Beowulf and Superman Essay - 689 Words

Beowulf, an anonymous English epic, is an archaic poem written in the times of the Anglo-Saxon reign in England. It speaks of a mighty hero, Beowulf, who through his great courage, strength, and cunning is able to defeat evil and vicious monsters and save his people. Beowulf shows great power and resourcefulness, and in this way is similar to one of my heroes, Superman. Beowulf and Superman have many similarities and differences. Superman and Beowulf have some obvious similarities. For instance, Superman is just about the coolest superhero around, just like Beowulf was in the Middle Ages. First, a little background. In the story, Grendel had been stomping around the land, ripping people to shreds and eating them. Beowulf, a†¦show more content†¦Many people today still strive towards this end, but the ideal is no longer simply to have money. The ideal American would be like Superman; strong, brave, compassionate, willing to do what he knows is right, and always trying to help others. In Medieval England, the only way to gain respect was to have money. In Modern America, it is possible to gain respect by helping people and doing what you can to keep others safe. More people today value a person for the good things that they do instead of how much money that they have. A person can be rich, but thought of as a bad person, if they do not put at least part of their money to good use. A poor workin g man who volunteers at the homeless shelter is much more respected than the rich tycoon in his penthouse. In the Anglo-Saxon times, they still respected people who did great things. Beowulf was a hero because of his great strength and courage, and was probably respected more than many lords. But when the peasants dreamed of a happy future, they dreamt about gold and treasure, not about helping others. People today, who are better off financially, can think more about a philanthropical lifestyle. Beowulf lived in the 8th century in England. Superman lives in the 20th century in the United States. But despite the geographical and chronological distances between them, they have very similar attributes andShow MoreRelatedComparison of Beowulf to Superman966 Words   |  4 PagesHeroes. From the timeless tale of Beowulf to the well-known chronicles of Superman, cultures all throughout the world have taken it upon themselves to weave a fabrication of a fantastic being, said being a hero of a sorts, that always makes it to defeat the bad guy and save the day. Even whence we as human beings always tend to have our political, social, economic and religious differences, at the end of the day we all have one thing in common that fills our dreams with hopes of the future, of safetyRead MoreComparing Beowulf and Superman Essay620 Words   |  3 PagesThe epic Beowulf shows us how a mans’ character is tested as he encounters difficult situations. The unknown author of Beowulf, leaves behind a mystique, an intriguing quality with which the character which hold our interest. The modern-day hero, Superman, also possesses these same qualities. Their modest actions are what helped these hero’s to become their peoples’ â€Å"ideal man.† nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The first quality that earns a person’s respect between Beowulf and SupermanRead MoreEssay about Beowulf and Superman601 Words   |  3 Pageswho is famous for possessing some extraordinary gift. Beowulf, the title character of an epic poem and Superman, a more modern day hero are both prime examples. Beowulf and Superman exhibit several differences, but they also share some similar qualities. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Beowulf possessed great strength that separated him from other men. Being able to use a sword that no ordinary man was able to carry gives the feeling that Beowulf is something more than a human being. It makes him specialRead MoreSimilarities Between Hero And Beowulf Superhero753 Words   |  4 Pagesabilities. Beowulf is a superhero like the well known superheroes in television. Beowulf has similar characteristics to Incredible Hulk, Superman, and Spider-Man. Although Beowulf shares many characteristics, he also has many that makes him unique. Beowulf is strong like Incredible Hulk, but does not hurt anyone unless necessary. Beowulf is brave like Superman, although he is not as big. Lastly, Beowulf is daring like Spider-Man, even though he cannot shoot webs from his hands. Beowulf is like noRead MoreBeowulf : Characteristics Of An Epic Hero978 Words   |  4 PagesAhissa Rice Mrs. Scheel 2Y English 12 20/11/17 Beowulf: Characteristics of an Epic Hero In Anglo-Saxon literature and culture, to be considered a hero was to also be considered a warrior/ soldier. To be a hero, you had to not only be strong but you also had to be smart, and have plenty of courage. These warriors were willing to face any type of trials and tribulations at any odd. These types of heroic warriors would fight to the death to obtain glory and save their people. The Anglo-Saxon hero neededRead MoreThe Many Heroes of Our Day963 Words   |  4 Pagesto the king.. In the story Beowulf, it says Â….had been served as hed boasted hed serve them: Beowulf, a prince of the Geats, had killed Grendel... (Beowulf pg. 24 lines 119-120). It is clearly sated that he boasted about his victory in killing Grendel. It was not a humble action he had done, but one to gain more fame and glory and to emphasize his victory. And then, in the morning, crowds surrounded Herot, warriors coming to that hall from faraway landsÂ… (Beowulf pg. 24 lines 127- 129) TheRead MoreBeowulf vs. Modern Day Superhero726 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"It’s a bird...it’s a plane...no! It’s Superman!† When people say a modern day superhero, the names â€Å"Spiderman†, â€Å"Superman†, and â€Å"Catwoman† flash into mind. However, we forget about one of the most influential superheroes of today’s time; a soldier. Despite the differences, there are many similarities between Be owulf and a soldier because the two have more in common than we realize. As much as two great humans could have so much in common, Beowulf and a soldier have differences as most peopleRead MoreBeowulf As An Epic Hero Essay1545 Words   |  7 PagesBeowulf is considered to be an epic hero. A character such as himself can even be considered in the same class as different DC Comic heroes such Superman, Batman, Green Lantern or The Flash. It is acceptable to list Beowulf with these heroes due to all of his heroic efforts defeating various monsters and enemies and the fact that he has a DC Comic made about him. Beowulf is a hero that defies the logic of your typical comic book hero; he possesses his own attributes and is in a class of his own withRead MoreBeowulf Is The Hero Of All Heroes958 Words   |  4 Pagesabout their pros as in good things about them and their cons as in bad things. I will also choose one modern day hero to come pare my ancient hero to and tell you where he from either a movie or a comic book. Beowulf is my ancient hero. I chose Beowulf because of all the qualities he has. Beowulf is the hero of all heroes’ he is strong, and courageous. He would risk his own life to save other people life s. He never back down to any person or thing and has never run any from a fight. He throws hisRead More Heroism in Beowulf Essay1449 Words   |  6 PagesSuperman, 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. Wisdom is one of the traits of hero, but what is wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to make the