The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood Part First Summary & Analysis | SparkNotes (2024)

Summary

Determined to catch Robin Hood, the Sheriff of Nottingham sends a messenger to Lincoln Town to recruit anyone who might help him. At the Blue Boar Inn, the messenger tells of his mission to a tinker named Wat o’ the Crabstaff, who offers to help catch Robin Hood. One morning, while walking in the woods, Robin comes across the tinker, who does not know who Robin is. Upon learning that the Tinker is looking for him, Robin brings him to the Blue Boar Inn and gets him drunk. The tinker falls asleep and wakes up, angry to learn that he owes money. He and Robin Hood meet in the woods again and begin fighting. When Robin’s staff breaks, he blows his horn, and his companions come to him. Robin Hood’s men threaten to hang the tinker, but Robin invites him to join them. The tinker happily agrees.

The Sheriff is upset by his failure to arrest Robin Hood and so decides to try to trick him. Hoping to lure Robin to him, the Sheriff announces an archery competition. Robin learns of the competition and decides that he and some of his men will compete in disguise. He shows up dressed as a beggar, fooling the Sheriff, and wins the competition. The Sheriff assumes Robin is too cowardly to show up and offers the beggar a place in his service. Robin declines, which angers the Sheriff. Back in Sherwood Forest, Robin is upset that the Sheriff assumes he was a coward, and he wants to let the Sheriff know he won. Little John assures Robin that he and Will Stutely will get the message across. While the Sheriff is eating dinner, an arrow flies in through his window, containing the message that Robin Hood was the winner of the competition.

Having failed to trick Robin Hood, the Sheriff decides to try to take him by force. He and his constables hide in Sherwood Forest, looking out for Robin Hood’s signature Lincoln green. However, Robin learns of the Sheriff’s plan from Eadom, keeper of the Blue Boar Inn. Robin instructs his men to lie low. After a week, Robin sends Will Stutely to disguise himself as a friar and see what the Sheriff’s men are doing. Stutely finds several constables drinking at the Blue Boar Inn. When they see his Lincoln green clothing under his disguise and know he is one of Robin Hood’s men, the constables overpower Stutely and take him to be hanged. Eadom’s daughter tells Robin Hood this news, and Robin and his men vow to save Will Stutely or die themselves. The next day, they put on disguises and go to Nottingham Town. Little John and the other men rescue Stutely before he is hanged and fight off the Sheriff and his constables before escaping back to the woods.

Analysis

In this part of the story, Robin Hood proves himself to be both extremely proud and reckless. Despite his desire to remain free in Sherwood Forest, he inches to the brink of being discovered by the Sheriff several times. Robin befriends the person who is sent to catch him, he goes to the archery competition where the Sheriff will be and later reveals his identity, and he sends his friend into harm’s way, saving him at the last possible moment. These actions show how Robin Hood thinks he is much cleverer than the Sheriff and his men. He even takes joy in putting himself in danger only to escape. Robin Hood also cannot help but show off his archery skills, first in the competition and later by making sure the Sheriff knew who won. Although Robin purports himself to be a hero, his actions show he is still rather immature in many ways. However, he is also fiercely loyal, risking his own life to save Will Stutely’s, and he always welcomes new members to his band even if they begin as enemies, as in the case of the tinker.

This part continues to show how Robin Hood distinguishes between legality and morality. He continues to evade the law, seeing himself as the hero and the Sheriff as the villain. However, Robin does not always act righteously. He tricks the tinker in his effort to avoid being caught by the Sheriff, and he later fights off the Sheriff’s men as they attempt to hang Will Stutely. On one hand, Robin Hood feels he does not deserve punishment for his crime. On the other hand, even though the Sheriff and his men are authorized to arrest and hang criminals, Robin feels they deserve retribution for their actions. Still, one guiding principle of Robin Hood seems to be that he will not use violence unless it is first used against him or his friends. He instructs the band to lie low rather than directly attack the Sheriff’s men as they are searching Sherwood Forest. Though Robin believes himself to be outside the law, he does have a personal moral code he believes is important to follow.

The strength of the friendship between Robin Hood and his men is demonstrated throughout this part. Readers can infer that Robin Hood is an effective and beloved leader among his men because they will do anything for him. They are willing to attend the archery competition, trusting completely that Robin will not allow them to be caught by the Sheriff. Little John and Will Stutely put themselves in harm’s way just to reveal to the Sheriff that Robin was the competition’s winner. Robin Hood, too, is willing to do anything for his friends, as he demonstrates by risking his life to save Will Stutely. This friendship and camaraderie are symbolized by the horn, which Robin Hood blows to summon his men. The horn shows how, no matter where they are or what is going on, Robin Hood’s band of men will always come to save him.