Conclusion

In this dissertation we have attempted to establish an image of the real Robin Hood based on an examination of the existing ballads, songs and poems that have survived down the centuries to the present day. The mythical, spiritual and pagan origins have also been discussed as they form the origin of the magical and eternal aspect of the character. It has become clear that the character has changed as each generation has attached its own significance and its own needs and motives to the character, whether for political, social, or religious reasons. This changing of the face under the hood is evident, even, in the written material of earlier centuries, so it should come as no surprise that the visual incarnations on television and film should not, also, undergo alterations in appearance, outlook, mood, and intention. This, obviously, makes the task of pinning down the definitive Robin much more difficult. One could say that the true Robin is the one who has manifested most recently, whoever and wherever, because it is he who is the product of our culture, our decade, our mode of thinking and reflects our culture's concerns and needs. One of the latest manifestations is the American television series The New Adventures of Robin Hood, which it might be suggested resembles a cross between Baywatch, The A Team, and Conan the Barbarian. That Robin of Sherwood eventually lost its Saturday early evening spot to American imports, such as these is a telling truth. Only the time span inbetween 1986 and the present day, conceivably, prevented Robin of Sherwood being replaced by The New Adventures of Robin Hood , but the intention to change the mythology in this manner and to approach it in this way exists and the fact remains that this is an unfortunate and sad indictment, not only on our perception of Robin Hood, but also on our cultural values that are reflected in characters such as these. If we look to British television we have the B.B.C. children's series Maid Marian, written by Blackadder star Tony Robinson. This has Maid Marian wearing the trousers, (and not the tights), Robin being played as a fool. This might be seen as a great advance in feminist politics or just a humorous twist to the tale, but it does not say much for Robin Hood, the Summer King, Son of Herne, The Green Man, or our feeling for him. Such an archetypal character really deserves more respect. He is a male archetype, he represents what is good and noble about masculinity, this should be celebrated and not ridiculed. Maleness has become an easy target within media, this is not to say the feminist ideology is not right. Equality is necessary, but equality means a balance needs to be struck and it is all too easy to swing too far the other way, a point which manifests in dysfunctional interpretations of archetypal mythological characters such as Robin Hood.

To conclude, this dissertation has taken the series Robin of Sherwood as the bench mark, in a way, to examine other portrayals of Robin Hood. This is because the author is of the opinion that this series came closest to an authentic portrayal of the character. It respects the origins of the story and explores both strands of it. It offered a balanced view of Robin Hood, Maid Marion, and the rest of the band as well as, importantly, adding new dimensions to this mythical tale, such as the mystical aspect of Herne the Hunter and reverence for nature, as well as the character of Nazim, establishing variants of him in the later films. Mark Ryan who played Nazir, later continued his interest in the mystical dimensions, working with the artist Chesca Potter to develop the Greenwood Tarot cards, which seek to present a working understanding of the powers of nature, the ancient greenwood which once covered this island and the spirits found within it.

It could be argued that the series looks dated in retrospect. The camera techniques, the use of music and other factors which were innovative at the time now, possibly, look clich‚d compared to the slick Hollywood films, but as we have seen the films fall to the wayside in terms of portraying an authentic Robin Hood. Robin of Sherwood continues to be popular, it was reshown on satellite television and has a cult following here and in the United States. This dissertation would conclude by saying that the reason for this enduring popularity is that it provides a deep subconscious need that other versions failed to contain. There is something noble and epic, mystical, magical and archetypal about this particular hooded man.