Identity in Frankenstien , Beowulf, and Sir Gawin and the Green Knight

Some battles are more important than other’s like the one the character endures eternally. British literature as a whole pertains a lot of literary elements. But within these stories the most prominent is identity. A soul searching journey for one’s identity can begin at any stage of one’s life. The universal, time-transcendent idea of identity within British Literature attests to the human need for self knowledge, as it can be seen in the novels in Frankenstein, Beowulf, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

The Monster is struggling to find his identity. He is trying to figure out if he is like Adam made upon this earth for a purpose or like Satan expelled from the “almighty kingdom”— in his case society. The Monster’s reading of the book Paradise Lost within the story was misinterpreted the story as factual; He seems to see Satan as a compassionate sympathetic character whom was misunderstood and expelled found in chapter fifteen “Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me” (Shelley p.114). One thing the monster doesn’t have in common with Adam is one has been given a form of guidance and Doctor Frankenstein left the monster alone and unsure about how to make it in the world which led to the beast’s journey throughout the novel Frankenstein. During the novel the monster displays, humanistic characteristics when his sense of remorse was developed as he was saving the little girl in chapter 16 when he saved the little girl who slipped into the stream. The monster saving the little girl in the stream develops that he has human traits, but has yet to develop them as a whole. In a sense the monster y...

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...uties “But of all those who dwelt there, of the British kings, Arthur was always judged noblest, as I have heard tell.” (Sir Gawain p. 25-26) Instead of just saying that Arthur is very aristocratic, he says that Arthur has a prestige for nobility, which means that it’s not just the unknown author but everyone that thinks so also.

The speech made by King Arthur, presents the Green Knight prod Arthur’s court into playing his game or risk having their reputation for bravery besmirched. Yet he also reminds the men at the round table of the delicacy of a reputation if it can, in truth be "overthrown with a word from one man’s mouth." Even though what the Green Knight is referring to here is the way his challenge threatens their reputation which also, we can’t help but think of the way that other words from men’s mouths - for example, rumors - can have the same effect.