Robin Hood owes his name not at all English word"good", that is, "good", as Russian readers usually think. The most common opinion is that he got his nickname from "hood", that is, a hood or other headdress. Robin Hood - Hooded Robin.
Character of English folklore, a skilled archer and warrior from Sherwood Forest (Sherwood Forest), who robs the rich and distributes his booty to the poor. Curiously, this trait was not part of the original ballad character and only appeared in the 19th century. It is not known whether the legend of the noble robber had real prototype or only served as the basis for it medieval ballads and legends, but over the centuries, Robin Hood has become one of the most popular elements English culture, and the story about him feels great in the age of film and television.
Robin Hood owes his name not to the English word "good", that is, "good", as Russian readers usually think. The most common opinion is that he got his nickname from "hood", that is, a hood or other headdress. Robin Hood - Hooded Robin. Attempts to connect this name with a really existing person have led nowhere, in particular because Robert (Robert) has been one of the most popular names in England over the past ten centuries, and Robin is perhaps the most popular diminutive version of it. . It is not surprising that there were many people named Robert or Robin Hood in medieval records, and some of them were indeed criminals - but not so famous and significant as to contribute to the birth of a legend.
Robin Hood accompanies the squad faithful companions, together they live in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire (Nottinghamshire), where, in the main, the action of the first ballads about Robin and modern films and television takes place. In the earliest sources, he was a yeoman who had gone into the woods, a free peasant, but later he was often portrayed as an exiled aristocrat, unjustly deprived of his possessions due to the machinations of an unscrupulous sheriff. The wood archer is often referred to as Robin of Loxley - believed to have been born in this village near Sheffield - but this version dates from the late 16th century, while there are earlier versions of his birthplace, such as the village of Skelow in South Yorkshire (Skellow, South Yorkshire), which has been associated with the name of Robin Hood since 1422.
The first reference to poems about Robin Hood dates back to the end of the 14th century, but the ballads themselves were recorded only in the 15th and 16th centuries, and already in them Robin Hood has all his main features - he comes from commoners, worships the Virgin, enjoys increased attention in women, he is a skilled archer, hates churchmen and feuds with the Sheriff of Nottingham. Little John (Little John), Will Scarlet (Will Scarlet) and Much the Miller's Son have already appeared in Robin's squad, but there is still no mention of the Maid Marian (Maid Marian) and the cheerful monk brother Tuka (Friar Tuck) - they will appear a little later.In popular culture, Robin Hood is considered a contemporary and supporter of King Richard Lion Heart(Richard the Lionheart), that is, lives in England (England) of the 12th century.
It is interesting that the first ballads give readers a few details to determine the time of the action, such as King Edward, for example, but the ballads, of course, cannot be considered reliable in such matters. historical source. Moreover, there were several kings with that name - King Edward I came to the throne in 1272, and Edward III died in 1377. From the 16th century, Robin Hood "becomes" a nobleman, usually considered the Earl of Huntingdon (Earl of Huntingdon), and this version is still very popular.
In any case, Robin Hood is a model for any noble robber. He collects tribute from rich merchants, knights or high-ranking churchmen who were not lucky enough to meet him in Sherwood Forest, offering them to dine on succulent venison, obtained, of course, by poaching. True, the payment for such a dinner is usually the purse of the "guest". There are exceptions to the rule - in one of the ballads, Robin Hood invites a knight to dinner, intending to rob him to the skin, but after learning that the knight is about to lose his land, which the greedy abbot has his eye on, he gives him enough money to pay debt to the abbot.
Robin Hood is young, tall, handsome and very clever, despite his simple origin. He and his men are usually dressed in green, which helps them to hide in dense forest thickets. He has a sharp tongue, loves to joke, and can be short-tempered and quick to kill. It is very interesting that in the ballads Robin keeps his people in strict obedience, and, recognizing his supremacy, they kneel before him as before their lord - in medieval legends there is not even a hint of contemporary ideals equality and brotherhood. Historians argue that the legend of Robin Hood was cultivated mainly among the gentry, the petty nobility, and it would be a mistake to see in him the embodiment peasant uprising. He does not so much rebel against the social standards of the Middle Ages as he embodies them - generous, moderately pious and courtly, despising greedy, pampered and impolite enemies. Although there are more than a hundred people in his detachment of "merry men" ("Merry Men"), only four or five of them are regularly described in ballads, the most closest friends and associates of Robin.
At the latest by the beginning of the 15th century, Robin Hood became associated with the May holidays, and around the same time, Robin Hood's romantic attachment to the maiden Marian (or Marion), who eventually becomes his life mate, appeared in the sources. Marian is also portrayed either as a commoner, or as an heiress of a noble family, and in contemporary culture it is believed that, eventually, Robin and Marian marry and leave the forest, returning to a rich and civilized life.
Victorian era created her own Robin Hood - it was during this period that he became a philanthropist who robs the rich to give to the poor - and the 20th century brought its own changes: from book to book, from film to film, Robin Hood turned from a cheerful robber into national hero of epic proportions, who not only cares for the weak, but also bravely defends the English throne from unworthy and corrupt lords.
English legends about Robin Hood have come down to our time in the form of ballads, poems, songs, which were performed to music and dances. They originated in the 13th century, when the Normans conquered England and oppressed the local population. It is believed that Robin Hood had a prototype - the owner of the land, whose property was taken away. He was forced to go to the forests, where many robbers were hiding in those days. Robin was distinguished from everyone by his ability to shoot accurately from a bow and nobility, he defended the weak and the oppressed. It is no coincidence that he was more often called not a robber, but a people's avenger.
In medieval England, there were harsh laws that gave the king the right to single-handedly dispose of all his lands, lands and subjects. All living creatures in the forests belonged to the king. No one had the right to hunt in the royal lands. Seen in the hunt threatened the death penalty often carried out on the spot. Sometimes the so-called poachers were brought into towns and executed publicly in the marketplace.
Robin Hood and his Free Riflemen hid in the famous Sherwood Woods. They robbed on the roads and hunted. They were hunted down by armed foresters, the royal guards were chasing, but they could not catch the lucky Robin. Most often, the guards turned out to be fooled, which gave the people a reason to compose mocking jokes, poems, songs.
One day, the foresters caught two sons of a widow in the forest, who shot a deer. They were brought to Nottingham. The sheriff ordered them both to be hanged in the market square with a crowd of people. This was reported to Robin Hood. He decided to save the young men, disguised himself as a beggar and came to the market square. But as soon as the sheriff and his wards brought the brothers to the gallows, Robin Hood pulled out his horn and blew. Immediately, his arrows, dressed in green cloaks, who were waiting for this signal, galloped to the square. They freed the guys and laughed at the sheriff.
All failures were reported to the king, who was eager to catch the hated Robin Hood. The king advised the sheriff, who arrived from Nottingham, to lure the robber out of the forest by cunning, seize him and bring him to be executed.
The sheriff announced a tournament-competition of archers. The winner was rewarded with a golden arrow. He expected that the free shooters would want to take part in the competition and arrive, as always, in green cloaks. But one of Robin Hood's associates, nicknamed Little John, advised changing green raincoats to colorful ones. Dressing succeeded. The sheriff and his wards did not recognize free shooters in the crowd. Robin Hood became the winner of the tournament, he received a golden arrow and, together with his comrades, returned safely to the forest.
From there, they sent a scathing letter to the sheriff, in which they named the winner of the tournament. This letter they attached to the arrow. Robin Hood fired, the arrow flew through the woods and hit the sheriff's open window.
More than once, Robin Hood made fun of the sheriff: he robbed him, and deceived him, and always taught - do not oppress the poor.
Once Robin Hood was resting under a tree. A cheerful guy walked past him, singing a song. After a while, the guy was returning the same way and was very sad. Robin Hood asked him why he was so sad, and he said that he was going to marry, but the lord forcibly took his bride from the village and wants to make her his wife. Robin Hood immediately called his free shooters, they jumped on horses and rushed to the village. They were in time - the lord and the girl were already in the church. Robin Hood drove the old lord away, and the guy and his bride immediately got engaged.
Soon Robin Hood decided to marry himself. He chose a noble girl for himself, introduced himself as a count. The girl fell in love with him, but he had to return to his Sherwood Forest. The saddened girl changed clothes and went to look for him. Robin Hood also changed clothes and went out onto the road. He met richly dressed girl and mistook her for a merchant. The girl didn't recognize him either. They took up arms, but the mistake was soon found out. They got engaged in the forest.
Years passed, and Robin Hood felt that his hand was weakened, the arrow flew past the target. He knew that his hour had come. He was sent to convalesce in a convent. But there they let him bleed, and he weakened even more. In the end, he was brought back to the forest. There he is last time released his arrow and ordered his comrades to bury him in the place where the arrow would fall.
Many poems, stories and ballads have been written about the noble robber Robin Hood. But was he real person, or just beautiful legend? There have been historical disputes about this for a long time.
Who was the inspiration for Robin Hood?
Probably the most early source, telling about the deeds of this hero, is the "Ballad of Robin Hood", written at the end of the XIV century. A proud, fearless robber from Sherwood Forest robs the rich, helps the poor, punishes the evil and greedy...
Later, the name of Robin Hood begins to appear in other sources. For example, in " Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer mentions "a hazel thicket where the merry Robin walked."
Modern researchers believe that several historical figures could be the prototypes of Robin Hood at once.
So, in the census registers for 1228 and 1230, the name of Robert Hood, nicknamed Brownie, is found. According to sources, he came into conflict with the law. In addition, the emergence of an insurrectionary movement led by Sir Robert Twing dates back to about the same time. It is known that the rebels plundered the monasteries, took away grain supplies from there and distributed them to the poor.
Another candidate for the role of Robin Hood is Robert Fitzut. The legend says that Fitzut was born into an aristocratic family, lived from about 1160 to 1247 and staged rebellions in order to win the title of Earl of Huntington supposedly due to him. In any case, the dates of Fitzut's life coincide with the dates of the life of Robin Hood, as they are indicated in some sources. However, in official archives no mention of Robert Fitzut found. Robin Hood, however skeptics point out that contemporary records do not mention a rebellious nobleman named Robin Fitzut.
Who was the king of Robin Hood?
In addition to issues related to the time of origin of the stories about Robin Hood, various sources tell us about different kings. The first historian, Walter Bower, confidently placed Robin Hood in the 1265 rebellion against King Henry III, led by Simon de Montfort, the king's son-in-law. After his defeat at the Battle of Evesham, most of the rebels remained in the army and led a life similar to that described in the ballads of Robin Hood. “At that time,” wrote Walter Bower, “the famous robber Robin Hood stepped out among those who were disinherited and expelled for participating in the uprising. These people sang their exploits in romances, performances and passages. The main catch in Bower's reasoning is the presence of the bow, which is so common in the ballads about Robin Hood. It had not yet been invented at the time of the rebellion of Simon de Montfort.
A document dated 1322 speaks of a "Robin Hood stone" in Yorkshire. It is assumed that ballads - not human - were already well known by this time. Those who would place the real Robin Hood in this time period suggest that Robin Hood, the owner of Wakefield who took part in the rebellion of the Earl of Lancaster, was the prototype of the rebel hero. The following year, they point out, King Edward II visited Nottingham and took a certain Robin Hood into his service as court valet. He was paid his salary for the next 12 months or until he was fired "because he could no longer work." This evidence is beautifully presented in the third story of Robin Hood's Little Gesture.
The mention of King Edward II places the robber hero in the first quarter of the 14th century. But according to other versions, Robin Hood appears as a supporter of King Richard the Lionheart, who ruled in last decade 12th century, and an opponent of his brother Richard and his successor John Landless - as he was named for the territories lost in France.
Fictional stories.
What is most obvious about Robin Hood is the development of his legend. In the early ballads, there is no mention of Marian, the hero's girlfriend. It first appears at the end of the 15th century, when folk songs and dancing becomes popular during the May holidays. Huge baby John is with Robin Hood at the very beginning, but Father Took appears in the last ballad when he plunges Robin into the raging current. The real Robin Hood is a simple yeoman, later he turns into a rebellious nobleman.
There are so many controversial additions to the Robin Hood legend that it's unlikely that one will ever be found. real hero. Most scholars now agree that he represents a type - the rogue hero - that has been described in ballads passed down from generation to generation since the 1300s. Narrators weave a variety of conflicting stories into their stories and real people and turn it all into a story about a man who may never have existed. As one professor wrote: "Robin Hood is the product of a muse," the invention of unknown poets who wanted to glorify ordinary person who sought justice against the pressure of nobility and wealth. This is what glorified him and made him the hero of ballads:
He was a good robber
And did a lot of good to the poor
And for this the Lord spared his soul.
There is also a version that Robin Hood was one of the warriors of King Richard the Lionheart. He ruled England in the last decade of the twelfth century. However, the mentioned monarch almost never visited his state, spending time in foreign military campaigns. And the adventures of Robin Hood unfold in England.
A certain tenant from Wakefield, who in 1322 took part in the uprising of the Earl of Lancaster, could also become the prototype of Robin Hood. This version is confirmed by documentary evidence that in 1323 the English king Edward II, having visited Nottingham, accepted a man named Robert Hood as his valet. Similar facts are given in The Ballad of Robin Hood.
Historians believe that if Robin Hood really existed, then he performed his exploits in the first quarter of the 14th century. This just coincided with the era of the reign of Edward II.
hooded man
Most researchers still tend to believe that Good is a nickname, not a surname. Hood (Hood) translated from English means "hood". This traditional element clothes of all medieval robbers. By the way, this word could mean several hats at once: a hood, a cap, a cap, a hood, a helmet - the main thing is that it protects the whole head ... And the term also has figurative meaning: "hide". Hence the expression "hoodlum" - "thug", "hooligan" (after all honest people it is not required to cover the face and head if they are not warriors). Thus, Robin Hood was understood as a secretive person with hooligan manners...
So, most likely, the image of Robin Hood is collective. Oppressed by the authorities and the rich, the poor dreamed of folk hero who would fight for justice, defending the rights of the most disadvantaged.
Robber's grave
Oddly enough, at mythical character has its own grave, next to which there is even a monument to Robin Hood. It is located near Kirkless Abbey in West Yorkshire.
According to legend, the sick Robin Hood came to the abbess of the monastery, having heard that she was very knowledgeable in the medical craft. But she turned out to be loyal to the authorities persecuting the robber and decided, on the contrary, to hasten his death. The woman went to the trick: she made Robin lose too much blood, and so that the patient did not notice this, she passed the blood through a jug with a hole.
Realizing that the end was near, Robin Hood bequeathed to bury himself where the arrow he fired would fall. The arrow fell about 650 meters from the monastery gatehouse, where, according to legend, the robber was overtaken by death. There they set up a memorial.
Meanwhile, researcher Richard Rutherford-Moore doubts that Robin Hood could be buried in this place. After experimenting with a bow and arrows of a medieval type, he concluded that an arrow fired from the window of the gatehouse could fly off from him at most 5 meters. And the archives testify that in the 18th century, in the process of laying pipes next to the notorious gatehouse, the remains of an unknown man were discovered. Maybe these were the bones of Robin Hood? But where they are now - no one knows.
Who really was Robin Hood?
A romantic hero who robbed the rich to help the poor, or a bloodthirsty bandit who was idealized by later generations? What is the true face of a daring daredevil named Robin Hood?
IN historical chronicles Six hundred years ago, it is possible to find only a brief mention of the rogue of the same name, who hunted in the forests of Central England.
However, it is unlikely that the petty villain would have been awarded the attention of chroniclers if his deeds did not stand out in any way from a number of other events of those troubled times. And yet, when wars, plague and famine were commonplace, the historiography of that time gives him a few lines. The rest was taken care of by popular rumor.
Through the depths of time, numerous legends about a romantic robber have come down to our days, whose name, oddly enough, is now more widely known than during his lifetime. That name is Robin Hood.
Truth and fiction
1988, March - Nottingham city council, in the east-central part of the UK, released a report on the most famous citizen of the city. Because over the years the council has received thousands of inquiries about Robin Hood and his brave squad, the council decided to make a definite statement on this matter.
Despite the fact that the legends about Robin Hood have centuries of history, members of the city council took it upon themselves to question the veracity of the legend of the elusive Robin and find out who Robin Hood was.
After a thorough study of the distant past of Nottingham, the researchers came to the conclusion that the brave hero, who robbed the rich to help the poor, did not even know the maiden Marian - according to legend, Robin Hood's beloved. Monk Tuk, they believe, is a completely fictional person. Little John was a vicious and grumpy man who had nothing in common with a carefree character from folklore. This interpretation was obtained by the results of the research.
Having debunked the legend, the members of the council hoped by this to gain fame for themselves as discoverers. However, they were only the latest in a series of skeptics. Because when studying the history of Robin Hood, it is almost impossible to separate fact from fiction. And before them, many undertook to explore this exciting story, but the image of Robin did not fade from this at all.
So, who is Robin Hood, where is the truth, and where is the fiction about a man whose exploits still excite readers, cinema and TV viewers? Some tend to take for granted what serious investigators have uncovered: Robin robbed passers-by on the Great North Road near Barnsdale in South Yorkshire and looted with his gang of outlaws in Sherwood Forest 30 miles from Nottingham. Others are more attracted by the romantic version of the legend that this handsome hero actually robbed, but only the rich, in order to give the stolen goods to the poor.
Facts in history
The first reports that Robin Hood was in charge in the forests and wastelands of England date back to 1261. However, in written sources it was first mentioned only a hundred years later. This was done by the Scottish historian Fordun, who died in 1386.
The following information about Robin Hood in the chronicles refers to the 16th century.
According to the chronicler John Stowe, it was a robber during the reign of Richard I. He was the leader of a gang, which included a hundred brave outcasts. They were all excellent archers. Although they traded in robbery, yet Robin Hood “did not allow oppression or other violence against women. He did not touch the poor, distributing to them everything that he took away from the saints and noble rich.
We will consider this story from the most benevolent positions. Let's start with the fact that the existence of Robin Hood is documented. He lived in Wakefield, Yorkshire, in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
The documents record that the legendary robber was born in 1290 and was named Robert Hood. In the old registers, three spellings of the surname are given: God, Goad and Good. But no one disputes the origin of Robin: he was a servant of the Earl of Warren.
How peasant son fell into the path of robbery?
1322 - Robin passed into the service of a new master, Sir Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. When the earl led a rebellion against King Edward II, Robin, like the other servants of the earl, had no choice but to obey his master and take up arms. However, the uprising was crushed, Lancaster was captured and beheaded for treason. His possessions were confiscated by the king, and the count's people who took part in the rebellion were outlawed.
Robin found the perfect hideout deep in Sherwood Forest, Yorkshire.
Sherwood Forest covered an area of 25 square miles and adjoined Yorkshire. Through the Sherwood and Barnsdale woodlands, the Great North Road, laid out by the Romans, passed through, on which there was heavy traffic. This attracted the attention of outcast robbers.
So there was a legend about Robin Hood, a man in green clothes, the color of the forest.
New stories
Robin legends abound funny stories about his bold adventures and antics. One of them tells how the swaggering and narrow-minded Bishop of Hertsford, on his way to York, met with Robin and his people, who were roasting venison, obtained in the royal hunting forests.
Mistaking Robin's men for simple peasants, the bishop ordered to seize those who killed the deer. The robbers calmly refused: the deer can no longer be resurrected, and everyone is terribly hungry. Then, at the sign of the bishop, those around the fire were surrounded by his servants. The robbers, laughing, began to beg for mercy, but the bishop was adamant. Robin eventually got fed up with the bickering. He gave a signal, and the rest of the gang arrived from the forest. The dumbfounded bishop was taken prisoner and demanded a ransom.
Wanting to teach his hapless hostage a lesson, Robin made him dance a jig around a huge oak tree. To this day, that place in the forest is called the "bishop's oak."
They also say that somehow Robin, accompanied by his best friend Little John paid a visit to the monastery of Whitby. The abbot asked them to show their vaunted skill in archery. It was necessary to shoot from the monastery roof. Robin and Baby John gladly granted his request. They did not shame their glory.
Passed from mouth to mouth, one of the most beloved stories about how Robin met Edward II has been preserved in the people's memory. According to legend: the king, worried that his deer population was melting before his eyes, disappearing into the insatiable wombs of robbers, wanted to clear his forest of poachers once and for all.
The king and his knights, disguised as monks, went to Sherwood Forest, knowing that Robin Hood and a gang were waiting for unlucky travelers there. And they were not wrong. The robbers stopped them and demanded money.
The disguised king declared that he had only 40 pounds (a rather insignificant amount for that time). Robin took 20 pounds for his men and returned the rest to the king.
Then Edward told the leader that he was called to Nottingham to meet with the king. Robin and his men fell to their knees and swore their love and devotion to Edward, then invited the "monks" to dine with them - to taste the king's own venison!
In the end, Edward realized that Robin was simply mocking him. Then he revealed himself to the robbers and forgave them on the condition that they all come to the court for service as soon as he called them.
This story, of course, seems implausible, created by the imagination of fans of Robin Hood. But in the end, maybe not everything in it is fiction.
The fact is that this case is described in Robin Hood's Little Feat, published in 1459. It is known for certain that the king visited Nottingham in 1332. We also know that a few months after this, the name of Robin Hood is mentioned in reports of Edward's court.
However, he soon suddenly disappeared from the royal court, only to reappear in the forest and in popular rumor.
So, let's continue the story of the daring adventures of Robin Hood. He appeared at the church of St. Mary in Nottingham, where a monk recognized the robber and informed the sheriff. Robin was captured only after he single-handedly killed 12 soldiers with his sword. Even while in prison, the fearless leader had no doubt that faithful friends they won't leave him. Shortly before Robin was due to stand trial, Little John organized a daring attack and returned their leader to the bandit brethren. For complete justice, the robbers tracked down and killed the monk who betrayed Robin.
forest brotherhood
It is impossible to talk about Robin Hood without paying tribute to his cheerful gang and legendary girlfriend, Maid Marian.
Robin's closest assistant was Little John, presumably not a merry fellow at all, but a gloomy and very vulnerable guy. Most likely, he was called the Kid as a joke, since he was quite tall. This was discovered when, in 1784, his grave was opened at Hathersage and the bones of a rather tall man were found.
As for Brother Took, opinions differ about him. Some believe that this legendary character combines the features of two fat monks, others believe that there really was such a cheerful person who loved to have fun and dance in the company of forest brothers. Perhaps it was Robert Stafford, a priest from Sussex (early 15th century), who sometimes, under the pseudonym of Brother Took, participated in the adventures of a gay gang.
Maid Marian as a character also fits well with the theory that the image of Robin came from folk tales about traditional May holiday festivities and games. Marian could simply be a girl chosen for her beauty as the "Queen of May".
The inconsistency of the image
The legendary adventures of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest supposedly ended in 1346. It is believed that he died in Kirkless Monastery after a serious illness. The abbess treated Robin with copious bloodletting, as a result of which, weakened and exsanguinated, he never recovered from his illness.
Such is the romantic image of Robin Hood, a daredevil and benefactor. But the Anglo-Saxons have a strange tendency to denigrate their idols, and Robin suffered more than others from this.
Graham Black, director of the Nottanham Tales of Robin Hood exhibition, said: "We have come close to knowing the true identity of Robin Hood."
According to Blake, real story Robina originates in 1261, when William, son of Robert Smith, was outlawed in Berkshire. The law clerk who wrote the decree named him William Robinhood.
Other court documents survive that mention people named Robinhood, most of whom are criminals. Therefore, researchers believe that if Robin Hood actually existed, then he most likely acted before that time.
The most likely candidate for this dubious role, according to Graham Black, is Robert Hod, an inhabitant of the Archbishopric of York, who escaped justice in 1225. Two years later he is mentioned in written documents as Hobhod.
Where does the romantic version of the legend come from?
According to some versions, Robin was a nobleman. But this is an obvious invention of the playwright, who in 1597 wanted to attract the nobility to his theater. Previously, Robin was considered a vassal of the lord.
The glory of Robin Hood as the greatest archer comes from wandering storytellers who passed from mouth to mouth ballads about the legendary robber, recorded in the second half of the 15th century.
As for the girl Marian, it is believed that she was a beauty guarded by the treacherous Prince John. She first met Robin when she was ambushed by his men. However, scholars do not agree with this version, claiming that Marian appeared in a French poem of the 13th century as a shepherdess with her shepherd Robin. Only 200 years after the appearance of this poem, she finally entered the legend of Robin Hood. And the reputation of the immaculate virgin Marian gained much later under the influence of chaste Victorian morality.
According to legend, Brother Tuk was a merry glutton who amused the robbers with his funny tricks and jokes. The monk was unsurpassed in stick fights. In fact, it turns out that Brother Tuk also existed. This name was given to the priest of Lindfield parish from Sussex, in fact a murderer and robber, when in 1417 a royal decree was issued for his arrest, the priest went on the run.
James Holt, Professor of Medieval History University of Cambridge and the author of a book on Robin Hood, wrote: “Written records indicate that Brother Took organized his gang of robbers two hundred miles from Sherwood Forest, and centuries after Robin Hood. In fact, Brother Tuk was quite far from harmless gaiety, for he ruined and burned the hearths of his enemies.
baby john, right hand Robin, was capable of brutal murders. It was he who killed the monk, suspected of betraying Robin, then beheaded the young servant of the monk, a witness to the murder.
But Little John did a lot of brave things. One of them, which has already been mentioned, is the rescue of Robin Hood from a well-fortified prison guarded by the guards of the notorious Sheriff of Nottingham.
Regarding Robin Hood, Professor Holt wrote: “He was absolutely not the way he is described. He wore a cap like a monastic hood. There is absolutely no evidence that he robbed the rich to give money to the poor. The legend acquired these fabrications 200 or more years after his death. And during his lifetime he was known as a notorious marauder.
And yet, following the legends of hoary antiquity, we prefer to see in Robin Hood the protector of the oppressed and disenfranchised, the brave and cheerful chieftain, now and then wiping the nose of those in power.
And we want to believe that, ending life path, full of various feats, our hero is on the verge of death from last strength blew a horn, as if sending a message about himself to the future, and we still hear the echoes of this signal in our hearts.
Most famous character medieval epic - noble robber Robin Hood. What is the legend about? This article sets out 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 provides works of art dedicated to the leader of the forest robbers.
Ballads of Robin Hood
Summary poetic work Scottish folklorist Robert Burns can be summed up in a few sentences. The work of an eighteenth-century poet, based on medieval legend, should be read in the original. The Burns legend is an example of poetic romanticism. main role it's not the plot that plays here, but 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. In the next chapters coming talking about other glorious exploits 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 the squad of Robin Hood. 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 about which 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 expected, by true 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").
The summary of the story about the beloved hero of the English people in any of the versions is a presentation 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 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 recollections 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.
