Hello all my lovely readers! Today I would like to take a look at some of the most prevalent supernatural beings that people talk about this most spooky time of year. If you noticed I did not mention witches, and that is because I talk about witches and goddesses all the time, so I felt I would focus on some other famous paranormal beings! Additionally, I am going to focus on these beings in modern media, mainly.
As Autumn, and especially the period surrounding All Hallow’s Eve, is my favorite time of year expect much in way of magical content in this period! I know I post a lot of magical content in general, and also have a spike in that content in Spring (my second favorite time of year, and honestly another witchy season), but I have a feeling I will be on supernatural overdrive these coming weeks. I hope that all of you will enjoy reading about this as much as I enjoy writing it, but I have a feeling if you are reading a blog that focuses on legends and lore (and their historical connections) you are probably down for the paranormal!
Now onto the discussion about vampires, werewolves, and ghosts. Vampires are usually described as immortal beings that feed on the blood of the living. In most mythology they can be killed by a stake through the heart, and often beheading, burning, and sun exposure can end a vampire. It should be noted that the sun being fatal to vampires was added to their mythos in the 1922 silent masterpiece Nosferatu! F.W. Murnau did not have permission from the Stoker estate to use Dracula characters, or the ending, so he had to make up a death for his vampire. He chose to make Count Orlock die by being exposed to the suns rays through a window pane! In many modern interpretations vampires have become anti-heroes (or even heroes) who fight their bloodlust. In the books by Charlaine Harris, and the television show based upon them True Blood, vampires sustain themselves on synthetic blood and have come out of the coffin!
Werewolves are humans who are able to transform into a wolf, or part wolf, under the full moon. There are versions, like the loup garoux, who can transform at will. In most tales lycanthropy is described as a curse, and something to be managed. There is even a connection to werewolves in psychology, some people literally believe they can transform into wolves, and this is diagnosed as lycanthropy! Television shows and films have been working to redeem the werewolf just as they have the vampire. In shows like Teen Wolf we get to see a young man navigating the world after having become a werewolf. We get to see the werewolves use their gifts to help save the town and people they love! That show also referenced a real historical case of la bete de Gevaudan, which I enjoyed immensely.
Ghosts are the most commonly talked about supernatural being in daily conversation. This is largely because most people who believe in the supernatural easily believe in them, and even people who are skeptical are more likely to believe a story of a soul trapped on the mortal coil. Now is the time of the year when the veil is at its thinnest, and we can feel the presence of ghosts more easily. Across all times and cultures we see believe in ghosts, and we see acknowledgement of this time of year being potent for communion with the spirit realms! There are endless television shows devoted to ghost hunting, movies and books about haunted houses, and actual haunted places to visit. I strongly suggest visiting a haunted location to feel the energy (as long as you are safe, and feel brave enough). It is an incredible experience to be around the spirits of people who have passed on!
Finally I would like to acknowledge famous television shows that have combined vampires with werewolves and ghosts. Being Human is the obvious show that incorporated all three, and that is why I put a poster for the US version of that show at the top of the post! In that show a ghost, werewolf, and vampire are roommates who attempt to navigate the world while pretending to be human! The Vampire Diaries and the other two shows in its universe (The Originals and Legacies) all do an incredible job of incorporating many types of supernaturals. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel both had a huge number of supernatural characters of all types. Vampires may have been the mainstay, however they incorporated witches and werewolves often! Supernatural took its name to heart and used all types of paranormal activity within its 15 season run. Lastly Charmed (the original) had the sisters fighting all manner of demons and communication with the dead was super common!
I hope you have enjoyed my short overview of vampires, werewolves, and ghosts in modern media. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a poster for Being Human (US version). That is a show about a vampire, werewolf and ghost who are roommates. I found the image on imdb.com.
Further Watching
- Nosferatu (1922)
- True Blood (2008-2014)
- Teen Wolf (2011-2018)
- The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017)
- The Originals (2013-2018)
- Legacies (2018-present)
- Supernatural (2005-2020)
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
- Angel (1999-2004)
- Charmed (1998-2006)
- Being Human (2008-2013) ~British version; (2011-2014)~American version
White Rose of Avalon 