The topic of the Byronic and Romantic heroes really
interested me and caught my attention this week. Heroes are a big part of our
entertainment. People go crazy over the new Batman, Spiderman, and Iron Man
films—it is just the way we are as a society.
We are captivated by the heroism, the strength, talent, intelligence,
and the pure uniqueness of these super heroes. But the real question is why?
What about them draws us in? Is it the fact that they go against society’s
rules and the government? Is it how arrogant/confident they are; yet they
possess this charismatic quality about themselves? I think it helps people be
someone they are not, but at the same time they are relatable in many ways. How
many of you as little kids dressed up as these characters for Halloween? I’m
guessing many of you! It’s cause superheroes draw us in…we all want to have
that mysterious and awesome superpower.
Check out this link on more insight as to why we are
obsessed with superheroes:
I like this link because it shows how we can relate to these
superheroes. They can be flawed like us; we are not perfect and neither are
they. It also is interesting that this article talks about how these
superheroes fight and conquer all who are most currently trending in the world.
For example, Batman has fought the Nazi’s and has attacked Pearl Harbor. In one
of his most recent films, he has fought Bane, the villain, who has a ton of new
technical gadgets (in today’s technical society we are so intrigued by
this). This goes for many of the other
superheroes too. Adam West, a start in the ‘60’s version of the Batman movie,
said it best: “superheroes never grow old. They just change with the times.”
I chose this link for you guys to check out because it
touches on the universality of the popularity of superheroes (a unique trait
that makes them universal):
One of my favorite points that this link makes is the
biblical references. Who knew that the origin of these superheroes could be
traced back biblically? Do you guys believe the point that this author is
making? Do you see connections between superheroes and religion? If so, what?
For the last link, I want to direct you to the last section
labeled “examples”:
I liked this section because it shows a bunch of different
types of heroes—specifically Byronic heroes (heroes that are arrogant,
charismatic, and self-destructive—“mad, bad, and dangerous to know”). It shows
that all [Byronic] heroes come in different shapes and sizes. However, all
these characters are well known, linking back to out obsession of the superhero
theme in our society’s entertainment.
Wow! This blog was really fun to read. I loved all the examples you provided to back up your stance on superheroes. And while I didn’t dress up as a superhero for Halloween as a youngster (I was a cat for like 8 years in a row, original…I know), many of my friends did! In fact, I watched my younger cousins become obsessed with superheroes as they grew older, and I am about to watch my brother go through the same stage. Something about a person who is undoubtedly brave and invincible is so engaging to us. Maybe because we all wish to have that sort of life and be as brave as them? I think this could be related to books and literature. We all love the good guy, the one who comes in a saves the day and makes the story end happily ever after. At the same time, we also are for some reason drawn to those Byronic heroes—the “bad boys” of the story. I completely agree with your take on these superheroes, and I enjoyed how much you related it to our own lives. Great post!
ReplyDelete-The homies from 372 (Tara and Ruben)
Nice blog carnival!
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