For almost 700 years, there has been a legend about a noble robber. He robbed the rich and gave what he had taken from them to the poor. This man led a gang of "knife and ax workers" numbering over a hundred people. Desperate people lived in Sherwood Forest (Nottinghamshire) and brought a lot of trouble to dishonest, greedy and greedy citizens.
Robin Hood - that was the name of the legendary hero who cares about the welfare of ordinary and honest people. So many laudatory ballads have been written about him that you involuntarily begin to believe in the reality of this person. But did the noble robber really live, or are the legends about him a beautiful myth that has nothing to do with real life?
In the second half of the fifteenth century unknown author wrote 4 ballads dedicated to the brave leader of the forest robbers. In the first ballad tells of how Robin helps a poor knight ruined by a greedy abbot. The poor fellow is borrowed large sum money, and the faithful squire of the noble leader of the robbers, Little Joe, is given to help. It was a huge kid, endowed with immeasurable strength. Naturally, the knight takes revenge on the greedy abbot, and good triumphs.
Second ballad is dedicated to the conflict between the sheriff from Nottingham and the noble robber. "Romance with high road"arranged a deer hunt in the lands of the sheriff, and then, with the help of cunning, they invited the most formidable law enforcement officer to the feast.
Third ballad tells of Robin's meeting with King Edward. He secretly comes to Nottingham to incognito investigate violations of the law by local authorities. The defender of the poor and the storm of the rich enters the service of the king and swears allegiance to him.
Fourth ballad the saddest. It tells about the death of a noble robber. He again begins to engage in dangerous fishing, but catches a cold and goes to Kirklayskoe Abbey to undergo a course of treatment. However, the insidious abbess treats him with leeches. Those suck blood, the noble robber is weakening day by day and, in the end, dies.
This, in brief, is the essence of the legends about a courageous man who faithfully served the common people. A great many such ballads were written. Robin is presented as a proud and independent person who opposes the rich who oppress the people. At the same time, the noble robber was loyal to the king and revered the church. Near him all the time was a cheerful and kind monk named Tak.
As for the origin of the glorious hero, some consider him a free peasant, others believe that he was a petty nobleman. The wife's name was Marian, however, she could not have been a wife, but simply a fighting girlfriend.
Experts studied the census registries of England in the period from 1228 to 1230. In these lists was found a man named Robin Hood, who was on the wanted list for crimes. This time is notable for popular unrest. They were headed by a certain Robert Twing. Under his leadership, the rebels plundered monasteries, and the seized grain was distributed to poor peasants.
Some historians are inclined to believe that the legendary robber was Robert Fitzug. He was born around 1170 and died around 1246. This man was the now wealthy Earl of Huntington. In fact, he was a rebellious aristocrat, but for some reason did not oppose the king, but only opposed noble nobles.
This is how Robin Hood is portrayed in Hollywood
Who sat on the royal throne during the activities of the noble robber? If you rely on ballads and legends, you can find the names of several crowned persons. In particular, this is Henry III (1207-1272). During his reign, civil war broke out in 1261. The rebels were led by Count Simon de Montfort (1208-1265).
At first, the rebels were victorious with the establishment of the dictatorship of the rebellious count, but then Henry III managed to regain power in 1265. However, some of the rebels did not bow their heads before the king. The nobles went into the forests and became robbers. Among them was our glorious hero. The king took everything from him, but he could not take it back noble heart. Some researchers believe that that courageous nobleman from the 13th century became the hero of ballads and legends.
Robin Hood is also associated with Count Thomas Plantagenet Lancaster (1278-1322). He opposed King Edward II (1284-1327) and led the baronial opposition. The reason for the hostility was that the count was not appointed chief adviser at the court. In 1322 there was a rebellion. He was brutally suppressed, and Lancaster himself was beheaded.
Some of the rebels were pardoned by the king. One of them was a man with a legendary name. He was taken into service at court and given the rank of valet. During the year, this gentleman was carefully paid a salary. Then the newly-made valet disappeared, and what happened to him next is unknown. It is possible that for a number of reasons he became a noble robber.
If we consider Edward II as the main royal figure, then we can assume that "the romantic and unmercenary from the high road" did good deeds in the period from 1320 to 1330. However, the famous writer and historian Walter Scott (1771-1832) portrayed the image of a noble robber in his novel Richard the Lionheart. This English king lived from 1157 to 1199. And this points to more early dates the existence of Robin Hood, or rather at the end of the XII century.
Nowadays, many researchers believe that the bright and enigmatic personality is a composite image. That is, there was no specific person, but was only folk dream about a just and honest hero-robber. This is a purely folk creation, born among ordinary people. Since the image was unusually interesting and romantic, it became popular among poets and novelists. Creative nature turned it into a kind of symbol of the eternal struggle between good and evil. That is why it remains not only popular, but also relevant for several centuries..
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 medieval ballads and legends served as the basis for it, but over the past 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 the Lionheart (Richard the Lionheart), that is, he 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 cannot of course be considered a reliable historical source in such matters. 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 him as the embodiment of a 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, Robin's closest friends and associates.
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.
The Victorian era created its 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 a national a hero of epic proportions, who not only takes care of the weak, but also bravely defends the English throne from unworthy and corrupt lords.
The historical prototype of Robin Hood
For 600 years now, scientists have been puzzling over where the world-famous hero of ballads, the leader of the forest robbers Robin Hood, came from, or rather, who he was copied from, and whether he really existed. At least the four most common versions equally prove the existence of Robin, but only argue about the prototypes. So, for example, Robert Goad (aka Good or Hod), born in 1290, lived during the reign of English king Edward II. In 1322, Robert became a servant of the Earl of Lancaster. The count raised a rebellion against the king and was executed, his possessions were transferred to the state treasury, and the participants in the uprising were outlawed. And then Robert disappeared into Sherwood Forest, organizing criminal gang with a mission to beat money out of the rich - nobles and royal saints. Also in one historical document it is said that this same Robert from March 24 to November 22, 1324 worked as a porter at the court of Edward II - so he had a chance to repent, receive forgiveness and enter the royal service. But by the time this could be done, Robert Goad was already seriously ill, and in 1346 he died in the Kirkley monastery from blood loss.
Another legend, somewhat similar in chronology of events, says that Robert Goad lived in Witherby and fled from the king's justice - this fact is stated in a court document dated 1226, found in the London Public Archives. The document also states that the Sheriff of York took possession of the property of the escaped "Robin Hood", but did not transfer the money to the treasury, and a year later put him on the wanted list, calling him "a criminal and villain of our land." A little later, the robber was found and executed.
In another common version of the mysterious Robin Hood, it is emphasized that he was from the class of yeomen (free artisan) from the village of Loxley, obsessed with a thirst for justice and prone to various outstanding games. A bunch of alternative versions, which says that Robin was allegedly the eldest son of the Earl of Huntington, refutes the fact that bards would rather compose ballads and sing not the earl's son, but a peasant who is socially close to them and helps the poor.
And, finally, according to the fourth modern version, it is believed that Robin Hood lived during the time of Richard I, John I and Henry III, i.e. V late XII- mid-thirteenth century. Since a hero for a long time was outlawed and very famous for his exploits, soon every fifth robber began to be called "Robin Hood". The cases of all Robin Hoods were summed up, from which ballads and legends were formed.
Majority historical sources are divided into two directions, in which it is possible to establish at least the era of Robin Hood. Some believe that Robin appeared under King Edward II or Edward III (1307-1377), others tend to believe that he was a contemporary of Richard the Lionheart (1189-1199). One thing remains clear: Robin Hood is a collective image, tailored from ballads and legends of different times and different generations.
Hero of medieval England
Not far from the city of Nottingham was Sherwood Forest. The Great Northern Road laid by the Romans passed through it - one of major roads Northern England. In the 11th century, after the conquest of England by the Normans, the new rulers severely oppressed the Anglo-Saxons and treated them with undisguised contempt. Suffice it to say that the kings of the Norman and Angevin dynasties ruling the country did not know a word from the language of the native inhabitants of England.
The Anglo-Saxons, of course, rebelled - many of them went into the forests, creating gangs there for self-defense. Robin Hood became the leader of one of these gangs. His gang consisted of hundreds of valiant free shooters - fighters for the idea. Some have become as immortal figures in folklore as Robin Hood himself. For example, the deputy chieftain, a healthy thug nicknamed Little John, whom Robin defeated in the famous stick fight at the river ford. And also the obese monk Tuk is a big fan of drinking, eating and fighting. And other very colorful characters - such as Will Stutley-Scarlett, the minstrel Alan-o-Dale, Robin Hood's beloved Marion. They all wore green cloaks and were excellent archers, "good guys" who fought for economic justice by taking money from monks and landowners and giving it to the needy.
To live in the forest, you need to eat something, which means hunting. In medieval England, such activity was considered criminal along with robbery, to the point that a poacher who shot a deer condemned himself to public hanging. Smaller game was punished in proportion to its size - for example, for a rabbit, they could simply chop off their hand. All game living in the forest belonged only to the king, no one had the right to hunt there without permission. The king's lands were guarded by specially appointed foresters, calling the robbers "arrogant mob", and tried to catch poachers at any opportunity.
One day, the Bishop decided to take a walk around Sherwood and stumbled upon Robin's gang in the forest, where they were carelessly roasting venison. The bishop did not immediately realize that before him were the famous robbers whom the sheriff had been looking for for so long, and ordered his guards to seize the poachers. Fans of fun from the heart, Robin and his friends, began to act out of themselves as simple lackeys, begging for mercy. When Robin got tired of the game, he gave a sign, and the rest of the gang rushed to their aid. The bishop was taken hostage and forced to dance a jig around a large oak tree. Since then, this oak has been called "Bishop's", and many ballads talk about the royal foresters as the eternal enemies of Robin Hood.
However, the foresters did not have the power that the Sheriff of Nottingham had, because. in medieval England, the sheriff was a very significant figure, akin to the governor. Appointed personally by the king, the sheriff exercised all military, police, administrative and judicial power in the county. He also collected taxes, some of which he arbitrarily took for himself. The king, of course, did not know about this, but the peasants and the aristocracy perceived him as their natural enemy. Not to mention the criminals from the Robin Hood squad, who mocked the official as best they could.
Once, the sheriff ordered the three sons of an old widow to be hanged because they shot a deer in the royal forest. This incident gave Robin another reason to have fun. Dressed in the clothes of a simple artisan, he hurried to Nottingham - to the square where the poachers were to be executed. Literally a second before the execution, Robin blew his horn, to the call of which all his friends immediately jumped, repelling the prisoners.
The sheriff could not do anything with the "damned robber." Once he even complained to the king, blaming his impotence. The king gave him wise advice - to resort to trickery, for which the sheriff came up with an "insidious" event. He announced an archery contest in which the winner receives an arrow of solid gold. Oddly enough, Robin bought into the simple trick and was about to leave for Nottingham when Little John advised him to change his green cloak for a multi-colored one. The sheriff did not recognize Robin, who arrived in such an outfit, allowing the robber to safely win the competition and hide in the forest along with a golden bow.
Very often in the ballads it is told how Robin and the gang shook the money out of fat abbots and monks. This was done for a reason, because the church was then the largest landowner and tore three skins from the peasants.
And yet, why is it said that Robin was a nice guy? He did not have a fierce hatred for the nobles and even helped them if they were in trouble. For example, one knight had to mortgage his estate to the local abbot, and when the time came to pay the debt, he went to the abbey to ask for a respite. Meeting on the road through Sherwood with Robin, who was about to rob him, the knight told sad story about your situation. Robin Hood, mistaking him for a noble man, gave him money to pay off the debt, and the rest of the gang showered him with gifts on top.
Even in ballads there was the concept of a boomerang - good from fate for the good done to someone. One day, on a forest road, Robin Hood met the king, who, according to legend, "was returning incognito from the Crusade." Either in a fight with the king, or in a conversation with him, Robin managed to charm the monarch so much that he, having drunk enough from the gang, forgave them all their sins and accepted them into his service.
The Love and Death of Robin Hood
In every story there should be a place for love, even if it is a legend about a robber and a scoundrel. Initially, the slogan of Robin Hood and his associates was not "rob and kill everyone", but only evil and wealthy citizens who made capital through theft. This did not concern women - they were in no way abused or humiliated by the gang. Once, during the next "raid", Robin met Marion - a noble and immaculate girl - and immediately fell in love with her. For a long time posing as a count, Robin Hood sought her location. Their feelings were mutual, but soon the hero had to return to Sherwood to his friends. Saddened by separation, Marion changed into a man's dress and went to look for her lover. By chance, the couple met on a forest road, where Robin mistook her for a rich traveler in the dark and decided to rob her. Marion also did not recognize her betrothed in the robber and began to famously defend herself. Robin Hood was pleasantly surprised by such an active attack and offered to make peace. Soon the misunderstanding was cleared up, and they lived happily in the forest.
The exploits of Robin Hood and his robbers continued to shock the kingdom for some time, but after a few years, as the ballads say, energetic and funny hero felt unwell. He was no longer able to fight, his hands were weakened. Since at that time there was no medicine yet, he decided to seek help from the Kirklei Monastery, whose inhabitants were famous for the art of “opening blood”. In the Middle Ages, it was considered almost the only and best remedy for any serious illness.
The nuns, either from malicious intent and conspiracy, or from ordinary indiscretion, released so much blood from Robin's veins that he was barely alive. Finally realizing that he was finished, Robin blew his horn, and Little John rushed after him. With the help of a faithful friend, the heroes return to the forest, Robin Hood in last time pulls the string and shoots a golden arrow, bequeathing to be buried where it falls. So, according to legend, with dignity and humility, Robin passed away into another world.
After the completion of the story of Robin Hood in England, there was a May holiday in his honor for a long time, when the peasants went to the forest to collect fresh green branches. This custom testifies that in the popular mind Robin Hood united with the pagan forest deity.
Many poems, stories and ballads have been written about the noble robber Robin Hood. But was he a real person, or just a beautiful legend? There have been historical disputes about this for a long time.
Who was the inspiration for Robin Hood?
Probably the earliest source that tells about the deeds of this hero is the Ballad of Robin Hood, written at the end of the 14th 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 approximately 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 would suggest that Robin Hood, 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 dances become popular on 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. Storytellers weave a variety of conflicting stories and real people into their stories and turn it all into a story about a person 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 supported 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 entire head ... And the term also has a figurative meaning: “to hide”. Hence the expression "hoodlum" - "thug", "hooligan" (after all, honest people do not need to cover their faces and heads 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, protecting 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.
“He didn’t shave his beard yet, but he was already a shooter ...”
A long time ago, in good old England, in the green Sherwood forest, there lived a noble robber named Robin Hood ... So, or something like this, each of the stories about Robin Hood begins. And every year there are more and more of these stories, they are invented and told by everyone who is not lazy. The English bards with their uncomplicated ballads were replaced first by novelists led by Walter Scott and Alexandre Dumas, and then, with the development of technology, screenwriters of films, television series and cartoons. And what is characteristic: each of these storytellers invariably came out with their own Robin Hood, which cannot be confused with the rest. As a result of such collective creativity, the legend of Robin acquired new details, became incredibly complex and confusing, even contradictory.
Historians could not help but be interested in the personality of Robin Hood. With the words “now we will definitely find out who this Robin Hood was” they put forward several mutually exclusive versions about the true Robin. The Sherwood Rogue has finally evolved into a character that everyone can think whatever they want about. And then there are the creators. computer games made their contribution. Moreover, they thought not so much about following the letter of the legend (in one form or another), but about game balance, fascination and other things that had nothing to do with Robin Hood himself. As a result, several more new Robins were born.
Now the legend of Robin Hood is a legend without a hero. That is, everyone, of course, knows who Robin Hood is, only everyone has this Robin at least a little, but his own. This, perhaps, makes his image so attractive, because the lack of a clear canon reveals huge opportunities for imagination. The legend of Robin is never boring because it changes all the time.
But behind the beautiful legend, most likely, there was quite a a real man. Researchers have not yet come to a final conclusion about whether the legendary robber actually existed. But a lot of circumstantial evidence has been preserved confirming that there is a fair amount of truth in the legend of Robin Hood.
Place and time of action
This is what the legendary Bishop's Oak looks like now.
All versions of the legend agree on one thing: the gang Robin Hood acted in sherwood forest located on the county border Nottinghamshire And Yorkshire. Yorkshiremen, by the way, still consider Robin Hood their fellow countryman and take offense at the inhabitants Nottingham who appropriated the great robber.
The name Sherwood comes from "shire wood", which means "county forest". In the Middle Ages, Sherwood Forest covered an area of about 25 square miles and was a reserve in which only the king could hunt. Of course, the locals didn't care about the bans and regularly supplemented their meager diet with fresh venison from Sherwood. The authorities, in turn, severely punished the caught poachers.
Through Sherwood and neighboring barnsdale the woods passed Great Northern Route, laid by the Romans and connecting the capital of northern England York with the southern counties. It was one of the most important roads in the country, and the traffic on it was always very busy. It is not surprising that the tract was literally teeming with robbers. In general, robbery on high roads was one of the hallmarks of England in the Middle Ages, the authorities were able to finally deal with it only to early XIX V.
Sherwood Forest still exists today. This is a small, only 4 square kilometers, nature reserve in the northern part of the sprawling city of Nottingham. Every summer it hosts the Robin Hood Festival. The main attraction of modern Sherwood is an ancient oak, around which, it is believed, the bishop caught by Robin danced a jig. Oak is called - Episcopal.
Monument to Robin Hood in Nottingham.
This is interesting: The Bishop's Oak is possibly thousands of years old. Its branches are so large and heavy that back in the 19th century. I had to install special props for them. A project is currently underway to grow clones of the Bishop's Oak in major cities around the world.
To what time can the events described in the legend be attributed? There is no single answer to this question. The first written references to the legend of Robin date back to the end of the 14th century. Thus, there was no way he could live after that time.
Robin Hood is mentioned in folk ballads archery competition, which began to be held in England only in the XIII century. In addition, in one of the ballads there is a king named Edward. Three kings with this name ruled in England from 1272 to 1377. So, if you rely on the text of the ballads, Robin Hood lived in the late XIII - early XIV centuries.
However, evidence has survived that relates the activities of Robin Hood to an earlier period. In 1261, a certain William Smith was outlawed. In the text of the corresponding decree, Smith was named Robinhood. That is, even then the name of Robin Hood was a household name. Historians of the XV-XVI centuries. claimed that Robin lived either in the thirteenth century, or even earlier, at the end of the twelfth century, during the time of the king Richard I the Lionheart. WITH light hand Walter Scott's version, according to which Robin was a contemporary of Richard I and his younger brother John, became the most popular.
Candidates for Heroes
What's in a name?
It will die like a sad noise
Waves splashing on the distant shore,
Like the sound of the night in a deaf forest.
It's on a memento
Leave a dead trail like
Tombstone lettering pattern
In an unknown language.
A. Pushkin
A lot can be said about Robin Hood: he robbed the rich, helped the poor, mocked the priests and the sheriff, shot from a bow without a miss ... But there is only one clue that allows you to find the real Robin among the many "outlaw"(outlawed robbers) who hunted in Sherwood Forest in the XII - XIV centuries. This lead is his name.
"Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown". Robin Hood shoots money from people passing through Sherwood.
By the way, it leads to certain suspicions. It has long been noticed that the name Robin Hood (Robin Hood), looks a lot like Robin Goodfellow(Robin the Good Guy, aka Pak). That was the name of the mischievous forest spirit from pagan legends, the leader of the gang fairy creatures. This is not the only circumstance that connects the legend of the Sherwood robber with pre-Christian tradition. For example, in one of the ballads about Robin, it is stated that there are not twelve in a year (as in church calendar), but thirteen months. The holiday dedicated to Robin Hood, which was celebrated by English peasants for a long time, also had a clearly pagan character. So the legend of Robin Hood may well be the latest version of the pagan legend, and one of the candidates for the legendary robbers is not a real person, but an ancient forest deity.
However, this version is not very popular, since in ancient documents there were plenty of references to robbers, whose name was Robin or even Robin Hood. Among the many versions, three seem to be the most plausible.
According to the first one, Robert Goad, he is Hood or Hod, was born in 1290 in Yorkshire. He was a servant of the Earl of Warren and lived with his wife Matilda in the village of Wakefield. In 1322 Robert entered the service of Sir Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. The count soon led a rebellion against the king. Edward II, was defeated and executed, and all participants in the rebellion, including, possibly, Robert Goad, were outlawed.
No documents have been preserved indicating that the former servant of the Earl of Lancaster hunted robbery in Sherwood Forest. However, it is known that in 1323 Edward II visited Nottingham, and the very next year a man named Robert Goad appeared among his servants, perhaps the same one who had recently participated in the rebellion. This fact goes very well with one of the ballads. It tells how King Edward visited the bandit camp at Sherwood, was warmly received by them, granted amnesty to Robin and his friends, and then accepted them into his service. This Robin Hood died in 1346.
Second Candidate for Sherwood Legends, Robin God of Witherby, nicknamed Brownie, lived at the beginning of the XIII century. In 1226, he fled from justice, and all his property, worth 32 shillings and 6 pence, was taken into the hands of the sheriff of York. Soon this sheriff moved to the neighboring city of Nottingham. There he announced a reward for the "criminal and villain" Robin of Witherby. As a result of "operational-search measures" Robin was caught and hanged.
However, the third version is the most popular. According to her, the true Robin Hood was someone Robert Fitz-Uth, Earl of Huntington. He was born sometime around 1160 and died on November 18, 1247. This Robin Hood could not see King Edward, but speaks in his favor the only direct evidence. The point is that next to Kirklei monastery in Yorkshire, which in all legends is called the place of death of the legendary robber, has survived Robin Hood's grave. A barely distinguishable epitaph has been preserved on the tombstone. Here is its text, recorded in 1702 by Thomas Gale: “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. Exiles like him and his people England will never see again.".
Robin Hood dies surrounded by his closest friends. The noble robber bequeathed to bury himself where the last arrow he fired would fall.
This is interesting: the current owner of the estate, on the territory of which Robert Fitz-Ut is buried, cannot stand the legend of the Sherwood robber and wages a relentless struggle with the admirers of Robin Hood. Every time someone tries to look at the grave of the Earl of Huntington, the owner of the estate calls the police. The local kids refer to him as "the Sheriff of Nottingham" and regularly shoot at his house with homemade bows.
However, there are big doubts that the same Robin Hood really lies under this stone. Now the text of the epitaph is already impossible to read in full, and Thomas Gale could well have confused something when he rewrote it. Author of two Robin Hood books Richard Rutherford-Moore, although he believes in the authenticity of the grave of the robber, claims that he was reburied, and his old grave was in a completely different place.
Robert Fitz-Ut was deprived of his inheritance, and in 1219 his younger brother John became the next Earl of Huntington. Perhaps this was a consequence of the dissolute character of Count Robert. The modern Earls of Huntington claim to be related to Robin Hood, although in reality they have nothing to do with Robert Fitz-Ut. The Yorkshire Huntington family has long since died out, and the title has since changed hands several times.
It is also possible that all three were the prototypes of Robin Hood from folk ballads, and different plots of the legends go back to the activities of different robbers.
Attention is a myth: Robin Hood is often referred to as the Robin of Loxley or simply Loxley. Three villages with this name claim to be the birthplace of the legendary robber. However, none of the possible prototypes of Robin Hood had anything to do with any of these villages.
Merry fellows from the green forest
Let there be no stake and no yard,
But they don't pay taxes to the king
Knife and ax workers -
Romance from the high road.
Y. Entin, "Romantics from the High Road"
Robin's first encounter with Baby John nearly ended in self-mutilation.
“Do not have a hundred rubles, but have a hundred friends,” says a Russian folk proverb. Robin Hood, according to legend, had well over a hundred friends. There were 140 outlawed yeomen in his band alone. These people were called Merry Men, which is usually translated into Russian as "funny boys" or "fun men". But the word merry also has another meaning: "follower and ally of a man outlawed."
"Merry Fellows" usually act in stories about Robin as a kind of extras, but some of them are not only named by name, but also in color will not yield to the leader.
Baby John was right hand Robin Hood. He is already mentioned in the earliest ballads, where he is portrayed as a very intelligent and talented person. In later ballads, it is said that John was a real giant, and the nickname "Baby" was given by his friends as a joke. To the gang funny guys he joined after he overpowered Robin Hood in a stick fight. Later, Little John saved Robin more than once and was the only person present at his death. John was a rather cruel man: once he personally killed a monk who betrayed Robin to the sheriff. Another story tells how John entered the service of the sheriff, calling himself Reynold Greenleaf (and set up a trap for the sheriff).
As with Robin Hood, there is some evidence that indicates that Little John actually existed. In the village of Hathersage in Derbyshire, one can still see his grave. When this burial was opened in 1784, the skeleton of a very tall man was indeed found in it. Since this grave belonged to the Naylor family, Baby John is also sometimes referred to as John Naylor.
Along with Little John, the earliest ballads also mention Will Scarlet, or Scatlock, And Much, son of a miller.
Little John's grave.
Will Scarlet is one of the youngest members of the Robin Hood gang. He was quick-tempered, hot-tempered, liked to flaunt in beautiful clothes. He received the nickname Scarlet (that is, "dressed in red") for the fact that he often wore clothes made of red silk. Will fought with swords better than all the other "jolly guys". One of the ballads states that real name Scarlet Gamwell and that he was Robin Hood's nephew. Robin accepted Will into his squad after he killed a man and fled from justice in the woods. Scarlet is believed to have been buried in the churchyard at Bleedworth, near Nottingham.
Much, the miller's son, is usually depicted as almost a boy, although in the early ballads this name is given to an adult and experienced person. Forest robbers saved him from hanging, to which he was sentenced for poaching. In most stories, Much turns out to be something like the "son of the regiment" with the "jolly guys." Sometimes it is called not Much, but Mayge.
Will Stutley appears in two later ballads. He is sometimes confused with Will Scarlet. When Little John joined the Jolly Boys, it was Stutley who acted as his "godfather" and named him "Baby". One day, Stutley was spying on the sheriff and was caught by the guards. But the "merry guys" did not leave their friend in trouble and rescued him from the sheriff's dungeons.
Monk Tuk was a kind of chaplain in a detachment of forest robbers. However, he became famous not for his piety, but for drunkenness, gluttony and the ability to fight with sticks. He was expelled from the monastery for disobedience and lack of respect for the authorities. Usually, Took is portrayed as a bald and fat merry fellow, although sometimes he demonstrates remarkable physical strength.
Robin crosses the river, sitting on the back of the monk Took.
Tuka is commonly referred to as friar, that is, a member of a mendicant monastic order. Such orders appeared in England after the death of Richard the Lionheart. So, if Robin Hood lived during the time of Richard, there could be no friar in his squad.
The prototype of the monk Tuk is usually called a certain Robert Stafford who lived at the beginning of the fifteenth century. This monk from Sussex was indeed known as Took. He was the leader of a gang of forest robbers operating 200 miles from Sherwood, and later stories about his adventures became part of the legend of Robin Hood. According to another version, the monk Tuk is collective image, combining the features of several monks who lived in Sherwood Forest at once.
Alan-e-Dale was a wandering minstrel. His beloved was to be given in marriage to an old knight. But the "jolly guys" disrupted this wedding, after which one of the forest robbers, either Little John or the monk Tuk, dressed up as a bishop and married Alan to his beloved. Alan-e-Dale appeared in the legends of Robin quite late, but became very popular character. It was Alan-e-Dale who inspired the authors of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game to create the Bard class. The village of Dale Abbey, halfway between Nottingham and Derby, claims to be Alan's birthplace.
Arthur Bland, like Baby John, joined the gang after defeating Robin Hood in a duel. He is sometimes referred to as Little John's cousin.
This young man in red is the wandering minstrel Alan-e-Dale.
ABOUT Davide from Doncaster very little is known. This "brave young man" strongly advised Robin Hood not to go to the archery competition arranged by the sheriff. David felt that this was a trap, and in the end he was right.
The "jolly guys" had many friends and intercessors. For example, in some versions of the legend, the king himself is on their side. The poor adored Robin because he protected them from the arbitrariness of the authorities and helped in difficult times. Knight Richard Lee once saved the "jolly guys" from the sheriff, hiding them in his castle. Shortly before this, Robin helped Sir Richard pay off his debt to the abbot and regain his lands.
A special place in the stories of Robin Hood is occupied by his beloved, Maid Marian. Her character varies greatly from story to story. Sometimes she is portrayed as a commoner, sometimes as a noble lady, even a princess. In one version of the legend, Robin and Marian, after a long separation, do not recognize each other and begin to fight with swords.
In fact none of the Robin Hood ballads has a character named Marian. They also say nothing about whether Robin had a lover. However, a character named Marian has a history as long as Robin Hood himself.
Maid Marian was originally one of the central figures at traditional May games. Sometimes she was also called May Queen. Since these games have always been closely associated with the forest and archery, they soon began to be called Happy Robin Hood. And Marian turned into the bride of a Sherwood robber. According to another version, the name Marian came into the legend from a French pastoral play. Robin and Marian first joined in the 16th century. and since then go hand in hand through the pages of books and cinema screens.
Task Force from Nottingham
Our role is honorable and enviable.
The king cannot live without guards.
When we go, the earth trembles all around.
We are always near, near the king.
Y. Entin, "Royal Guard"
Since the good guys in the legends of Robin Hood are all robbers, poachers and their accomplices, the guardians of law and order inevitably turned out to be the villains.
Most main enemy Robin Hood - Sheriff of Nottingham. He commands all kinds of guards and foresters, he is supported by the church and the feudal nobility. On his side are the law and chests full of gold. But he can't help it brave Robin, on the side of which is not only the ability to shoot accurately from a bow, but also an outstanding mind and the support of the broad masses of the people ...
Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood. The final showdown between Robin and the sheriff.
Sheriff in medieval England was an official responsible for the fight against crime, in fact - the head of the criminal police. This position appeared even before the Norman conquest in 1066. However, only under the Normans was England divided into districts, each of which had its own sheriff. These districts did not always coincide with the counties. For example, the Sheriff of Nottinghamshire also had jurisdiction over the neighboring county of Derbyshire.
The Sheriff is the protagonist of all the Robin Hood ballads, but he is not named in any of them. Among its possible prototypes are usually William de Vendenal, Roger de Lacy And William de Brewer. In any case, there is no doubt about the reality of the existence of the Nottingham Sheriff.
In the early ballads, the sheriff was the enemy of the "jolly guys" simply because he was the sheriff and was obliged to fight robbers and poachers. However, in later legends, he turns into an inveterate villain. He mercilessly oppresses the poor, illegally seizes foreign lands, imposes exorbitant taxes, and generally abuses his official position in every possible way. In some stories, he also harasses Lady Marian and tries to take the throne of England.
This is interesting: A few years ago Nottingham City Council decided to remove the image of Robin Hood from the city coat of arms. The only one who voted against this decision was Derek Cresswell, who at that time held the post of Sheriff of Nottingham. Mr. Cresswell, explaining his position, said that the rumors about his enmity with Robin Hood are greatly exaggerated.
In most stories, the sheriff is not particularly brave. He usually sits in his castle and thinks about new plans to capture Robin Hood. All the dirty work for him is usually done by his subordinates.
Another enemy of Robin behaves quite differently - Sir Guy of Gisborne. This is a skillful and brave warrior, who fights well with swords and shoots well with a bow. One of the ballads tells how Gisborne went into the woods to kill Robin and receive a reward from the sheriff for this. As a result, Sir Guy himself fell at the hands of Robin Hood. Usually Gisborne is called a noble knight, although in some stories he turns out to be a cruel and bloodthirsty murderer who stands outside the law. Sometimes he also becomes a suitor or even a suitor to Maid Marian. His appearance is quite unusual - instead of a cloak, he wears a horseskin. Gisborne is a fictional character. Perhaps he was once the hero of a separate legend, which later merged with the legend of Robin.
The bandits of the forest greet King Richard the Lionheart.
Prince John, the future King John Landless, got into the legend of Robin Hood through the efforts of Walter Scott. In the novel Ivanhoe, Robin Hood helps King Richard, who returned to England after the crusade and captivity, regain his throne, usurped by his younger brother John. Later, this story was repeated many times (with slight variations) in numerous books, films and computer games.
John really took the throne of England during the absence of his brother and was in no hurry to redeem Richard from captivity. He even sent a letter to the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI, who was holding Richard captive, asking him to keep the legitimate English king away from England. Some historians claim that John was trying to protect his country from Richard's less than wise rule. However, he himself did not shine with talents at all. His own reign, which began after Richard's death in 1199, was one continuous disaster. John miserably lost the war with France and was forced to cede Normandy to her. Having quarreled with the Pope, he brought excommunication on England. As a result, he brought his country to complete ruin and forced his subjects to take up arms. The rebels prevailed and forced John to sign the famous Magna Carta which underlies modern English democracy.
As for the simple henchmen of the sheriff and other enemies of Robin Hood, they are for the most part nameless. Sometimes, however, in the text of the ballads there are names of individual guards and foresters, inserted there, presumably, for greater persuasiveness.
The Dark Side of Robin Hood
I'm the terrible Robin Bad.
I hurt people.
I hate the poor
Widows, orphans and the elderly.
O. Arch, "Robin Bad"
Recently in England there have been several attempts to debunk beautiful legend about Robin Hood.
The city council of Nottingham, which has long been very concerned about the fact that their dynamically developing city around the world is associated exclusively with a robber, has made its contribution to this endeavor. In 1988, the city government issued an official announcement declaring Marian, Monk Took, Alan-e-Dale, and Will Scarlet fictional characters. Baby John was recognized historical figure, however, from a noble robber he turned into an evil grumbler and a bloodthirsty killer. Robin Hood has received less from the current authorities in Nottingham than his associates, but the impeccability of his reputation has also been questioned.
The Merry Boys are helping themselves to ale after a successful operation to rob the rich of excess cash.
Professor's book made a lot of noise University of Cambridge James Holt"Legends of Robin Hood. Between truth and error. Holt writes about Robin: “He was completely different from what he is portrayed in folk songs, legends, and later in books and films. There is absolutely no evidence that he robbed the rich to give money to the poor. The legend acquired these fabrications two hundred and more years after his death. And during his lifetime, he was known as a notorious marauder, a sadistic killer who tormented defenseless victims and a molester. In a word, if he lived now, Robin Hood would not have avoided a life sentence in prison ... ". The historian did not spare the monk Tuk, who, according to him, “was very far from harmless gaiety, because he ruined and burned the houses of his enemies ... killed them ... personally raped women and children, and then chopped them with axes, like cattle ... ".
However, the professor outdid everyone English Literature from Cardiff University Stephen Knight. This pundit stated bluntly that both Robin Hood and his "fun boys" were in fact... gay. In support of his correctness, Knight refers to passages from ballads that seem ambiguous to him. He also points out that the original ballads don't mention Robin's lover, but mention his close friends like Little John or Will Scarlet too often. Knight's point of view is shared by a professor at the University of Cambridge Barry Dobson, who believes that "the relationship between Robin Hood and Baby John was very ambiguous." All sorts of fighters for the rights of sexual minorities adhere to this opinion. One of them, someone Peter Tatchell, requires that the gay version of the Sherwood Rogue be taught in school.
The desire to deprive Robin Hood of a romantic halo and turn him into a banal robber and murderer is so great that calls are already being made to demolish the statue of a noble robber in Nottingham and erect a monument in honor of the Nottingham sheriff in its place.
However, for a huge number of people around the world, Robin Hood remains a beloved hero and role model. After all, the Sherwood robber personifies such positive qualities as the desire for justice, devotion to friends and the desire to help those in trouble.
Robin Hood in fiction
Hair stuck to our sweaty foreheads,
And sucked sweetly from phrases in the spoon,
And the smell of struggle circled our heads,
From the yellowed pages flying down to us.
V. Vysotsky, "The Ballad of the Struggle".
Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood. Robin, Marian, Baby John, Stutley, Scarlet and Took in front of the trophies.
Many English writers addressed the topic of Robin Hood's adventures, for example, poets Robert Keats And Alfred Tennyson. Peru Tennyson owns the play "The Foresters, or Robin Hood and Maid Marian". In 1819 saw the light famous novel Walter Scott"Ivanhoe". In this novel, Robin Hood is the leader of a detachment of Saxons fighting against the Norman knights who oppress them. It can be said that modern look Robin Hood owes its appearance to Walter Scott. He did not bypass the attention of the noble robber and Alexandr Duma, who wrote the adventure novels "Robin Hood - King of Thieves" and "Robin Hood in Exile".
IN Victorian era The legend of Robin Hood has been adapted for children. In 1883, a collection considered a classic was published. Howard Pyle « funny adventures Robin Hood." It collected and literary processed all the stories about Robin Hood that existed at that time, with the exception of those that mentioned Marian (after all, the collection was intended mainly for children, and the requirements of Victorian morality were extremely strict). Pyle idealized medieval England. There is never winter in Sherwood Forest from his book, and there is no end to the fun. Robin Hood, on the other hand, appears in Pyle as a kind of ideal philanthropist and altruist. Pyle's collection was revised in 1956. Roger Green. His book differs from Pyle's only in that Lady Marian is present.
Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood. A mountain of corpses in the central square of Nottingham.
The twentieth century gave the world a huge number of new, sometimes completely original stories about Robin. Terence White made Robin the subject of his book The Sword in the Stone, about the childhood of King Arthur. Michael Cadnam wrote two novels based on the legends of Robin Hood: The Forbidden Forest and In dark forest». Main character the first book - Little John, and the second - none other than the Sheriff of Nottingham himself. In the novel Teresa Tomlinson Lady Marian comes to the fore, turning uncouth highwaymen into legendary fighters for justice. In the novel Gary Blackwood"The Lion and the Unicorn" tells how the insidious Alan-e-Dale takes away his beloved from Robin. In the dilogy Godwin Park"Sherwood" takes place during the time of King William the Red, and in the trilogy Stephen Lohed— in Wales. In the novel Robin McKinley"Outlaw of Sherwood" Robin Hood does not know how to shoot a bow at all, but more than compensates for this shortcoming due to his quick wits. From the pen Jennifer Roberson came out a love-adventure dilogy about Robin and Marien. In the book Clayton Emery The story is told from the perspective of the animals and fairy-tale creatures inhabiting Sherwood Forest. Among the huge number of books for children, one can single out the cycle Nancy Springer dedicated to the adventures of the young daughter of Robin Hood. American writer Esther Friesner made Robin the hero of the science fiction novel Sherwood's Game. In this book, talented programmer Carl Sherwood creates a virtual world for a game about Robin Hood. Suddenly, this world is out of control of its creator, and Robin Hood and other characters in the game begin to live independent life. In the story Adam Stemple the action also takes place in virtual reality: the spirit of Robin Hood who has entered the computer is engaged in the redistribution of world wealth via the Internet.
"Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown". Sherwood forest from a bird's eye view.
Russian writers did not stand aside either. Ballads about Robin were translated into Russian Nikolay Gumilyov And Marina Tsvetaeva. Moreover, Tsvetaeva's translation came out very free. Robin Hood, according to the poetess, did not live at all in the vicinity of Nottingham, but somewhere in Scotland. Mikhail Gershenzon made a classic Russian-language retelling of the legends about Robin. If in Soviet times Robin Hood was the hero of mostly children's books, but recently domestic science fiction writers have taken him seriously. In "Sword and Rainbow" Elena Khaetskaya Robin Hood is a minor but very colorful character. Anna Ovchinnikova offered a very unusual version of the adventures of Sherwood outlaws. The protagonist of her book "Friend and Lieutenant of Robin Hood" is our contemporary and compatriot Ivan Menshov, who moved in time and space and became Little John. Robin's gang, according to Ovchinnikova, consisted of only ten people, the monk Tuk was a vagant, and one of the negative characters in the book is named Huntington.
Many writers, although not writing directly about Robin Hood, have invested some of his traits in their characters. For example, it is very reminiscent of Robin Hood forest robber John Avengers-for-all from the "Black Arrow" Robert Louis Stevenson.
Screen life of Robin Hood
A character like Robin Hood simply could not miss the movie screen. The legend about him has everything you need to create a spectacular film doomed to box office success: medieval romance, beautiful forest landscapes, a love story, the fight between good and evil, humor, fights using all types of edged weapons...
This movie poster shows Errol Flynn as Robin Hood.
The first film about Robin was made back in 1908. However, the first truly successful film adaptation of the legend was made only fourteen years later. In the 1922 film, the role of Robin Hood was played by Douglas Fairbanks, one of the main stars of the silent film era. And in 1938 the film was released "The Adventures of Robin Hood", leading role in which the inimitable Errol Flynn performed. This picture had a huge impact not only on all subsequent Hollywood movies about the Sherwood robber, but also on all films of the same genre.
classic legend, according to which Robin was killed by an insidious nun, received a completely unexpected interpretation in the film "Robin and Marian"(1976). An old and grey-haired Robin Hood (Sean Connery) returns to Sherwood Forest after a very long absence. And he discovers that his beloved Marian (Audrey Hepburn) has long gone to the monastery and even managed to become abbess. Marian, forced to choose between being faithful to her monastic vows and loving Robin, ends up killing her lover and then commits suicide.
In 1991, Sean Connery again starred in a film about Robin Hood. But this time he is not playing Robin, but King Richard. The role of Robin Loxley in the Hollywood blockbuster "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" went to Kevin Costner. The filmmakers said a new word in "Robin Hood" by introducing a black Saracen into the Robin Hood gang.
In 1993, a brilliant comedy appeared "Robin Hood: men in tights", parodying films with Eroll Flynn and Kevin Costner.
Soviet filmmakers went their own way. If in Western films Robin Hoods are all knights and nobles, then our Soviet Robin Hood is a bearded peasant played by Boris Khmelnitsky. Films by Sergei Tarasov "Arrows of Robin Hood"(1975) and "The Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe"(1983) were remembered by many thanks to the wonderful songs of Vladimir Vysotsky.
Of course, there was a place for Robin in cartoons. Who just did not play the role of Robin Hood or his friends! And Bugs Bunny the rabbit, and Duffy the duck, and even the Pink Panther...
"Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown". Whack-whack-whack! Take away the prepared...
In 1967, during the period of huge popularity of science fiction films and serials, a multi-part cartoon was filmed. Rocket Robin Hood. The action of this series takes place in the year 3000. Robin and his gang of "jolly astronauts" live on the Sherwood asteroid and fight against the evil sheriff ... In general, everything is the same as in the 13th century, only the surroundings have changed.
Finally, in 1973, the Walt Disney Company took over. In their cartoon, all the characters are humanoid animals. Robin and Marian became foxes, Little John naturally became a bear, the Sheriff became a wolf, Took became a badger, and Alan-e-Dale became a rooster. Not without Robin in the cartoon "Shrek". True, he is an episodic hero there and, moreover, not very positive.
Robin Hood has appeared on television more than once. The most famous of the television series about Robin was called "Robin of Sherwood" and ran on British television from 1984 to 1986. Unlike the vast majority of books and films about Robin, this series was made in the fantasy genre. Main villain in "Robin of Sherwood" - the powerful sorcerer Baron de Balem. And the main goodies two at once: after the death of the peasant Robin of Loxley, Count Robert Huntington continues his work. By the way, both really wear hoods, not green caps with a feather. The music for the series was written by the famous Irish band Clannad.
The creators of the sci-fi series also paid tribute to the legend of Robin Hood « Star Trek: next generation". In one of the episodes, the crew of the starship Enterprise have to temporarily transform into the characters of the legend and feel like real forest robbers.
Robin Hood in video games
You can become Good, neighbor,
Or maybe I'll be
That's why for hundreds of years
No death to Robin Hood!
Evgeny Agranovich, "Brave Robin Hood"
"Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown". The Sheriff of Nottingham listens to the complaint of a merchant who was robbed by "merry boys".
Computer games have opened up new opportunities for fans of the legend of Robin Hood. If, while reading a book or watching a movie, a person passively perceives ready-made information, then in a computer game, he can actively influence the development of the plot. In other words, computer games allow the player to feel like a Sherwood outlaw for a while.
The first video game about Robin came out in 1985. It was an action movie called "Super Robin Hood". In the same year, the game Robin of the Wood. In the classic game "Defender of the Crown"(1986) Robin is one of the player's allies in the fight to unite the engulfed civil war England. However, you cannot play directly as Robin in this game.
In the wake of the popularity of the film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" several games were released at once. The Adventures of Robin Hood- role-playing game with action elements. The player controls a brave Robin, who makes all sorts of heroic deeds thus increasing its popularity among the local population. On a quest Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood a lot depends on the size of Robin's gang and how well the player commands it. The plot of the game is non-linear. The case can end with a gallows and a wedding.
Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood. Drummers made from Sherwood Forest.
In strategy Age of Empires II heroes such as Robin Hood, Took and the Sheriff of Nottingham are present. It also contains Sherwood Forest and Heroes of Sherwood cards. In many role playing it is possible to find characters strongly resembling Robin, albeit with a different name. IN Medieval II: Total War Robin is not. But by playing as England and building a guild of foresters, you can get access to a fighter called "Sherwood Archer". You can play as Robin, although not immediately, in the game Shrek SuperSlam.
In 2003, a remake of Defender of the Crown was made. In a new game called Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown, the player no longer controls one of the English barons, but Robin Hood himself. And he will have to fight against the Sheriff of Nottingham.
As in the original game, the action takes place on a map divided into several counties. Only this is not a map of England, but of the immediate environs of Nottingham or some other city. As a result, the "counties" have rather strange names for the counties: Forest, Paths, Bridge, Mills, Tract. The player has many options. He can command armies in battle, storm castles, fight in tournaments, raid the sheriff's treasury, and shoot enemies passing through Sherwood Forest with a bow. Only here it all looks rather monotonous and very soon gets bored. It is much more fun to rescue beautiful ladies from captivity. By the end of the game Robin collects a whole collection of noble maidens. And where is Lady Marian looking? Between fights, you can chat with one of the "fun guys" or read stories about the exploits of Robin.
Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood. Robin Hood and Baby John came to visit Prince John.
A game Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood(2002) from Spellbound Studios was released in a series of tactical games that also includes Desperados and Chicago 1930. The player controls the actions of Robin Hood and other "fun guys". In order to achieve victory in the game, you must successfully complete several missions, the complexity of which is constantly increasing. In addition to the missions that are required to complete, there are several missions that can be skipped by bribing the enemy army or choosing another task.
Each task is sent from one to five characters. It can be both Robin himself and his friends. Robin starts out alone, but will gradually be joined by Will Stutley, Scarlet, Took, Little John and Lady Marian. In addition to these characters, whose death means the end of the game, there are many ordinary gang members who can be used as cannon fodder or free labor. A forest bandit who is not sent on a mission can produce all sorts of useful things or improve his combat skills. Each character has unique skills. For example, Robin and John can knock out the enemy without killing him, Scarlet accurately shoots from a slingshot, Stutley pretends to be a beggar, and Took ties the prisoners and can solder the guards.
"Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown". Robin Hood and Will Scarlet.
The plot of the game is quite simple: it is necessary to put an end to the evil machinations of the Sheriff and Prince John. Tasks are of two types: in the forest and in the city. And here and there you can rob the loot with might and main, replenishing your treasury. The amount of money, however, does not affect the success of the game. The fact is that the gang is growing at the expense of volunteers who come to Sherwood after each mission. Their number directly depends on the percentage spared enemies. So being too bloodthirsty in this game is not recommended. If you regularly complete missions without a single corpse, then at the end of the game Sherwood will be roamed by a crowd that far exceeds your needs for manpower.
The undoubted success of the game developers is mouse fencing. All fights are very tense and exciting. True, sometimes in a one-on-one battle it can be more difficult to win than to cope with a detachment of a dozen guards. The enemy behaves quite adequately: archers do not climb on the rampage and shoot from cover, armored men cover themselves from arrows with shields, and mounted knights prefer to attack from dispersal. If the guards are outnumbered, they scatter in different sides and raise the alarm.
Not all game situations, however, look realistic. But that's why it's a game, to differ from reality.
The legend of Robin Hood was, without a doubt, excellent material for creating computer games. But its potential has not yet been fully revealed. Let's hope that in the future we will have many new wonderful games about the noble robber from Sherwood Forest.
