How the dark, violent medieval origins of Robin Hood were erased

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20260616-the-dark-violent-medieval-origins-of-robin-hood

by 1659447091 • 1 month ago

6 7 1 month ago

When he encounters a woman who talks about the virtuous, justice-seeking Robin Hood, he denies who he is and speaks of himself in the third person. "He was not a hero. He robbed and killed for the joy of it, nothing more."

What better time to rewrite Robin Hood as an unambiguous villain who rejects his own legacy wholesale than during an era of unprecedented and rapidly increasing wealth inequality in the US? This feels rather deliberate.

paleotrope2• 1 month ago

Well there is a movie coming out.

paleotrope2• 1 month ago

It was released a few days ago.

applfanboysbgon2• 1 month ago

If that wasn't clear, the quote is from the movie, as cited by the news article. The movie is depicting him as an unequivocally evil person. It is essentially a political propaganda piece rewriting a folk hero to condemn him.

hackeraccount• 1 month ago

I can't find it but my favorite Robin Hood comic strip was one where Robin Hood robs from someone rich and gives it to someone poor.

I'm rich! shouts the poor person.

You're what? says Robin Hood.

IAmBroom• 1 month ago

"This redistribution of wealth is trickier than I thought!"

- Dennis Moore, as quoted by Monty Python.

How the dark, violent medieval origins of Robin Hood were erased

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