Little Coloured Bricks

Superman is reminiscent of mythical heroes from other traditions. This includes Hercules and his super strength and Samson who gets strength from his long locks.

This is not to say however that the superhero is an offshoot of Hercules or Samson or the two combined because as various scholars have said, Superman is a symbol for progress.

While Friedrich Nietzsche coined the term “Superman” it is not clear how much influence Nietzsche had on the superhero’s character. He however noted that that “..superman is someone who in discovering himself also discovers that it is in his best interests to reject any outside notions about values, trusting rather what he finds within himself.”[1]

The idea of change is what Superman represents and this was due to the circumstances when he was created i.e. during the Great Depression when people did not have much and when drastic social change was needed. This is not the whole breadth of Nietzsche’s explanation of what a superman is though that is why further reading is required if you want to know more about the real origin of the character. The gist is, Nietzsche says that a superman or an Ubermensch in his native tongue is fundamentally human but a human that transcends the limitations of religion, morality and society. In reflection to this, the creators of Superman the comic book superhero adheres to higher standard of adherence to the moral codes that Nietzsche mentioned.

Superman’s impact on American culture and in American English is undeniable. His popularity proved to be an inspiring force with other supporting characters used as inspiration in songs., The words Kryptonite, Bizarro and Brainiac are now used in the popular vernacular making it possible for a geek to say to the apple of his eye that she is his Kryptonite.