"Wode als a Wilde Beste"

So, I'm in the middle of writing an essay arguing that, in one weirdly atypical Arthurian work, Sir Gawain is actually a berserker. Here's the passage I cite, with a nifty pic by Frank Frazetta (PBUH).Alliterative Morte Arthure, Valerie Krishna trans.

Then grimly Sir Gawain grips his weapon,
And toward that huge host he suddenly hastes,
Swiftly straightens the straps of his stout sword,
Thrusts forth his shield and shrinks back no longer;
All reckless and rabid he rushed in straight,
And bloodied the foe with furious blows,
Till all welled with blood where he rushed by.
And, though in great grief, he wavers but little,
But wreaks, to his glory, the wrath of the lord.
He stabs steeds in the struggle and stalwart knights,
So stout men are left standing stone-dead in their stirrups.
He sunders strong steel, he slashes chain mail
—No men there could stop him, for his sense was distraught.
With the force of his fury he falls into a frenzy,
Assails and strikes down all who stand in his way.
No doomed man on earth ever had such a destiny!
Through the whole host he rushes headlong,
And wounds some of the hardiest who dwell on the earth.
Lashing out like a lion he slashes them through,
Lords and leaders, who are left in the dust.
Still Sir Gawain wavers but little with woe,
But fells the foe with fearsome strokes,
As if he willfully wished to do away with himself.
Wild and bewildered, he was out of his wits,
And, mad as a wild beast, he rushed on those nearest,
Till all wallowed in blood wherever he went;
Each man could take warning from the wounds of another. (3813-39)