Into the Greenwood

Robin Hood may well be the most famous outlaw in the world, but he wasn't the only popular figure in Medieval England to be operating against the recognized legal authorities. Historian Will Hoff joins me for a discussion of the Outlaw Tale tradition and both how the early Robin Hood tales fit inside that tradition and how they were distinctly different. If you're curious to learn more a...

The late 1940s - early 1950s saw a boom in Robin Hood films, landing smack dab in the middle of that trend was the original 'The Prince of Thieves' that, unlike the Kevin Costner film, was based on the novel by Pierce Egan (by way of Alexandre Dumas). While certainly not the film that set the mold for future Robin Hood adaptations, it was nonetheless a very fun film that we enjoyed watch...

Emily J. Rich joins us in the Greenwood for a discussion about the history of female characters in Robin Hood stories, including some surprising facts about the origin of Maid Marian. This discussion contained many references to adaptations, both old and new, here are some links to learn more about some of them: Child Ballad 150: Robin Hood and Maid Marian by Anonymous Robin Hood: A Tale of the Ol...

Based on the novel "The Son of Robin Hood", 1946's "The Bandit of Sherwood Forest" desperately wants to be perceived as the sequel to 1938's "The Adventures of Robin Hood". To say that it misses the mark would be an understatement. Between a deeply unlikable (and even problematic) lead actor, an uninspired script, and some lackluster action sequences, the mo...

An interview with Dr. Richard Firth Green about the prevalence of beliefs in fairies in the middle ages, where that belief could run afoul of church doctrine, and how sometimes it didn't. And of course, how a certain forest-dwelling outlaw pertains to stories of fairyland. Some of Dr. Green's books can be found here: Elf Queens and Holy Friars A Crisis in Truth Support Into the Greenwood...

Just some basics about the earliest extant Robin Hood ballads because they're mentioned in all of the early interview episodes. Support the show

The second in our "Splitting Arrows" series of episodes this time focusing on 1938's 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' starring Errol Flynn. While "best" might be too subjective a title, one would be hard pressed to argue that this isn't the most iconic film portrayal of Robin Hood. Will it be all downhill from here? Support Into the Greenwood: patreon.com/into...

An interview with Steven A. McKay author of the 'Forest Lord' series of novels and novellas and contributor to the new 'Hood: Outlaws & Legends' video game. We discuss his choice to abandon the traditional setting for Robin Hood in favor of the *more* traditional setting for Robin Hood (it will make sense, I promise) and how neither of us might be your best choice for a tea...

The first in our Splitting Arrows series looking at Robin Hood film portrayals over the last 100 years. It's an enjoyable film that managed to simultaneously both meet and upend my expectations. The audio quality gets a bit rough in places, we already have better equipment to help alleviate that problem for future episodes. Support the show

An interview with Ade Andrews, aka Ezekial Bone, about his work with Robin Hood Town Tours in Nottingham, the benefits of utilizing legendary characters for the purpose of informal education, and what Robin Hood can mean to us in the 21st century. To learn more about Ezekial Bone and his award-winning work go here: https://www.ezekialbone.com/ To learn more about the Sherwood People's Forest...

An interview with buildings archaeologist James Wright to develop an idea of what the homes, castles, monasteries, taverns, and more would have been like in and around Sherwood during the late 12th century.  What is the connection between monasteries, inns, & theaters and how do they all relate back to Robin Hood?  What is the minor mistake every adaptation has made regarding the title of Robi...

Laying some groundwork and setting expectations as we begin this journey into the greenwood. Including brief discussion of the two different episode formats. Support- patreon.com/intogreenwood Follow- @intogreenwood on Twitter Contact- intogreenwood@gmail.com Support the show