Are werewolves possible?
A werewolf or lycanthrope is technically defined as a mythological human that can shapeshift into a wolf or wolf-like creature, also referred to as a therianthropic hybrid. Supposedly, this ability is the result of a curse or a bite. Most of this mythology came from either Middle Age Europe or the Caucasus, particularly Hungry, Germany and Poland. Some attributed the curse of Lycanthropy to divine punishment for unspecified sins or the actions of sorcerers. It appears that the idea of a human changing into a wild beast was a popular belief in some locations. This is much like vampire lore, which originated from the same European locales.
I was introduced to this concept when I saw the 1941 movie: ‘The Wolf Man’ staring Lon Chaney. A more modern incarnation of werewolves was in the 1981 movie “An American Werewolf in London’. There have been hundreds of movies featuring werewolves. Most notable are Harry Potter, The Howling: Reborn, Van Helsing, and Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman. The last one is a comedy!
There is no doubt that werewolves are popular in the horror genre, but are they possible?
Apparently, the actual signs of Lycanthropy vary and are somewhat arbitrary. What this means is that it’s difficult to come up with a clinical description of what a werewolf goes through during the actual transformation. Some describe is as being temporary, and this is what is usually portrayed. The question is: is the person who becomes a werewolf the same person or has the soul of a werewolf-like person taken over a wild beast? If a person becomes a werewolf by means of being bitten by one, then this might be equivalent to how a vampire or a zombie is supposedly created. Thus, it could be the result of a virus. However, this idea has flaws because in the case of vampire, the person is permanently changed. There’s no going back. However, most werewolves are portrayed as only being temporarily changed and then reverting back to their normal state. This temporary transformation does not preclude a virus infection however. There are plenty of diseases in which the manifestations are temporary. Think of epileptic seizures, although this is caused by excessive neuron activity in the brain.
Some attribute this morphing change into a beast to be a spiritual phenomenon, or at best it’s attributed to supernatural intervention as in a demon spirit possession or the curse of a sorcerer or witch. These causes would be difficult to prove, and are probably superstitious beliefs.
However, there are medical records of Lycanthropy being a true medical condition, one that causes the victim to grow excessive hair and become wild, much like the effects of the rabies virus. Others have tried to claim that this disease or condition is the result of a psychological problem like schizophrenia in which the victim is delusional. Some evidence refers this problem to genetic disorder, thus claiming that it may run in certain families. I wonder what it would be like to be the son of Wolfman.
Thanks for reading.