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The Supernatural in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

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The Supernatural in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
The Supernatural is described as something that is unable to be explained by science or laws of nature or of relating to, or seeming to come magic, or a god (Merriam-Webster). In Beowulf the supernatural presents instelf in it’s monsters. Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and the Dragon, all mythical creatures that only exist in tales of fiction. Beowulf also possess another element of the supernatural. The juxstapositon of a strong christian world view against those from the past who were well known pagans. In turn Beowulf positions the monsters in the work as biblical descendants of Cain. In Sir Gawain and Green Knight, supernatural plays a simlar role. The Green Knight is presented as a supernatural being from the start. He is able to move even after his beaheading. The evil sorcerer Morgan le Fay also possess magic abilities. Turning Sir Bertilak into the Green Knight to strike fear into Arthur’s queen and his Knights. Finally, the supernatural appears in the constant shapeshifting that appears thorughout the literary work. Beowulf and Sir Gawain and Green Knight possess similar qualities that lie in the Supernatural. Beowulf is the tale of a young Geat warrior who travles to Heorot Hall inorder to help King Hrothgar battle the evil Grendel, a terrible demon that attacks the Hall at night. The first adversary in Beowulf is no mere man, but a supernatural being, who is angered by the creation of God. Grendel is an ogeresque creature who is descended from Cain. “Then a powerful demon, a prowler through the dark … telling with th mastery of man’s beginnings.”(Greenblatt, 43, 86-91). Notice that the supernatural elements in Beowulf intermingled with the religious ones. A constant juxtaposition of christian imagery against pagan themes. As we continue through the novel we find that Grendel is impervious to any blade or other edged weapon. “that no blade on earth, no blacksmith’s art could ever damabge their demon opponent.”(Greenblatt, 58, 801-802). This ability is


Bibliography: "Supernatural." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2013. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supernatural Greenblatt, . The Norton Anthology English Literature. 9th. 1. United States: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2012. Print.
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