The swashbuckling mythical heroes of the Middle Ages have been the object of fascination for centuries. "The Outlaws of Medieval Legend" explores not only the notorious Robin Hood and William Wallace, but also some now forgotton rogues such as Gamelyn and Fulke Fitzwarin.
Apart from William Wallace, the heroes of the outlaw legends did not play a leading role on the historical stage. Nevertheless, this book reveals how they were remembered in tradition for generations. This intriguing book explains the popularity of these figures and how the stories appealed to the people of the Middle Ages. Maurice Keen discusses the origins, spirit and background of the tales as well as the real people on whom they were based.
In this edition of "The Outlaws of Medieval Legend", the author provides a new introduction to set the book in the context of recent work on these exciting characters.
Author(s): Maurice Keen
Edition: 3rd, revised
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2000
Language: English
Pages: XXXII+244
Preface to the New Edition vii
Preface ix
Introduction to the Second Edition xi
Introduction: Some Recantations xxiii
The Matter of the Greenwood 1
The Story of Hereward 9
The Historical Background of the Hereward Legend 23
The Romance of Fulk Fitzwarin 39
The Romance of Eustace the Monk 53
William Wallace and the Scottish Outlaws 64
The Tale of Gamelyn 78
The Robin Hood Ballads (I) 95
The Robin Hood Ballads (II) 116
The Historical Background of the Robin Hood Ballads 128
The Outlaw Ballad as an Expression of Peasant Discontent 145
The Historicity of Robin Hood 174
The Outlaw in History 191
Conclusions 208
The Supposed Mythological Origin of the Robin Hood Legend 219
Sources and Bibliography 223
Additional Bibliography 226
Robin Hood in Recent Historical Writing (1977-86): A Postscript 229
Index 236
