A true cryptophile will tell you that a werewolf stands on two legs, has the form of a man, but features of a wolf.
This popular tradition has been honored for years and years.
the night desk’s insight:
The author makes some excellent points, but what do you think and which do you think is better… before or now? Do you perfer the more lovable animal looking werewolf or the mutated human/dog/wolf version from some horror movies? Which version would you like to see more of in the future?
I definitely prefer the human/wolf hybrid monster… I don’t find anything interesting about a man who turns literally into a wolf(animal) that, if I’m not mistaken, according to lore and other literary works is actually called shapeshifter or skin-walker.. and it is not related to werewolves at all.
Actually, in the original tales (and by “original” I mean, the story about King Lycaon wherein he was transformed into a wolf by Zeus as punishment, though I do think there was one earlier that’s escaped me now) werewolves WERE men who transformed into actual wolves. Though to be fair some tales did describe them as being slightly different in appearance than regular wolves such as being larger or having human eyes (see Russian werewolves). Around the late Middle Ages, werewolves were being described as much more monstrous. The infamous Peter Stubbe could stand on his hind legs like a man, had hand-like paws and no tail.
Although I much prefer the hybrid, I don’t think any interpretation of the werewolf is less valid than the other, but maybe that’s just me. The spectrum ranging from more wolf-like to more human have all been seen in different media and time periods.
I would like to be a wolf, when it comes to transformation. Jean.D.P.Davila is right about shapeshifter, but I am up for wolf look.
I prefer the hybrid as well. It seems like the hybrid works better for horror, where the loveable animal version is more befitting for fantasy (though I’d still prefer the hybrid in either instance because it’s just more interesting to look at). For a monster to be frightening, it generally has to be incongruent with its environment. Wolves are not incongruous–they belong here. Hybrid werewolves are visibly out of place, foreign, and so they frighten us.
Definitely prefer the man-wolf hybrid.
What ISN’T interesting about becoming a wolf instead of a wolf/man hybrid?!?! All the things that you would feel, see, hear and smell without all the hang ups of being human (housework to do when I get home? am I gonna get that raise? does he/ she really like me?). Humans are boring and spend too much time in their head. I’m more interested in the animal, more basic side of wolves
WereWolf hybid is better. Turning into an real wolf will changed the spin to much and be to much painful then the half breed