Rymes of Robyn Hood: An Introduction to the English Outlaw

‘Many men speak of Robin Hood that shot never in his bow’. Despite the extraordinary popularity of the Robin Hood legend into recent times, the sources upon which that legend ultimately rests have never before been presented in a uniform manner to the modern reader. This book provides a comprehensive selection of the most important texts in the evolution of the green wood saga and should serve as the ideal handbook to Robin Hood studies.
Newly edited versions of the earliest and most influential ballads naturally form the basis of the collection; but the authors also include examples of the way in which the myth of England's greatest outlaw was developed by poets like Keats and Alfred Noyes. A separate section is devoted to Robin Hood's varied appearances on the English stage from the fifteenth century on­wards, while a selection of other songs is included to give an impression of the features which Robin Hood shares with other outlaw heroes.
Each text is preceded by a short introduction which discusses the relia­bility of the source; and a long general introduction surveys the present state of inquiry into the legend. Among the many themes discussed are the tech­nical problems surrounding the nature of the early ballads, their authorship and audience; the evidence for an historical original outlaw at the genesis of the legend; the reasons for Ro bin Hood's continuing appeal in late medi­eval and Tudor society; and the ways in which the evolution of the legend reflects the ever-changing social pat­terns of English history.
This is the first study of the Robin Hood legend to survey not only its medieval origins but its evolution and literary development over the centuries.