Beowulf’s masculinity is typical for most classical epic literature, he is strong and brave and a fighter before anything else. He is a typical brute-like heroic protagonist. While the modern hero breaks away from this stereotype, what they retain from Beowulf is supernatural powers. Beowulf has superhuman strength and unparalleled endurance, the basis of most modern heroes. While modern heroes add onto strength and endurance, even the simplest heroes will still possess a basis of superhuman strength. Often considered the first superhero, Superman, has superhuman strength, endurance, along with speed and invulnerability. Originally, he had a more grounded power set like classic heroes, he could not yet fly nor shoot lasers from his eyes nor did he have x-ray vision. In his debut he leapt instead of flying. It is clear to see how characters like Beowulf would later become inspiration for the superheroes we love today.

Something that has shifted from old heroism is how said hero gains their superhuman abilities. In many old epics, it's based in religion as stories were a way to enforce religious beliefs and religion was a vital part of society. As artists and society as a whole put less emphasis on religion, it no longer became the origin of our heroes' powers, instead it shifted to science. Superman never got his powers from God, but he got them from the sun. This makes since for the first of his kind, it's a mix of both sci-fi and religion in a wat. The sky, with an importance placed on the big yellow ball of gas, has been where the Gods have lived in most major religions. The Greek pantheon in Olympus, the Norse pantheon in Asgard, and the Abrahamic God in Heaven. When we get into the Silver Age of comics (1956-1970), new superheroes of the time are complete sci-fi based such as the X-men who gain their powers from a genetic mutation, Daredevil who is blinded and empowered by a chemical accident from Marvel, and the Flash, from DC, who gains the ability of super speed from a lad accident gone wrong. As religion became separated from daily life, so too did it separate from our heroes.

Roach, David, Sanderson, Peter. "the Flash". Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Jun. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/the-Flash. Accessed 15 May 2026. “Superman’s Powers over the Years – Comics Archeology.” Comicsarcheology.com, 19 Apr. 2025, comicsarcheology.com/index.php/2025/04/19/supermans-powers/. Accessed 15 May 2026.

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This piece, a drinking vessel in the shape of a fist, is a clear example of how masculinity was viewed in the ancient near east. It is sculped in a way that shows extraordinary physical strength with rough, detailed knuckles, insinuating to violence. The size of the hand further captures the masculine figure. The imagine on the cuff of the hand depicts the "Great King Tudhaliya" as he pours a ritual liquid in front of an alter for the storm god, with five of his followers witnessing, some of whom are playing instruments. Since the carving represents a king, the strength shown is now from a common man who gained his physique through physical labor but a trained noble or king who's strength would be used for battle and power rather than agriculture. It shows what these societies expected from their leaders -- from them to be hypermasculine powerful men who help strength for violence and defense. This also compares to our current expectations for leaders, it's traditionally standard for a man to be head of a household and for men to practice sternness, be athletic, and to control in some way. Men, historically, held almost every position of power within the US government and abled bodied people are valued more than than those with disabilities.

This strength of ordinary men is something that is rarely reflected in modern heroism. After the Silver Age of comics (1956-1970), sci-fi explanation for powers and enhanced individuals became the norm. There were no more superheroes that were more hero than super. Although, some break out of this norm, the most famous example being Batman. While one might think that he may possess powers, he does not. He regularly goes head to head with aliens superpowered by the sun or chemically altered villains while having no enhancements himself. He survives off his resources and mind alone on the battlefield.

Although the ordinary man is less likely to be regarded as a superhero, modern heroes are certainly more diverse with many of them, particularly from Marvel, being disabled. Daredevil, Winter Soldier, Hawkeye, and Professor X are all famous Marvel superheroes who are disabled who have also received numerous adaptations, being blind, an amputee, deaf, and paralyzed respectively . Women are also more present in the hero role in the modern day. Wonder Woman, from DC, is one of the most famous superheroes in general, not just out of woman superheroes, a character who regularly out-strengths her male counterparts.

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One of the most important parts to Sita's story in the Ramayana is that Sita is kidnapped by Ravana and when Rama rescues her she must prove herself to still be pure via trial of fire. It's insinuated that Ravana has raped Sita and now she is sexually sullied. Despite the nonconsensual nature Rama still accuses Sita of being dirty, refusing to comfort her after a traumatic event. With the modern hero, this idea is not completely discarded. Jessica Jones, one of the more prominent woman heroes of modern comics, has a similar traumatic history to Sita. She was kidnapped under mind control and forced to do sexual as well as violent acts for a man named Zebediah Killgrave or Purple Man due to his purple skin. In the 2019 comic. Jessica Jones: Purple Daughter by Kelley Thompson, Jones is accused of cheating on her husband, Luke Cage, when their daughter's skin turns purple. Despite Jones' trauma, Cage fails to support her in the ways that she needs from her partner just as Rama had failed Sita. Cage does eventually come to be a supporting figure, more so scared for his family than forcing his wife to walk through fire. Still, the theme of women being victim blamed for assault persists with the modern hero, speaking to a larger societal issue of how women are treated and how toxic forms of masculinity can influence ones actions.

Matter, Brittany. “‘Jessica Jones: Purple Daughter’: The Creators on How Jessica’s Past Continues to Haunt Her.” Marvel, Marvel Entertainment, 25 Jan. 2019, www.marvel.com/articles/comics/jessica-jones-purple-daughter-the-creators-on-how-jessica-s-past-continues-to-haunt-her.

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Draupadi's representation of masculinity continues with physical strength, with violence through display of competent weapon use. Their violence is used to win over women, as if their objects, just as it's used to win wars. Violence ties in to how men have been expected to be superior, to be demanding as violence is used to protect that power. With the modern superhero, weapons are often numerous, although, with modern standards of the hero those with lethal weapons are regarded as anti-heroes. The heroes of the modern age have morals against killing, compassion now being valued along with strength. Even with superheroes who maintain a dark demeanor, stoic and emotionless, such as Daredevil and Batman can maintain non-lethality making them dynamic characters in the eyes of masculinity. Despite their masculinity, they do not kill, they care for others. and they give hope while also being powerful both in status and physical strength.

Women, nonparticipants in masculinity, are just as important to the modern hero as they were to the ancient, and often in the same manner. They are used as motivation for the masculine protagonist, just as Draupadi is used here to make the Five Pandavas show off their masculinity. Daredevil has had a plethora of love interests, but they differ from this damsel in distress stereotype as they are all women with enough power to protect themselves. Karen Page is a journalist who often takes on controversial stories that land her in trouble and Elektra Natchios went through the same combat training as the man himself as well as having more social status and wealth than him. This has in no way been the standard for modern hero's love interests but it certainly shows a change in how women are viewed. One of the most famous examples of how woman can be used to boaster the performance of heroic men is in Green Lantern #54 (1994) where the hero protagonist find his love interest, Alexandra DeWitt, murdered and stuffed in a fridge. This plotline is used simply for the hero to be called into action against the villain who committed such a heinous act. From this came the term "women in refrigerators", a phenomenon where women are disproportionately made to be the victims of violence in media, often for the sake of giving the male protagonist as call to action.

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Wikipedia contributors. "Women in refrigerators." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 28 Mar. 2026. Web. 4 May. 2026.

Xerxes is insulted for his violence rather than praised at they are actions taken without proper thought. Unlike Gilgamesh who is praised for his strength no matter how said strength is being used, showing the differences in a man's role -- particularly a ruling man. In ancient Persia it was more valued to rule with compassion rather than fear and the eradication of your enemies, Xerxes goes against this.

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Here, instead of Darius being represented sternly, he tries to be empathetic to his son's plight in Atossa's dream. This shows Darius having not only strength but intelligence, adding to what is seen as masculine. Aeschylus, living in Athens -- a hub of intellect -- respected Darius for having this trait despite their homes being sworn enemies. Treating Darius like a hero creates a dynamic character we still see in modern heroes. While Superman is revered for his strength and character, others like Batman and Mister Fantastic are admired for their intelligence. Masculinity being associated with intelligence is not a new concept either -- men are not expected to be mindless oafs -- schools were opened only for men for most of history with women being barred off from the life of a scholar. Aeschylus' unique perspective as an Athenian would value educated and competent minds.

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The Persians differs from stories such as The Epic of Gilgamesh and Ramayana by the power that women in the story hold as well as how it critics the actions of Xerxes. Atossa is not a hopeless damsel in distress who watches her son through himself at death to avenge his father, she goes to the elders to use her political power to make her son pull back from Athens.

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In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is perceived as a hero due to his hypermasculine features, even when he is tyrannical because physical strength is what was valued in men. One could argue that the ideal man in any society would be one that is considered a hero, and in our modern concessions the best heroes cannot just be strong but must also be kind. Two of the most "ideal" heroes, Captain America and Superman, are men who along with being built like bodybuilders are also kind first and foremost, they stan for hope. This is how our modern conception has changed. Gilgamesh's tyranny is not seen as a good thing in the story, it is about he can change despite seemingly having everything. The difference is that many modern heroes start good. Still, other elements besides the strength stay the same, for example, these heroes also must have some kind of enhancement like Gilgamesh did. He was made by a goddess to be perfect just like Steve Rogers was made to be perfect by the super soldier serum, and Clark Kent was made to be superpowered by the sun.

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The queer reading of The Epic of Gilgamesh, agreed upon by many scholars, unsurprisingly speaks to the characters as heroes even in the modern age. A big strong man taking a more feminine man under his wing so they can experience the world together and all has to offers is a classic queer trope we see in The Epic of Gilgamesh as well as Batman. As a character, Batman has always been campy, he's a grown man who fights crime in a spandex bat costume, but in the 1940s when his younger and more notably lithe athletic sidekick, Robin or Dick Grayson, was introduced, there was no denying the queer subtext. Like Gilgamesh and Enkidu, they complete each other in their ventures with fighting gods and the criminals in the streets of Gotham City. Queer masculinity is reliant on big burly men, just the same as heroes old and new. These two worlds interconnecting is no surprise. The comic industry as it is today was built by minorities, by Jewish, queer, trans, and black and brown creatives living in New York City. Their subject matter speaks to that.

Tse, Chris. “Holy Homoerotica, Batman! | Te Papa.” Govt.nz, Museum of New Zealand, 2017, www.tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/lgbtqi-histories-aotearoa-new-zealand/holy-homoerotica-batman. Accessed 15 May 2026.

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Sita Sings the Blues has an interesting mix of ancient and modern views of masculinity, as the source text Ramyana was very heavy in its views of gender roles. Sita is a damsel in distress character without a real voice even, mirroring how Nina Paley felt about her relationship, and she depends on Rama for everything, being made to serve him as his wife. Rama is meant to be an extremely masculine figure, who follows his duties perfectly and deals with hardships flawlessly. By way of his isolation due to exile, it makes him similar to modern heroes such as Spider-Man who is known for working alone. Both are tragic heroes who have been delt bad hands in life, Rama , through his spiteful stepmother and exile, and Spider-Man through his "Parker luck." Their love interests are also used similarly. When Sita is kidnapped, it gives Rama a reason to dominate the king Ravana via combat, to show that he is more of a man. Spider-Man's most infamous love interest, Gwen Stacy is also the victim of kidnapping although for different reasons. In the Spider-Man's case, instead of him proving himself as more of a man than the Green Goblin, fails. It becomes a great shame for the hero for over five decades. Both Gwen Stacy and Sita are victims because of the men they love and are used as weak spots for them. The difference with Spider-Man, that shows change in modern perspective of masculinity is that he not seen as weak for his failures nor is he any less popular. In fact, Spider-Man who was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko who was created with the intention of not being a stereotypically masculine superhero is one of the most, if not the most, popular modern heroes. While Rama is valued for being perfect, Spider-Man is valued for being flawed and human.

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