Modern Robin Hood Legends

Hundreds of years ago in Sherwood Forest, there lived a noble thief by the name of Robin Hood. Or so the legend goes. In fact, historians have not conclusively determined whether the Robin Hood of legend ever lived (Krall 22). The earliest forms of modern Robin Hood legends date back to 15th century ballads, but references to such a man appear much earlier. The first literary allusion to Robin Hood, specifically the “rymes of Robyn Hood,” takes place in Langland’s Piers Plowman, published around 1377. Today, the most prevalent view in popular culture holds that Robin was a supporter of Richard the Lionheart, but most historians agree that, if such a man existed, he lived sometime between the 12th and 14th centuries, nearly one hundred years
Over this period, England’s poor glorified the idea of a noble outlaw. Everyday outlaws were commonplace in medieval England, men such as Eustace Folville and his brother roamed the forests, preying on travelers. It is likely that many facets of Robin Hood’s existence are grounded in the reality of real forest dwelling outlaws. However, the man who first appeared in the ballads wasn’t just any outlaw. He was a noble outlaw, loyal to his men and adhering to a strict, if unusual, code of morals. He was of a different breed than his predecessors and contemporaries, none of whom could match his skill with a bow or knack for trickery. According to the ballads, Robin was a yeoman – neither unusually poor, nor a member of high society, but rather a commoner. Most tales indicate that he was a farmer or a forester, both of whom would have worn earth-colored clothes, not dissimilar from the Lincoln Green garb of legend. They also agree that foremost amongst his band was a very large man known as Little John. Other prominent fellows in both early and late tellings are Much the Miller’s Son and Will Scarlet. Interestingly, though Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire is best known as home to Robin Hood, one of the earliest and most complete ballads, A Gest of Robyn Hode, indicates that the outlaw is in fact from Yorkshire. This text also supports claims that Robin Hood was quite devout, with a particular affinity for the Virgin Mary, though he cared very little for wealthy clergymen (Rennison 14). Other early ballads establish the idea that Robin was a trickster and master of disguise, traits which manifested themselves most frequently against the Sherriff of Nottingham. If the Sheriff were not available to be taunted and relieved of his belongings by Robin Hood, the next favorite