Robin Hood: did the "noble robber" really exist.

The troops of King Richard of England are on the threshold of departure for the next Crusade. But in order for the kingdom to remain secure, it is necessary to leave a replacement on the throne, so that the appointment of a person manages affairs and protects the people from all kinds of problems from enemies. King Richard leaves a young prince named John on the throne. But he approaches government orders in a very peculiar way, literally only when he feels the power.

Being a very severe tyrant, instead of protecting the people of England, he only begins to bring trouble and disappointment to civilians. King Richard is already in France at this point, but thanks to Lady Marian, he still learns about the harsh reality. She is writing a letter for her lover, who is the Duke of Huntingdon. It is he who accompanies King Richard on a military campaign. Even though Huntingdon has been very busy, he still returns to his native land to fix everything. But at home, he, along with all the arrivals, is the enemy of the new king. The story of the legendary Robin Hood begins with this.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Traditions that have come down to our days said that once the brave King of England, Richard, went on a crusade to distant lands. He was remembered by his people as a good ruler. But leaving his kingdom, he was replaced by Prince Jonathan, who easily seized the throne. Unlike Richard, John was a real test for ordinary people, because he was driven only by greed and the desire for easy money. That is why he began to collect money from the general population of the kingdom. One of the ruined people was Senor Robin Loxley.

He fled to Sherwood Forest. It was there that he proclaimed himself Robin Hood, and also gathered a whole group of volunteers. The task of this company was to declare war on all the people of the new king. First, they needed to defeat Guy of Gisburne, as well as the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham. But also on love front Robin Hood will have a hard time to win the favor of the beautiful Marianne.

Rogue and Queen (1946)

The legendary hero Robin Hood called all his brave fighters to Sherwood Forest. He had to comb through all the expanses of this wonderful place in order to gather everyone together. The leader of the resistance explains to the free shooters that England and her freedom are once again in great danger.

The insidious tyrant wants to get the throne, immediately after sudden death King John. This time, William of Wembrud, better known as Lord Regen, claims the throne. It was he who once created the royal council. His tasks included the goal of canceling the ill-fated Liberty Charter, once invented by Robin Hood and his faithful assistants. Robert - the young son of Robin Hood now lead the forest brotherhood of archers to give the enemy a due rebuff.

Robin Hood's Revenge (1950)

1214 year. Great England experienced a lot of negative things during this period. The brother of the ruler came to the throne - new king John First. Direct relative of Richard, the good ruler. John has one favorite hobby - jousting. And this time Baldrick is fighting, who is the absolute champion, as well as the Earl of Huntington - Robin, the offspring of the legendary Robin Hood from Sherwood Forests.

John wishes a speedy death to the son of someone who once managed to avoid royal taxes. But having persuaded Baldrick to commit a crime, he still does not know what awaits him. Robin has inherited his father's courage, so he copes with his enemy. The king is very angry, so he poisons his troops in Huntington to collect all the debts from the past few years.

The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952)

The good-natured King Richard is once again embarking on a dangerous crusade. In order for the kingdom not to be left without a leader, he sends his brother to the throne. Now Prince John is the rightful king of these lands. But unlike his kind brother Richard, John immediately establishes very harsh laws.

Now all residents, including the complete poor, must pay a large tax. But most people don't have any money at all. Fortunately, there are heroes who are ready to resist the new order. Robin Fitsus, the brave son of a huntsman in the kingdom, secretly gathers archers and brave fighters in Sherwood Forest. Calling himself Robin Hood, he goes to the aid of all people in need.

Ivanhoe (1952)

Wilfred is a legendary knight of Saxony. In 1190, he returns in secret from the Third Crusade. While in England, he needs to collect gold in order to try to ransom the captive king. Richard the Lionheart is imprisoned by the enemy - the Austrian troops. Ivanhoe suddenly learns about the affairs of brother Richard.

John, who came to power in connection with such a situation, makes many wrong decisions. He wants to overthrow the former government. But to avoid this, Ivanhoe participates in a knightly battle. If he wins, then there will be enough money to return England to its former king.

People from Sherwood Forest (1954)

The English kingdom on the threshold of 1194 experienced not the best of times. King Richard was taken prisoner while on the Third Crusade. All this time, his brother, Prince John ruled the state. But now that Richard the Lionheart has returned to his palace, Jon is secretly plotting. He does not want to lose the power to which he is so accustomed. Even though he is related to Richard by blood, he organizes the assassination of the real king. But Richard's faithful henchmen find out about this and, gaining time, try to ask for help from the brave forest warrior - Robin Hood, who saved the situation more than once.

Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960)

There are many legends about the legendary fighter for the justice of the people of England - the brave and brave Robin Hood. being a noble robber, he often saved ordinary people from arbitrariness and injustice. As the leader of the resistance against the new order of the greedy king, he went ahead and always achieved his goals.

So this time he is faced with the impudent sheriff of Nottingham. Robin Hood will not allow a corrupt policeman to grab a family mansion from the heirs of the famous Lord Borty, a hero who bravely died in the fighting of the Third Crusade under the leadership of King Richard the First, better known as the Lionheart.

The Legend of Robin Hood (1970)

In order to return their king, England had to collect a serious ransom. Thanks to his henchmen, it still managed to be realized. King Richard was in captivity after a clash with Austrian forces. But the king's brother Lionheart - John, the young prince, who got the throne at this difficult moment for England, wants to take the entire ransom collected for himself.

Having felt the taste of power, the prince does not want to give it back, but wants to manage the whole era himself. But these plans are not destined to come true when the legendary band of forest robbers enters the confrontation path, led by the legendary Robin Roode himself - the king of Sherwood Forests.

Arrows of Robin Hood (1975)

Medieval English folk tales were full of ballads about the legendary forest robber - Robin Hood. It was he who hurried to help those in need and always punished those responsible for injustice. Acting with his gang, he was strong enough to have any enemies. For Robin Hood and the forest archers, it didn’t matter who was in front of them - a priest or a feudal lord. If this person brought only troubles and problems for civilians, then the gang severely punished the culprit. When they faced arbitrariness in relation to ordinary people, you can be sure that the villain will be punished.

Robin and Marian (1976)

King Richard died suddenly. Now Robin Hood, along with his best friend little John, have returned from the Crusades. Upon arrival in England, in the local Sherwood, Robin immediately runs into his longtime lover Marian. But the old enemies also did not leave these places, for example, the corrupt local sheriff. On this basis, the old enmity re-emerges. But for Robin, who is no longer so young, there is one desire - to live peacefully with his beloved in the forests. However, the new king gives the order to destroy all forest rebels.

The Sherwood Forest Artist (1980)

Soviet TV show.

Robin Hood is back on the warpath. But this time, not only old heroes are waiting for him, but also completely new faces. The daughter of the sheriff, with whom Robin had fought for so long, entered his heart. Maria is incredibly beautiful. Even though the forest archer has a beautiful lover, Marian, he couldn't resist Maria's charms. Being between two fires, Robin will have to face the next outbursts of injustice. But thanks to true friends, he will again rebuff those who decided to commit injustice.

Ivanhoe (1982)

Ivanhoe is an Englishman, a legendary knight who, due to the tricks of his enemies, loses his name. He is deprived of everything, even his inheritance and possessions. He no longer has the opportunity to be with his beloved. The only thing he has is his honor, which he will not give up for anything. Now the enemies will have to pay for all the suffering. Now, wielding your sword, and also enlist the support of your true friends in the person of the robber Robin Hood, together with the mighty Black Knight, he will give a due rebuff to all the villains who caused him such pain. Their enemy Brian de Boisguillebert, along with his henchmen, does not yet know what awaits him.

Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe (1982)

One of the most legendary stories about the adventures of the valiant knight Ivanhoe. A brave warrior returns from a long crusade. Now he wants to return his good name, merit, inheritance, and also to win the favor of his beautiful beloved. Ivanhoe appears in royal England at the very moment when a real war for the throne is unfolding. Prince John, who felt the power, does not want to return it to the hands of his brother, King Richard the Lionheart.

Robin Hood (1991)

Far from all the soldiers managed to return from the bloody Crusade against Austria. Robin is trying to avoid death, being imprisoned by traitors, so he uses the help of prisoners. One of them is a Muslim student, but the enemies of religion have already rallied in order to get out of difficult situation. The English throne has already been seized. An impostor sat on the throne, who pursues only selfish goals. The fellow believers remained devoted to the new king, who decided to use power only for his own personal benefit.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)

Few returned from the Crusade. Robin of Loxley, in order to avoid death in captivity among the infidels, had to use the help of one of the Muslim prisoners: religious enemies were united by a common misfortune. But the biggest threats await the hero from fellow believers: the English throne has been seized by an impostor! Only a green forest, only friends who have lost everything, and friends ready for anything, only faith in their rightness will help Robin survive in an unequal struggle. And his enemies will be made to shudder from the ominous whistle of well-aimed arrows flying from nowhere.

Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)

The film is a parody of Robin Hood.

Robin Hood, along with a company of his friends - forest archers, tear off everything, even their tights, in order to once again confront the next villain. Prince John entered the throne of the kingdom absolutely illegally. He framed his own brother Richard, whom the townspeople loved so much. Now Robin needs to help King Lionheart regain power, and also pick up the key to the heart of his beloved, named Marian. But he still does not even suspect that the keys need to be picked up to the chastity belt of this beauty.

Robin Hood's Daughter: Princess of Thieves (2001)

Robin Hood faithfully and nobly serves the British throne. He already had a daughter, who, fortunately or unfortunately, took after her father. Young Gwyn does not want to stay at home all the time. Her father did not have time to notice how she learned to master archery. Also a secret from her dad, Gwyn is quite confident in her saddle and rides. Very soon, the acquired skills will be useful to her. Richard the Lionheart dies suddenly, and come to the throne brother— Prince John. According to his decree, Robin Hood should be imprisoned, and the heir to the throne, Philip, should be killed. But Gwin, having learned about this, is already in a hurry to help her father.

Sherwood Forest (2009)

Robin Hood is a legendary fighter for justice. Thanks to his activities, many people were saved from injustice. The leader of a whole army of robbers of Sherwood Forest understands that the number of his followers is only growing every day. Twenty years ago, it was in these forests that his father was killed. Now hard times are coming when the insidious Sheriff of Nottingham goes on the trail of Robin Hood in order to destroy him and all his minions. For this difficult task, the sheriff uses a mysterious monster that takes the form of a girl at night.

Robin Hood (2010)

He is the one who used to be an ordinary archer in the army good king Richard. He is the legendary Robin Hood, who again went on the warpath in order to take revenge on the Norman invaders. After the death of his king Lionheart, Robin, along with like-minded people, intends to put an end to injustice in his native lands and put an end to endless sacrifices. He is ruled by a desire for revenge, justice, as well as an irresistible force that gives him the faith in him of ordinary people who are faced with inhuman injustice at the hands of the new king who has ascended the throne.

Robin Hood: The Ghosts of Sherwood (2012)

The legendary archer, king of thieves and forest hero named Robin Hood is selling his soul. The witch was not honest with him, and he dies in another battle. Faithful friend of Robin Hood - Little John and beloved Marian are saddened by such grief, but do not intend to put up with it. Once again entering into a deal with the dark forces, with the help of an enchanted potion, they are trying to revive the dead warrior. But not quite the Robin they knew returns to them, as a result they get a living dead.

Robin Hood: The Beginning (2018)

Robin Hood returns to humiliate the villains once again and help those in need. There are many legends about this hero, a storm of injustice, but now we will talk about his origin. Why did he become a hero and what motivated him at the time of the creation of the most famous band of forest robbers. What had to be lost in order to gain the strength to resist such strong enemies. Being ordinary person, faced with the arbitrariness and arrogance of the new king, he had the strength of mind, which allowed him to give a significant rebuff. His imitators flooded the Sherwood Forests, which gave even more headaches for Prince John, who illegitimately came to the throne.

Since childhood, Robin Hood has been and remains a hero for many (eng. Robin Hood (and not “good” - “good”; “hood” - “hood”, it makes sense to “hide (cover with a hood)”, “robin” can be translated as "robin") - the noble leader of the forest robbers from medieval English folk ballads, according to them, Robin Hood acted with his gang in Sherwood Forest near Nottingham - robbed the rich, giving the spoils to the poor.
The legend of the noble robber has been living for more than six centuries, and the identity of the prototype of these ballads and legends has not been established.
In the 1377 edition of William Langland's Plowman Pierce, there is a reference to "poems about Robin Hood". Langland's contemporary Geoffrey Chaucer, in Troilus and Crisade, mentions "a hazel thicket where the merry Robin walked." Moreover, in The Tale of Gamelin, which was included by Chaucer in " The Canterbury Tales”, a robber hero is also depicted.

Several real historical figures , which could serve as the prototype of the legendary Robin. In the census registers for 1228 and 1230, the name of Robert Hood, nicknamed Brownie, is mentioned, about which it is said that he was a fugitive from justice. Around the same time there was popular movement under the leadership of Sir Robert Twing, the rebels raided the monasteries, and the looted grain was distributed to the poor. However, the name Robert Hood was quite common, so scientists are more inclined to believe that the prototype of Robin Hood was a certain Robert Fitzug, a contender for the title of Earl of Huntingdon, who was born around 1160 and died in 1247. In some reference books, these years even appear as dates for the life of Robin Hood, although written sources of that time do not contain any mention of a rebellious aristocrat named Robert Fitzug.

Who was king in the days of Robin Hood? Dating historical events is further complicated by the fact that various options legends mention various English monarchs. One of the first historians to deal with this problem, Sir Walter Bower, believed that Robin Hood was a participant in the 1265 uprising against King Henry III, which was led by a royal relative, Simon de Montfort. After the defeat of Montfort, many of the rebels did not disarm and continued to live like the hero of the ballads Robin Hood. “At this time,” Bower wrote, “the famous robber Robin Hood ... began to enjoy great influence among those who were disinherited and outlawed for participating in the uprising.” The main contradiction of Bower's hypothesis is that the longbow mentioned in the Robin Hood ballads had not yet been invented at the time of de Montfort's rebellion.

A 1322 document mentions a "Robin Hood stone" in Yorkshire. It follows from this that the ballads, and perhaps the owner of the legendary name himself, were already well known by this time. Those inclined to look for traces of a genuine Robin Hood in the 1320s usually suggest the role of the noble robber Robert Hood, a tenant from Wakefield who in 1322 participated in the rebellion led by the Earl of Lancaster. In support of the hypothesis, information is given that in the following year King Edward II visited Nottingham and took into his service as a valet a certain Robert Hood, who was paid a salary for the next 12 months.

If we take the mention of King Edward II as a starting point, it turns out that the hero-robber performed his exploits in the first quarter of the 14th century. However, according to other versions, he appears on historical stage as the brave warrior of King Richard I the Lionheart, whose reign fell on the last decade of the 12th century - it is this version in the artistic presentation of Walter Scott that is currently most popular. Since 1819, Walter Scott used the image of Robin Hood as the prototype for one of the characters in the novel "Ivanhoe", noble robber continues to be a popular character in children's books, film and television.

In one of the most complete collections In the English ballads published by Francis Child in the 19th century, there are 40 works about Robin Hood, and in the 14th century, there were only four:

In the first novel Robin lends money and his trusty squire Little John to an impoverished knight in order to get revenge on the greedy abbot.

In the second- cunningly forces the hated sheriff from Nottingham to dine with him venison, which the robbers got in the patrimony of the law enforcement officer - Sherwood Forest.

In the third- Robin recognizes King Edward in disguise, who arrives incognito in Nottingham to investigate violations of the law by local rulers, and enters his service.

artist Daniel Content Published by Rand McNally & Co ~ 1928

artist Frank Godwin (1889 ~ 1959) Published by Garden City Publiching Co ~ 1932

in the fourth- the final part of the ballad, published in 1495, tells the story of Robin's return to robbery and the betrayal of the abbess of Kirkleyskogo abbey, who brings him to death by bloodletting when he comes to her monastery for treatment.

artist N. C. Wyeth Published by David McKay ~ 1917

In the early ballads, there is no mention of the maiden Marianne, Robin's lover. She first appears in the later versions of the legend, which arose at the end of the 15th century.

artist Frank Godwin (1889 ~ 1959) Published by Garden City Publiching Co ~ 1932:

artist Lucy Fitch Perkins Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company ~ 1923

The giant, nicknamed Little John, is already present in the band of robbers in the original versions of the legend,

artist Lucy Fitch Perkins Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company ~ 1923

artist Lucy Fitch Perkins Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company ~ 1923

And brother Tuck (a wandering monk, a jolly fat man) appears in a much later version. Yes, and Robin himself from a yeoman (a free peasant) eventually reincarnated into a noble exile.

artist Lucy Fitch Perkins Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company ~ 1923

The association of Robin Hood with Robin Goodfellow, or Puck, is also known - a forest spirit in the folklore of the Frisians, Saxons and Scandinavians.

artist Lucy Fitch Perkins Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company ~ 1923

Now most researchers agree that Robin Hood is " pure creation folk music. And, according to M. Gorky, "... the poetic feeling of the people made a hero out of a simple, perhaps robber, a hero almost equal to a saint" (preface to the collection "The Ballads of Robin Hood", Pg. 1919, p. 12).

artist Frank Godwin (1889 ~ 1959) Published by Garden City Publiching Co ~ 1932

BALLAD OF ROBIN HOOD
(translated by I. Ivanovsky)

Let's talk about a brave guy
His name was Robin Hood.
No wonder the memory of a daredevil
The people are protected.

artist N. C. Wyeth Published by David McKay ~ 1917

He hasn't shaved his beard yet.
And there was a shooter
And the heaviest bearded man
Couldn't compete with him.

But his house was burned down by his enemies,
And Robin Hood is gone
With a gang of valiant shooters
Gone to Sherwood Forest.

artist N. C. Wyeth Published by David McKay ~ 1917

artist Frank Godwin (1889 ~ 1959) Published by Garden City Publiching Co ~ 1932

Anyone shot without a miss,
Jokingly wielded a sword;
Two attack six
They didn't care.

artist Lucy Fitch Perkins Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company ~ 1923

There was a blacksmith, Little John -
Big man from big man,
Three healthy fellows
He carried it!

Scientists still do not agree on whether the robber Robin Hood actually existed. There is a version that the legends about the noble robber are echoes of the ancient pagan cults of forest creatures. Supporters of this hypothesis cite as proof one of the nicknames of the Celtic god Pak, who always walked around with a retinue of not very good spirits. This Puck was called Robin Goodfellow (Robin Nice Guy). Today, however, Robin Hood's mythological origins are not taken seriously by most historians. Fifty legends and legends about the forest robber that have come down to us do not contain anything fantastic. The images of Robin Hood and his associates are extremely mundane, they are endowed with many features of real people.

There is almost no controversy about the period of the emergence of Robin Hood legends. The first mention of the fact that people sing ballads about the terrible robber Robin Hood is found in a poem by William Langland dated 1377. So there were ballads about Robin, apparently in the XIV century.

As strange as it may seem modern reader, neither the legendary Robin Hood nor his possible historical prototype could meet Richard the Lionheart and even be contemporaries of the famous crusader king. The acquaintance of a robber and a monarch was invented in the middle of the 18th century, and was popularized by Walter Scott. The Scottish novelist did not care much about the historical accuracy of his books, but the strength of his talent for 200 years has led readers to believe that Robin Hood lived in the 12th century. This opinion was "cemented" by numerous followers of Sir Scott, who forced Robin and Richard to meet on the pages of books, movie screens and computer monitors.

Robin Hood Gang

In fact, Robin Hood could live and rob only at least a century after the reign of Richard. Only in the 13th century did archery competitions appear in England - an invariable detail of the ballads about Robin Hood. An active member of the Sherwood gang, Brother Took is called a "friar" in legend, that is, a member of a mendicant monastic order. Such orders appeared in England only a few decades after the death of Richard the Lionheart.

It turns out that if the real Robin Hood existed, then he could live between the middle of the XIII and XIV centuries. Are there any contenders for the title of the prototype of the Sherwood robber who lived at that time? It turns out there is, and not just one.

Most often, a certain Robert Hoad is called as the "real" Robin Hood. Some Russian-speaking supporters of this version, violating modern rules transcribing English proper names, they prefer to write the surname Hode as "Goad" or even "Good". But phonetic tricks as arguments in a historical dispute are hardly convincing. Nothing in the biography of Robert Howd indicates his passion for robbery.

Supposed grave of Robin Hood

He was born in 1290 in the family of the forester Adam Howe, who lived near the town of Wakefield in the north of England. In 1322, the Earl of Warren, master of Howd, joined the Duke of Lancaster's rebellion against King Edward. The rebellion was defeated, its leaders were executed, and ordinary participants were outlawed. The home of Robert Hoad, where his wife Matilda was already raising several children, was confiscated by the authorities. In 1323, Edward II paid a visit to Nottingham, and a few months later the name of Robert Howe appeared on the lists of royal servants for a couple of years. A statement dated November 22, 1324 states: "By order of His Majesty the King, to give Robert Howe, a former guardsman, 5 shillings in view of the fact that he no longer serves in the palace." Howd died in 1346. This biography is easily combined with one of the ballads in which Edward II, disguised as an abbot, visits Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest, forgives all the robbers and takes them into his service. However, this may all be nothing more than a coincidence.

Even less is known about another applicant for the title of prototype Robin Hood. The name of a certain Robin Hod occurs in 1226 in the court records of the city of York. It says that the property of this man, totaling 32 shillings and 6 pence, was confiscated, and he himself was outlawed. Further traces of Robin Hod are lost, and not necessarily in Sherwood Forest.

Finally, the third applicant is of noble origin. His name was Robert Fitzut Earl of Huntington. The only reason for the appointment of the offspring ancient family The leader of the robber gang is a gravestone near Kirklees Abbey, where, according to legend, Robin Hood died. The famous archer bequeathed to bury himself where the last arrow fired from his bow falls. And in the middle of the 18th century, a sensation struck: the grave of Robin Hood was found. A certain William Stukeley, a physician, Freemason and amateur historian, in his book Paleographica Britannica, wrote that the Sherwood robber belonged to the family of the Earls of Huntington. As evidence, he cited an inscription on a grave near Kirklees Abbey. It read: “Here, under this little stone, lies Robert, the true Earl of Huntington. There was no archer more skillful than him. And people called him Robin Hood. Such criminals as he and his people, England will never see again.

Robin Hood and Baby John

This stone can still be seen today, although it is located on the territory of private ownership. True, it is almost impossible to make out the inscription - it is almost completely erased. The authenticity of it, and of the grave itself, already in the 19th century raised serious doubts: the text was written not in Old English, but in the language of the 18th century, “aged” with the help of gross errors. Even more suspicious was the date of death at the end of the inscription: "24 kal: Dekembris, 1247." If you use the format of the Roman calendar adopted in 13th-century England, you get "23 days before December." No inscription with a similar spelling of the date is known. Modern scholars believe that both the inscription and the stone are forgeries of the 18th century.

By the way, the origin of Robin Hood from the village of Loxley, which became especially popular after the movie "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves", is not seriously considered by anyone. This name is not mentioned in the ballads about Robin Hood, nor in documents related to his possible prototypes. Loxley was first mentioned as the birthplace of the Earl of Huntington by Joseph Wriston in 1795, defending the theory of the noble origin of the archer. What he was guided by is not clear.

Sheriff of Nottingham

It is quite possible that Robin Hood does not have a specific prototype known to historians at all. Perhaps, in the XIII century, a cheerful and successful robber lived in Sherwood Forest, of which there were many in England at that time. He helped fellow peasants several times, and stories about this, acquiring more and more details and conjectures, turned into folk tales. At least a few of Robin Hood's friends and foes known from ballads have apparently legendary origins.

Of the entire Sherwood gang, only Little John left some material traces. The Derbyshire village of Hathersage proudly claims to be the home of Robin Hood's closest friend. At the local cemetery, they will readily show you his grave, however, already with a modern stone slab without indicating the date of death. When this burial was opened in 1784, they found the skeleton of a real giant. This convinced everyone that the grave was genuine: after all, John was nicknamed the Kid as a joke, according to legend, he was seven feet tall (213 centimeters). In the court documents of the XIV century, it was also possible to find a mention of a certain John Le Little, who robbed the people in the vicinity of Wakefield. But this can hardly be considered another proof of the reality of the existence of Little John, because the nickname given by growth is not uncommon.

Robin Hood and the Maiden Marian, 1866. Painting by Thomas Frank Hafey

Traces of other associates of Robin Hood can only be found in folklore. Some of his friends do not appear in the early versions of the legends, they became members of the gang already in the late Middle Ages. Around the same time, Robin Hood had a lover. The name Marian is not mentioned in folk ballads, but this character was traditionally present at folk May holidays as May Queen. Somewhere in the 15th century, Robin Hood also became the hero of these walks, usually held at the edge of the forest. How was it not to compose wonderful couple? The rest is the work of writers and filmmakers.

The origin of the eternal opponents of Robin Hood is also rather vague. The Sheriff of Nottingham certainly existed, but none of the legends mention his name. So a dozen of royal officials who replaced this post for several centuries could immediately experience a sharp personal dislike for the Sherwood robber. The cruel knight Guy of Gisburne, who wore a horseskin instead of a cloak, is a legendary figure. At the beginning of the millennium, there were separate legends about him, and at the end of the 15th century, he surfaced in ballads about Robin Hood.

Bishop's Oak

Who the heroes and anti-heroes of Sherwood Forest really were, today only a huge oak tree, standing in a thicket at the crossroads of major roads, knows for sure. It is more than a thousand years old, back in the 19th century, special props had to be made for huge branches. According to legend, it was under this giant that Robin Hood forced the captured bishop to dance. Since then, the tree has been called so: Bishop's oak. Whether it actually happened or not is a mystery.

The most famous character of the medieval epic is the noble robber Robin Hood. What is the legend about? This article outlines summary. Robin Hood, in addition, is a personality that has been of interest to historians for several centuries, inspiring prose writers and poets. The article also contains works of art dedicated to the leader of the forest robbers.

Ballads of Robin Hood

The summary of the poetic work of the Scottish folklorist Robert Burns can be summarized in a few sentences. The work of an eighteenth-century poet, based on a medieval legend, should be read in the original. The Burns legend is an example of poetic romanticism. The main role here is played not by the plot, but by literary language. However, let's make a brief summary.

Robin Hood lived against fate. He was called a thief only because he did not allow others to steal. He was a robber, but did not harm any poor man. Little John once started a conversation with Robin about his duties in the gang. He, of course, ordered the inexperienced robber to rob moneybags.

It's time for lunch. However, the leader of the gang is not used to eating at his own expense. Therefore, he ordered John to go on a noble robbery duty.

The young member of the gang did everything as instructed by the mentor. However, the victim of the robbery was an impoverished knight who had once taken a large loan from the abbot. Robin Hood helped the poor fellow by providing armor and everything else necessary to fulfill his knightly duty. The first song is about this story. The following chapters deal with other glorious deeds of Robin.

The most popular is the version of the writer and historian Walter Scott. On the basis of a medieval legend, the Scottish author created the novel Ivanhoe. The product is known all over the world. It has been filmed many times. Therefore, it is more important to analyze the image of the famous robber in the interpretation of the Scottish author than to present a summary.

Robin Hood in the prose of Walter Scott

The novel depicts the era of contradictions between the Normans and the Anglo-Saxons. According to Scott's version, Robin Hood lived in the second half of the twelfth century. According to critics, best chapters of this adventure work are devoted to the struggle of people's liberators against the arbitrariness of power. Glorious feats in the novel are performed by Robin Hood's squad. The people's liberators storm the castle of Front de Boeuf. And the servants of the Norman feudal lord are not able to resist its onslaught.

The image of Robin Hood in Scott's work symbolizes not only justice, but also freedom, strength, and independence.

Based on the legends of the just robber, he wrote two novels. The French prose writer significantly changed the canonical history. What can you learn from reading the summary?

"Robin Hood - King of Thieves", as well as other works of the classic, is an exciting prose. The novel in question also has an unexpected ending. How is Robin Hood depicted in the work of the French writer?

In the book, Robin is surrounded, as it should be, faithful friends. Among them is John Malyutka. But French writer paid attention not only to the exploits of the fearless robber. Robin Hood in Dumas' novel can also be called lyrical hero. He flirts with women. But at the same time, he remains faithful to his beloved.

In a novel about Robin Hood, the characters are either positive or negative. This is due to the style of the author and romantic stories born in medieval era. However, Dumas' version is an unfinished story. Continued in the book "Robin Hood in Exile".

In domestic prose

Russian writers also dedicated works of art to the noble leader of the forest robbers. One of them is Mikhail Gershenzon ("Robin Hood").

Brief summary of the story of your favorite hero English people in any of the versions is a statement of an old legend. Robin Hood is a character with fearlessness, nobility, and a heightened sense of justice. The interpretation of this or that author differs in the system of images, interpretation of historical events. The image of the main character remains unchanged.

The story of Robin Hood was probably extremely close in spirit to Gershenzon. The writer died during the Great Patriotic War. According to the memoirs of eyewitnesses, he fell on the battlefield "totally Robin Hood's death."

Robin Hood is a hero whose story will always inspire writers and filmmakers. It doesn't matter how true the plots of the books about him are. It is important that the image of the hero is an example of honor, courage and self-sacrifice.

Perhaps no one will argue with the statement that the most famous robber in the world is Robin Hood. In our view, this hero is purely positive, he is an ardent supporter of the poor and deceived, always ready to restore justice. With the help of his dexterity, cunning, resourcefulness, he avoided death many times, although many of the rich Englishmen wanted to catch and send him to the gallows. This article talks about who wrote Robin Hood and why writers often make this outlaw and his friends the main characters in their stories. Let's try together to find the right answers to these questions.

Robin Hood. Book. Author

Those who write about Robin Hood are legion, because the image of this hero attracts with terrible force, like adventures beckon adventurers. Why do these workers of the pen make him the hero of their novels? The answer, apparently, can be given as follows: Robin Hood is an established, very popular character, his features and character are known to everyone, which means that the writer’s work is simplified and he does not need to bother himself with drawing an image. This greatly simplifies the creation process. It is also not necessary to rack your brains too much, inventing enemies and friends of the protagonist. The first are the rich, the second are the poor.

Did he exist

If you ask yourself who wrote "Robin Hood", you must first understand what kind of hero this is, whether he really was. English historians have long dealt with the problem of identifying Robin Hood. They raise documents, study folklore, court records of those distant times. So far, work in this direction has not yielded results, and the person from whom the image of Robin Hood was written off, on this moment still not discovered. Today, scientists already agree that Good is still a literary figure, although he has absorbed the features of many real people - from criminals to the righteous. By the way, Robin Hood is a rather vague and versatile image, although the main definitions and behavioral motives of the hero almost always remained the same (nobility and help to the disadvantaged, the fight against dishonest rich people, and so on), commoners and writers still changed it in accordance with the era, in which they lived. The Robin Hood of the 20th century has little in common with the Robin Hood of the 19th century, and even more so - the 18th or 17th centuries.

original source

If you ask an Englishman about who wrote "Robin Hood", he will most likely answer that it is Howard Pyle. The writer published The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood in 1883. When working on the work, he took as a basis the legends and ballads about this noble robber and his team of associates. which is designated as the abode of robbers in all his stories about Robin Hood, in Pyle's imagination it is a charming and bright place. Here, Robin and his friends feel at ease and liberated, which is why the reader feels the same when opening the book and plunging into the world of this famous hero. Pyle's book is not easy to read, as it is written in a somewhat archaic manner, but it is she who is the basis for creating new works and films about Robin Hood.

Robin Hood is a book whose author is always less known than his hero. For example, Roger Lancelin Green, who published the book The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1956. This brainchild is an improved version of Pyle's work, it already appears here love line together with the heroine Marion - the chosen one of our brave hero.

Hood is not the first

In general, it is difficult for writers not to be tempted to create their own own history about robbers from Sherwood Forest. And it is not at all necessary that the main character should be Robin, often he is pushed into the background, and other, albeit familiar faces, are selected forward. Michael Cadnam, for example, cannot be counted among those authors who wrote "Robin Hood", since he made his hero a "thunderstorm of the rich", and his faithful assistant - Little John in the book "Forbidden Forest". In another work, the same writer again left Hood out of work, offering to look at the world through the eyes of Jeffrey, the sheriff who opposes him. So this author can be included in the list of selected, extraordinary writers - those who wrote the book "Robin Hood and the Sheriff", in which the latter plays the main role, and the former is the hero of the second plan. Apparently, the writer decided that the attitude of readers to Robin will change if you look at him from the side of his main opponent, the antipode. Representatives of the fair sex, who can also rightfully be included in the list of those who wrote "Robin Hood", act no less imposingly with Robin. Teresa Tomlinson, author of The Forestwife series of books, for example, brings Marion to the fore. If you look at Robin Hood from the point of view of this writer, then the understanding comes that as a hero he was formed only thanks to positive impact his beloved.

Hood and the world of fantasy

Some of those who wrote "Robin Hood" allow themselves to throw the hero in time. Here at Godwin Park in the book "Sherwood" Robin fights with the sheriff in the era of William the Red. There are those who are not interested in Robin himself, but in his descendants. Writer Nancy Springer introduces readers to a brave girl - his daughter (in the book "Rowan Good").

And in the genre of fantasy, it was not without the participation of Robin Hood. In The Sherwood Game, written by Esther Friesner, programmer Karl Fischner manages to somehow turn the game into reality, and his virtual Robin Hood suddenly comes to life.

Jane Yolen, who created the Sherwood cycle, consisting of nine books, worked very fruitfully on the image of the hero. In one of her stories, the author sent the spirit of Robin Hood to the Internet, where he, with the dexterity of a spider, began to take over the world's wealth.

Is Robin Hood Noble

The earliest Robin Hood was not seen in the transfer of the stolen money to the poor. This hero took wealth from the wicked, but gave it not to the poor, but to those who were close and dear to him. In the first legends about Robin Hood, it is said that he almost always acted quite simply during a robbery: he called the traveler to a meal, for which he demanded payment in return. And the one who accepted the offer to dine or dine had to lay out everything that was in his pockets. However, it’s not worth judging Hood - after all, later he corrected himself and transformed into a real hero, selfless, noble, giving everything of himself to help the poor. For this we love him, and therefore we are always glad to see on television or read the new adventures of Robin Hood - a robber with the heart of a knight. It doesn't matter who wrote the book. Robin Hood will always be remembered, but what about the authors of works about him?