Heroism: Comparison between Beowulf and Superman Essay Example
Heroism: Comparison between Beowulf and Superman Essay Example

Heroism: Comparison between Beowulf and Superman Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (908 words)
  • Published: April 18, 2022
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In a particular society set up, there exist people with supernatural human capability. In most cases, people with such powers dedicate their efforts towards helping the community in achieving the desired livelihood. Following the dedicated efforts that the individuals in question display, other society members accord the people with extra capabilities the title of a hero. Thus, a hero, as regarded by various cultures is an individual who is admired by the society for individual’s courage, outstanding achievements, and noble capability. Following the description provided, this essay aims at comparing an ancient hero from the Anglo-Saxon culture Beowulf and modern culture hero Superman.

As stated in the introduction paragraph a hero bears certain characteristics that are not displayed by many in the society. Considering the case of Beowulf, the hero showed heroic traits

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that led to the individual’s community regarding him as a hero. Some of the important trait that made Beowulf’s community regard him a hero is the fact that the individual was able to fight Grendel the monster, the monster mothers and lastly under Beowulf’s command, one of his knights slain the dragon (Burton, p. 27). The act of fighting the evil dragon’s feareslessly brings about the chivalry code expectation of Beowulf. Comparing Beowulf with Superman, some notable similarities are seen in that the two heroes are dedicated to eradicating evil in their society. Beowulf fights monsters that were terrorizing the community as his suit fights villains that had plagued the city of Metropolis. Even though the two heroes show some definite similarities that make their society regard them as heroes, some of the traits that the two actors display mark a demarcation betwee

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the two. For instance, even though two stars are seen fighting evil they make use of different methods of achieving their goals. Superman uses krypton powers such as excessive strength and high speed while Beowulf utilizes individual’s natural powers to save people society (Eichel, p.163). Additionally, another aspect that differs between the two characters is their mode of operation. Beowulf travels overseas to fight and save other communities while Superman’s actions are limited to the city of Gotham.

The main difference displayed by Beowulf and Superman is each individual's birthplace. Superman is believed to have originated from Krypton planet while Beowulf is a natural born hero (Eichel, p. 165). Additionally, superman does not kill individual’s opponent, unlike Beowulf who for instance kills Grendel's mother and becomes a king for 55 years. After individual’s success, Beowulf brags and is not afraid of telling people of whom he is and what he has achieved. On the other hand, Superman carries out his individual actions of saving Metropolis city in a humble way. Personal identity is also another main different that the two heroes’ exhibit. Beowulf comes from the community he protects while Superman is from a different planet, Krypton, who plays an important role but not using individual’s identity. Thus, superman’s character depends on individual's anonymity while that of Bowlful depends on individual’s fame in the society (Julia, n.p). On the other hand, Beowulf does not have any particular threat apart from individual’s enemies. Unlike Beowulf Superman, actions are threatened by the presence of a blue stone of Krypton that drains him his powers. The aspect of mortality also presents a significant different between the two superheroes. Superman

is not susceptible to global threats apart from the blue krypton stone a major factor that contributes to his heroism. On the other hand, Beowulf dies at the end of the poem is skilled in one of the attacks that the dragon had raised in revenge after a slave had stolen from him.

The definition put across for hero does not depend on the society in which the hero in question dwells. Thus switching the society in which the two discussed actors operated has no effect on the heroism of the individuals. This implies that neither Superman nor Beowulf would stop being a hero if societies are switched. In the literature world, the word hero is used to refer to a person having the qualities of a warrior (Smagorinsky, p.109). Characters accorded the title of a hero are those who show acts of heroism. With this reference, heroic ethos or code for addressing a person a hero depends on the fighting survival that the hero pin question gets involved (Christie,p.520).

Following the facts provided in this discussion, stars play a significant role in helping the normal human beings in the eradication of rampant evils in the society. The case of Superman and Beowulf indicates that the heroes perform the task of saving the community out of their free will. Even though people have different ways of describing heroes, the two men discussed in this essay display quality that makes the two to be regarded as heroes. Conclusively the fact that heroes present to people a temporally or permanent endurance from the life challenges make heroes important individuals in life.

Works cited

  1. Burton Raffel, . Beowulf. Place of publication

not identified: Clydesdale Pr Llc, 2016. Internet resource.
Christie, E. J. "“An Unfollowable World”: Beowulf, English Poetry, and the Phenomenalism of Language." Literature Compass 10.7 (2013): 519-534.

  • Eichel, Andrew. "Book Review: Hugh Magennis, Translating Beowulf: English Versions in Modern Verse." Language and Literature 22.2 (2013): 163-166.
  • Julia E. Briscoe Differences between Beowulf and Superman
  • http://www.ehow.com/info_8434040_differences-between-beowulf-superman.html
  • Smagorinsky, Peter. "The territory of literature." English Education 48.2 (2016): 109.
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