Werewolves are mortal and age just like people, while vampires are immortal and do not age (except for some things that can kill them, like sunlight and garlic). Werewolves, in reality, have been human for much of their lives.
Werewolves and vampires are mythical creatures that kill people, but they differ in many aspects. Werewolf diet is like humans, in contrast to vampires, who drink blood. Before jumping to the differences between werewolves and vampires, let’s have a look at its history.
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Werewolf
The Werewolf is a mythological animal and is the subject of many stories and more than a few nightmares throughout the world.
According to some legends, werewolves are people who morph into vicious, powerful wolves. Others are a mutant human-wolf combination. But they are all bloodthirsty beasts who can’t control their desire to kill animals and people.
In many werewolf tales, an individual only turns into a wolf when there’s a full moon, and that idea might not be far-fetched. A full moon brings out the “beast” in many humans, according to research carried out at Australia’s Calvary Mater Newcastle hospital.
The study found that 23 percent of the 91 violent, acute activity cases at the hospital between August 2008 and July 2009 occurred during a full moon.
Early Werewolves
Exactly when and where the werewolf legend originated is unclear. Some researchers agree the Werewolf made its debut when Gilgamesh jilted a potential lover because she had turned her prior mate into a wolf.
According to Greek mythology, when the Legend of Lycaon served a meal made from the remains of a sacrificed child, Lycaon, the son of Pelasgus, Zeus got angry and transformed Lycaon and his sons into wolves.
Werewolves also appeared in early Nordic folklore. The Saga of the Volsungs tells the story of a father and son who, for ten days, discovered wolf pelts that had the power to turn people into wolves.
The Bedburg Werewolf
The most infamous Werewolf may be Peter Stubbe, a rich, fifteenth-century farmer in Bedburg, Germany. He transformed into a wolf-like beast at night, according to folklore, and devoured several of Bedburg’s people.
Since confessing to savagely murdering animals, men, women, and children and eating their remains under torture, he experienced a brutal execution.
The guilt of Peter is controversial since some people think that he was not a murderer but the victim of a political witch hunt or even a werewolf hunt.
Infamous Werewolves
Another Frenchman of the sixteenth century whose claim to fame was also an ointment with wolf-morphing abilities was Giles Garnier, regarded as the “Werewolf of Dole.”
According to legend, he viciously slaughtered and ate children like a wolf. For his monstrous crimes, he was burned to death at stake, too.
It is up for discussion whether Burgot, Verdun, or Garnier were psychologically ill, operated under the influence of a hallucinogenic drug, or were simply cold-blooded killers.
But during the 16th century, it probably did not matter to superstitious Europeans. To them, only a hideous beast like a werewolf could commit such heinous crimes.
The Shape Shifter as Werewolf
Some stories hold werewolves shape-shifted at will because of a curse. Others claim that they changed with the help of an enchanted sash or a cloak made of wolf pelt. Others also believe that after being bitten by a werewolf, people become wolves.
Vampire
Vampires are evil mythological creatures who hunt for people to feed their blood, wandering the earth at night. They may be the classic monsters that are best known of all.
Most people equate Count Dracula, the mythical, blood-sucking subject of the epic novel of Bram Stoker, Dracula, published in 1897, with vampires. But vampire history started long before Stoker was born.
There are just as many distinct vampire traits as there are stories about vampires.
Yet drinking human blood is the main characteristic of vampires. Typically, they suck the blood of their victims using their sharp fangs, killing them and turning them into vampires.
Vlad the Impaler
It’s assumed Bram Stoker named count Dracula after Vlad Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler. Vlad Dracula was born in the Romanian state of Transylvania. From 1456-1462, he controlled Walachia, Romania, on and off.
Many historians identify him as a just but brutally cruel dictator who battled the Ottoman Empire valiantly. He received his nickname because his favorite way of killing his enemies was to impale them on a wooden stake.
Mercy Brown
As the most notorious vampire, Mercy Brown may rival Count Dracula. However, unlike Count Dracula, Mercy was a real human. In Exeter, Rhode Island, she lived and was the daughter of a farmer, George Brown.
His community used Mercy as a scapegoat to describe their deaths after George lost many family members, including Mercy, to tuberculosis in the late 1800s. Each deceased family member’s body was frequently exhumed and searched for signs of vampirism.
Real Vampires
While the vampire fears of the past have been silenced by modern science, people who call themselves vampires still exist.
They are normal-seeming people who drink small quantities of blood in a (perhaps misguided) attempt to remain healthy. “Self-identified vampire groups can be found on the Internet and in cities and towns around the world.
Most modern vampires keep to themselves and usually perform their “eating” rituals, like drinking the blood of willing donors, in private to avoid rekindling vampire superstitions.
Given people’s obsession with all things horror, vampires, actual or fictional, are likely to continue to haunt the world for years to come.
Some vampires do not drink human blood but appear to feed off others’ energy. Many say that they become agitated or depressed if they don’t eat regularly.
Werewolves vs Vampires
Although there are too many versions of the myths for a single, definitive description of the creatures, they are both known for their human-like appearance and their inclination to attack and convert humans.
Vampires and werewolves are often presented as rival races that despise one another in modern pop culture. Here are some differences between Werewolves and Vampires. Have a look:
| Particulars | Vampire | Werewolf |
| Appearance | Pale skin, sharp teeth, normal eyes unless they don’t drink blood. | In human form, always has abs. It may either resemble a monkey/ape (if the werewolf is a primate species) or a wolf (if it is a canid) |
| Personality | Sophisticated and charming, | Aggressive or animalistic in human form at times |
| Strengths | Immortality, enhances senses, agility, superhuman abilities. | Near invulnerability, speed, power |
| Weaknesses | Sunlight, wooden steaks, crosses, garlic, if they enter a house without being invited in. | Silver, natural causes, wolf’s bane |
| Kingdom | Animalia | Animalia |
| Diet | Blood | Meat |
| Lifespan | Forever | Same as humans |
| Origins | Folklore around the world | Western folklore |
| TV Shows | Vampire Diaries, Being Human, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood | Teen Wolf, Doctor Who, True Blood, Being Human |
| Transformation time | Night | On a full moon |
Differences Between Werewolves and Vampires
There are many legends about these creatures. Both the vampires and the Werewolf have enhanced ability that is unnatural. Most of the folklore is they are evil, and some differ, saying they are friendly. Here are the differences between werewolves and vampires briefly discussed.
1. Strength
Vampires are depicted as immortal creatures who can fly or turn into bats; immortality, their enhanced senses to feed on the human blood, adds to their strength.
Werewolves are correlated with the mutation between the human and the wolf but in an occult fashion.
Having the human mind or living as part of the being makes them invulnerable. But when we talk about strength and speed, they are agile.
Speed, vulnerability, and strength are major differences between werewolves and vampires.
2. Weakness
Vampires are highly sensitive to sunlight, where exposure leads to death. They are helpless when exposed to holy objects such as crosses and holy water. They hate the smell of garlic, and this method is in use for around 2000 years.
Werewolf avoids the smell of a plant called wolfsbane and stays away if it’s nearby. They also hate to be around objects made from silver or iron.
Both the creatures have different weaknesses. These differences between werewolves and vampires describe how they fear wolfsbane and garlic, respectively.
3. Behavior
There are various attributes to differentiate vampires from humans. They are very pale, sleeping during the day, not eating food, and remaining young forever.
The Werewolf can be recognized even in his human form due to many physical attributes like curved fingernails or unibrow. But the animal form of Werewolf varied with reasons.
Some common traits are being larger than a normal wolf, having a human voice and eyes, walking on his rear legs, and eating freshly buried human remains.
Their lifestyle and habit help to identify the creature’s true nature, but it’s not so simple. One of the vital differences between werewolves and vampires is their behavior.
4. Killing Methods
Decapitation or dismemberment was a common method used to kill vampires. Other methods include piercing the wooden stake through the heart and using some specialist weapon.
Likewise, there were various methods used to kill the werewolves. Removing the heart or head is implied as the sure way to kill a werewolf, along with exorcism. Medical treatment from a plant Aconitum, mercury, is also used for hunting a werewolf.
5. Medical Conditions
Porphyria, commonly known as “the vampire disease,” is associated with a rare, genetic blood disease. When the porphyrin develops in the body hemoglobin, brings oxygen into the bloodstream, sometimes yellowing and stretching the skin. Finally leads the patient to madness over time.
The abnormal growth of hair over the body is known as “Hypertrichosis,” also known as “Werewolf Syndrome.” The long hair resemblance of the Werewolf leads to the name of this syndrome.
The generalized forms of hypertrichosis symbolize hair growth in the entire body, whereas circumscribed form leads to hair growth in a certain area.
These differences between werewolves and vampires fall under the unknown facts about the medical condition and syndrome.
6. Lack a Reflection
The vampire does not have a reflection in a mirror or another object due to their soulless nature. This is linked to the evil nature of vampires to resist human age and extreme power limitations.
Vampires are transparent as the light passes through them, as shown and described in different legends and movies. Some folklore says they do not deserve to be looked at.
Another major difference between werewolves and vampires is the reflection in a mirror. Vampires will have no reflection on the mirror as per werewolves; they can be seen in the mirror.
7. Famous appearances
The novel by Bram Stoker named “Dracula” inspired many details of the modern era vampire. There are much dark romance and paranormal romance series released about a vampire with good intentions.
In the 1990s, vampires were popular due to the film and TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The early 2000s were followed by series like Twilight, The Vampire Academy, Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter, and True blood.
Similarly, some films revolved around werewolves. In films, werewolves are not as sexualized or seductive as vampires.
In 1981, movies like Wolfen, The Howling, and An American Werewolf in London deeply impacted the audience. Whatever the reason, Werewolf alone cannot carry the franchise solo.
Some famous werewolf movies are Brotherhood of The Wolf, Silver Bullet, Wolf, Curse of Werewolf, and many more.
In conclusion, these are all the legends for us as none have seen or experienced them. Their ability, body, and weakness are the major differences between werewolves and vampires. So, these differences between werewolves and vampires are also listed according to these legends.
Victims of the syndrome listed above are seen in certain parts of the world but are very minimal in number. Famous TV shows and movies acted by superstars are the main reason these legends surface time and again.
