One
of the things that I've really enjoyed about this class so far, is that I have
been able to read about many different heroes from many different civilizations
and time periods. Through this, I've been able to try and determine what it is
that makes a character a hero. That is kind of what I'm trying to do with my
storybook, and I've kind of done it with a few of my essays. For this week
though, I want to take a look at Robin Hood. Is he a hero? Or is he a misguided
vigilante?
I
think we can all agree that Batman is a hero. So, our heroes definitely don't
need to operate within the framework of the law in the same way that normal
citizens do. However, they still must have their own sense of justice, or what
constitutes right and wrong. The Robin Hood that we see in modern re-tellings
certainly meets this criteria. Though he is an outlaw, he robs from the rich to
feed the poor. Helping the poor, or those unable to help themselves, is another
fundamental aspect of being a hero, at least in my opinion. It also helps that
he has an almost supernatural ability with a bow and arrow. So, the Robin Hood
that we know today is definitely a hero. He is the defender of the weak who
must work outside of the law, because it is a corrupt and broken system. But
how does our Robin Hood line up with the original?
Robin shoots with Sir Guy, by Louis Rhead- source: Wikipedia
From
my readings, he does not appear to be all that heroic. He appears to be out in
Sherwood forest just looking for a good time. He is constantly picking fights,
and nowhere do we get the idea that he is a champion of the common people. He
is still an extremely interesting and entertaining character, but I don't know
if I would go so far as to describe him as heroic. All in all, I prefer the
Disney version of Robin Hood to these ballads.
I appreciate that you wrote an essay regarding this topic! I think it could be a touchy subject sometimes. I think Robin Hood is a hero only is he is stealing from the rich if the rich don't deserve what they have or they obtained it from an immoral way. But if he is stealing the hard earned money of the rich to give to the lazy poor (assuming they are just being lazy), that isn't so heroic... But I still like the point you make!
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