Was Robin Hood, his men and Maid Marion just unintelligent deadbeats who robbed people?

Answer 1

Robin Hood is the archetypal English folk hero; a courteous, pious and swashbuckling outlaw of the mediæval era who, in modern versions of the legend, is famous for robbing the rich to feed the poor and fighting against injustice and tyranny. He operates with his "seven score" (140 strong) group of fellow outlawed yeomen – named the Merry Men, in the obsolete sense of "companion or follower of an… outlaw".[1] He and his band are usually associated with Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.

In many stories Robin's nemesis is the despotic Sheriff of Nottingham. The sheriff gravely abuses his position, appropriating land, levying intolerable taxation, and unfairly persecuting the poor. In some tales the antagonist is Prince John, based on John of England, seen as the unjust usurper of his pious brother Richard. In some versions Robin Hood is said to have been a nobleman, the earl of Loxley, who was deprived of his lands by greedy churchmen. Sometimes he has served in the crusades, returning to England to find his lands pillaged by the dastardly sheriff. In some tales he is the champion of the people, fighting against corrupt officials and the oppressive order that protects them. In others he is an arrogant and headstrong rebel, who delights in bloodshed, cruelly slaughtering and beheading his victims.

In fact, the Robin Hood stories have been different in every period of their history. Robin himself is continually reshaped and redrawn, made to fit whatever values are pushed on to him. This fact makes any notion of a "real" or "true" Robin Hood largely redundant. Even if a historical Robin Hood could be identified, he could account for only the bare minimum of the rich legend surrounding his name. The figure is less a personage and more a palimpsest of the various ideas his "life" has been made to support.

Answer 2

I don't believe in the William Wallace theory, there are too many things that doesn't add up.

What we Know about Robin Hood comes from Medieval Ballads and no one knows who wrote them or how they occurred as they were not written down until the end of the 1400's. There is a strong possibility that they were altered during the years as we know the legend has altered and romanticised among others by the Victorians.

There are many theories about Robin Hood. Some says he is a version of the old god Pan, or the Green Man and that he derives from the old mythology.

Other claims (and I support this theory) that he came from the small village of Loxely in Warwickshire (not far from Stratford- Upon-Avon) and in the Domesday book there is a Robert Fitzode who lived in Loxley around the time when Richard the Lionheart was king of England. What is even more remarkable is that this Fitzode was actually outlawed during some part of his life.

When it comes to Maid Marion, she had nothing to do with Robin Hood at all and was added later. Marion came from the May celebrations and was added to create a romantic story as was often done. The early ballads menton nothing about Maid Marion.

Nottingham was not the home of Robin Hood, but Barnsdale in Yorkshire, this we know because the early ballads always refers to Barnsdale Forrest, so Nottingham and Sherwood are other additions to the legend which doesn't appear until the 1700's.

What is painfully ironic is that the true Robin Hood sites as Loxley and Kirklees are neglected and decaying, but Nottingham which wasn't part of the true legend has the Robin Hood centre.

So, the answer to your qustion is that Robin Hood was probably a real person, but hardly unintelligent, I think you had to be clever to stay alive in those days. He was probably a victim of circumstances. Maid Marion didn't excist. Hope this answered your question?
For more information please read the brilliant book "Robin Hood; The Man Behind The Myth".

Answer 3

'Robin' was an old generic English word for a robber, and 'Hood' denoted a 'hoodlum' - so the name was not his real one; it just meant a Robber and a Thug.

There is some evidence that the 'Robin Hood' story was a few different people moulded into one legend; sue to their 'dubious' herioism. Among these are William Wallace; consider this;

William Wallace was a Knight, like the popular Robin Hood story claims.

He served his absent King, John Balliol, who Edward of England had 'removed' from the Scottish throne and asserted HIS power over the country.

Wallace was married to the daghter of an English Sheriff, her name was Marion.

He had two close friends; brothers, called Edward and John Little.

Scots weren't allowed metal weapons, so had to make do with bows and arrows largely.

He had a 'warrior' bishop helping him, bishop Wishart from Glasgow; who could be seen as the basis of Friar Tuck.

Wallace's pluder was usually used to assist the people of Scotland; who were, at this time, his army.

Its not 100% waterproof, but its a strong resemblance! Nobody is likely to ever know the full truth, but if history certainly sees him as a good man, and the stories all point t that.

Answer 4

Robin Hood was interested in power for himself.

He robbed from the rich because they had the money.
He gave to the poor because he needed their support to hide in the woods.

Robin Hood was strickly in it for himself and was using people who he thought could help him gain power and influence.

There was no goodness with Robin Hood. There was an understanding of his society and how to make it work for himself.

Answer 5

They're fictional.
And by the way, Maid Marion doesn't (in the books/film) live in the woods robbing people, she lives in the castle.

Answer 6

Robin Hood was supposed to be an Earl so he would have been educated, as for the rest it is mostly legend I think

Answer 7

Em! Robin hood is a fictional character mate. Get a grip.

Answer 8

Pretty much. That whole "rob from the rich, give to the poor" crap makes a nice fairy tale but didn't happen. Robin was a dirt bag.

Answer 9

no robin hood was based upon a an anglo noble whoses land was taken away but the normans, and peopel just added to the legend.

Answer 10

If that's true then Maid M. benefited the most. She really did nothing but wait around for them to come back from their thieving.