Outlaw Heroes

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A story that has long been told by many different cultures is the tale of the “outlaw hero”, or “Social Bandits”, as Eric Hobsbawm calls it in a book he wrote by the same name in 1969 (Seal, 2009). Outlaw heroes are almost always real people whose story has been built upon or aggrandized as it was passed around and down generations. The reason this type of story is so popular with listeners, readers, and onlookers is because they are the classic tales of the oppressed getting one up on the oppressors. Whether it’s about the poor getting over on the rich, the citizen getting over on the government, or the lowly servant getting over on the King or Queen, whatever the story, it’s something every day working people can relate to, vicariously. The best example of the “outlaw hero” adventure from my time is Robin Hood. Robin and his “merry” gang began their adventure into folklore around the 15th century in the form of plays and games during May Day. Since then, the story and characters have been changed and evolved to resonate with various audiences, appearing as cultural heroes, wealthy aristocrats, lowly commoners, and vicious villains; depending on who was in attendance. The perception of the audience towards Robin Hood has been very important in history because this type of story can …show more content…

From folklore and propaganda to inspiration and identity, how and why a story is skewed, changed, and evolved to fit the agenda is very telling. As for the “outlaw hero” tale, it has been used throughout time to influence and control perceptions and people. It has also been adapted and used as an effective marketing tool to attract men, women, and children of many different target segments, in many different media outlets. Stories have immense power; told the right way to the right people, they can alter governments, religions, and cultures, even society as we know

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