Arthur, Robin, or both?

[lizwilliams]

When fjm visited us the other day, we had a conversation about which legendary British figure one feels most drawn to - King Arthur, or Robin Hood? There seems to be a bit of a divide in that Americans tend to prefer Arthur (noble, gallant, kingly?) whereas the Brits have a penchant for Robin (outlaw, dodgy, but still noble, gallant etc). We thought this was too simplistic a distinction, but now I'm interested. Hence, this LJ's first poll:

[Poll #729865]

Comments

[pigeonhed.livejournal.com]

Cuchulainn!

[nwhyte]

I voted for Arthur, because he was a Celt!

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Cuchulain is good, however. Anyone who gets so angry that their hair bleeds....

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Robin, but if someone made a TV programme about Arthur as thoroughly brilliant as Robin of Sherwood, I could be persuaded otherwise. (I'm reading Rosemary Sutcliff's Sword at Sunset at the moment, which is doing a good job of trying to win me over.)

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

I loved ROS. Although more of a Michael Praed girl than a Jason Connery, despite subsequent embarrassments in Dynasty.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Absolutely Praed! Now what was his Dynasty character called again? Prince Michael of *cough*ovia or something.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Something like that. Didn't he die in a wedding massacre? Happens all the time in *cough*ovia.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

He did indeed die in a wedding massacre. IIRC, he was marrying one of the children that Joan Collins would periodically and increasingly implausibly get out of mothballs to spring on Blake Carrington.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Wasn't that the blonde who, if memory serves me correctly, actually is some kind of royal connection in RL?

God, I'm appalled that I know this stuff. OTOH, I always preferred the improbably rich US soaps to the British ironing-board-in-the-living-room variety.

I'm about to watch The Line of Beauty, on that note.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I think you're right, I'd completely forgotten about that! Yugoslavian or Romanian royal family, something like that?

Enjoy The Line of Beauty. Did you read/like the novel?

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

I haven't, but I have read most of Hollinghurst's other stuff and really enjoyed it. Wasn't too struck with the adaptation, though. Maybe it was because most of my 1980s student experience revolved around either really rough northern pubs or socialist lesbian wholefood cafes and bookshops in Manchester and I found it a li-i-i-t-le difficult to relate. ;-)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

What I remember of the 1980s was mainly Duran Duran and GCSEs ;-D But I do recognize Nick's "type" from my student days in the early 90s.

[ellenscult]

King Alfred, otherwise, Robin Hood. And I'm Yorkshire. ;-)

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Aha!

[ellenscult]

I was also inordinately proud of learning that there were more soldiers stationed in the North keeping the population down than there were fighting Napoleon. And Richard III was framed: if we must have a monarch, I think it's time for a Yorkist monarch again. *grin* Oh, and in The Beiderbecke Affair (I think) - with the party campaigning for a free Yorkshire, I always wanted to join... *heh* Now all of these are reasons why I support Robin Hood. That, and I always wanted to do archery as a kid, and my mum wouldn't let me.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

LOL! We did some archery in school, which was a damn sight more interesting than hockey.

[lamentables.livejournal.com]

I fell in love with Roger Lancelyn Green's Robin Hood at a very early age. Also I was born and raised in Nottinghamshire, so no contest really.

[fjm.livejournal.com]

My Robin is of Geoffrey Trease's Bows Against the Barons, the "secret history" of an English rebellion.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

What, no both?

It's like a wood chisel and a claw hammer. Different tools for different jobs. *g*

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

The reason I didn't put 'both' was that I had an idea but was insufficiently awake to execute it adequately.

I couldn't find a button...

[(Anonymous)]

...to vote - must be cos I'm not a livejournal user. Anyway, I've always been on the Robin Hood side, but that's mainly cos he's the closest Britain has to a really cool pirate.

There really aren't enough cool pirates for a young man to hero worship, you know.

neil

Re: I couldn't find a button...

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

There really aren't enough cool pirates for a young lady to be - er, yes, well, this is a family poll.

Re: I couldn't find a button...

[mt-yvr.livejournal.com]

It's ALL about the polls.

(halo)

Re: I couldn't find a button...

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

>(halo)

Hmmmmm.

[elarasophia.livejournal.com]

Arthur, definitely. Running/jumping/climbing trees is great escapism, but Arthur was noble while dealing with the responsibilities that came with rule. Robin had it relatively easy. :)

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Both came to a tragic end, though!

[prairie-kittin.livejournal.com]

Which is better? To steal from the rich to give to the poor, or to lead the country in a fiscally responsible manner so there is no need for a hero like Robin Hood? I voted for Arthur.
I live in the United States, and I believe a lot of my countrymen would choose Arthur over Robin Hood out of a sense of longing for the good government we were cheated out of when King Bush seized power.
Kittin

[9fingers.livejournal.com]

I too fall under the heading of Americans for Arthur.

[greeneyedkzin.livejournal.com]

I was an Arthurian scholar, and the thing about Arthur is that he stands for good governance, which, God knows, we could use here in the U.S.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Although Robin is reacting to bad governance caused ultimately by a ruler going off and invading a Middle Eastern Country.

Er....

[aeriedraconia.livejournal.com]

I always liked Robin Hood stories a little better than King Arthur stories. I'm an American.
I like Zorro too.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

I like Zorro!

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

It's always been Robin for me, for as long as I can remember. No contest. I even named my cat after him. ;)

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Aw! :-)

Actually, both are held to be 'sleeping Lords' or guardians of the land. Given Mr Blair's efforts, I'm going to be going on a quest for underhill any day soon and see if I can wake up someone who might be prepared to do the job properly....

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

I remember RJ Stewart talking about them. I wonder if we have anything equivalent here in the US? Now, there's something to explore! :)

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

It would make a great story - not sure if anyone's done it before (Neil Gaiman?) but it's worth checking out.

[mt-yvr.livejournal.com]

If we're talking British - Merlin. I'm more a magic kind of guy than "ooh, look, I can do neat tricks with (insert weapon of choice here)!" kind of guy.

Though admittedly I loved the Talison stories just as much if not more later on. Anyone who can shapeshift their way into youth is cool in my book.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Mary Stewart's Merlin series are among my favourite books.


But you know me. I like magicians.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Gawain.

I love the way he morphs from Top Knight to Ladies' Man to Rough but Honest. Also, hangs out with Green Knight.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Gawain is a seriously interesting archetype.

[the-aspie-zoo.livejournal.com]

Another American for Robin! :)

I did a semester Independent Study in Lit course comparing Robin to Arthur (the 'people' and the myths). Fascinating stuff. But Robin wins in my book.

Ya gotta love a rogue! *big grin*

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

>I did a semester Independent Study in Lit course comparing Robin to Arthur (the 'people' and the myths).

Interesting course!

[lagilman]

I got sent over here with firm instructions to vote, so...

Boudicca, actually. She too came to a bad end, but she had to do it backwards and in high heels. And I did my junior colloquium thesis on her rebellion and the Roman response, so there's an emotional attachment.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Have you come across Manda Scott's series on Boudicca? I think there are four of them now - DREAMING THE EAGLE and then DREAMING THE/BULL/SERPENT/HOUND.

I have only read the first one but I think she writes extremely well and it's an odd, shamanic version of early Britain, very unsentimental. She's also a horse vet, so she knows her animal stuff! Well worth a look if you haven't checked them out already.

[joecrow.livejournal.com]

Mordred.

What? Sometimes the king needs to get it in the neck, but good. That's how I roll, baby.

Also, if it matters, currently residing within the Evil Empire.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Ha! Yes, quite. Maybe George has a by-blow somewhere, being raised in secret by lesbian goddess-worshipping schemers? Boy, do I hope so.

[joecrow.livejournal.com]

If not, somebody oughtta make one.

Hmm. Well, I know what my summer project's gonna be...

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

This summer, I plan to: - go for some long walks, press some flowers, and turn our leader's bastard son into a contender for the throne, thereby precipitating a bloody civil war.

Hey, it's great to have a new hobby.

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

I fell in love with Robin Hood when I read Howard Pyle's version of the story when I was ten. I'm still in love with him.