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The Werewolf, origin and representation of a social fantasy
Illustration by Jean-Mathias Xavier after Louis on the novel by Jean-Luc Galoup Marcatel, published by New Angle
I. The symbolism of the wolf
Emblematic of the violence and evil, the werewolf is present in almost all civilizations since ancient times. Derived from fear of the wolf, he surrounded himself at different times of magic, see Devil's curse. In the Middle Ages all possible malformations or abnormal behavior, immoral excuses were good enough to be accused of witchcraft, and sometimes being a werewolf. One example is the son of priests or nuns who were mostly suspected of being, being born into the forbidden. If scientists try to find rational explanations, the Germanic peoples believe that the soul can leave the body and take the form of an animal. It should also specify that the transformation of man into an animal is not confined only to the wolf but can also adapt to other animals such as bears with Scandinavian berserkers and men tigers in India. These stories of men thus adapts animals according to local wildlife. The presence of the werewolf is present on all continents and forms a very popular myth today, returning from elsewhere in vogue.
a. The animal through the popular consciousness
Once the word was pronounced wolf in the Middle Ages, the terror was visible on the faces. A true beast of the devil, and associated with danger to the kingdom of the dead, the wolf knows a bad reputation mainly since antiquity. Regarded as the type of wild beast devouring and insatiable hunger, it also said "having a hungry wolf, his teeth are instruments of violence and its mouth is dark menacing. In Norse mythology, a son of Fenrir eats the sun at the time of Ragnarok, giving way to total darkness. Fenrir is a wolf representing the infernal energies and evil that is supposed to devour the chief god, Odin. Similarly, the wolf is the animal of Mars, Roman god of war, as in Egypt where the god of war and god of the dead Ophoïs has a wolf's head.
This animal evokes the savage instincts, untamed nature. But the unbridled energy that is lost to man's mastery. In Italy, for example, lupa is a prostitute. If
is seen as fierce and deadly, like the wolf is also associated with courage and endurance. Formerly, a tooth of wolf hung around the necks of horses so that they are indefatigable. The feminine side of the wolf, the wolf is instead perceived as good, protective and nurturing. It is a wolf who raised Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, but Mowgli, the wild child of the book by Rudyard Kipling. The wolf is also a place more interesting and sometimes very important in fairy tales.
b. The big bad wolf, terror tales
Character very present in the tales, the wolf is the representation of the struggle of man against his primary instincts, desires, is the temptation incarnate. The animal confronts the person itself, facing its impulses that can be described as devouring, ie sexual desires and anger, envy, or cruelty.
In the tale of Little Red Riding Hood by Charles Perrault, the little girl, after talking to the wolf can not keep from picking strawberries to watch animals in the forest while the wolf he eats the great- mother. Instead of walking directly to the village, Little Red Riding Hood gives in to temptation and idleness offered by the forest. It is a fine example of the association of the wolf to the dangerous seduction. It is also said in the story the wolf takes each time a honeyed voice and nice to somehow seduce the girl.
But as he is the werewolf?
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