Robin Hood is an important figure that everyone has heard of in many different stories and legends. But was he real or not? There are many different opinions and facts about Robin Hood, but one thing is clear about him, he was a heroic figure that stole from the rich and gave to the poor.
The search for the real Robin Hood has been going on for centuries. Some have claimed to discover who he really is, while others keep searching and searching for a clue to lead them in the right direction. The problem is though, Robin Hood has had many different names, like Robin of Sherwood, and Robin of Loxley. Also, in the time period that Robin Hood is claimed to have lived in, the name Robin, or even Hood was very popular to be called. Just these two simple complications have just made the search for Robin Hood so much harder. Although these problems have made the search that much more difficult, some have believed to have found Robin Hood. For example, one candidate for the real Robin Hood is Robert Fizt Ooth. He was outlawed from society, just like Robin Hood, in the 12th century, and was also born in Loxley. There are also other people who could easily be the real Robin Hood, like the fugitive Robert Hod, and The Earl of Huntingdon.
The story of Robin Hood has taken place in many different places and settings. The Robin Hood in all the books we have read and watched movies about, was born in Loxley, Nottinghamshire, although all the action takes place in Sherwood Forest, the kings royal land, where he and his Nobles hunted for game. Also, he was buried in Kirklesss Priory, close to Leeds, in West Yorkshire. Yet it is said that the real Robin Hood, found from early ballads (stories in song and poem form usually) suggest that he lived near Barnsdale, Yorkshire, very close to Nottinghamshire. All of these places are throughout England. These are just a few places of where some main events of Robin Hood happened, or are believed to have happened.
The story of Robin Hood is very well known and commonly admired. Why? Well maybe because of his adventures, over all his life, sound like fun, with no responsibilities or requirements to follow through on. Also, because he stood up for what he believed in, helping the poor and less fortunate. People like to read about heroic legends that help save the ones who are in trouble. Robin Hood was able to do that by standing up against, and outwitting, unliked and cruel leaders, like the king and the sheriff. This idea of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, or less fortunate, has transferred to the modern world of today. There is an organization called Robin Hood that you can donate money and supplies to, which is then given to the people in need in New York City. This organization's website is http://www.robinhood.org. These are reasons why Robin Hood is so popular and why this legendary figure is still important today.
Robin Hood has been written about for centuries. In fact, the first ever reference to him was in 1377, in a poem called Piers Plowman. This poem is very famous now because of its first ever reference to Robin Hood. Although if Robin Hood was real, the modern day Robin Hood we all know of took place in the 10th century. These two dates don’t necessarily match but maybe the books are wrong. Maybe they are based off of a different and non-historical time period that made more sense for the rest of the story. This is about all that we know about a historical reference to any type of Robin Hood.
What Robin Hood is known best for is his ability to know what would be the best for those who need his help and how to do it. This trait about him, of believing in what he did, of making something of his life, and being able to fulfill his own life while trying to make others' lives better, is what makes Robin Hood such a heroic and memorable historic figure. These parts of him helped him accomplish his goal of helping the poor and fighting to right what he thought was wrong. The outcomes of these actions of Robin Hood’s are that they still influence our literature and writing today. Whether Robin was fiction or not, he has left a great impact on the modern days' writing pieces and movies. These are just some reasons of what Robin Hood has influenced us in today's time.
The significance of Robin Hood’s existence is that he is a great role model for everyone to look up to. Although he did go against the law, and got banished from society, he did what he believed in and was able to help make others' lives better. Robin Hood may be most know for stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. But he's also known for standing up for what’s right and that sometimes a bit of bad, such as stealing from King and giving to the poor villagers, can serve the greater good. Whether Robin Hood is fiction or not, I believe that the idea of Robin Hood will stay the same. He is a legendary and heroic figure who stood up for what was right.
Citations:
http://www.boldoutlaw.com/
http://www.biographyonline.net/british/robin-hood.html
http://www.robinhood.ltd.uk/robinhood/candidates.html
http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/famous-medieval-people/robin-hood.htm
http://mythandlegend.org/robin-hood/
Larrick, Nancy. Robin Hood. New Book of Knowledge. Grolier Inc., Danbury CT. and 2001
All images from Image Quest
http://www.boldoutlaw.com/
http://www.biographyonline.net/british/robin-hood.html
http://www.robinhood.ltd.uk/robinhood/candidates.html
http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/famous-medieval-people/robin-hood.htm
http://mythandlegend.org/robin-hood/
Larrick, Nancy. Robin Hood. New Book of Knowledge. Grolier Inc., Danbury CT. and 2001
All images from Image Quest