User:StoneStage/Sandbox

I do ask that no one edit this page as there is extremely important information on this page that is vital to my groups project. Thanks, (Best of Wishes, StoneStage 20:05, 13 June 2010 (UTC))

Proposed New Sections for the Robin Hood Article

Introduction

Close your eyes. Now I'm going to say one word and I want you to say aloud to yourself what you first hear. Ready?

                                              Robin Hood

What did you see? Did you see a hooded figure, lurking in the woods, waiting for the next rich knight to come riding down the road, sadlebags stuffed with muslim gold straight from the Holy Land? Did you see a kind face, constantly looking for the next poor English citizen to help? Believe it or not, a good percentage of people don't believe that Robin Hood is a real person. Some people, see him as an idea, developed for a stuggling time. In the next few sections, I will explain this and much more.

My friends and colleges of history. We are here to help develope more historicle and more acurate views of the great man called Robin Hood. Am I not right? Then here, below this introduction, I have written several sections of new material about Robin, that, I think, should be added to the article. These sections include...

• Robin Hood and Fuedal Europe
• More than One Robin Hood?
• Robin Hood as an Idea
  • The Meaning Behind the Man
  • The Merry Men: A Lesson the World Should Learn
  • Maid Marrian: What Does She Really Mean?
  • Robin Hood in Todays Modern Culture and Current Events
• The Fact of Fiction
  • An account of how the Legend of Robin Hood Could mirror even earlier historical happenings

As you can see, I have a lot to add to this article. So, If you would read and consider what I have to offer, I think it may just prove valuble. So valuble, I dare say, as to put up a good fight for "good artle" or possibly even more.

Robin Hood and Fuedal Europe

Some people say that Robin Hoods skills as a swordsman and archer are just too good. True, things in history tend to become a little exaggerated and stories are streched, but Robin Hoods skills may almost be as good as the story relates. If you picture The social class system of midevile period called fuedalism as a giant triangle, with the king floating above; the small section at the top of the triangle consisted of Kinghts, Lords, Barons, and Vassles. All the rest of the triangle represents the lower class of peasants. Bellow the triangle is where the outlaws or other criminals sat. Around the time that Robin Hood legends first began to be sung, a new class was riseing out of the lower class. The "Yoeman" class or the worlds fist "middle class."

These Yoeman were strong individuals who fought in the Crusades. They were highly skilled profesional soldiers, loyall to the crown, but yet not rich enough for the expensive armor and lifestyle of the knights. People in this class sometimes became independent land owners and eventually made up the whole of Europe. This is the class that is beleived to be were Robin Hood came from.

When King Richard declared that he was leaving for the crusades, he drew from all of the lower class for strong, fit, and skilled men. These men learned new fighting techniques from the knights and became very skilled in the art of war. With this new knowledge, these people conquerd other castles, claiming them for King Richard. After the castle fell to the soldiers, they would plunder it for any remaining riches. This is how the peasants gained enough wealth to buy land or set up a shop somewhere prominant. The "Yoeman" class then settled down with their families and made up the first "middle class" the world had ever seen.

More than One Robin Hood?

One interesting new idea about the legend of Robin Hood is the idea that he could be more than one person. The earliest referance to Robin Hood in the Gest of Robin Hood is far less impressive than stories of him now. Could it be that the character that we know as Robin Hood today is really a combonation of many different outlaws? What if there were not just one Robin Hood, but twenty or even more?

Robin Hood as an Idea

The Meaning of the Man

Taking this look on the social class structer of Midevil Europe, we can see that, before the rise of the Yoeman, you were either extremely rich, or extremely poor and still taxed by the rich. The lower class had an extremely hard time holding on to any money they made. This is where the idea of Robin Hood began. With kings collecting their taxes, knights taking their share, then the lords wanting in on it as well, villagers had it pretty hard.

When in a situation like this, society as a whole begins wishing for someone to come along and save them from the oppresor. So, if we look at Feudal Europe, we can see society start wishing for a man to rise into the night, arrow at full draw, sword drawn, ready to take down any greedy despot who threatend to plunge civilization into the ground for his own gain. The recent movie Robin Hood (click to see list of other movies and TV series featuring Robin Hood), directed by Ridely Scott and featureing Russle Crowe, said it best, "Rise, and rise again, until lambs become lions."

The Merry Men: A Lesson the World Should Learn

Continuing our look at Robin Hood, we come to his band of "Merry Men." With our view of Robin Hood being an idea, generated by society of an "ideal" individual who will come to save them from the hard times of Fuedal Europe; the Merry Men could represent the people who notice that what this man is doing is right and decide to fowllow him. Much like the diciples of Jesus did after Jesus preforming the mirricle of the fish and the nets.

These men could represent the idea that if one man stands for society against the tyrant, then the others will fowllow. We need to learn the lesson that we need to stand up for what we think is right. Not fade into the backround like a coward.

Maid Marrian: What Does She Really Mean?

Maid Marrian is an interesting character. She is Robins true love, his inspiration, his inside source, and his justification to fight. In the legend of Robin Hood, she represents the strength of women and the developing ideas of womens rights in society. Maid Marrian shows herself as a strong individual being able to stand up for herself, even in the ugly face of tyrany. In one form of the legend, the Sherif of Nottingham plans to take Maid Marrian as his wife, even though she is married to Robin. In this situation, Marrian stands up and slaps the sherif across the face and runs away as a page boy the next dawn, right under the noses of the gaurds standing watch.

Robin Hood in Todays Modern Culture and Current Events

With todays hardships, especially in America, the lower class could identify greatly with the peseants of Midevil Europe. Natural disaster, economic hard times, as well as the disaster that is going on in the Gulf of Mexico, we need a person to stand up for the lower class of the world. We also need a "band of Merry Men" or even women as the character Maid Marrian tells us through the legend. The arrows fuguarative, the swords, metaphorical, and the robbing and plundering, rhetorical, we begin to see, Robin Hood could have been real, but he also could have been an idea

The Fact of Fiction

An Account of How the Legend of Robin Hood Mirrors Other Historic Happenings

As This article mentiond before, Robin Hood and his Merry Men could be compared in many aspects to Jesus and his diciples come to liberate the Jews. Could it be that Robin Hood was created to teach people about Christianity along with lessons of selflessnes and kindness? It wasn't long before the fall of the Roman Empire that Robin Hood appears. People were still trying to learn the teachings of Jesus and his deciples. It could be that Robin Hood was created to teach people, not only about Jesus and the apostles, but the teachings of Jesus all at the same time.

Closing

So as you can see, this is quite a legnthy addition to the article. Please read this carefully and think hard, but let me tell you this. The article is lacking neutrallity. This will balance it much more. This could put us back in the running for good article or even better. So, my collegues, consider carefully.

Best of Wishes,

(Best of Wishes, StoneStage 19:26, 14 June 2010 (UTC))