Supernatural creatures play an important role in shaping the hero in both the eighth-century epic poem Beowulf and the British novel of the 14th century Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. While both tales involve the hero's journey to find and fight these creatures, their battles serve distinct purposes. While Beowulf's ability to defeat Grendel and Grendel's mother in battle serves to reinforce his status as a powerful epic hero, Gawain's relationship with the Green Knight tests the hero's ability to balance his courtly duties and his natural impulses. By subjecting himself to trials in this way, the romantic hero can learn and change from his experiences; Beowulf, on the other hand, remains a powerful static figure in the manner of a true epic hero. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay To understand the role of the supernatural in these works it is pertinent to also examine the origin of the supernatural in these works. The supernatural creatures in both works have their roots in Anglo-Saxon pagan tradition. Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon poem, shows its Scandinavian roots throughout the text. The supernatural creatures featured in the text such as Grendel, his mother, and the dragon are clearly creatures based on Germanic tradition. Likewise, the idea of ​​a green man presented in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a product of pagan tradition. In his introduction to the text, translator Brian Stone notes that the poet uses "pagan folk material drawn primarily from early Celtic tradition" (11). Although the idea of ​​a natural, wild man is a product of native influences, the Green Knight, simply by name, is a dualistic character. By giving the creature the title of knight the poet exemplifies the French influence present in the poem. According to William Goldhurst, the juxtaposition of the terms "green" and "knight" in the creature's title serves to explain this dualism. "His appellation reveals his paradoxical nature: green represents wild natural forces, and knight, the effects of courtly civilization" (64). This idea of ​​nature and civilization dwelling in one body is evident in the first description the reader receives of the knight, which intertwines his majestic monstrous appearance with the elegant and chivalrous aspects of his clothing and manners. The poet describes the supernatural aspects of the knight by saying: "...an extraordinary fellow/who in height surpassed all earthly men, from throat to thigh he was so stocky and square/...that he was half a giant on the earth/... and all glittering green" (lines 136-150). This monstrous description is juxtaposed with a description of the knight's fine garments, alluding to the fact that this creature is also refined: "And green belt garments the man around-/...A beautiful cloak above, made with lining/ Of the fur prettiest you could find, all of one piece,/ wonderful fur-trimmed material, with hood to match” (lines 151-155). Not only is this knight a civilized creature in the manner of a member of the French court, but he is also a civilized creature with an exquisite taste in luxurious clothing. While the knight's elegant dress and manner show the influence of the French on this British novel, the knight's wild "green" shows pagan influence. By understanding the origins of the supernatural creatures present in the poems, it is easier to interpret what role they play. the creatures act in each of the works. In both poems, the monsters, Grendel, his mother, and the Green Knight serve as physical obstacles thatthe hero must overcome. Although in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight the supernatural creature plays an additional role to the hero, for Beowulf the creatures serve only as objects to be conquered to continually replenish the hero's strength. Fighting supernatural creatures is part of the daily life of an epic hero like Beowulf, who regularly demonstrates his physical prowess in battle. Beowulf himself notes his great abilities after meeting Hrothgar: "In my youth I have done many daring deeds... I have destroyed five, a family of giants, and by night I have slain monsters on the waves...." (Lines 407 -419) . In the same way that Beowulf uses his past successes in battle to demonstrate his status as a true and capable hero, the battles with Grendel and Grendel's mother only serve to further exalt Beowulf's physical prowess and courage. After fatally wounding Grendel at Heorot, those in the mead hall praise Beowulf. "Then Beowulf's deed was hailed; many men declared again and again that there was no better squire in all the world, north or south between the two seas, under the expanse of heaven, none more worthy of his own kingdom" (lines 856-860). His greatness, which the poet establishes at the beginning of the text, is strengthened by every battle he wins. The same goes for his victory over Grendel's mother. Victory does not change Beowulf; rather, it re-emphasizes its greatness. “Then the fearless leader of the thanes, covered with glory, peerless in battle, entered Heorot once more…” (lines 1644-1646). The battle with Grendel's mother simply reiterates Beowulf's prowess rather than emphasizing a journey or personal change. This idea of ​​a static hero is a major theme of the epic genre. In contrast, the Green Knight serves as a catalyst for internal change within Gawain. This idea of ​​an inner journey or improvement of the hero is an idea found mainly in the French version of the novel, but is also evident in this text. The Green Knight, a creature the poet describes as simultaneously savage and civilized, tests not only Gawain's physical strength but also his inner strength to fulfill his courtly responsibilities. Many descriptions in the text exemplify the Green Knight's role as a representation of the balance between nature and civilization. In the description of the knight at the Green Chapel the poet describes the creature in one instance as a "courtly knight", and in the next he describes its animal-like movements by saying that the creature "...with enormous strides/ Advancing violently and ferociously along the width of the field/On the snow" (lines 2212-2235). By creating such a dualistic adversary for the hero, the poet hints that there is more to this battle than meets the eye. The physical confrontation, the journey across harsh landscapes to exchange blows with the green knight, is not the main battle of the poem. The most arduous battle proves to be the temptation Gawain experiences in Sir Bertilak's castle, a courtly battle rather than a battle involving physical strength on the battlefield. Thus, although the Green Knight acts as Gawain's physical adversary in the natural landscape of the Green Chapel, he also acts as his adversary in the more civilized setting. Since the emphasis in the story is not on winning a physical battle against the supernatural creature, as in Beowulf, the hero's failure to defeat the Green Knight and honor the promise made to his host allows him to learn and evolve as individual. . When Gawain makes a point of wearing the girdle as a reminder of his failure, he uses his failure as a means to better himself and the other members of King Arthur's Court who also adopt the.