“Heros are made by the path they choose not the powers they are graced with” (Ashton, Brodi). Spiderman was not a hero because he had powers like a spider, but that he used those powers to help others. Beowulf was described as a strong person known by many who defeated many conflicts. Although he had this strength is didn’t necessarily make him a hero. What made him a hero was when he helped others with their problems, like the Danes with Grendel. Although Beowulf and Spiderman bear some minor similarities, the differences between them are clear. In order to understand what the differences and similarities in traits mean, we have to understand the value behind them. Values can vary from people, because everybody will not have the same …show more content…
The Second trait that Beowulf and Spiderman have in comparison is being courageous. Beowulf is courageous because he sails from his homeland to another land to defeat Grendel and he is going to defeat him by using his hands, not weapons. “Now Grendel and I are called together, and I’ve come. Grant me, then, lord and protector of this noble place, a single request! … Is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none. Nor will I” (159-169). He is courageous enough to fight a monster who kills so many men just his hands, and decides that he will kill just like Grendel does. Similarly, Spider Man also displays courage by going out to fight to criminals even though he is only a teen. For example a villain he faced was the Green Goblin, who targeted Spiderman because he wanted to prove his power and establish a reputation for himself. This is important because it shows that being courageous is a trait that many aspire to have and it 's a trait that cultures want to see in the people. The last similar trait between these two characters is the trait of being perseverance. Beowulf struggled in the fight with Grendel 's mother and seemed to be losing, but he never gave up. “She fell, Grendel’s fierce mother, and the Geats’ proud prince was ready to leap on her. But she rose at once and repaid him with her clutching claws, wildly tearing at him. He was weary, that best and strongest of
Christopher Reeve once said “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endures in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” In other words, a hero is a normal person who is able to be strong and persevere despite difficult obstacles preventing them. In the book, Beowulf, the the nephew of the king of the land of the geats, helps Hrothgar, another king, kill a series of monsters that threaten his kingdom. He helps Hrothgar kill Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and The Firedrake. Beowulf is a hero because he is just an ordinary person who finds the strength to persevere and endure despite the overwhelming obstacles preventing him from doing so. Beowulf embodies Christopher Reeve’s definition of a hero because he defeated the flesh-eating Grendel, who could not be stopped even by groups of elite soldiers. Beowulf also killed Grendel’s mother, a much eviler being who lived in a cave in an endless pool of blood that led to hell. Finally, he defeated The Firedrake, who swelled up and breathed fire when angry.
Beowulf, like many modern heroes such as the ones we see in movies and read about in comic books has an unnatural amount of strength. Take superman for example, he has superhuman strength. Although Beowulf does not have the same amount of strength as superman he still has more than the average human. This gives him a typical “hero” trait that many people are familiar with today.
Being a hero can be defined many different ways. Several qualities like courage, respect, and strength can define heroism. A hero is noted for his or her actions for being brave, powerful, and acting with honor. In the epic poem, Beowulf, the main character Beowulf shows all of these characteristics by defending the Danish king, Hrothgar, and his people. He is a true hero by honoring his country and exerting his power and strength to protect others. Beowulf embodies the qualities of bravery, being powerful, and demonstrating his honor; therefore, he can be considered a true hero.
Most of us have heard of modern day heroes such as Spiderman, Superman, and the Hulk. Each is a hero to many children. Heroes are introduced to people early on in life usually as fictional characters, but as children grow older their perceptions of heroes alter. The characteristics of a hero are usually based around the ideas of a society or culture. In the epic Beowulf, the main character is thought of as a hero. Beowulf, a pagan warrior and the main character of the epic, shows certain characteristics such as bravery, loyalty, and generosity, which portray him as a hero. It is interesting how modern day heroes show the much of the same qualities as Beowulf.
Secondly, Beowulf is daring and wild like Spider-Man. Beowulf is daring in many ways, and is not afraid to try new things and take risks. Beowulf will do whatever he has to in order to keep his country safe including going into a lake full of monsters. As stated in the book, “He leaped into the lake…” (Raffel, 1963, l.467). Spider-Man is different from Beowulf, in the fact that he can swing from building to building using webs that come from his fingers. Beowulf and Spider-Man are similar by the risks they take. Beowulf takes many risks to save his country. “Beowulf resolves to kill Grendel’s monstrous mother…” (Raffel, 1963, p.52). Beowulf is daring and takes many risks.
Beowulf was a hero not only because of his physical strength, but also for his concern for other people. “The hero must move beyond human limits in order to have the capacity to combat the monstrous forces that threaten the social order;” (Sharma 264) Beowulf has been deemed by most to have superhuman strength, but his superhuman strength alone does not make Beowulf any more a hero than Grendel’s strength makes him a hero. Beowulf rises above the limits of a regular human being
Being a hero can mean many different things. A modern day hero might be someone who has a strong moral code or someone that has extraordinary powers and abilities but, looking back in time the meaning of a hero has changed slightly. During Anglo-Saxon times, being a hero meant being loyal to their lord and god, having a sense of duty, being selfless, having honor, being intelligent, and boasting. It also meant being brave and having courage, having a sense of justice, and having larger than life strength. A great example of an Anglo-Saxon hero is Beowulf from “Beowulf,” written by an unknown author. In this poem, Beowulf exemplifies the characteristics of an Anglo-Saxon hero because he was brave and courageous, he had superhuman strength, and he had a unique sense of justice.
Superman, Spiderman, and Batman are heroes! They possess the two traits that are needed in western civilization to be considered a hero: wisdom and fortitude. These modern heroes have wisdom and fortitude. Did Beowulf possess these traits? Beowulf shows he is a hero through both his wisdom and fortitude throughout his adventures. Beowulf is a great hero because he possesses both wisdom and fortitude.
The novel Beowulf, A New Translation with an Introduction. by Burton Raffel, is an epic tale of good vs evil. Beowulf is the idealistic hero of the Middle Ages based on his generosity, strength, and courage. He puts his life on the line for an entire kingdom by protecting his people and proves his worthiness of a superior warrior. He is continually recognized for his strength and courage. Beowulf is not so different from modern day superheroes such as Captain America in the movie Avengers: Age of Ultron. Captain America defeats evil with his mighty shield and protects the people through his generosity to protect Earth, his strength, and courage. The protagonist of both the novel and movie share commonalities of a superhero.
Beowulf and Superman are characters that define what it means to be an epic hero. Epic heroes are leaders, warriors, or rulers that possess characteristics that provide for the betterment of their people. Although they are similar in many ways, Beowulf and Superman are also different in many ways to. Beowulf is known as a great warrior with unmatched fighting skills, and Superman is known as a man from another world that has god like powers. Beowulf and Superman possess the characteristics of battling supernatural foes, superhuman capabilities, and unmatched warriors.
The concept of hero is never outdated in literary. Every author has their own understanding of how a hero should be like, and all heroes live and behave differently according to the society they live in. The definition of hero is much broader than a man with superpower. In Beowulf and The Great Gatsby, both of the protagonist, Beowulf and Jay Gatsby are considered heroes in the story. Although both of them embody the values of their societies, Beowulf is a more successful hero because he truly reaches the expectations that his society has for a hero and embraces the reality, which leads him to sacrifices his life for a more worthy cause.
Every epic hero possesses certain heroic characteristics. Beowulf, like other epic heroes, possesses the following heroic qualities: epic heroes are superhuman types of beings. They have a noble birth and show great bravery. They display great intelligence and resourcefulness. They have a reverence for G-d and for the values of their society. They are dominant male figures and suffer severe pain, but in the end, they conquer evil (Vivone 9/27/99). In addition to Beowulf’s heroic qualities, he is very strong. Beowulf was said to have “the strength of thirty [men] in his mighty handgrip” (Bloom 11). Early proof of Beowulf’s extraordinary strength is evidenced by his dismemberment of Grendel’s limb, the fight in the cave under water, and the
Heroes, from Beowulf to Superman our cultures have always created heroes. We may always have political, social, economic and religious differences, but at the end of the day we all have one thing in common, heroes. They help define who we are and what we want to be. They give us hope and inspire us to head in the right direction. They show us that good will always triumph over evil and that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Heroes give us the inspiration we need to overcome problems in our own lives and that is why we create them. Beowulf perfectly embodies the idea of a hero. He defeats the evil Grendel and his mother, slays the dragon and saves his people. He is
In the movie Spider-Man, the hero has a rivalry with the Green Goblin. The Green Goblin taunted Spiderman for a very long time until the alter ego of Peter Parker had enough of the Goblin. Every encounter between Spiderman and Green Goblin always turn into a retreat of the Goblin but at the very end of the movie, Spiderman turns out to be victorious. Spiderman is considered to be a modern day hero. An Anglo-Saxon hero is a hero from the Medieval years and fights with swords, not spider webs. Just like Beowulf, he wins a lot of his battles. Each hero has his own special characteristics that make him unique. In the poem Beowulf, the hero clearly demonstrates bravery, boastfulness and super strength within his fights.
What others deem impossible, a hero makes possible. There are only a few great heroes that come about in this time and Beowulf is definitely one of them. He is a great warrior and leader, a perfect description for him. Heroes only came along once in a while in this culture but it was well known when they did.