The Legend of Robin Hood

1153 Words3 Pages

The legend of Robin Hood is undoubtedly one of the most well-known tales of all time. Some historians claim that he is a purely mythical figure, while others point to indications that such a person may have existed. Real or not, the English story of Robin Hood and his Merry Men sets forth a captivating tale of a daring outlaw unrivalled in his archery capabilities. The nineteenth century witnessed a boom in the popularity of Robin Hood tales. The English action hero has even found a home at Hollywood and has become something of a movie star in several films, including one released very recently in 2010. Clearly, Robin Hood is one of popular culture’s most enduring folk heroes.
However, the fact of the matter is: there is no single story of Robin Hood. The written sources that exist are based on oral tradition, and obviously, the story in its entirety may vary. The first known mention of Robin Hood comes from late in the thirteenth century, and the first books were written centuries later. Therefore, it is difficult to conjure one story with complete factual accuracy. The following is the standard version as written by American author Howard Pyle and includes many major stories of Robin Hood’s endeavors.
Robin Hood first earned status as an outlaw at the age of eighteen. On the way to Nottingham to take part in an archery contest, he passed through the Sherwood Forest where he was challenged by a group of men to kill a deer at a distance of 300 yards. They bet a large sum of money that he could not hit the deer, but when Robin Hood succeeded in killing it, they refused to pay him. Now, at the time, the deer in a royal forest belonged to the king, and anyone caught poaching was subject to harsh punishments, one of which was to hav...

... middle of paper ...

...igure who bravely countered the villainous monarchy that unjustifiably persecuted him. Though this image is not truly accurate, seeing as Robin Hood was first portrayed as being highly mischievous and unlawful, the idea found its way into Hollywood. Robin Hood’s stories quickly developed into a myriad of films, a sign of the colossal vitalization of the stories of Robin Hood.
However, all of this commotion makes one wonder if Robin Hood was actually real.

Works Cited

Cawthorne, Nigel. A Brief History of Robin Hood. Philadelphia: Running Press Book
Publishers, 2010.

Robbins Library Digital Projects. “The Robin Hood Project.” Accessed March 17, 2013. http://d.lib.rochester.edu/robin-hood/text/chandler-robin-hood-development-of-a-popul ar-hero.

Wood, Michael. In search of England: Journeys into the English Past. Los Angeles:
University of California Press, 1999.

More about The Legend of Robin Hood

Open Document