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Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 6-10 Summary

February 9, 2025 Joshua Sampson 2 Comments

Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 1-5 Summary

In this post, we continue the novel The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle by summarizing chapters 6-10. In it, we will learn more about Little John and Will Scarlet and other merry men. We will also see a deepening conflict between Robin and the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 6-17 Summary

In chapter 6, Little John attends the Nottingham Fair disguised as a yeoman. Due to his immense size and strength, he wins over those attending the fair. While playing at an archery contest, he wins the grand prize, besting everybody including the Sheriff of Nottingham’s men.

The text states, “Near the target, in a good place, sat the Sheriff upon a raised dais, with many gentlefolk around him … A score of brave shots were gathered there, and among them some of the keenest hands at the longbow … and among them Little John stood taller than all the rest” (Pyle).

The Sheriff offers Little John a job, which he takes in order to gain more information for Robin Hood.

In chapter 7, Little John becomes a trusted employee of the Sheriff. He uses his position to keep Robin Hood informed as to the Sheriff’s business. Little John eventually uses the Sheriff’s idea to host a feast. In this way, he can get back at the Sheriff by luring him into Robin Hood’s good graces.

“Then one of the band brought the Sheriff a cup of sack, bowing low as he handed it to him; but the Sheriff could not touch the wine, for he saw it served in one of his own silver flagons, on one of his own silver plates,” the story states.

However, Robin gives the Sheriff his own stolen goods back. He tells him to “take thou thine own again … and hearken to me, good Sheriff, take thou a piece of advice with it. Try thy servants well er thou dost engage them again so readily.” With this warning and fair bit of advice, the Sheriff leaves Sherwood Forest.

Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 8-10 Summary

Chapter 8

In chapter 8, Little John encounters a tanner named Arthur-a-Bland on his way to Blyth. Both men engage in a physical duel and are comparable in many ways, which leads to them ceasing their quarrel. Robin, watching the battle happen from the bush, notes that he had never “thought to see Little John so evenly matched.”

Little John tells Arthur that he is one of Robin’s men. This excites the tanner who then agrees to join the merry men.

The tanner exclaims: “Will I join thy band? … Ay, marry, will I!”

Chapter 9

In chapter 9, Robin Hood meets Will Scarlet, a man who dresses in red and who is quite skillful with both sword and bow. After a duel with Robin, wherein the “dust of the highway rose up around them like a cloud” and there was “the rattle of staves against one another,” Will Scarlet reveals that he is related to the outlaw of Sherwood himself, for he is Robin’s nephew. Will explains to Robin that he fled from a crime he did not commit. He then wants to join Robin’s merry men. Robin welcomes him warmly.

Chapter 10

In chapter 10, Robin encounters a miller’s son, Midge. Midge does not want to give up his goods; believing Robin is a common thief, he refuses to relent. Meanwhile, the man impresses Robin with his tenacity. He asks him to join the merry men. Midge accepts and joins the group.

The text states:

“So that night all was ablaze with crackling fires in the woodlands, for though Robin and those others spoken of, only excepting Midge, the Miller’s son, had many a sore bump and bruise here and there on their bodies, they were still not so sore in the joints that they could not enjoy a jolly feast given all in welcome to the new members of the band. Thus with songs and jesting and laughter that echoed through the deeper and more silent nooks of the forest, the night passed quickly along, as such merry times are wont to do, until at last each man sought his couch and silence fell on all things and all things seemed to sleep.”

Analysis of Robin Hood

Popularity and Menace

These chapters inform the reader of the merry men’s growing popularity. Will Scarlet joins the group along with Arthur and Midge; all of whom boast their own skills and exceptions. The thought of new comrades joining Robin Hood and his merry men is charming. Considering the story is set during the medieval era, which is such a dark time, a little levity helps.

Moreover, these chapters continue building the Sheriff of Nottingham’s menace. While Robin dupes Little John, he is still an intelligent and crass man. As Robin sees the skill in Little John and still employs him to his company (even though he doesn’t know his identity). However, we also see the Sheriff’s shortsightedness, as he follows the trail of somebody who wronged him too closely. This ensnares him in a trap. Having Robin outsmart the Sheriff further cements their stature as heroes of yore. They they clearly show the Sheriff but remain kind and generous to him.

Righteousness and Goodness

Robin has already grown from outlaw on the run to hero of Sherwood forest. He stands up for both peasants and servants. His growth can be seen in his actions. He both welcomes new members to the merry men, and he gives the Sheriff necessary “advice” to steer him away from crookery. These are certainly the qualities of a hero. Robin his overtly standing up for people who have very little power compared to sheriffs and kings.

Robin’s motivations seem purely out of the goodness of his heart. But, I have to wonder, why put yourself in harms way if only to stand up for the little guy? What does Robin have to gain? I think an immediate answer is: what does he have to lose? At this point, he has killed a man in self-defense and lives on the lamb to avoid punishment from the Sheriff of Nottingham who simply can not be impartial when it comes to Robin’s sentencing, as the Sheriff was related to the murdered man. Therefore, Robin can only take on the mantle of hero for the people, as his unjust, albeit self-imposed, exile may be a motivating factor.

Reading of...

Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 1-5 Summary

February 9, 2025 Joshua Sampson 4 Comments

In this post regarding Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 1-5 , we begin our medieval adventures with The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle. Last year, we examined another medieval classic, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, and I had so much fun conducting research and analyzing the text that I wanted to relive that experience.

Background of Robin Hood

To begin, we just have to know that this text was published in 1883 and that it is considered to be the book on Robin Hood. After discussing urtexts on here, we find that there are many ballads written about Robin Hood from yesteryear, including “A Gest of Robyn Hood,” “Robin Hood and the Monk,” “Robin Hood and the Potter,” and “Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne.” However, as contemporary readers, we need to consider accessibility of language, so I have settled on Pyle’s more straightforward text.

Additionally, the stories are episodic and detail many of Robin Hood’s most famous adventures, from his meeting with Little John, a famous archery contest, and his final days. I hope you enjoy this Reading of… series and hope you stick with it until the end.

(Also, you can find the book on Project Gutenberg for free!

Robin Hood: Chapter 1-2

The Making of Robin

In the beginning, Robin lives in the English countryside. He was a talented archer and “could speed a gray goose shaft with such skill and cunning” that no other stood in his way. Robin was a virtuous, honorable man.

While out walking through the forest one day, he is encountered by a group of foresters. The men challenge him to a shooting contest, which Robin wins handily. However, one of the members of the group, drunk and angry that Robin won so easily, attempts to murder the youth and fires an arrow at him. Robin, turning on his heels after being missed by only “three inches,” lets loose an arrow and it kills the man in return. Afterward, Robin flees into Sherwood Forest, where he decides to live as an outlaw.

Robin Hood the Rebel

Robin lives alone in the forest for a long time–away from Locksley Town–as an outlaw for murder and poaching. The Sheriff of Nottingham swears to bring Robin to justice to reap the reward and to exact revenge, as the man Robin shot down was of relation.

Robin eventually begins to attract attention from “yeomen” who see him as “their leader and chief,” and they begin their acts of kindness and generosity to the local population.

“But to the poor folk they would give a helping hand in need and trouble, and would return to them that which had been unjustly taken from them,” the text states. “… they swore never to harm a child nor wrong a woman …”

Robin and his Merry Men

While seemingly content, one day Robin’s Merry Men inform him that they have seen little fare in the woods, so Robin leaves to find game. He travels far and wide searching for food to hunt and comes upon a bridge. There, he meets a tall men who challenges him to a duel with staves. Robin agrees and the two men engage in a bout. It turns out that this man is Little John, a protector of sort, and Robin’s right hand man.

Additionally, Robin meets a tinker by the name of Wat o’ the Crabstaff, who carries a warrant for his arrest. Robin is crafty and sly though. He pretends to be somebody else and accompanies the tinker to a nearby inn. There, he plies the man with many drinks until he falls asleep. Then, he takes the warrant. The next day, Crabstaff finds Robin and they battle. The man is so brave and fierce that Robin asks him to join his Merry Men.

As Robin tells him: “”Nay, touch him not,” said Robin, “for a right stout man is he. A metal man he is by trade, and a mettled man by nature; moreover, he doth sing a lovely ballad. Say, good fellow, wilt thou join my merry men all?”

And, he does.

Robin Hood: Chapter 3-5

The Archery Contest

Continuing, Robin engages in an archery contest in Nottingham Town, which is in fact a trap to lure the outlaw into the clutches of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Robin attends the contest disguised as somebody else and wins the competition.

As the story is told, “Then the tattered stranger stepped forth, and all the people laughed as they saw a yellow patch that showed beneath his arm when he raised his elbow to shoot, and also to see him aim with but one eye. He drew the good yew bow quickly, and quickly loosed a shaft; so short was the time that no man could draw a breath betwixt the drawing and the shooting; yet his arrow lodged nearer the center than the other by twice the length of a barleycorn.”

Revealing himself after his victory, Robin escapes with a few of his Merry Men and the venture back to Sherwood. However, Will Stutely (one of the Merry Men) is captured by the Sheriff’s men and is set to be executed. Disguising themselves once again, Robin and some of his men gain access to the town and free Will in the shortly before he is to be hanged.

Will Scarlet

The author writes that Will looked up from his shackles “he felt his heart leap within him and then stand still for pure joy,” as he saw some of the men of Sherwood nearby and “his own good master in the press … Robin Hood …”

Lastly, Robin uses a disguise as a butcher to return to Nottingham. There, he sells his wares and gains the attention of the Sheriff, who invites him to dine with him. Robin gains information on the Sheriff’s plans and once again reveals himself and fights his way to escape, leaving the Sheriff humiliated and embarrassed.

“Then bitterly the Sheriff rued the day that first he meddled with Robin Hood, for all men laughed at him and many ballads were sung by folk throughout the country, of how the Sheriff went to shear and came home shorn to the very quick,” the author writes. “For thus men sometimes overreach themselves through greed and guile.”

Analysis of Robin Hood: Chapters 1-5

In Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 1-5 we learn a great deal about Robin Hood and his Merry Men. We meet many characters, from Little John to Crabstaff and the Sherriff. We also learn why the Sheriff of Nottingham hates Robin so much, as Robin is generally a thorn in the man’s side.

These introductory chapters set the stage for conflicts to come, and it also shows that the men of the Sherwood Forest are kind, giving, and nurturing. They embody knightly qualities while also sharing the dichotomy of outlaws. That is to say, how can somebody be both hated by law but loved by the people? But such is the story of Robin Hood.

Works Cited

Pyle, Howard. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1883. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/964/pg964-images.html

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Robin Hood’s Portrayal in Ballads, Songs, and Poems

September 15, 2024 Joshua Sampson Leave a comment

In many of Robin Hood’s early interpretations in ballads, Robin is quite different from what we know in modern society. In these songs and ballads, Robin Hood is far more blood thirsty and vengeance seeking. That is, he does not take things lightly when it comes to slights of his character and honor. Robin Hood, though more violent, still believes in justice. He stands against those who would do acts of corruption, such as the foresters, sheriffs, and the like. In this post, we are going to take a look at a few Robin Hood’s portrayal in ballads an poems.

Take for instance, Robin Hood’s portrayal as a fighter and vengeance-seeker in “Robin Hood and the Monk.” Likewise, see how he is willing to use a decapitated head to deceive the king in “Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne.” Moreover, see how Robin Hood faces peril in “Robin Hood’s Progress to Nottingham.” Lastly, Robin Hood’s appearance in Ivanhoe is interesting and somewhat out of character as an aid to the titular character. While often unlike what we know now, Robin Hood has many of the traits that we know and love in today’s media.

“Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne” by Thomas Bewick (1832). This is a woodcut print from Robin Hood: A Collection of All the Ancient Poems, Songs, and Ballads.

The stories feature many facets of the illustrious outlaw, from all of these battles to the nuances with friendship. For instance, Robin Hood’s relationship to Little John is far more tumultuous than what typically appears on television. Below, I am going to post links to the ballads we’ve covered this month. In them, you can catch up on the material or even take away something new about the Robin Hood’s portrayal in ballads and poems.

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The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green: Summary and Review

July 26, 2024 Joshua Sampson 1 Comment

When thinking about the many iterations of Robin Hood, it’s hard to not think about the idealized version of the outlaw bandit. The author, Roger Lancelyn Green, wrote a perfect depiction of the folk hero in The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood.

For this post, we are going to examine The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green. The novel is a children’s book that tells the tales in a straightforward and exciting way.

Background

Green was born in 1918 and “lived in Oxford and at his family home in Cheshire” (Bookroo). As a background and careers man, he worked as a librarian and a teacher. He also spent his time on retellings, including Egyptian, Greek, and Norse Legends. Moreover, he wrote a biography for the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis.

Book Blurb

From Amazon: “The classic story of social justice and outrageous cunning. Robin Hood, champion of the oppressed, stands against the cruel power of Prince John and the brutal Sheriff of Nottingham. Taking refuge in the vast Sherwood Forest with his band of men, he remains determined to outwit his enemies.”

From Goodreads: “Recounts the life and adventures of Robin Hood, who, with his band of followers, lived as an outlaw in Sherwood Forest dedicated to fighting tyranny.”

Reviews

Currently, The Adventures of Robin Hood has a 4.07 on Goodreads with 13,834 ratings and 430 reviews. Of those reviews, 5,256 are five-star reviews while 100 are one-star reviews.

While there are no reviews on Goodreads, Amazon’s five-star reviews highlight its ability to teach lessons. For example, there are lessons around “being good does not always mean following the rules.” These simplistic lessons resonate with reviewers because they are easy to understand. Similarly, others pointed out that it was “beautifully written” and was a good read aloud book for children.

Conversely, one-star reviews point out that it’s “the rewritten kids version,” and that it’s a “kid’s books. Not for over twelves” with “nothing original in there.”

Impressions

As an adult, I still love children’s books. As such, I go back to some of my favorites from time to time. These include Roald Dahl’s stories, Artemis Fowl, Harry Potter, etc.. I think there is a wealth of feeling and love under the surface of those books. Additionally, there is a reason that they have such an impact on us as children that we take to adulthood.

With that said, what follows is some of the syntax in the novel. I find it to be appropriate for young and adult readers, as it seems more complex than some modern writers.

The text states: “Although it was a hundred years since the Battle of Hastings, there was no real peace in England. William the Conqueror had divided the country amongst his followers, only in special cases leaving the old Saxon Thanes the ownership of even a small part of what had once been their properties.”

As stated above, I would not necessarily say that the inner-workings and political workings of post-Hastings Europe is “childish.” Regardless, I can understand that some people want a challenge when it comes to the old ballads and songs about Robin Hood and his merry men (I’m one of them). Yet, I also see the value in the stories of Robin Hood. Especially his symbology as a seeker of justice, and his status as an outlaw.

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“Robin Hood’s Progress to Nottingham”: Analyzing the English Ballad

July 20, 2024 Joshua Sampson 2 Comments

We know Robin Hood the outlaw, but do we know about Robin Hood, the average citizen? Of course, every hero has an origin story, and Robin’s is tragic and sorrowful. In this post, we are going to analyze the ballad, “Robin Hood’s Progress to Nottingham.”

Summary

The ballad, “Robin Hood’s Progress to Nottingham” tells the tale of how Robin Hood became and outlaw. In it, he ventures to Nottingham to test his skill in archery. The ballad begins by telling us that Robin is “fifteen winters old,” and “he was a proper young man / Of courage stout and bold.”

However, he encounters “fifteen forresters” along the way who are all “drinking bear, ale, and wine.” After questioning them of news of a shooting match (in which Robin could test his luck), the foresters treat Robin unkindly. They mock his archery abilities by stating, “That ever a boy so young / Should bear a bow before our king, / That’s not able to draw one string.”

Immediately after, the foresters set a wager. They claim that Robin could “hitst not the marke a hundred rod, / Nor causest a hart to dye.” Yet, he causes a heart to die, as he hits his mark. Regardless, the foresters decide not to pay Robin. So the archer “laught, and begun to smile / as hee went over the plain.” Out of bloodthirsty vengeance, Robin slays fourteen of the fifteen foresters. He then takes the last one hostage, only to “sent another arrow / That split his head in twain.”

The people of Nottingham try to arrest Robin and retrieve the bodies. Yet, Robin kills and maims many of them with his arrows and flees into the forest. The poem states: “Some lost legs, and some lost arms, / And some did lose their blood, / But Robin Hood hee took up his noble bow, / And is gone to the merry green wood.” Afterward, the remaining townspeople take the bodies to be buried.

Background

The ballad is one of the traditional English ballads and departs from modern Robin Hood myth in showing Robin as a true outlaw–and a vain one at that. This poem is a part of a larger corpus of Robin Hood stories that comes from stories told over the centuries, and comes from “several seventeenth-century broadsides and the early garlands” (Knight). Though, “Robin Hood’s Progress to Nottingham” can be traced back to the late medieval period.

The ballad certainly came from times of social upheaval, as stated here in this book review, when many citizens passed stories such as these of folk heroes who stood against taxation as a form of tyranny. As such, it embodies a story of rebellion and independence; that is to say, getting what is rightfully yours. As noted by some authors, the ballad has a “fierce tone” and demonstrates “an orgy of self-defence.” Furthermore, the ballad “harks back to the violent anti-forester spirit of Johnie Cock,” in which a palmer of foresters betray a boy and attempt to kill him.

The ballad appears in various collections of ballads, which are known as child Ballads, as they appear in the works and collections of Francis James Child, such as The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, which was published in the late 19th century.

Conclusion

We normally think of Robin Hood as a right and just person who is an outlaw due to the tyrannical circumstances of the feudal system in Medieval Europe. However, this tale tells us that Robin was far more bloodthirsty and violent, killing 15 plus people because he was denied his reward. With that said, we have to chalk up the morality of the medieval period to something wholly different from what we know today, because it was a different time and a different system of judgement and punishment. Consider Grimm’s Fairy Tales and how violent those children’s stories are in comparison to the children’s stories we have now.

Works Cited

Knight, Stephen, Ohlgren, H. Thomas. “Robin Hood’s Progress to Nottingham.” University of Rochester. Middle English Texts Series. Robin Hood and Other Outlaw Tales. 1997.

Knight, Stephen, Ohlgren, H. Thomas. “Robin Hood’s Progress to Nottingham: Introduction.” University of Rochester. Middle English Texts Series. Robin Hood and Other Outlaw Tales. 1997.

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J.C. Holt’s ‘Robin Hood’: Separating Fact from Fiction

July 19, 2024 Joshua Sampson 1 Comment

Fiction can create compelling stories and can insert action and suspense where otherwise there was very little. In Robin Hood by J.C. Holt, we see that action and adventure still existed in the real world. In this post, we are analyzing Robin Hood by Holt. This novel takes a historical look at the lore surrounding Robin Hood and attempts to separate fact from fiction.

Summary

Robin Hood by Holt takes a historical look at the swashbuckling rogue from Sherwood Forest. In this way, Robin Hood is an English folk hero. As such, the author analyzes his origins, development, and his role in history. Holt examines early ballads, and traces them from the past to modern times. Similarly, he examines Robin Hood’s beginnings and gives insight into how the character has changed over time.

Book Blurb

From Amazon: “The legend of Robin Hood began more than 600 years ago. The man, if he existed at all, lived even earlier. In this definitive work, Professor Sir James Holt, one of Britain’s premier historians and author of the standard work on the Magna Carta, unravels pure invention from real possibility and offers the results of some thirty years of research.

Holt assesses the evidence for the historical Robin Hood and finds that the tale originated with the yeomen and hangers-on of the households of noblemen and gentry in the later Middle Ages. Parts of the story that we now take for granted―the usual conventions―played little or no part in the original tales. Many of the conventions grew with the legends as centuries past.

The legend of Robin Hood has enthralled people from the first ballads to contemporary movies. Holt reconstructs the historical basis of the stories but never loses sight of the human imagination that sustained them. This edition includes new illustrations and The Gest of Robyn Hood, one of the oldest surviving tales. 16 color and 9 black-and-white illustrations.”

Reviews

On Amazon, Robin Hood has 4.5 out of 5 stars with 39 ratings. Seventy-five percent of reviews are five star, while it carries with it no 1-star reviews. Five-star reviews highlight the historical importance of discussing Robin Hood’s transformation from an “anti-obscene-taxes crusader” to a “champion of wealth redistribution.” In addition to that, other reviewers state that the novel is a “careful examination” of the Robin Hood story. Others write that the story has a “ring of authenticity about it.”

On Goodreads, the novel has 3.71 stars out of 5 stars with 285 ratings. Sixty five of those ratings give it 5 stars while 6 ratings give it one star. Five-star reviews state that it is both “solid” and “readable” and is an “academic examination of the outlaw tradition.” Likewise, other five-star reviewers state that it is “still the classic work on the subject of Robin Hood ….” Meanwhile, one-star reviewers state that it is “dull” so they “didn’t finish it.”

Impressions

I love the idea that Robin Hood by Holt deconstructs folklore. Shedding light on the reality of a particular story or hero helps the reader build a broader context for the world around them. Namely, if we know Robin Hood was against taxation, and we know that many people shared the story of Robin Hood, we can then deduce that his popularity was probably due to how society feels about unjust taxation.

What’s more, world history shapes these types of readings. This is especially true because the happenings of the era created these stories. For instance, Robin Hood was a product of taxation and corruption in a feudal society. In a similar manner, the wealth redistribution mythos appeared later, which no doubt was in response to feelings about wealth redistribution at that time. “Steal from the rich and give to the needy” is a response to social issues, therefore it must have been in the cultural zeitgeist in order to illicit such a reaction.

Works Cited

Holt, J.C. Robin Hood. Thames and Hudson, 1989.

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Archery in Robin Hood: Portrayal and Historical Context

July 16, 2024 Joshua Sampson 2 Comments

Archery is quite important in Howard Pyle’s The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. It shows his deftness of character and his heroic qualities. Likewise, in Robin Hood ballads, Robin Hood uses archery to defeat villainy. It also defines him as a hero. Understanding the importance of archery in the story of Robin Hood also sheds like on Medieval England. In this post, we are going to examine some of these aspects.

Historical Context of Archery

Archery has been around since at least prehistoric times. Many early civilizations used it for hunting ang and warfare. “The bow allowed the prehistoric human to become the most efficient hunter on earth, providing him with safety, food and raw materials such as bone, sinew and hide,” states The Washington Post. In fact, if you were to examine Greek Mythology, you would find a great deal of heroes utilizing archery as a means to exact revenge and win in combat. For instance, Paris of Troy used his bow to pierce Achilles’ heal during the Trojan War.

Later, in Medieval England, English longbowmen put archery to use. It became a staple in the military forces of the time for their tremendous power. The Battle of Agincourt in 1415 is a notable conflict in which the bow prospered in combat. As such, it was important for men to practice their archery even outside of warfare to finetune their skills. Building from that, longbowmen were victorious in the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453). This was due to their effectiveness at long range. They could also fire a large quantity of arrows in a short time (Britannica).

Archery in the story of Robin Hood

Robin Hood is known for his archery. I would wager there are very few people who don’t know about the famed archery contest in which Robin Hood splits an arrow in twain. Yet, using the bow shows Robin as not just a common cutthroat outlaw, but a man of honor and heroism, which allows him to challenge authority because his skill is so mighty.

Archery in the Narrative

Additionally, we might consider why there are so many archery contests throughout the story. As such, Robin and his merry men practice archery for warfare. Thus, as it relates to Robin Hood’s own morality, archery is a discipline that requires astute dedication and focus, which shows Robin as more than a mortal man–a genuine hero.

Here, Robin wins the competition against his murderous aggressor in Chapter One: “Then Robin took his good yew bow in his hand, and placing the tip at his instep, he strung it right deftly; then he nocked a broad clothyard arrow and, raising the bow, drew the gray goose feather to his ear; the next moment the bowstring rang and the arrow sped down the glade as a sparrowhawk skims in a northern wind. High leaped the noblest hart of all the herd, only to fall dead, reddening the green path with his heart’s blood.” This quote shows that Robin is a articulate archer, capable of great feats of finesse and dexterity.

Symbolism

Nevertheless, the bow represents combat and one’s skill with it shows that they aren’t playing around. The Sheriff of Nottingham is corrupt and uncaring. Regardless of Robin Hood’s crime, the Sheriff is hunting him because the slain man was kin; thus, he will show no remorse and will act outside of justice. I wouldn’t call that fair in judiciary terms, especially since Robin Hood was defending himself and was not the attacker. Robin Hood having great skill with the bow shows that he is more than capable of taking justice into his own hands and defending not only his own honor but the honor of those around him.

Works Cited

Editors. “Archery.” Britannica. July 1, 2024. Web.

“History of Archery and the NAA.” The Washington Post. 1996 US Olympic Archery Team fact Book. September, 1995.

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“Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne”: Summary and Analysis

July 13, 2024 Joshua Sampson 3 Comments

“Robin thought on Our Lady deere,
and soone leapt up againe,
And thus he came with an awkwarde stroke;
Good Sir Guy hee has slayne.”
— “Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne”

Robin Hood goes on many adventure in the early ballads of the medieval period. Typically, he sets out with a companion and they run into trouble. Afterward, Robin invites the person to join his troupe, and off they go into the wild. But, the ballad “Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne” is a little different. And it is definitely one of the most bloody. In it, Robin Hood confronts a most dastardly villain who is out for his head!