They are often referred to as the loup-garou, yet another term for werewolf. Stories from Trinidad, and Tobago also include humans that have the ability to turn into wolves.
In Scandanavian culture, there also exists the Maras, an entire race of female werewolves. In it, many mythological characters turn into wolves, both on purpose, and by accident. The Volsunga saga is a poem that was written in the 13th Century. Loki, the famous Norse God, is said to have turned into a female wolf in order to bear his son, Fenrir. The ability to turn into a wolf exists in Native American, European, and Canadian cultures, but often seems most heavily used in Norse mythology. This popular concept is also known as lycanthrophy. There are multiple types of animals that are common in varying myths, but none so more than the werewolf. The idea that someone can turn into an animal at will has been a prevalent notion in literature since the Epic of Gilgamesh was written in 1800 B.C. Shapeshifting is a cross-cultural concept, spanning continents, countries, and multiple religions. This rather antiquated term also pertains to when a deity transforms a human into some type of floral or fauna. This ability to metamorph is also known as therianthropy. Lon Chaney’s iconic role as the Wolfman depicts a shapeshifter who not only can’t control his secondary form, he fears it. Shapeshifters can often control when they change shape, but not always. Other shapeshifters allegedly acquire the skill by means of magic, or divine intervention. In some myths, the ability to shapeshift is an inherent one–meaning some people are simply born with the skill. Shapeshifting can come about in a variety of ways.
This also includes the idea that animals can turn into other animals. In essence, shapeshifting is the ability to physically transform into another shape, be it that of another human, or an animal. To completely understand shapeshifting, we must first start from the beginning. Some of these drawings, which have been dated back to 13,000 B.C., depict humans changing into the shape of animals.īut what does shapeshifting fully entail? And is it an ability humans will ever be able to learn? What is Shapeshifting? In 1914, three brothers explored a cave in southwest France, and discovered ancient drawings along the cavern walls. However, the concept of shapeshifting has been around far longer than most of us can even fathom. From episodes of Star Trek, the Twilight Saga, to Terminator 2, shapeshifters are an integral part of fantasy, and science fiction shows, stories, and films. Shapeshifting is a trope we often see in popular culture these days.