In folklore, a werewolf[a] (from Old English werwulf ‘man-wolf’), or occasionally lycanthrope[b] (from Ancient Greek λυκάνθρωπος ‘wolf-human’), is an individual who can shapeshift into a wolf or therianthropic hybrid wolf–humanlike creature, either voluntarily or involuntarily due to a curse or other affliction. In modern fiction, especially film, transformations are often depicted as triggered by the full moon and transmitted by a bite or scratch from another werewolf. Early sources for belief in this ability or affliction, called lycanthropy, are Petronius (27–66) and Gervase of Tilbury (1150–1228).

The werewolf is a widespread concept in European folklore, existing in many variants, which are related by a common development of a Christian interpretation of underlying European folklore developed during the Middle Ages. From the early modern period, werewolf beliefs spread to the Western Hemisphere with colonialism. Belief in werewolves developed in parallel with the belief in witches during the late Middle Ages and the early modern period. Like the witchcraft trials as a whole, the trial of supposed werewolves emerged in what is now Switzerland, especially the Valais and Vaud, in the early 15th century and spread throughout Europe in the 16th, peaking in the 17th and subsiding by the 18th century.

The persecution of werewolves and the associated folklore is an integral part of the “witch-hunt” phenomenon, albeit a marginal one, with accusations of lycanthropy being involved in only a small fraction of witchcraft trials. During the early period, accusations of lycanthropy (transformation into a wolf) were mixed with accusations of wolf-riding or wolf-charming. The case of Peter Stumpp (1589) led to a significant peak in both interest in and persecution of supposed werewolves, primarily in French-speaking and German-speaking Europe. The phenomenon persisted longest in Bavaria and Austria, with the persecution of wolf-charmers recorded until well after 1650, the final cases taking place in the early 18th century in Carinthia and Styria.

After the end of the witch trials, the werewolf became of interest in folklore studies and in the emerging Gothic horror genre. Werewolf fiction as a genre has premodern precedents in medieval romances (e.g., Bisclavret and Guillaume de Palerme) and developed in the 18th century out of the “semi-fictional” chapbook tradition. The trappings of horror literature in the 20th century became part of the horror and fantasy genre of modern popular culture.

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  • aanes_appreciator [he/him, comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    10·
    7 days ago

    Time and time again i see (well meaning, though politically-liberal) people interpreting peotest movements as revolutionary moments, as they cannot see the difference between mass spontaneous revolt versus a coordinated ideological strategy towards escalating class struggle.

    The student occupations, for one. The George Floyd uprisings, Yellow vests protests, etc. wherein the message ultimately becomes “the protests worked! we achieved x y z! don’t be so defeatist!”.

    And yes, this is true, until the targeted institutions are done punishing the leaders, dismantling the camps, implementing security protocols, and then they just… pretend they never made a deal with you at all. Even the ones that capitulated the hardest to popular demands are shown how fickle the resistance is and quickly re-adopt the bourgeois party line in fervor.

    We seem to be in stage of repeated paris communes - capable of seizing, erecting, fighting. But the inherent liberalism that assumes a subsequent continuation of capitalism becomes the great filter that has yet to be surpassed.

    I know the answer is to have a class vanguard. An organisation that carries the movement through defeat and victory. Whether you envision this as Marxist-Leninist, or Revolutionary Syndicalist towards likes of the CNT/FAI, there’s much work to be done, and much more that will be done.

  • Carl [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    7·
    6 days ago

    imagine being one of the people who work at the building that the final confrontation in Home Alone 2 takes place at and coming back into work after Christmas break to find everything trashed.

  • Wmill [they/them, fae/faer]@hexbear.netEnglish
    5·
    6 days ago

    So like I’m on board to the do these routine things to be better (I guess hygiene or maintenance if you will) and it’s ruining the wonder and mystery say strange gas station boner pills once held over me. There is no one thing that will fix my life no magic cure just routine as my life slowly improves and yeah it’s kinda beautiful. I’m enjoying the path and not just rushing to the destination, feels good 😊

  • Keld [he/him, any]@hexbear.netEnglish
    6·
    7 days ago

    Found out a word I use often is rooted in antisemitic race riots. kitty-birthday-sad

    It’s a totally mainstream word too. It’s like the default word for its meaning.

    I imagine this is how Americans learning about the origin of picnics feel.

  • ShimmeringKoi [comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    7·
    7 days ago

    Deadpan powers increasing. Prick co-owner of club i work at said get out, you’re fired. I said no I’m not. It worked

    Obviously I’m glossing over a lot of circumstances that have created this situation, but it is just funny to look at it this way. And not a little empowering.

  • DragonBallZinn [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    6·
    7 days ago

    Someone talk me down if this is a REALLY bad idea, but I think I have a breakthrough, here goes:

    “Why not just do whatever the hell I want and study for whatever the hell I want? All jobs have become Hollywood anyway. You have to be the biggest nepo baby among nepo babies to get any job. I don’t have the luxury of nepotism. If I’m going to be equally told to fuck off by porks from STEM fields as I am porks in academia or media or making video games? Then the likelihood of me not getting a job isn’t a factor anymore. In a sense, I’m free and I have nothing to lose.”