The monster leaps from building to building, swinging his gigantic hands at the snake-like aliens. Conflict ensues. After the dust settles, only one figure remains. The hulking giant is once again the winner. The amazing battle scenes depicted in the film The Avengers partially contributed to the film's great success. However, the film's gross revenue of over a billion dollars is mainly due to the dynamic heroes portrayed in the film. The green beast, called the Hulk, is a recognizable individual, representing the characteristics idealized by American society. In human form, Hulk is actually the sensitive and intelligent Bruce Banner, who constantly battles his own fiery temper. In addition to captivating fans, the Hulk is a modern archetype of an epic hero. Regardless of the time period of the literature, all epic heroes share common characteristics. These individuals are of noble birth or hold a crucial role in their societies, determining the fate of others, manifesting the values ​​idealized by their communities, and performing courageous actions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The literary term “epic hero” originates in ancient times, when epic poems like Beowulf were originally popular. The protagonist of this Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf, is extremely similar to the Hulk, as this ancient warrior is also the symbol of the ideals of his civilization. Thus, both the epic heroes Beowulf, from the epic poem Beowulf, and the Hulk, from the film The Avengers, highlight the contrasting meaning of noble blood, illustrate the shared emphasis on physical strength between the two cultures, and show the different motivations of courageous courage. feats of modern Anglo-Saxon and American civilization. As epic heroes, Beowulf emphasizes the need for powerful family relationships in Anglo-Saxon society, while Banner's humble roots and prominent social role illustrate the insignificance of ancestors in American culture. Unlike Banner, Beowulf's essential position in Anglo-Saxon society is partly due to his noble relatives, in addition to his role as a warrior. Beowulf is the grandson of King Higlac, ruler of the ancient Geats. This emphasis on nobility is a key trait of Anglo-Saxon culture, in which warriors maintain loyalty to their high-ranking leaders. Indeed, Beowulf's position as a prince contributes largely to his status as a warrior. When Beowulf decides to fight Grendel, an evil monster who has killed thousands of soldiers, the hero first uses his prestige to earn the king's permission (Beowulf 127-159). The hero's aristocratic origins allow Beowulf to change the fate of the Anglo-Saxons. society from ruin to liberation. Therefore, the hero's nobility allows him to meet the first and second criteria of an epic hero, being of noble blood and determining the fate of others. Therefore, nobility and social status are key aspects of Anglo-Saxon culture. In total contrast to Beowulf, Hulk's classification as an epic hero is due to his imperative role as the protector of current American civilization, rather than noble blood. Hulk fills his position as a warrior in the film The Avengers, mainly contributing to the defeat of Loki, a powerful demigod. In one battle in the film, Hulk stops Loki's minions from conquering New York City and the world, helping them on their path to victory (The Avengers). In doing so, the Hulk holds an invaluable position in his society, changing the destinies of millions of billions of individuals. Ergo, Hulk highlights the American emphasisabout the individual and the lack of focus on family ties, all while fulfilling the first and second qualifications of an epic hero. Thus, both the epic heroes Beowulf and the Hulk highlight the emphasis each society maintains on nobility or social contributions. The epic heroes Beowulf and the Hulk also display a characteristic prized in both societies: unparalleled physical strength. Throughout the poem, Beowulf completes physically strenuous tasks with ease. In one instance, Beowulf strikes Grendel's mother with a huge sword blessed by giants, which no ordinary man should be able to wield (Beowulf 513-519). Consequently, Beowulf is the archetype of strength. This ideal is highly valued in ancient Anglo-Saxon society, which was once full of war, bloodshed, and instability. Thus, Beowulf embodies the valuable traits of his respective civilization, fulfilling another requirement of being an epic hero. Hulk also meets this standard through his embodiment of the same quality maintained by Beowulf. In today's American society, citizens continue to value physical strength. As a model with this feature, Hulk's stature is enormous. In the movie The Avengers, the green giant throws cars like you easily throw rocks (The Avengers). Thus, Hulk symbolizes physical strength, which is highly valued in American culture. This admiration for physical ability is highlighted in the hero's society through the popular nature of football, a sport that is arguably similar to war. In this way, Hulk fulfills yet another qualification of epic hero, representing an ideal valued by his society. Thus, both the epic heroes Beowulf and the Hulk exemplify great strength, a quality idealized in their respective civilizations. Both epic heroes Beowulf and Hulk performed a series of incredibly courageous deeds, earning contrasting rewards based on each character's accepted ambitions. place of origin. Beowulf, for example, chooses to swim to the bottom of a demon-infested lake to defeat a sea witch. In exchange for the protagonist's courage, the king of the Danes provides Beowulf with a mountain of treasure (Beowulf 410-441). The reward earned by the hero demonstrates that Anglo-Saxons were once incentivized by physical wealth during their daily lives, while Beowulf's courageous action contributes to his classification as an epic hero. In contrast, the Hulk performs courageous acts without receiving much tangible reward in return. Banner is actually hiding in a poor Indian village during the early moments of The Avengers movie, trying to avoid special recognition. In one particular scene of the film, the Hulk charges into battle against Loki and his fellow aliens, with the only possible reward being the opportunity to help the innocent (The Avengers). As a result, Hulk's courageous acts as an epic hero demonstrate that Americans are motivated by selfless heroism in their daily lives, striving to protect the innocent without receiving any compensation. Based on this, Hulk fulfilled another classification of epic hero, as he performs courageous acts. Furthermore, Beowulf highlights the Anglo-Saxon value of physical treasure, while Hulk displays the American ideal of selfless courage. Beowulf and Hulk are the epitome of epic heroes, highlighting the different ideals of Anglo-Saxon and American cultures. Both of these individuals influence the fate of millions of people, which is one of the various criteria of an epic hero. However, Beowulf's family relationships led to his social status, while Hulk's personal actions led to his crucial role as protector of the American public. Therefore, in fulfilling the second characteristic of epic heroes, being of noble.