Fantastic facts : the supernatural in the ethnographic writings of Giraldus Cambrensis.
This thesis seeks to answer the question of what role supernatural themes and motifs played in allowing us a glimpse into Gerald of Wales’ sense of dualist identity. He is revered by many modern Welsh scholars as an early Welsh nationalist, even though Gerald did not always see himself that way, yet his life’s work was his battle for an independent Welsh see. I begin with a general discursive review of historiography in general and the various sub-genres by which Gerald’s work could be classified, followed, after a brief biography of Gerald himself, by a more detailed examination of the philosophical and theological classifications of the very meaning of the words ‘natural’ and ‘supernatural’ and how the two related to each other. With this contextual framework established specific examples from Gerald’s works are examined in greater depth, concluding with a discussion on the medieval definition of the ‘Other’ which, I believe was the key to understanding Gerald’s narratives and ultimately the man himself.
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