“And he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws” (Daniel 4:33, King James Version). Just as in the book of Daniel, cases of human beings believing themselves to be animals have occurred throughout all of history. This condition, being scientifically named Clinical Lycanthropy, is not only rare, but also very much a mystery. The term Lycanthropy comes from two Greek words: lykoi, meaning wolf, and anthropes, man. In ancient and modern legend, there were those who were cursed with the ability to shape shift into an animal, most commonly a wolf. These humans were called lycans or werewolves (Vogt). Unlike folklore, people suffering from Clinical Lycanthropy do not actually change into a beast but suffer from delusions in which they believe they are transforming into an animal (Liden). Throughout the early 1500’s to early 1600’s, over 30,000 people were labeled as werewolves. These humans were avoided and criminally investigated. The less fortunate were even tortured or put to death (Vogt). Most of these people were likely suffering from Clinical Lycanthropy. Though few were actually dangerous, a handful were deadly. In 1573, a man by the name of Gillas Garner was arrested and accused of “werewolfism”. Near Dole, Frenche-Comte, several children between the ages of nine to twelve had been brutally murdered. Garner had savagely slaughtered them with what he believed were his claws and fangs, then devoured the flesh from their bodies (Vogt). Victims of Clinical Lycanthropy have unmistakable traits in common with one another and the symptoms they suffer can be severe. The invalid oft... ... middle of paper ... ... things are possible. “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored Him that liveth for ever (Daniel 4:34).” Works Cited Daniel 4:33, King James Version Daniel 4:35, King James Version Liden, James D. (2008). Clinical Lycanthropy. www.enigma2075.com Otten, Charlotte. (1986). The Lycanthropy Reader. Syracuse , New York: Syracuse University Press. Plaza-Cruver, Jennifer. (2010). “Lycanthropy: Myth and Medical.” cryptozoology.suite101.com Rostenstock, Harvey, M.D., Vincent, Kenneth R., Ed.D., (1977) “A Case of Lycanthropy.” www.primitivism.com/lycanthropy.htm Vogt, Katie Caldwell, Chris Gomez, Miriam Fussell, Meredith Wilson, Monique. (2003). Lycanthropy. www.lsu.edu/faculty/jpullia/lycanthropy.htm
The crime scene was located in a deer hunting area in a meadow. There were several different types of trees and foliage surrounding the area where the skeletal remains were discovered. The...
“The only motive that there was was to completely control a person… and keep them with me as long as possible, even if it meant just keeping a part of them.” Using this statement, Jeffrey Dahmer offers his insight about what made him the cruel, demented being people have known him to be for the last 25 years. Many questions still remain, however. How do we, in society, define the term “monster”? What makes a monster? What shapes our perceptions of monsters, and how do these perceptions change over time? Several centuries passed between the time of Grendel from the epic poem, Beowulf, and the Milwaukee Monster, Jeffrey Dahmer, for instance. Grendel is a creation of the Anglo-Saxons, whose culture
Tragically, the butchered upper-torso of Winter’s once-robust body was stumbled upon by his father, who had noticed the absence of his son since Sunday, March 11 (Smith 2002, 25-26). Unsurprisingly, an investigation occurred to obtain the identity and whereabouts of the murderer. When the various pieces of the body are found in differing areas of the town, theory begins to formulate that the murder was conducted by one of the two butchers in town; Adolph Lewy, a Jew, and Gustav Hoffman, a Christian, due to the precision of the cuts made upon Winter’s body (Smith 28).
Asma, Stephen. On Monsters :An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Print.
These two scenarios from Anglo-Saxon and modern times are similar, as well. They are similar because of the continuity of “monsters” terrorizing a society being a great influence among audiences of the past and present. The two works of both eras demonstrate the continual interest in defeating villains and “feeding” it’s listeners with tales such as these.
The epoch of Medieval European history concerning the vast and complicated witch hunts spanning from 1450 to 1750 is demonstrative of the socioeconomic, religious, and cultural changes that were occurring within a population that was unprepared for the reconstruction of society. Though numerous conclusions concerning the witch trials, why they occurred, and who was prosecuted have been found within agreement, there remain interpretations that expand on the central beliefs. Through examining multiple arguments, a greater understanding of this period can be observed as there remains a staggering amount of catalysts and consequences that emerged. In the pursuit of a greater understanding, three different interpretations will be presented. These interpretations, which involve Brian Levack’s “The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe,” Eric Boss’s “Syphilis, Misogyny, and Witchcraft in 16th-Century Europe,” and Nachman Ben-Yehuda’s “The European Witch Craze of the 14th to 17th centuries:
An instructive and stirring string of verses, this passage from the Bible holds great relevance not only for the Ancient Israelites to whom it was spoken, but also acts as a herald to Christians today. This passage forms part of Moses great oration; his instructive teaching, advice and counsel narrated to the second generation of Israelites who required redirection before moving forward into what God had for them. Similarly, it is also relevant for all Christians as we remember what our faithful, loving and powerful God has done in the past, and what he requires of us to move forward.
The Book of Daniel is the only full-blown apocalyptic book in the Protestant recognized version of the Canon. A literary device divides the book into two halves. Chapters 1-6 are a collection of stories that introduces the reader to Daniel and three other Israelites as unwilling guests of the Babylonian Empire ruled by Nebuchadnezzar. The second half, Chapters 7-12, consists of apocalyptic imagery of deformed beasts and the heavenly court. The focus of this paper will be on chapter 7, which serves as a bridge between the two halves.
Evolving Gothic Monster." Midwest Quarterly 49.2 (2008): 132-148. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
legends about those wild half-human beasts who haunt the edges of our forests and lurk in the
Over the past several hundred years, werewolves have been an important part of Western Cultures. Werewolves have appeared in blockbuster movies and been the subject of countless books and stories. Werewolves are dark and powerful creatures that terrify us on multiple levels. While they are some of the most violent and merciless monsters that horror has to offer, there is something about the werewolf that we can identify with. Not only can we identify with the characters afflicted with the curse, but we can also identify that the werewolf is a beast and an evil force. The werewolf symbolizes the evil that is contained within us all. In this paper, I will explain the different evils that werewolves symbolize by taking a critical look at the real life history of the werewolf, the werewolf in literature and film, and the opinions of experts on the topic.
Gigantism is a rare disease that seems to cause extreme growth of a person’s height, bones, muscles, and organs. It occurs when there is too much activity in the pituitary gland, creating a tumor. The tumor is typically large and it invades the brain tissue. Gigantism normally begins during early childhood and before a child’s bone growth plate closes. This disease is not very common and has only appeared in about 100 people throughout United States history.
...d returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them’’ (The Online Bible, 2010)
Douglas M. 1996. Myth and Method: Children Consumed and Child Cannibals: Robertson Smith 's attack on the science of mythology, pp 37. Charlottesville University press of Virginia