Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting or
transmogrification refers to a change in the form or shape of a person. It primarily refers to either:
- a change from human form to animal form and vice versa, OR
- a change in appearance from one person to another
Shapeshifting to the form of a different
species is specifically known as
lycanthropy, and is frequently used in association with myths and legends pertaining to such creatures as
werewolves and
vampires. Shapeshifters appear in many
fantasy and
science fiction stories.
Other terms for a shapeshifter include doppelganger, metamorph, mimic, and were.
Notable shapeshifters
In the story of Puss in Boots, the hero (a cat) tricks an ogre into becoming a mouse; he then eats it.
Transmogrification is a theme used several times in the Jerry Cornelius stories. The word has been popularized by the transmogrifier used in Calvin and Hobbes.
See also