Robin Hood

Robin Hood's identity has been debated since the twelfth century, with historians and recent studies exploring his origins, antecedents, and possible mythical or literary fabrication. This book explores the mythology of Robin Hood, tying him to the Green Man, Faery race, English Mummers plays, and suggesting the real identities of the Merry Men.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2019
Publisher: Amberley Publishing

Since the twelfth century, when the Outlaw of Sherwood first rose to prominence, the identity of Robin Hood has been the subject of numerous debates. As to his origins, antecedents, or even whether he was a real-life individual or a mythical character, no two authorities appear to be in agreement. Historians, both amateur and professional, have been releasing new books for years in which they assert to have discovered 'the real Robin Hood,' yet his identity remains unclear. More recent studies have aimed to extend the narrative's timeframe even further back into recorded history, looking for Robin Hood among the records of government and law enforcement, the ballads of the twelfth to fourteenth centuries, and the folk memory of the British people. For them, Robin is either a creation of the ballad-makers' imagination or a literary invention based on the lives and actions of several outlaws or the confused recollection of an actual person whose real life bore little or no resemblance to the romanticized songs of the ballad-makers. This is the only contemporary book to comprehensively examine Robin Hood's mythology rather than focusing solely on his human identity. It connects Robin to the ancient archetype of the Green Man, the folklore and legends of the Faery race, the possible Eastern influence of the English Mummers plays, and suggests the true identities of several of the Merry Men.

Weight: 379g
Dimension: 198 x 129 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781445690773