HOW
THE STORY HAS ADAPTED THROUGH THE AGES
The
main change which occurred in the story is the change from Robin the
common born fighting the monied classes in defence of the poor to
Robin the dispossessed noble born fighting for reinstatement among
the monied classes. These two versions are the basic storylines linking
the Michael Praed and Jason Connery versions in Richard Carpenter's
Robin of Sherwood H.T.V. Series. Praed the peasant and Connery the
noble. Earlier generations have altered the tale to suit the political
temperament of the day.
Richard Grafton in Chronicle at Large of 1569 questioned the peasant
born version1. Soon he had the title Earl of
Huntingdon. In the Tudor period with the political/religious situation
between Protestants and Catholics Robin Hood was used, the legend
altered to project certain views. Traditionally he had been written
about from a Catholic perspective, "Even in the reign of James
I, the Catholics behind the 1605 Gunpowder Plot were called "Robin
Hoods"2. However, he was also used to
represent the Protestants, stealing from the Catholic clergy. Then
Mary, Queen of Scots banned Robin Hood plays in 1562, as did the Puritan
movement, later in the 17th century. Then in the play Robin Hood and
his crew of Souldiers(sic) Robin stops his lawlessness to support
the new King, this at the time of the restoration of Charles II. He
remained popular in cheap pamphlets throughout the 17th and 18th century,
and on into romantic poetry of the 19th century. With the invention
of film Robin Hood became a character who would return again and again
in cinema and television.
This
brief scan through the centuries is important in a discussion about
Robin Hood in film and Television. Why has he remained so popular?
Why was he, at times, banned? The answer to the latter question is
simple. He questioned the politics, the rulers of the time. He was
dangerous. Or more to the point he was used by writers to attack what
they considered as injustices. The actual details changed, the arguments
were on different subjects, but such was the strength of this character
he could be used over and over again to fight tyranny.
Professor
Stephen Knight of the University of Wales; Cardiff: A leading expert
on both Robin Hood and Arthurian literature has a theory that Robin
Hood is popular in times of conservative leadership and King Arthur
during periods of socialism3. This is interesting,
the emphasis being that a conservative leadership is seen as hierarchal
and a man of the people is needed to fight this centralisation of
power. Perhaps, the other side of the coin is a social government
endeavouring to create a golden age where everyone is treated fairly,
but always under the threat of corruption and greed, the eventual
cause of the downfall of Camelot. If we then consider that the H.T.V.
series Robin of Sherwood ran between 1982-1984; concurrent with the
establishment of Thatcherism as an over all majority Parliament, the
theory gets interesting.
Professor
Knight is more concerned with the way Robin Hood has altered through
the ages than proving he was a real person, which is a valuable contribution
to the debate. He notes that Robin changed from a peasant to an Earl,
not fighting for the poor, but fighting to regain his Earldom
This
is very interesting, because while remaining a bandit, an outlaw,
he's become a conservative outlaw, standing up for true hierarchy
rather than the social bandit who's resisting any hierarchy.4
He
continues to talk about the Robin Hood of Scott and Keats as a nationalistic
English Robin Hood, and how these versions become muddled. Errol Flynn
as "Sir Robin of Locksley". The "Sir" being the
gentrified version the "Robin of Locksley", the common born
Robin. It is interesting how the American public has taken to this
legend set in "Olde Englande". Most of the fan based websites,
both for British made versions and U.S. productions are based in,
and patronised by America. The following for Robin of Sherwood is
huge, the largest Spirit of Sherwood(5) offering
conventions, which the stars of the series still attend, on line discussions,
and a host of other services. To quote Professor Knight:
But
I also think the American Robin Hood has in some way
absorbed the frontier
myth. The Lone cowboy, the private eye
figure,....somehow belongs to Robin Hood.
I think he was Americanised by Fairbanks (in Douglas Fairbanks Sr's
1922 film)-
more active, more independent. So, I don't think it is a
myth that is at odds with
the American myth. I think America has been very
important in sustaining and
developing the material in this century6.
Professor
Knight also makes a comparison with the eponymous character played
by James Stewart in Mr Smith goes to Washington. It would seem that
as long as we perceive that we live in a society which is not free
from corruption, a Robin Hood character will be yearned for, both
in fiction and reality.
The
quotation above is an interesting one and as we venture into the section
of this dissertation that will explore and analyse the film and television
material more deeply, we will end this section by mentioning the American
made film Robin Hood; Prince of Thieves. This has far fetched action
sequencies, American accents, all the stock episodes found in Robin
Hood films; the quarterstaff fight on the bridge, for example, which
goes back to the ballads, but says nothing. Just a tame action adventure
with a bit of love interest. The modern Hollywood formula. Perhaps,
this has something to say about the cultural state of the modern day
U.S.A. The frontier spirit of adventure lost and replaced by a constant
stream of bland entertainment. That a far better version of the legend
was filmed in the very same year; Robin Hood starring Patrick Bergin
and Uma Thurman went relatively unnoticed in the face of the hype
generated round Prince of Thieves and is now not even available on
video rental, while Prince of Thieves is a staple of Christmas or
Easter holiday viewing says something, not just about the U.S.A.,
but also of the island which first produced this hero. There is no
better way to sanitise a dangerous concept than to ridicule it. We
then had Robin Hood; Men in Tights which could be seen as the final
nail in the coffin or, conversely, a comment on the fact that other
productions had already trivialised the inherent importance of the
legend.
1-Wolfshead
through the ages: Changes to the Legend. Page 2 http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/4198/rh/robages4.html
2-Wolfshead
through the ages: Changes to the Legend. Page 3 http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/4198/rh/robages4.html
3-Interviews
in Sherwood : Professor Stephen Knight by Allen W. Wright. Page10
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/4198/rh/knight1.html
4-Interviews
in Sherwood : Professor Stephen Knight by Allen W. Wright. Page2 http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/4198/rh/knight1.html
5-Spirit
of Sherwood. International Robin of Sherwood Fan Club. http://members.aol.com/chrisrhood/index.html
6-Interviews
in Sherwood: Richard Carpenter by Allen W. Wright Page9 http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/4198/rh/richcarp.html