Shapeshifting
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology and folklore, as well as in science fiction and fantasy. In its broadest sense, it is a change in the physical form or shape of a person or animal. Other terms include metamorphosis, morphing, transformation, or transmogrification.
There is no settled agreement on the terminology. Still, the most common usages are:
- shapeshifting indicates changes that are temporary<ref>John Grant and John Clute, The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, "Shapeshifting", p 858 ISBN 0-312-19869-8</ref>
- metamorphosis indicates changes that are lasting<ref>John Grant and John Clute, The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, "Metamorphosis", p 641 ISBN 0-312-19869-8</ref>
- transformation indicates changes that are externally imposed<ref>John Grant and John Clute, The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, "Transformation", p 960 ISBN 0-312-19869-8</ref>
Shapeshifting is distinguished from natural processes such as aging or metamorphosis (despite shared use of the term), the body contortions of animals such as the Mimic Octopus, and illusory changes. Instead, shapeshifting involves physical changes such as alterations of age, gender, race, or general appearance or changes between human form and that of an animal, plant, or inanimate object.
