Wolfshead
Through the Ages:
The History of Robin Hood

by Allen W. Wright

So, You Think You Know About Robin Hood?

You might be in for a surprise. The legend of Robin Hood has changed a lot over the years. "Classic" characters such as Maid Marian, Friar Tuck and Alan a Dale were all later additions to the greenwood folklore. So was the "steal from the rich and give to the poor" motif. The Robin Hood of the early ballads is very different from the Robin Hoods of Errol Flynn and Kevin Costner.

These pages explore the history of the bold outlaw of Nottingham, Barnsdale and Sherwood. They show how, when and why the story of Robin Hood evolved.

Wolfshead through the Ages is divided into various sections. You can click on the introduction to start, or head straight to the topic that interest

Start your journey:                           

NEXT: Introduction

The Robin Hood Statue in Nottingham

HIGHLIGHTS

Link to the Early Ballads, woodcut from A Gest of Robyn Hode

The Early Years: Ballads and Background

Learn about the medieval beginnings of the Robin Hood legend. Come discover the earliest surviving ballads and literary references. The Robin Hood you'll find here isn't quite the same one you'll find in movies.
Link to Revolutions and Romanticism - Daniel Maclisse painting is the image

Revolutions and Romanticism

Learn how the Robin Hood legend was transformed at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century through the works of Joseph Ritson, Sir Walter Scott and more. This is where the legend is recast as a conflict between Saxons and Normans
Link to the Films and Fantasy section, image of Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland as Robin and Marian

Films and Fantasy

Learn about the various movie and TV adaptations of Robin Hood, including Errol Flynn, Richard Greene, Michael Praed, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe and many, many more. It also looks at Robin Hood in science fiction and fantasy and in video games

All Sections

  • INTRODUCTION  - A brief introduction to this history of the Robin Hood legend
  • THE EARLY YEARS: BALLADS AND BACKGROUND (13th - 15th centuries) - Come explore the beginning of the Robin Hood legend with a look at the earliest surviving medieval ballads (such as Robin Hood and the Monk and A Gest of Robyn Hode) and historical references to the legend
  • THE EARLY YEARS: MAY GAMES AND MAYHEM (13th - 16th centuries) - Audiences in the late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period also knew Robin Hood through drama, such as the village festivals known as May Games. Come learn about how Friar Tuck and Maid Marian joined the legend, how Robin Hood inspired real outlaws, and also the possible origins of robbing the rich to give to the poor
  • CHANGES TO THE LEGEND: EARLDOMS AND ELIZABETHANS (16th - 17th centuries) - After the Middle Ages, the Robin Hood legend began to change. There were references to him being a nobleman. Learn about Anthony Munday's plays that transformed Robin Hood into the Earl of Huntingdon, and explore the legend in the time of Shakespeare
  • PROTESTANTS AND PROPAGANDA (17th century) - Discover how the legend was used for political purposes in the 17th century, including an unfinished play by Ben Jonson, a play for the coronation of Charles II, and the formation of Robin Hood Societies 
  • BROADSIDES AND BUFFOONERY (17th-18th centuries) - Explore the latter Robin Hood ballads, including the introduction of Allen-a-Dale, and the Prose Lives of Robin Hood
  • REVOLUTIONS AND ROMANTICISM (18h-19th centuries) - The Robin Hood legend is transformed again thanks to Joseph Ritson's collection of Robin Hood ballads and novels such as Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. If you know Robin Hood as a Saxon freedom fighter against Norman tyranny, this page covers that aspect of the legend
  • CHILDREN'S NOVELS AND COMIC OPERAS (18th-20th centuries) - The Robin Hood legend grows through serialized novels such as Robin Hood and Little John by Pierce Egan, children's novels such as The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle. and on stage such as Reginald DeKoven's Robin Hood: A Comic Opera (a forerunner to modern musicals)
  • FILMS AND FANTASY (20th and 21st centuries) - Follow Robin Hood through all his films - from Douglas Fairbanks and Errol Flynn to the cartoon fox to Kevin Costner and beyond. Learn about the television Robin Hoods from Richard Greene to Michael Praed and Jason Connery in Robin of Sherwood to Jonas Armstrong and beyond. It also explores the use of Robin Hood in science fiction, fantasy and video games
  • COMIC BOOKS AND COPYCATS (20th and 21st centuries) - Examine Robin Hood's various appearances in comic books and how he inspired the superheroes Robin the Boy Wonder and Green Arrow. It looks at other characters -- both real and fictional -- inspired by the legend.
  • ROBIN HOOD IN THE PRESENT AND FUTURE (21st century) -  An exploration of Robin Hood in our time with information on the most recent movies, TV shows, novels and more. What does Robin Hood mean for us today?
  • CONCLUSIONS - A quick look back to reflect on our journey through the history of Robin Hood
  • SOURCES - A list of the books and articles used to write this look at the history of Robin Hood
Would you like to learn more about Robin Hood? Check out these other sections of this website
  • ROBIN HOOD -- BOLD OUTLAW OF BARNSDALE AND SHERWOOD - The index page of a website with extensive resources covering the Robin Hood legend from its medieval beginnings to the present day
  • SEARCH FOR THE REAL ROBIN HOOD - Explore some of the real-life people that might have inspired the legends of Robin Hood and the Merry Men. There are also looks at the historical Sheriffs of Nottingham and the kings that appear in the legend
  • BEGINNER'S GUIDE - Basic information about the Robin Hood legend as it exists in popular culture
  • ROBIN HOOD FAQ - The answers to your frequently asked questions about Robin Hood include links to further information
  • ROBIN HOOD TALES - Read Robin Hood ballads, poems, short stories and comic books

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© Text and Location pictures, Copyright 2026  Allen W. Wright - All Rights Reserved
This page is a part of Robin Hood -- Bold Outlaw of Barnsdale and Sherwood