Werewolf in-class assignment

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  I found these articles to be intriguing because although the werewolf is presented in many different films and stories, I had never questioned its origins. It is shocking that the legend of the werewolf is over 4,000 years old. Similar to the Salem Witch Trials and the witch trials that took place across Europe, I think the terror surrounding werewolves was so easily accepted because there were people who claimed it happened to them. For example, Burgot and Verdun claimed that they turned into wolves and committed atrocious acts. Their confessions, paired with the age of the folklore, could have come together to make the stories believable at the time. The werewolf has become such a familiar figure that it is interesting to consider how legends like this can seem true when there is enough “proof.”

    After reading these articles, I was most surprised to learn that over 30,000 people were executed in werewolf trials. This number baffled me, and I’m confused as to why these trials aren’t talked about more. Considering how famous the Salem Witch Trials are, I would have expected the werewolf trials to have similar recognition, especially since thousands more people were accused in these trials than in Salem. I look forward to seeing more adaptations of the werewolf after learning more about their gruesome origins.


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