Synopsis
Knight (English, U. of Wales) shrugs off the search for the real Robin Hood, arguing that dozens, perhaps hundreds, of outlaws and fugitives throughout English history have taken or been given the name of the elusive, anti-authoritarian trickster from folklore. Instead he chronicles the historical and fictional accounts of Robin as his image evolves from a defender of the local against the national and the natural against the artificial into a gentrified apologist for whatever cause the writer is championing, finally including the hierarchical establishment he once battled and embarrassed. The coverage extends to recent books and movies in the 1990s. Appended is a list of all known references to Robin Hood, 1213-1600. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
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Reviews
Unlike Ulysses or King Arthur, Robin Hood never became an epic hero but, according to Knight, he is the only mythic character who remains truly alive in the popular imagination. The outlaw myth abides even though its significance shifts dramatically with changes in time and place. Knight argues convincingly that the search for a historical Robin Hood is a "delusory quest" and focuses instead on the sociocultural permutations of the character. Common to all Robin Hood tales is rebellion against an authority perceived as improper, but depending on context, the version may pit gallant Saxon against tyrannical Norman, dispossessed nobleman against cruel usurper, religious reformer against corrupt cleric, neo-pastoral swain against urban capitalist, or even American democrat against Old World aristocrat. Knight's survey of the Robin Hood tradition (from brief 13th-century allusions to recent films featuring Kevin Costner and Mel Brooks) is meticulously thorough, and his attention to secondary sources is judicious. Knight intends his impressive scholarship to be accessible to nonacademic readers, but his usage ("agon," "demotic") may be daunting for some and strained conceits ("Robin Hood proved a rough diamond among the novelistic jewellers") may also diminish the book's appeal. Illustrated.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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