The supernatural is a literary device that has often been used in works of fiction. The purpose of this literary device has evolved along with the evolution of literature and language. The function of the supernatural often varies depending on the style and structure of the text in question. The supernatural plays an important role in both Sir Gawain, the Green Knight and Beowulf. In both poems, the use of the supernatural adds dynamism to the characters, enhances the setting, and helps the poets convey their respective messages. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In both Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the protagonists defeat various supernatural creatures, eventually becoming heroes. The heroic qualities of both Beowulf and Sir Gawain are enhanced by their triumphs over the supernatural. Using the supernatural as a literary device is what gives each protagonist the honor that turns them into a hero. However, each poem uses the supernatural differently. Unlike Sir Gawain, Beowulf possesses supernatural physical abilities. One of the qualities Beowulf is said to have is superhuman strength, and it is this extraordinary attribute that allows him to defeat the monster Grendel. The evil captain found himself with a grip harder than anything he had ever encountered on any man on his face. of the earth. Every bone in his body trembled and recoiled, but he couldn't escape. (Anonymous, 47)With his bare hands, Beowulf manages to defeat a creature that no other hero has been able to kill, even armed with weapons. Beowulf is praised and worshiped for his victory. Without this confrontation with Grendel, Beowulf would not have had the opportunity to prove himself to the Danes and become a glorified hero. Beowulf also ends the feud between Cain's descendants and the Danes by defeating Grendels' mother. Their battle takes place underwater: Beowulf must hold his breath for nine hours to defeat the monster. After these two tests, it becomes apparent that Beowulf himself possesses mystical powers, a discovery that only adds to his greatness. Sir Gawain's notoriety is based not on his physical prowess, but on his victory over the Green Knight, who had previously proven himself immortal. The Green Knight appears to have supernatural abilities, even surviving decapitation. Sir Gawain is also, in a sense, supernatural; he has a code of supernatural virtue. It is this virtue that saves Sir Gawain from the green knight and leads him to victory. In both poems the protagonists do not prove their worth by fighting mere mortals; it is their victories over supernatural creatures that transform them into heroes. Defeating the supernatural adds a sense of dynamism to the main characters in both Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The setting in both Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf is enhanced by the use of the supernatural. The most vivid example of this occurs when Sir Gawain, after being exposed to bad weather and uncomfortable conditions on his journey to the Green Chapel, is attacked by supernatural creatures. He is forced to battle giants and beasts and struggles in a harsh, cold countryside. He proves his worth by moving forward, determined to keep his promise and uphold his virtue. It would be a wonder if he did not encounter some monstrous enemy, and so ferocious and disturbing that he has to fight. There were many wonders that wandered among those to be told but the tenth part would put my ingenuity to the test. Now he fights with snakes, now with ferocious wolves, now with the wild men of the woods, who watched from the rocks, and with bullsthan with the bears, and also with the boars, and with the giants that came babbling from the jagged cliffs. (Anonymous, 173) There are numerous parallels between the settings created by the authors of the two poems. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the poet creates a treacherous environment by using supernatural elements in his description of the landscape. The setting is daunting because it is densely inhabited by the unknown. In Beowulf, the setting is once again defined by its supernatural elements. Beowulf's confrontation with Grendel's mother is not a simple sword fight, but rather a desperate conflict that takes place in the depths of a murky lake inhabited by sea serpents and other creatures. The use of the supernatural adds a sense of desolation to the scene; an effect that would be lost if the poet had not included an element of the otherworldly. The primary function of the supernatural in these two texts is to imbue each work with religious or moral meaning. Both Sir Gawain, the Green Knight and Beowulf are imbued with religious content, but because each text was written in a different era, they reveal their religious content in different ways. The most obvious example of this occurs in Beowulf, during the discussion of Grendel's characteristics. Grendel is a virtual embodiment of religion; he is even a direct descendant of Cain. "Grendel was the name of this grim demon who haunted the marches, plundering the moors and desolate marshes; he had dwelt for a time in misery among the banished monsters, the clan of Cain, whom the creator had outlawed and condemned as marginalized" (Anonymous, 34). He is an outcast in Christian dogma and repeatedly clashes with Beowulf, whose trials often parallel those of Jesus. Grendel is a supernatural creature described as an ogre or a troll, but it is not his appearance, but rather his role in poem to exemplify its religious meaning. It represents the pagan supernatural, while Beowulf represents the Christian supernatural. The clash between the two characters sends a decidedly religious message to the readers of the poem. The feud ritual, which was a predominantly pagan practice, is destroyed by the Christian hero. Cain's murderous descendant is killed and the good-natured hero emerges victorious. There are many other examples in Beowulf of the supernatural ability to reveal religious meaning, such as the meeting between Beowulf and Grendel's mother. The battle itself is a Christian allegory: Beowulf represents Jesus' descent into hell and his resurrection. All the supernatural elements in Beowulf reveal the poet's belief in the primacy of the Christian faith. The effect of the supernatural in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is similar to that of Beowulf, but does not offer as much conflict. Throughout the poem, the poet describes faith in God as humanity's saving grace. As Sir Gawain makes his way through the desert, he is in constant communication with God. His escape from Lady Bertilak also embodies Christian morality. However, the poet does not place Christianity and paganism in direct opposition to each other. Instead, the poet integrates the supernatural element into a variety of different traditions and beliefs, thus creating a sense of otherworldliness and adding meaning to supernatural events and characters. The decapitation game and the temptation game are both rituals linked to pre-Christian Celtic mythology; furthermore, the character of the Green Knight himself is taken from pagan folklore. The supernatural elements in both poems are gleaned from religious sources. While Beowulf clearly favors Christianity over paganism, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight offers a sense of spiritual harmony. Both poets successfully achieve a dynamic balance between dogma)