The Legacy Collection (The Wolf Man / Werewolf of London / Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man / She-Wolf of London)
Amazon Price: $20.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
More Werewolves on the Silver Screen
An American Werewolf in London
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An American Werewolf in Paris
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
The Night of the Werewolf
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![Underworld (Unrated) [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51vaUtgGLnL._SL75_.jpg)
Underworld (Unrated) [Blu-ray]
Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
Ginger Snaps
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Famous Werewolves: Remus Lupin
Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-6)
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Harry Potter Hardcover Box Set (Books 1-6)
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
Amazon Price: $20.46 (as of 12/28/2009)
Harry Potter Schoolbooks: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them / Quidditch Through the Ages
Amazon Price: $10.19 (as of 12/28/2009)
Remus Lupin on Squidoo
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Remus Lupin
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Remus J. Lupin is one of the most beloved characters of one of the most beloved children's series of all time: the Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling. A kind and able professor and a dear friend of Harry's father and godfather, he is also a werewol...
Wolfsbane
Aconitum ( A-co-ní-tumSunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606?607), known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, 'leopards bane, women's bane, Devil's helmet or blue rocket',BBC - h2g2 - Classic Poisons is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). There are over 250 species of Aconitum''.
Famous Werewolves: Vivian
Blood and Chocolate
Amazon Price: $7.50 (as of 12/28/2009)
Blood & Chocolate
Amazon Price: $12.49 (as of 12/28/2009)
More Werewolves in Contemporary Fiction
Murcheston: The Wolf's Tale
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The Hyde Effect
Amazon Price: $17.95 (as of 12/28/2009)
The Wild
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The Passion
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, Book 1)
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
Famous Werewolves: Elena Michaels
Bitten (Women of the Otherworld, Book 1)
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
Stolen (Women of the Otherworld, Book 2)
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
Dime Store Magic (Women of the Otherworld, Book 3)
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Industrial Magic (Women of the Otherworld, Book 4)
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Haunted (Women of the Otherworld, Book 5)
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
Yet More Werewolves in Contemporary Fiction
Saint Peter's Wolf
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Wilderness
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
Operation Chaos: A Novel
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The Werewolf's Kiss
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Walk in Wolf Wood
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Famous Werewolves: Oz and Nina
Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Collector's Set (40 discs)
Amazon Price: $166.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
Angel: Seasons 1-5 (Collectors Set)
Amazon Price: $115.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
A Werewolf on the Side
Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Book 1)
Werewolves and other werecreatures have a major role in the Anita Blake series, not least in the "disturbingly perfect" person of Richard Zeeman, Anita's ex-fiancee and on-again-off-again lover. Some of the most interesting novels for werewolf lovers include "The Lunatic Cafe" and "Blue Moon."
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)
This popular young-adult paranormal romance series features a number of werewolf characters, in particular Jacob Black, one of Bella's love interests.
Amazon Price: $5.50 (as of 12/28/2009)
Men at Arms
The City Watch of Ankh-Morpork includes a werewolf named Angua in this popular, satirical fantasy series. "The Fifth Elephant" is particularly popular with werewolf fans.
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
Supernatural - The Complete Second Season
Ghost-busting brothers Sam and Dean Winchester run into a werewolf with tragic results in "Heart."
Amazon Price: $18.99 (as of 12/28/2009)
The Beast of Gévaudan on Wikipedia
One of the most interesting true-life werewolf stories is that of the Beast of Gevaudan, which terrorized a rural French province for three years. The true nature of the Beast, whether human or animal, is unknown to this day.
The Beast of Gévaudan () is a name given to man-eating wolf-like animals that terrorized the former province of Gévaudan (modern day département of Lozère), in the Margeride Mountains in south-central France from 1764 to 1767 over an area stretching . The beasts were consistently described by eyewitnesses as having formidable teeth and immense tails. Their fur had a reddish tinge, and was said to have emitted an unbearable odor. They killed their victims by tearing at their throats with their teeth. The number of victims differs according to source. De Beaufort (1987) estimated 210 attacks, resulting in 113 deaths and 49 injuries; 98 of the victims killed were partly eaten. Author Derek Brockis claims 25 women, 68 children, and 6 men were killed, with over 30 others injured. An enormous amount of manpower and resources was used in the hunting of the animals, including the army, conscripted civilians, several nobles, and a number of royal huntsmen. All animals operated outside of ordinary wolf packs, though eyewitness accounts indicate that they sometimes were accompanied by a smaller female, which did not take part in the attacks. The story is a popular subject for cryptozoologists.
The Beast on the Silver Screen
Brotherhood of the Wolf
Amazon Price: (as of 12/28/2009)
List Price: $19.98
Clinical Lycanthropy on Wikipedia
One possible explanation for the origin of the werewolf legend is a psychiatric condition known as clinical lycanthropy.
Clinical lycanthropy is defined as a rare psychiatric syndrome which involves a delusion that the affected person can or has transformed into an animal, or that he or she is an animal. Its name is connected to the mythical condition of lycanthropy, a supernatural affliction in which people are said to physically shapeshift into wolves. The terms zoanthropy or therianthropy are also sometimes used for the delusion that one has turned into an animal in general and not specifically a wolf.
Werewolf Gear
The Werewolf Dark T-Shirt
Price: 25.99
Werewolf Moon T-shirt
Price: 23.99
Wolf Howl Black T-Shirt
Price: 20.99
Lycanthropy Black T-Shirt
Price: 22.99
Alpha (Black/red/white) Fitted T-Shirt
Price: 21.99
Werewolf Halloween Costumes
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Learn More About Werewolves
- Werewolves on Monstrous.com
- Werewolves on monstrous.com is your first source of information about the wolfman or werewolf as a monster. Shapeshifters and were-creatures are described through history, mythology, art and popular culture study. Includes historical documents and illustrations libraries
- A Brief History of Werewolves
- The history of the werewolf legend
- Shapeshifter Myths in Fiction
- A comprehensive list of shapeshifter mythology and how those myths apply to popular fiction. Useful for gamers, authors, mythology buffs, or just plain bibliophiles.
Guestbook
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- TylaMac TylaMac Oct 12, 2009 @ 11:45 pm
- Great info on werewolves and lycanthropy! I've lensrolled Werewolf Lore to my Classic Monster Movies lens
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- BevsPaper BevsPaper Jul 21, 2009 @ 4:42 pm
- Great lens! I've lensrolled you to my Kitty Norville lens.
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- OldGrampa OldGrampa Oct 8, 2008 @ 12:25 pm
- Great Lens, I love to read about stuff like werewolves, vampires and the paranormal
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- rsmith17 rsmith17 Jul 5, 2008 @ 10:33 am
- Very nice and interesting lens. 5 stars and a lensroll on my Halloween superstitions page.
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- Jun 6, 2008 @ 1:06 am
- Are there really any werewolves? Anyway, you have a great lens regarding them & even if people like us who pray are still vulnerable to become a werewolf, I would rather be an artistic werewolf so I can still put some of my artworks on my own personalized wolf checks ! Woooohhhhh!!!! anyway, you really have a very informative and entertaining site and I do love fantasy stories just like this. Great job! Keep up the good work!
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