...Joshua Clarke Prof. Bisla ENG 333 5.8.2014 How Natural is the Supernatural Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto makes frequent use of supernatural effects. The novel's uses of the supernatural are a perfect example of its predecessor status as the first gothic novel, as well as question the purpose for all of its supernatural occurrences. Is it God punishing those deserving of the sentence? Or is it all just a very big coincidence and in our characters’ imagination? Most of the supernatural incidents in the novel are directed towards the themes of succession and inheritance. They revolve around the issue of establishing the rightful heir to the seat of Otranto. Because of the murderous actions of his grandfather Don Ricardo, who poisoned the previous rightful owner Alfonso the Good, the current prince Manfred has ruled over the region contrary to the precepts of genealogical law. In fact, many of the ghostly occurrences relate to exposing the usurper Ricardo before establishing Theodore, the rightful heir, onto the throne. The apparitions are portrayed in a bizarre and exaggerated manner, allowing the story to take on a rather surreal, unbelievable route where it is safe to say that spiritual vengeance is being exacted on those “got away with it”. This is apparent in the opening scene, when Manfred discovers that his only son has been crushed to death under a giant helmet which appears to have fallen out of the sky. It would later be discovered that the helmet is similar...
Words: 689 - Pages: 3
...Explaining the "Supernatural" History shows us that society's beliefs and ideals are constantly being changed and enlightened. Around the turn of the 20th century, people turned to mythical answers to explain the unknown. However, as society progressed, science begins to show us that everything, even the "supernatural", has a reason. This evolution of enlightenment can be seen when we compare the novels Dracula, by Bram Stoker, and I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson. Although both novels encompass a world plagued with vampires, Stoker brings Dracula to life through religion and faith while Matheson uses science and reason to explain the logic of vampires. When people think of vampires, most envision the most defining traits used in Dracula; being warded off by a crucifix, being killed only by a few things, and are the manifested form of...
Words: 970 - Pages: 4
...How and why is the supernatural used in: "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" By: Thomas Gray English 270 Romantic Gothic: Poetry and Short Fiction 6 March 2015 In the poem, "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray, the use of the supernatural serves as an underlying motif to focus the narrator and set the stage for the theme. That being, the poor are born with the same natural abilities as members of the upper class and thus, should be memorialized accordingly. Gray suggests the ‘common’ people buried in the churchyard should have memorials on their graves just like the rich and famous do because they could have probably been something if given the chance. Gray’s use of the supernatural and the theme of the poem being; an ‘equalization’ of the regular or ‘common’ person to those that are wealthy and famous, may be the reason that the poem is so popular to this day. ‘Memento mori’, is a Latin phrase for, ‘remember that you must die’. Gray acknowledeges the fact that everyone must die and considers the premise that in death, there is no difference between great and common people. Gray wonders if among the ‘lowly’ people buried in the churchyard would there have been any poets or politicians whose talent had simply never been discovered or fostered? “Full many a flow'r is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air” (55-56). Furthermore, Gray appeals to the rich, “Let not Ambition mock their...
Words: 493 - Pages: 2
...Do you believe supernatural beings exist? Tough question to answer, right? When it comes to the supernatural topic, most people believe that they are mythological and not real, but is that really the case? If the term 'supernatural' means of a manifestation or event) attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature, why is it so hard to believe that they are real. There is so much evidence lying around the Earth as we speak. But the real question still remains. Do supernatural beings really exist? I'm here to explain to you why supernatural beings do exist. Religion takes place in almost every home throughout the world. Religion is what people believe in and helps people with daily life. Whether it comes to Gods, Goddesses, mythological creatures, or natural forces, almost every religion has some type of supernatural importance. In the Christian Holy text, The Bible, there are fractions that suggest that supernatural aspects. They mention things like messenger angels and devious demons. The bible even states the Lord...
Words: 737 - Pages: 3
...all these facilities to them, the church kept great control. Part of the reason the church maintained such good control is through fear. The fear of the less educated people in the town kept the church popular and very wealthy. The church encouraged any fear or gossip throughout the towns of the supernatural. The Supernatural was part of everyday life during the Tudor period, as the church had a major role in people’s lives and they would let rumours and gossip circulate in the towns as a method of control. Supernatural happenings were very common in this time because they claimed finding lost possessions, recovery from sickness and resumption of egg-laying from hens to be a saintly intervention. These were all proclaimed as miracles and this was a very regular occurrence. The church let these rumours and gossip stay in circulation because it mixed ‘supernatural happenings’ and religious beliefs together. This kept everyone under control, the church rich whilst still confirming people’s belief of what the church taught. Delving further into my last point, the less educated people and normal townspeople could not distinguish very well between religious rituals/beliefs and supernatural/superstition because of gossip and fear throughout the town. The church kept a well-maintained authority all over England without the people even realizing. This is because the people only knew...
Words: 619 - Pages: 3
...“Unnatural Deeds Do Breed Unnatural Troubles”: The Supernatural and the Natural Order in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth In order to assimilate into the worlds of William Shakespeare’s most enthralling tragedies, entirely coherent atmospheres must be accommodated. Hamlet and Macbeth each introduce a spectrum of radical physical and metaphysical concepts which allow audiences the opportunity to understand the fabric of the universe as being much more tightly woven than previously conceivable. One of Shakespeare’s great consummations as a writer is explaining supposed and naturally occurring phenomena during a time when people readily accepted the existence of supernatural beings without reasoning or understanding. Each of the plays begins with a paranormal occurrence, delivered in the form of a ghost and a threesome of witches respectively. Shakespeare uses the shocking unrealism of such occurrences to illustrate disturbances to natural order. Specifically, Hamlet and Macbeth showcase the supernatural to convey nature’s innate responsiveness to human immorality. Prior to examining the crude repercussions of immorality, natural law and conscience must be traced in accordance with Hamlet and Macbeth to distinguish evil deeds from justifiable human action. Conscience is an awareness of a natural order which gives life significance and purpose under a natural law. The mind is compelled to seek out rationality and organization provided by such a natural order. Shakespeare’s tragic...
Words: 1769 - Pages: 8
...The worldview of the medieval Christian reader in terms of the existence, experience, and explanation of magic and supernatural events Magic and witchcraft was not only something familiar to the medieval Christian reader, it was also a part of their lives. The belief in magic and magical powers dates back to the earliest recorded history; people from ancient times have been trying to achieve different goals using supernatural powers. Unlike modern people who tend to question the credibility of every fact, medieval people genuinely believed in the existence of magic and did not question it at all. For the British, magic is a part of their creation and it was related to the Gods since they believed in the “Age of Miracles”, during which all kinds of magic were possible. Hence, there are many elements that might appear odd to the contemporary reader, but would seem perfectly normal to a person from medieval times. For example, a reader from the XXI c. would likely question the possibility of transmutation occurring in “The Three Werewolves”, or the nutritious capability of the magical apples in “From the Voyage of Mael Duin”, in contrast to the medieval reader. Medieval literature consists of the recorded stories that people used to tell each other most often. Most Celtic stories are told by Christian churches because many of the Celtic themes overlap with Christian beliefs such as the ability to survive fire, to breathe under water, to have power over nature, etc. – properties...
Words: 1081 - Pages: 5
...with something that might interrupted in your life or even make you better in life Those who has that given with this incredibility usually called a sixth sense.When you have this super incredible thing usually you are more special because you can see the thing!That others can’t see and until now this thing still be question or mysteriousThat cannot be explain by science.The Thing of Paranormal and Supernatural. There is some quotes from anchor abc27 News, Dennis Owens about this Thing.“All of you out there who believe in telephaty, raise your hand. All right now.everyone,who believes in telekinesis raise my hand” (Kelly, 2014) Today I will bring your attention about difference between paranormal and supernatural .There are three main point or important thing that I would like to share with you all about this ‘thing’.First, Paranormal and Supernatural have it owns definition and meaning also when this two terms start being used.Second, There are still no answer until now, that science can’t explained about Paranormal and supernatural.Then, Paranormal and Supernatural thing have become famous lately due to media press.Without wasting our time anymore,let’s get...
Words: 1366 - Pages: 6
...The Taino and the Spanish Cristóbal Colón landed on an unknown island in the Caribbean on October 10, 1492. He planted banners in the beach claiming the land for the Spanish throne. Colón’s perceptions and interactions with the indigenous people, the Taino, sparked the events that lead to the colonization of the Americas. Colón’s perceptions of the Taino were misinterpreted by him. His misconceptions about the Taino were built from a compilation of his own expectations, readings of other explorers, and strong religious influence in Western Europe. The Taino also misunderstood the Spanish as well. Their false beliefs about the Spanish were driven by their religious beliefs as well as their mythology. Through misunderstandings backed by the religions, physical appearances, and the histories of both the Taino and the Spanish, the Taino believed that the Spanish were god-like figures that fell from the sky, while the Taino were perceived by the Spanish as simplistic, uncultured natives, that would be easily converted to Christianity and used as servants (Wilson, Hispanola p. 48-49).1 To better comprehend these events one must look at the preceeding events in both the lives of the Taino and The Spanish. Before the time of Cristóbal Colón, Spain had recently had several encounters with colonization. They had taken over the kingdom of Granada and the Canary Islands. These colonizations gave Spain their model for subsequent colonizations. The dominance of Christianity in the colonizations...
Words: 1233 - Pages: 5
...------------------------------------------------- No Angel Summary “No Angel” is a novel written by Bernie McGill, and takes place in contemporary Northern Ireland. The story is about a woman named Annie, who has lost her mom, dad and brother. Thru the story she keeps seeing and hearing her dad, and we hear about her and how her family died. In the end Annie sees her whole family gathered together. Characterization We are dealing with 5 characters in the story. The main character is Annie, who we don’t know much facts or details about. We know that she is an iris woman who has lost her family. We are told that Annie’s seventeen years old brother Robbie was beaten to death – “The coroner said he thought a car had hit him: after the beating, he said, when he had been left on the road” Their mother are in a lot of grief, because of her sons dead, and six months after the murder she all of a sudden dies – “Mum lasted six months of barely speaking, food hardly passing her lips. She dropped like a stone one day in the kitchen; never spoke again”.After that it was just Annie and her dad for twenty years, until his lungs gave away, and he died too. Annie has a boyfriend named Thomas. After the meetings and jibes from her father about Thomas, it downs on her, that her and Thomas aren’t going to last. –“We didn’t last. I think it was Thomas’s confidence I fell for”. This is one of the things that show Annie needs some kind of guidance in her life, and as soon as she discover Thomas...
Words: 920 - Pages: 4
...Essay Final Draft In a world that values knowledge so dearly, and bases judgment off of tangible evidence, Christians often come under fire for having faith in the supernatural. The scientific community and religious people have disagreed for centuries, but steps are being taken towards the integration of the two fields. Science and religion may finally not be at odds anymore. Instead of using science to disprove God, it should be used to grow closer to Him. God gave humanity a curious nature, and it should be used to pursue Him and understand the world He created. We now live in the era of information and science, and we must open our belief systems to these things. Science, by definition, is systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation (Dictionary.com). Religion and science are both ways in which we try to understand the world we live in, “but science is a way of knowing that differs from other ways in its dependence on empirical evidence and testable explanations” (Evolution Resources…). If the scientific method, the process by which these observations are made and evidence is collected, is the foundation for the worldview that to understand the universe, one must look only at the universe. On the other hand, religious people use supernatural entities to explain natural occurrences in this world. From this perspective, complex natural occurrences, such as the stars, point toward a Creator: “The heavens declare...
Words: 663 - Pages: 3
...and free- thinking. Both canonical texts provide significant insight into both the Medieval and Renaissance era. These concepts are explored through the principals of Christianity and the prevailing conflict during each context time. The importance of religion were relevant in both contexts, Beowulf reinforcing the beliefs of the time while Faustus indicates Britain's shift to humanist values and intensified the assertion of personal independence and individual expression. Beowulf demonstrates his trust in God easily into Christian context and repeatedly acknowledges God as his protector. “The captain of evil discovered himself in a grip harder than anything he had ever encountered in any man on the face of the earth.” Allusion to supernatural powers and biblical allusions allow emphasis how Grendel is inherently evil and therefore is destined to lose the battle, especially as God is not on his side but in fact Grendel's. Additionally, the constant reference to God’s decrees encourages the reader to place reliance in God. “Then he who...
Words: 718 - Pages: 3
...1. Affable: (adj.) courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to 2. Aggrandize: (v.) to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater 3. Amorphous: (adj.) shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity, or cohesion 4. Aura: (n.) that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality 5. Contraband: (n.) illegal traffic, smuggled goods; (adj.) illegal, prohibited 6. Erudite: (adj.) scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic 7. Gossamer: (adj.) thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; (n.) a very thin, light cloth 8. Infer: (v.) to find out by reasoning; to arrive at a conclusion on the basis of thought; to hint, suggest, imply 9. Inscrutable: (adj.) incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically 10. Insular: (adj.) relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience 11. Irrevocable: (adj.) incapable of being changed or called back 12. Propensity: (n.) a natural inclination or predilection toward 13. Querulous: (adj.) peevish, complaining, fretful 14. Remonstrate: (v.) to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to 15. Repudiate: (v.) to disown, reject, or deny the validity of | WOWs Week 11 - 1.inadvertent - (adj.) resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental 2.nominal - (adj.) existing in name only, not real; too small...
Words: 705 - Pages: 3
...Mythology HUM105 08/12/2015 Prof. Lester Lopez Nieves Foundations of Mythology Mythology is in my opinion if not a well-known subject it is by far a very much talked about subject. Everyone I know I know always has different type of opinion or ways of seeing what exactly mythology is. Well, know I get the chance to further my knowledge and understand a little more about what mythology is exactly and have my own opinion about it. After reading the chapters and analyzing them the word myth is defined in my words as some type a story, maybe even a special story that concerns early history of some people or some type of explaining of a social or natural phenomenon. In my opinion it involves supernatural things or events. So, the statement "It's a myth" can mean different things to different people. To me it means something that is maybe unexplainable or not real, but to other it may mean some type of historic event that were told when they were children and to this day believe it is true. If I were to describe "myths" in my own words I will say that myths is something that we grow up with. Where I am from they taught me about "El chupacabra", this in Puerto Rico means some kind of animal that lives in the woods and eats cows. In some other understanding I will say it sometimes means history of our ancestors that many times we find them hard to believe. In the world we live in today we have so many different sets of minds and different...
Words: 1057 - Pages: 5
...Throughout the tale of The Monkey’s Paw, the weather, similar sinister contrasts in atmosphere, death and fore-shadowing in the re-incarnation of another, are constantly intertwined to provide the perfect detail in aspect of tension and horror surrounding ‘The Monkey’s Paw.’ The use of such outlooks creates an in-sight into the life of the White family without necessarily stating the obvious, allowing us to understand their undulating journey through mystery and misery combined. Weather and overall environment play a huge role in this somewhat staged life belonging to the White family. As soon as you commence scrutinizing the first page, without having even to deduce the sly connotations imprinted, the weather springs out in your mind to set the ideal scene: darkness, dreariness and death. From the very first to the very last, contrast is used to constantly unsettle your mind, most specifically in the turbulent weathering systems: “Without, the night was cold and wet, but in the small parlour of Laburnum Villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly.” The striking definition and distinction betwixt both internal and external night ‘life’ is most certainly one of eeriness. The hostility of a stormy night that is almost automatically referenced to the damp and bitterness of the evening creates an apprehension of misfortune and death; the era in which the novel was written was also one of suspicion and most likely would have regarded such a night to be as arid...
Words: 980 - Pages: 4
