Is Robin Hood a myth or a legend?

Answer 1

There have been several men with names such as 'Robert Hode' which have been put forward as candidates for the 'real' Robin Hood,but it seems he was likely an amalgamation of several real people with the myths of the woodland interwined.
Robin was an old name for the devil, and was also used for a woodsprite such as Robin Goodfellow (Puck)--hence the 'green man ' angle. The fact that Robin wears green (a traditional colour of the fairy people in britain) and is an archer (people believed a stroke or sudden collapse was from being 'elf shot' is another possible indication of mythic origins. So may Robin's 'hood'--there was a woodland sprite known as 'hodekin', the Little Hood.
Whatever the case the name 'Robin' soon became synonymous with outlaws in the Middle Ages. Exiled or dispossesed nobles often dropped their real first names and called themselves 'Robin'. One such was Robin of Redesdale.
by the later middle Ages surnames had appeared such as Robinhood or Littlejohn (the latter is not uncommon today). These were often given to children born after 'greenwood Weddings'--trysts which happened on mayday or Midsummers eve.

Answer 2

Legend. American Heritage Dictionary on-line defines myth as "A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society: the myth of Eros and Psyche; a creation myth." A legend is "An unverified story handed down from earlier times, especially one popularly believed to be historical."

As a Christian I don't have a problem calling Jesus a myth because of the Cosmic nature of Salvation. If you can't accept myths can be true you are pathetic.

Class warfare is not fundamental in the same way. It is important to many people, but it remains dependent on a worldview, not behind it.

While there is another definition of myth which is "A popular belief or story that has become associated with a person, institution, or occurrence, especially one considered to illustrate a cultural ideal: a star whose fame turned her into a myth; the pioneer myth of suburbia" the distinction between what Robin Hood is remembered for an the primary definition of myth remains important.

Answer 3

it is a story based it is believed one a number of different characters. In the days that the story is based is was not uncommon due to the law as it was at the time for people to become outlaws and go and live in the forest. No doubt there were some really nice people who would help poor people and others who would live by highway robbery. The whole lot have come together as a legend placed in the rein of King John who was generally disliked by the nobles. In fact while John did upset the nobles and the magna carta only granted rights to those nobles and in any case was rescinded by the pope later. Robin Hoods patron Richard the Lionheart was no better as a king as he could not speak English and only spent about 6 months here.

Answer 4

Robin Hood is a legend. Robin Hood is a figure in archetypal English folk tales. Many accounts of Robin Hood, though not the very earliest, bear a striking similarity to accounts of the life of Fulk FitzWarin, a Norman noble who was disinherited and became an outlaw and an enemy of John of England. In modern versions of the legend, he is famous for robbing the rich to provide for the poor and fighting against injustice and tyranny.
Read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_hood

Answer 5

A mixture I would say mostly myth - the nature god 'green man' is obviously a myth and can be seen all the way across Europe, giving money to the poor was also a myth.

There might have been men (maybe inspired by the troubadours songs) that lived in the forest proficient with the long bow that robbed the rich. Some kernel of truth but mostly myth.

Answer 6

To me Robin Hood is like the unknown soldier. He is a representative of the behaviour of those outlaw leaders fighting Norman oppression. You have to remember this was not about class war, England was an occupied country.

Whether Robin hood was an alias invented at the time or years later is uncertain. But it is certain that there were many outlaws from good backgrounds who would have supported and been supported by the local population.

Answer 7

The story of Robin Hood is only a myth but the moral of the story is real. But the character Robin hood is 100% make believe a myth.

Answer 8

Myth based on a legend of a real person.

Much like King Arthur.

Robin hood is supposedly a mythical version of one Robert Hod, where details are very sketchy at best.

Answer 9

Robin Hood was real. His name was Robert Hood and he was nicknamed "Robin". He came from South Yorkshire as it happens. (Don't tell the folks of Nottingham!) He lived about 1200ish and apparently was 87 when he dies.

The crusades were on at that time and many English aristocrats left England to go to the Holy Land to fight in them. One of those who left was the Sheriff of York. The neighbouring city, Nottingham also had a sheriff and he was made acting Sheriff of York (Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire touch each other.) The association with Nottingham comes from its being the base of his foil, rather than his own base.

British parlimentarians recently lodged two motions, one claiming each for their own county. That explains why my taxes went up, to allow them to work so hard for the community!

Answer 10

The real Robin Hood was most likely a thief and a murderer. Similar to Zorro. The real Zorro was so hated by the people, that his head is still on display in a museum. The only reason people invented the story about Robin Hood, was probably because they remembered his execution and (like many people who got horribly executed in public) they felt that a great injustice was performed, so they wrote a legend to stick it to the ruling government. (Like Zorro.) But that's just speculation.