Beowulf: Why Do Superheroes Come From?

Where does the idea of a superhero come from? Superheroes like Spiderman, Batman, and Superman have derived from a poem that began as an oral story during the Anglo-Saxon time. These superheroes always do good things, and make good choices and fights bad guy rather than being the villain. The question is why do these superheroes do these good things? The answer is because of this poem. In the poem, Beowulf, there are three primary motivations behind the actions that he takes that inspire the superhero stories.

One motivation for Beowulf’s actions is duty. He felt as though he had a duty to his and all people to aid the Danes and lead them to victory. In the text, Beowulf says, “My people have said, the wisest, most knowing and best of them, that my duty as to go to the Danes’ Great king.” A duty is a form of obligation or responsibility to take action. It is an action that one must take

Instead of wanting whiners, they want doers so they could get the job done. The text says, “Better for a man to avenge a friend than much to mourn.” Everyone dies, and when we do, we need respect before we go. However, respect doesn’t just come, instead, we have to go out and get it ourselves, in other words, earn it. Beowulf wants to be remembered and looked up to before he goes. He wants that earned respect before he dies. A final motivation for Beowulf’s actions is because he wants to leave something behind for his people. When you are a part of a group, there will be times when you will have to take care of them. Beowulf has become a leader and due to his old age, will be leaving behind his people soon, therefore motivating him to take the actions that he took. When Grendel dies he rewards his people with his generosity in his death and shares the jewels and gold with his people. When he dies he wants to be remembered with a lighthouse because he wants to lead his people to