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Werewolf fiction denotes the portrayal of werewolves and other shapeshifting man/woman-beasts, in the media of literature, drama, film, games, and music. Werewolf literature includes folklore, legend, saga, fairy tales, Gothic and Horror fiction, fantasy fiction and poetry. Such stories may be supernatural, symbolic or allegorical. A classic American cinematic example of the theme is ''The Wolf Man'' (1941) and in later films joins with Frankenstein's monster and Count Dracula, as one of the three famous icons of the modern day horror. However, werewolf fiction is an exceptionally diverse genre with ancient folkloric roots and manifold modern re-interpretations. ==Literary origins== :''For more on werewolves in ancient myth, legend and folklore see Werewolf'' In Greek Mythology, there is a story of an Arcadian King called Lycaon who tested Zeus by serving him a dish of his slaughtered and dismembered son to see if Zeus was really all knowing. As punishment for his trickery, Zeus transformed Lycaon into a wolf and killed his 50 sons by lightning bolts, but supposedly revived Lycaon's son Nyctimus, who the king had slaughtered. In medieval romances, such as ''Bisclavret'', and ''Guillaume de Palerme'' the werewolf is relatively benign, appearing as the victim of evil magic and aiding knights errant. However, in most legends influenced by medieval theology the werewolf was a satanic beast with a craving for human flesh. This appears in such later fiction as "The White Wolf of the Hartz Mountains": an episode in the novel ''The Phantom Ship'' (1839) by Marryat, featuring a demonic femme fatale who transforms from woman to wolf. Sexual themes are common in werewolf fiction; the protagonist kills his girlfriend as she walks with a former lover in ''Werewolf of London'', suggesting sexual jealousy. The writers of ''Wolf Man'' were careful in depicting killings as motivated out of hunger. The wolf in the fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood" has been reinterpreted as a werewolf in many works of fiction, such as ''The Company of Wolves'' (1979) by Angela Carter (and its 1984 ''film adaptation'') and the film ''Ginger Snaps'' (2000), which address female sexuality. 2011 also saw the release of ''Red Riding Hood (2011 film)'' with Amanda Seyfried in the main role, with the character name of Valerie. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「werewolf fiction」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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