Compare And Contrast The Hero And Beowulf

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What is hero? A hero, under the Merriam-Webster definition, is a person who is admired for brave/great acts or fine qualities. This is a very broad definition that combines both ancient and modern belief of what --or who-- a hero should be. Beowulf is an epic poem that focuses on an Anglo-Saxon hero. As such he embodies the traits that his culture valued most. Deadpool, on the other hand, portrays the most recent ideas of what traits a hero should embody. With these examples from contrasting periods, we are still able to see similarities and differences that shows how modern and Anglo-Saxon idea of heroism reflects its culture.
Origin of power. Deadpool attained his power when a research facility--Department K-- gave Deadpool Wolverine’s power to be able to regenerate at a super human rate. Differently, Beowulf was born with his superhuman abilities rather than obtained it through “surgical” means. The Anglo-Saxons …show more content…

In the film, Deadpool is insane, quick witted, and--at times-- inappropriate, while Beowulf is confident, brave, and cunning. Deadpool has regenerative abilities, immune to diseases, and fast speed, while Beowulf has a magical sword, water breathing ability, and incredible strength. Both Beowulf and Deadpool were looked upon as strong, invincible, and basically legendary. While both heroes have superhuman abilities, their personalities are quite different. Nonetheless, the heroes characteristics fits in the time period in which they are set. Anglo-Saxon epic hero needed to be overly brave and powerful-- which is seen in Beowulf when he managed to massacre a lake full of monsters (Beowulf, line 575-578). On the other hand, modern heroism portrays personalities or qualities seen in actual modern society: free, wild, and expressive. From the qualities portrayed, it could be understood how the Anglo-Saxons wanted a brave and powerful hero, while modern society wants a hero in which it can relate to--like how normal modern people

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