Wolfing Out
Petra Havas (12)
Petra, a dedicated writer here at BUDDY!, has decided to take a more exploratory route for her hot and latest article!
Join her for an outer-world exploration of the intricacies of the moon and how it affects us little ol’ interesting humans!
From the birth of humanity, the moon has been an important part of our lives. In our hunter-gatherer days, it was our primary tool to measure and keep up with time. The myths surrounding lunatics (people who become unpredictable and foolish) and werewolves arise from the moon cycle. Although we know that werewolves are fictional and mental people aren’t mad due to the moon, it does not mean that the moon has no effect on our behavior whatsoever. My aunt once told me that my cousin, as a young baby, used to go crazy by crying lots and being fussier than usual on certain days of the month. Interestingly, these days fell on the same moon phase, and created a pattern. Is there something deeper at play? What are the interesting theories that experts of the past have to explain how the moon affected us?
(news.harvard.edu) Some people may suffer from insomnia due to the moon.
Lunacy has long fascinated humankind. The origin of the word ‘lunatic’ is from the Roman goodness of the Moon, Luna. Ancient Roman Philosophers believed that as the brain holds the most water in the body, the moon’s tidal forces affected it the most, similar to how the moon affects ocean currents. When it is the full moon, our brains would work abnormally (Hal Arkowitz and Scott O. Lilienfeld). Although this theory can be considered baseless for lack of evidence, it is intriguing to consider. Another theory is that in the olden ages, as there were no streetlights or indoor electricity, the full moon would illuminate the environment more than usual and crimes would be carried out with ease (Rachel Feltman and Sarah Kaplan).
According to British journalist Linda Geddes, a study conducted in 2013 suggests that our sleeping patterns vary depending on the month due to the lunar cycle. In the experiment, participants had no exposure to any light source, no lamps and only natural moonlight, to exclude these potentially influencing factors. On average, people took “five minutes longer to fall asleep” and “slept for 20 minutes less overall” during a full moon. Furthermore, the participants slept 30% more shallowly than during the rest of the month. The potential connection between insomnia and the moon cycle is still indicated, but further research is required to consolidate this connection.
Werewolves are arguably the most well-known legend related to the lunar cycle. Although it is unclear when this tidbit of folklore originated, it exists in varying cultures and periods globally. In Greek mythology as early as 380 B.C., a greedy and cruel king named Lycaon wanted to challenge Zeus, the god of sky and thunder. In order to test his power, the sons of Lycaon sacrificed the remains of their youngest brother at a ritual feast to offer to the god. Zeus realized they were challenging him and was furious, killing the sons with his lightning bolt and transforming Lycaon into a wolf as a punishment. Lycaon lost his ability to speak, and was overrun by bloodlust, his bite could turn anyone into a werewolf. (Misha Ketchell). This origin story has inspired many modern stories: characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Harry Potter and Teen Wolf.
The Saga of the Völsungs, a 13th century Icelandic legendary epic story of the Völsung clan makes early references to werewolves as well. Sigmund and his son, Sinfjotli, were on a revenge quest and discovered two men sleeping under wolf skins that were laced with a magic spell. They took the skins and put it on themselves, realizing it turns them into wolves. As the skins could only be removed after ten days, they killed, rampaging all life in the forest. At one point, Sigmund attacked Sinfjotli and nearly killed him; luckily, a magical raven healed his wound and brought him back to life (D. L. Ashliman). The depicted aggressive behavior has influenced most, if not all, modern representations of werewolves.
Nowadays, people believe that werewolves are no more than myths, and they were used to ‘explain the unexplainable.’ Rabies, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, epilepsy and many ailments were new and untreatable, and the werewolf legend was a convenient way to interpret them. (K.C. Mead-Brewer).
The werewolf myth has inspired and continues to inspire several great and modern movies, series and books. There seems to be something intriguing about the idea of a human capable of turning into a wolf. Whether you believe in the power of the moon or not, I hope you have found this article interesting to read. Although this topic deserves to be explored more by scientists, I personally think there may be a connection between the moon and our behaviors. My cousin’s story as a baby is a perfect example of this. Perhaps only some people possess the sensitivity to the moon’s changes and he was one of them as an infant. Perhaps we lose our sensitivity to the moon when growing up. The possibilities are endless!
(fr.fanpop.com) A popular werewolf: Remus Lupin in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Werewolves in Pop-Culture Throughout Time: https://www.hypable.com/teen-wolf-takeover-a-history-of-werewolves-in-pop-culture-infographic/
Works Cited:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190731-is-the-moon-impacting-your-mood-and-wellbeing
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326012#The-moon-and-sleep
https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/history-of-the-werewolf-legend
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/lunacy-and-the-full-moon/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/10/24/dear-science-does-a-full-moon-really-change-human-behavior/
https://theconversation.com/the-ancient-origins-of-werewolves-104775
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/volsungsaga.html
https://daily.jstor.org/depressed-people-arent-villains-nor-are-they-werewolves/