The epic poem Beowulf begins with an account of Beowulf's lineage, so readers know that he is, on the most basic level, human. However, he is a descendant of kings, and the idea of heroic kingship was a pervasive one in Anglo-Saxon and earlier Germanic poetry. The heroes of heroic poetry were often portrayed as being more than human, and Beowulf is no exception.

In this story, we see Beowulf boasting that he is able to hold his breath underwater for many days, which no ordinary human could do. He is also possessed of superhuman strength—that of thirty normal men. It is notable, too, when thinking about Beowulf's battle with Grendel's mother, that the same word (aglaeca) is used to describe both characters. This has led many scholars to debate the meaning of the word and, controversially, it is often translated as "devil" when it is being used to describe Grendel's mother, while it is usually given a more positive connotation when it is being used to describe Beowulf. Arguably, however, in both cases it simply means that these characters are awe-inspiring, more than human, possessed of superhuman strength, and thus able to compete with each other in a way in which other humans would not.

At the end of his life, however, Beowulf is mortal, like all men, and he thinks sorrowfully about the work of the giants (enta) who have gone before him.