**Resources to use in preparation for attending Robin Hood performed in the Alice Busch Opera Theater, Cooperstown**

Welcome—classroom teacher, music teacher, home school teacher, librarian, parent and lifelong learners, I have gathered materials for you to use to prepare for a visit to the Glimmerglass Festival to see Robin Hood.

When the law of the land is corrupt, what’s an honest citizen to do? In the absence of the King, the Sheriff has seized the country’s assets for himself and his cronies. Robin Hood is the unlikely leader of a band of ordinary folks doing their best to survive in the forest until just rule returns to the land. Rhonda King, Retired Library Media Specialist

Learning Objectives

A. Background information about Robin Hood

a. Summary (pdf) of the Robin Hood Stories

b. Robin Hood a legendary heroic outlaw

c. Robin Hood Literary and Cultural Figure—Read the full article

d. Legend of Robin Hood for Kids: Bedtime History

e. The True Story of Robin Hood

f. Robin Hood: The Most Celebrated Outlaw of All time

B. Robin Hood in Literature

a. Is Robin Hood a Legend, Folklore, or Myth?

i. A Legend is a story about a human hero that is grounded in a specific historical time and place and is believed to have a “kernel of truth”.

1. Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw first depicted in English folklore, and later in literature and film.

2. No definitive historical evidence exists for single Robin Hood. However, medieval court records from the 13th & 14th centuries refer to fugitives as “Rabunhod”, suggesting it was a generic name for bandits.

3. The stories are often linked to real locations (Sherwood Forest) and real historical figures (King Richard the Lionheart, Prince John).

ii. Folklore refers to the traditional beliefs, legends, and customs passed down from generation to generation through the oral tradition of ballads and games rather than history books.

1. The original tales of Robin Hood were transmitted orally through ballads and songs like A Gest of Robyn Hode, long before they were written down.

2. He became a popular folk figure in the Late Middle Ages (15th century), often associated with May Day festivals.

iii. Myth usually refers to stories that explain natural phenomena, often involving gods or supernatural beings.

1. Some have argued that Robin Hood might be a continuation of a nature spirit, the Robin Hood of the ballads is a human—a highly skilled one.

2. Robin Hood: 7 myths about the legendary outlaw of Sherwood Forest

3. Original stories lack a mythic feel. However, as the stories have been retold and enhanced by Hollywood they have acquired a mythic status in popular culture.

b. Read Books/Comic Books about Robin Hood. Join for free the Internet Archive to read and borrow books

i. The Story of Robin Hood Published in 1890

ii. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood of Great Renown, in Nottinghamshire written & illustrated by Howard Pyle. "The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood" by Howard Pyle is a novel published in 1883. This retelling transforms traditional Robin Hood ballads into a unified adventure story for young readers.

iii. Exciting Adventures of Robin Hood and His Merry Men by Charlton comics

iv. Heritage History: Stories of Robin Hood

v. Walt Disney’s Robin Hood

C. Robin Hood in Film (find on Netflix, Disney +, or Prime Video)

a. Top 10 BEST Robin Hood Movies

i. The Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHavilland 1938

ii. Robin Hood Prince of Thieves with Kevin Costner 1991

iii. Robin and Marian with Sean Conery and Audrey Hepburn 1976

iv. Disney’s Princess of Thieves 2001

v. Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood with Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett 2010

vi. Disney’s Robin Hood 1973

vii. Disney’s live-action The Story of Robin Hood and His Merry Men 1973

viii. Robin Hood directed by John Irvin 1991

ix. Sword of Sherwood 1960

x. Mel Brooks’ Robin Hood: Men in Tights 1993

D. Robin Hood in Music

a. Ballads about Robin Hood. Listen to the following ballads on Spotify music by opening Spotify. Going to the end of the Search line, clicking on the camera, taking a picture of the code, and listening to the following songs.

i. The Little Gest of Robin Hood a translation of one of the earliest Robin Hood ballads by Folk Singer Bob Franks

A Gest of Robyn Hode is one of the earliest surviving Robin Hood stories.

The Gest is divided into eight sections, known as Fyttes. Here's is a copy of the first verse followed by Bob Franks interpretation.

Lythe and listin, gentilmen,
That be of frebore blode;
I shall you tel of a gode yeman,
His name was Robyn Hode.
-- Medieval version of the Gest

Hey, everybody! Check this out.
This story's pretty good.
It's all about a bold outlaw,
His name was Robin Hood
— Recorded version by Bob Frank

The Gest is not a song in the modern sense. It is a story in verse.

ii. True Tale of Robin Hood sung by Wallace House

iii. The Greenwoods of Sherwood by Bards of Ethernia

iv. The Merry Men’s Call by Bards of Ethernia

E. 2017 Glimmerglass Youth Opera Robin Hood on the Main Stage in 2026

a. Synopsis: Robin Hood by Ben Moore and Kelley Rourke

b. The Glimmerglass Festival: Ben Moore and Kelley Rourk’s Robin Hood 20217 video

i. Characters: Sheriff, Scarlet, Robin Hood, Marion, Scout, Ronnie the Riveter, Jackie the Janitor, Sam the Scribe, Jo the Jailor, and King Richard.

c. Robin Hood: A Character of Courage and Conscience (pdf)

d. Key Themes: Check out the Children’s Picture Books that support the key themes

i. It’s OK to be Different

1. Just Ask! Be different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor

2. Different A Great Thing to Be! By Heather Avis

3. It’s OK to be Different by Sharon Purtill

ii. Might is not necessarily right—soft power, or “lead with love,” is true leadership

1. What the road Said by Poet Cleo Wade

2. I am a Kindness Hero by Jennifer Adams

iii. It is important to take care of the environment. Nature as a Refuge: Sherwood Forest serves as a lawless space where social rank does not matter. Living in harmony with nature is portrayed as a simpler, more authentic existence. Taking care of the forest so they can survive and taking care of the forest for future generations.

1. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

2. Island Boy by Barbara Cooney

3. My Friend Earth by Patricia MacLachlan

4. The Earth Book by Todd Par

5. We Are All Connected: Caring for Each Other and the Earth by Gabi Garcia

iv. Social Justice: Robin Hood is robbing from the rich to give to the poor.

1. The Lady in the Box by Ann McGovern

v. Loyalty and Camaraderie: The Merry Men constitute a brotherhood formed by their shared status as outcasts. Loyalty, friendship and mutual support are crucial.

1. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

2. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

3. The Little Red lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde H Swift

4. Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel

e. Characters like Robin Hood who operate outside the law to fight corruption, protect the weak, and redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor.

i. Zorro—defends Californians against corrupt officials

ii. The Scarlet Pimpernel: a nobleman who saves victims from the French Revolution, operating under a secret identity.

iii. Green Arrow (DC Comics): a champion of the lower class

iv. The Lone Ranger: a masked former Texas Ranger who roams the American West to bring outlaws to justice.

v. Butch Cassidy: American outlaw was known for his polite demeanor during robberies and occasional acts of generosity to those in need.

f. For fun and Reflections

i. Robin Hood Matching Quiz (pdf)

ii. Robin Hood Fill in the Blank (pdf)

iii. Robin Hood Word Search (pdf)

g. Learn about Opera

i. Read about Opera

1. San Antonio Opera 101