“There are darknesses in life and there are lights; you are one of the lights.”
"When a man's a wolf to man,
You gotta eat him while you can
Pretty little thing, it's about your freedom."
--Andy Taylor
HOMO HOMINI LUPUS EST
Man's a Wolf to Man
from metaphor to character
vis
lupi
est
grex
It started with a song and a catchy pop rendering of Plautus. After all, Dracula attacks Lucy as a wolf. Then it took a strange turn: “HARKER watches as BELLA turns into a wolf before exiting.” That’s how it started. A ridiculous invitation to a fever dream that turned into a beautiful reality. "Man’s a wolf to man,". This classic line from Roman theatre changed the thrust of this story. We all know the role of the wolf in Stoker’s tale, the predators and a proxy Dracula uses to attack several of his victims. Wolves are an ever-present threat to the characters. But who’s the bigger threat? Wolf or man? Enter the metaphor. Stoker was determined to intertwine the werewolf into the vampire legend and found a way to do so in the shapeshifting Count. Why the wolf? In Europe, the wolf was the ultimate predator. In America, it is revered by the indigenous peoples. Could such dichotomous views both be correct? Yes, wolves are predatory, but they are fierce protectors as well. What if there
existed protector wolves? What would that add to the story? Throw in a Texan with a penchant for Native American lore and the recipe was ready for the last ingredient.
The fact that wolves do not leave the injured wolf behind is the impetus for the final imagery. The pack. The mentality that leaves no man behind. What a beautiful way to tell a tale of nobility with a regal, noble beast. The wolves come to symbolize more than just hungry predators, they are also saviors with inner strength and resilience. Every member of the “Crew of Light” must bounce back from defeat and earn the right to face their devil and fears once more. That provided the beautiful and touching focus for the end of the play. It was true because it came from nature itself. So never forget that man is a wolf to man, but “vis lupi est grex.” The strength of the wolf is the pack.
Stoker brough8 the myth of the vampire and the werwolf togethr in the shapeshifting Dracula
