Bandits and Outlaws

Robin Hood was considered a hero in the 16th Century, the "noble robber" who robbed the rich to give to the poor. It seems odd how sometimes people who break the law can be admired, and immortalised through films and books to become infamous. Robin Hood broke the law for the good of others and not in self gratification, unlike Jesse James who stole for himself and killed a lot of innocent people in the process.

Despite Jame's selfish acts towards fame and fortune he was still idolised by many, so much so that his life has been turned into films. I think that violence is a big part of modern life, whether it is through films, books or the news. The bad guy good guy is a popular character of many films and I think it originated from the outlaws of the past. There are various films that I have watched where I have been rooting for the bad guy throughout, this is because I perceive the bad guy as the good guy. For example, in the film Pirates of the Caribbean, the character Jack Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp, is a bad pirate who plunders and fights, yet we are drawn to him because of his exciting character and his quirkiness. I know the lovable fictional character of Jack Sparrow is perhaps not comparable to the likes of Jesse James, who really did kill and plunder and probably didn't drink rum, but I believe that the reason the public of America latched onto him was because of his exciting life and lets face it everyone loves a bad guy!

Visit http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-Outlaws.html. For information on the outlaws of the American West.

For a detailed examination of the history and legend that is Robin Hood, visit http://www.robinhood.co.uk/robin_hood.php