The Wolf-Leader, written in 1857, isn’t considered to be one of Dumas’ classic works, but it remains of interest as an early example of werewolf fiction. Many of the werewolf tropes modern readers are familiar with aren’t present in this work: rather, the werewolf is primarily an agent of the devil, sent to tempt Christians away from the moral life. Dumas’ portrayal builds on the 15th-century French legend of the loup-garou: a werewolf who’s as much wizard as shapeshifter, and who has magical powers like invulnerability and the ability to disappear at will.
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