Abstract
In this article, the writer provides a discussion of the elements of God and the supernatural in literature, briefly discussing their use in the following texts: Koran, 'Decameron', 'Tales from One Thousand and One Nights', 'The Song of Roland', and 'Hamlet'.

From the Paper
"One could make an arguable case that God and the supernatural are two of the most popular elements of all time in literature. From religious texts like the Koran to Elizabethan dramas like William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', God and the supernatural appear in numerous and diverse works of literature. God and the supernatural are also elements found in the medieval poem' The Song of Rowland' and Boccaccio's novellas in the 'Decameron'. Even Middle Eastern literature like 'Tales from One Thousand and One Nights' combine ..."

Tags:miracles, angels, genies, heaven, hell, ghosts, apparitions, magic

Abstract
This paper discusses the depiction of the supernatural in literature. It specifically looks at the ways that the supernatural is portrayed in William Shakespeare's plays and focuses on the witches in "Macbeth" and the fantasy and illusion of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The paper concludes by mentioning other works that have depicted the supernatural, such as Rudolfo Anaya's novel, "Bless me, Ultima."

From the Paper
"There are no significant actual dreams in the play but rather some dreamlike situations that add to the magical quality of the story. For example, after Titania, the fairy queen whom Oberon wanted to fall in love with someone other than the little boy of her friend's, wakes up from her sleep with love potion on her eyes and under the spell of that charm, immediately falls in love with a clownish figure Bottom. This may appear to be a very hilarious situation to the readers but it is situations like these that were responsible for bringing about a significant change in the course of the play. During that period when she was under the influence of the charm, she dotes on the clown but as soon as the spell ends, she starts loathing the very same person. Whatever has taken place during the spell was a beautiful dream to Bottom who lacked the intelligence to fathom what had happened to him. (IV, i., ll.205-214) Another very important role of dreams can be understood by the speech of Puck in the last Act when he offers an explanation for dreamlike situations to other characters. He wants them to think of their past as nothing but a dream because this explanation could answer whatever questions they had in mind. (ACT V)"

Tags:dream, potion, forces

Abstract
The role of the supernatural in the affairs of the living, as a Chinese literary and cultural theme, is discussed with reference to "Dream of the Red Chamber", "Six Records of a Floating Life", "The Death of Woman Wang", and the works of Yuan Mei. It is emphasized that the supernatural was regarded as a natural and recurring set of forces having effect in the temporal, material world.

Tags:supernatural, intervention, chinese

Abstract
Gothic is defined in literature as a genre that has both horror and romance in its plot. Gothic literature-or should I say good gothic literature-has terror and romance. The terror is psychological and physical-there are ghosts, houses that are haunted and all the supernatural things a creative mind can conjure up. However, gothic is romance too. There are secrets, madness and perversity in this genre's love. In gothic fiction, characters represent the self that we struggle to keep hidden from the other people in our lives. This is what makes gothic literature fantasy.

From the Paper
Expectations in Gothic Literature What is Gothic Literature: Gothic is defined in literature as a genre that has both horror and romance in its plot. Gothic literature--or should I say good gothic literature--has terror and romance. The terror is psychological and physical--there are ghosts, houses that are haunted and all the supernatural things a creative mind can conjure up. However, gothic is romance too. There are secrets, madness and perversity in this genre's love. In gothic fiction, characters represent the self that we struggle to keep hidden from the other people in our lives. This is what makes gothic

Tags:gothic, fulfillment, literature

Abstract
The paper looks at two short works by Edgar Allan Poe, "William Wilson" and "Lady Ligeia", and outlines how they are both classic examples of fantastical literature, as the term is defined by Tsvetan Todorov. The paper looks at the clever use of the first-person narrative, at the ambiguous reality that exists in each story, and at the way in which Poe makes the bizarre seem plausible right until the end.

From the Paper
"To begin with, one must understand that literature (at least in Todorov's view) must satisfy three conditions if it is to be genuinely considered "fantastic". Firstly, there must be an element of realism involved insofar as the text must "oblige" the reader to consider the world of the characters as one that "hesitates" between a natural and supernatural explication of the events taking place. Secondly, it is desirable that the reader identify with the character at the heart of the story. Finally, the work must not lend itself to allegorical or poetic interpretations. Proceeding further, it seems evident from Todorov's work that, if the "laws of reality" remain intact and can provide a reasonable explanation for the phenomena delineated by the writer, then the story itself is not "fantastic" but, rather, merely "uncanny". Conversely, if the conventional laws of nature do not apply, if they do not furnish the reader with credible explanations, then the story is said to be "marvelous" or fantastical (Todorov, "Excerpts from Tsvetan Todorov's The Fantastic," p.1)."

Tags:supernatural, bizarre

Abstract
This paper analyzes the supernatural themes that frequently appeared in ancient Chinese literature. According to the paper, these elements often traveled with Chinese immigrants to foreign lands when they left China, leaving an imprint on their new writings. The paper also considers how the supernatural gave a mystical sense to rural life when the Cultural Revolution supposedly banned the spiritual from Chinese life.

From the Paper
"Themes of the supernatural are very interesting to examine in Chinese literature of long ago, given that beliefs of the kind did not disappear from Chinese culture till quite recently. In fact, they carry on among many of the overseas Chinese who did not live through the Communists' enforced secularism in Mainland China in this century. They carry on too in remote areas as in groups within the People's Republic of China that still practice shamanism. What is important is the idea of an old Chinese cosmology in which many things were alive and had links to the higher world that by no means many human beings had. Some old fiction in..."

Tags:chiang chi dead son, journey to the west, supernatur

Abstract
This book examines, compares, and analyzes two famous examples of fantasy literature for children, J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland." Both novels create a fantasy that allows the authors to transpose the reader in a supernatural environment. The plots of both books are described as are the roles of certain mythological and supernatural creatures. The reviewer also points out how the protagonists of both novels are young teenagers, struggling with the issues of this age. Additionally, the paper notes how, in both novels, there always is a strong connection with the real world. The paper concludes by stating that despite some differences in their approach to the supernatural in the stories, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and "Alice in Wonderland" are examples of fantasy literature for children.

From the Paper
"Both books start in a similar manner by making the reader face the magic and creating a fantasy that allows the authors to transpose the reader in a supernatural environment. In Alice in Wonderland, the connection with the fantasy world is done through the rabbit hole, although there are several real life elements that lead up to that. The beginning of the book does not anticipate the fantastical continuation of the story: Alice and her sister are sitting on a riverbank and her sister is reading a book. However, the apparition of the rabbit complaining about running late is essential in announcing the fantasy that is about to develop: the rabbit can talk. Elements such as the key by the glass table and bottle labeled "drink me" are further instruments by which the author is brining the reader closer to the fantasy world, in which Alice enters by going down the rabbit hole."

Tags:supernatural, children's literature

Abstract
This paper examines how, in metaphysical theory, naturalism is a term used to refer to the idea that all things can be explained by natural phenomena, rather than supernatural ones, and how this theory holds that the universe is a vast machine with no interest or cause beyond itself. It analyzes this theory in relation to the books, "In Our Time" by Ernest Hemingway, "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner, and "Babylon Revisited" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In all three works, it shows how naturalism is depicted not only through language, but also through the subject matter, since all the protagonists have forces against them, which are equally outside of their control.

From the Paper
"The subject of Hemingway's stories is World War I, a subject often written about at the time. What set Hemingway's stories apart from the others are his naturalistic style, as well as the philosophical concerns of this theory. The war is depicted as something beyond the control of the main characters. It is also confusing, as demonstrated through the author's narrative flow, which is often confusing. The main character in many of the stories is Nick Adams. Nick, like the rest of the characters, is often at the mercy of forces outside himself. These include not only universal forces, but also the forces within society. His early lessons in "Indian Camp" for example are due to social forces beyond his control, as is the War."

Tags:babylon, dying, time, our, supernatural, forces

Abstract
This paper examines the biographical background to the life of Stephen King, which reflects the supernatural psychological premise of his novel "The Shining". The paper looks at how King's own workaholic issues reflect how he sees issues in the modern American family, especially through the Torrance family. In this manner, King depicts his own views of how families relate to each other within the supernatural fiction he represents.

From the Paper
In this literary study, the life and literary works of Stephen King will be analyzed in relation to his best selling novel: "The Shining". By understanding the major influences of horror literature that compelled King to write this novel, one can realize his affection for the mysterious, the psychological, and arcane. In realizing the life experiences of King and his literary approach to the telepathic and supernatural, The Shining is a clear example of the philosophy of horror and the psychological problems of the American family."

Tags:king, horror, shining

Abstract
Visions of evil operating in this world serve as the subject matter for the dramatist, especially in an era when good and evil were seen more clearly as battling for the human soul directly, often personified as angel and devil. The paper shows that in the Elizabethan era, William Shakespeare in "Macbeth" and Christopher Marlowe in "Doctor Faustus" (both in England) explored these issues in different ways, though each saw evil as manifest and physical as well as sometimes supernatural. It shows that in Spain, Calderan de la Barca a few years later similarly expressed the palpable nature of evil in human life in his "El Magico Prodigioso". The paper examines how the Marlowe and Calderan works are both based on the Faust legend, while Shakespeare's play is based on a historical individual reported. The three plays are related in that in all three cases, the protagonist is guided to success in this life by supernatural forces, imperiling his soul in the process. By comparing the three plays, the paper illuminates the character of Dr. Faustus as depicted in the Marlowe play and suggests how Marlowe used the legend to create a sense of tragedy in terms of a character who has clearly over-reached himself.

From the Paper
"The character of Doctor Faustus reflects the view of the historical figure and the image that would be continued in other versions of the legend. He is a learned scholar and theologian, but his ambition for knowledge goes beyond what man is meant to know. He sells his soul for knowledge and power, which are linked, and though he is immediately and continuously faced with a sense of remorse for his fate, he cannot be said to be repentant. His nature in the beginning is more over-reaching than wicked, but that character worsens as time passes and as he exercises the power he has been given. He becomes more cruel and even asks that an old man who tries to save his soul be tortured for this act. The one action he takes that shows his former self is to send his friends away when he knows the devil is coming for him, thus protecting them."

Tags:Schwager, Faustbuch, Mephostophilis