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COUSINS ISSUE #1 - November 1991
A place for the Witches, pagans, nature spirits, fey-folk, and assorted elder
kin of Sherwood to share ideas, challenges, dreams, and projects, and to stir
up a little magic of our own.
for more information about Cousins, contact Susan Gavula,
sjgavula@terminator.rs.itd.umich.edu
This Issue's Fun Word: METEMPSYCHOSIS
The preservation of the identity and/or some or all of the personality of the
individual through the process of reincarnation.
(If you have ideas about this issue's Fun Word, or a suggestion for another,
or even if you think that having a Fun Word is just too Gemini for, well, for
words... let me know!)
* * *
LETTERS
Kitty Laust-Gamarra:
...I've returned your ad and sent along $5.00 for postage even though I don't
consider myself a witch. I find the magic in the show to be very
interesting. Actually, I've always been intrigued by magic. I've just never
done anything about it other than a little library research. While living in
Spain I learned quite a bit about the Tarot and palmistry, which was
fascinating. Europe is much more involved in the paranormal than the US.
Many universities actually have investigation teams studying phenomena and
courses available to students. More of a "ready to believe" person, I would
love to hear what others think on the subject.
Raven:
Some things that I've been curious about... What do you think about the way
the Old Religion was handled on RoS? Do you think that someone who wasn't
already "knowledgeable" in Craftlore would get the Pagan references, or is
it very obscure?
The one objection I've always had is that there is no mention of the Goddess
whatsoever in any of the episodes. The only references to ANY goddesses at
all are: Rhiannon (as in Rhiannon's Wheel) and Arianrhod (as in Feast
of...), but there isn't any explanation as to who these people are. You
don't even know they're of the feminine gender! Kip's vision seems to be a
little skewed. Hernism (for want of a better term) seems to be another male
oriented religion to me. I've tried to find a feminine counterpart for
Herne/Cernunnos in books, but there isn't one. In fanfic, some authors have
made Her Cerridwen or Aradia, but is that correct?
Then there's the Priestess herself. If Robin/Robert, as Herne's Son, is the
Priest, then Marion ought to be the Priestess. But is she? She's been put
in the role of the Maiden, not the Mother, but she doesn't fit the
requirements of either. What is she? Also, considering her obvious Christian
background, even if she IS the Priestess, how does she summon/connect with
Her? It seems hard for me to conceive of a woman raised as a Christian in
that time period, especially one who was quite willing to become a nun, to
just give up her beliefs and play Priestess.
Also, someone mentioned to me that they'd heard about Craft groups who used
Robin Hood as a tradition. Does anyone know anything about this? Does anyone
out there use the characters from the show (or the Archetypes, as Mark Ryan
would say) as focuses for any of their magick? If so, any elaborations?
How do you think we're perceived by the non-Pagan contingent of the fandom?
Have you had any problems with anyone in the fandom because of your beliefs?
(Raven also suggests a "recipe" section for spells, rituals, and/or
meditations that people might want to share. Sounds good to me! Throw it
in an envelope - we're waiting...)
Janet Van Meter:
...I think most folks who have gotten "into" Robin of Sherwood already have
a tolerance towards different beliefs but I can understand that not
everybody can get over certain prejudices.
I was born and raised a Methodist but still continue to read and research
other beliefs. It was very gratifying to have my ideas and personal beliefs
"bolstered" by what was presented by RoS and also talking with a RoS lady
who's become a good friend (she's a Gardnerian). So basically, Goddess
aspects have only enriched my view of things.
The one area I have always been interested in is the finding of the
"archetypes" in various myths, legends, and religions. The Green Man, the
Great Mother, the Son, etc. My friend has loaned me some reading materials
which I found interesting and I've also read the "Spiral Dance" (I suppose
most folk have). The only area that I might be uncomfortable with was the
formalized ritual used by some - but apparently that is not "written in
stone" - which is good, because I prefer a much simpler way of doing things!
On the whole, once I actually got to meet other folk who believed what I did,
I was even more convinced that I was more of a "pagan" than some of the
types I was running into in other activities! So, Hilda, I'd enjoy becoming
a part of "Cousins" (and I can be discreet, too!). After all, with a middle
name of Fay, I guess it was "meant to be!"
P.S. - but I still like my little gold cross I wear with my garb, after all,
that's a symbol of many meanings too! Besides, most everyone was "nominally"
Christian back then and like I said, for me, one doesn't compromise the other
when you distill everything down to its origins!
Mary Ann B. McKinnon:
I'm not Pagan, but I'm very interested in the real Paganism of Robin Hood's
time, and I'd like to participate in your forum. I'm particularly interested
in how Paganism interacted with early Christianity, and what was considered
"witchcraft" at the time; it's something I would like to integrate into my
writing and have very little idea how to begin. Was the "witchcraft" of
Robin Hood's time purely a misconception of what Paganism was all about, or
were there also groups of people who considered themselves "witches" who were
truly evil and worshipped the Biblical devil? (e.g. "The Swords of Wayland")
Where did the Druids fit in? Were they all gone by Robin Hood's time?
I'm also interested in the Celtic myths that were integrated into RoS. What
historical beliefs is Herne based upon? (I know he's based on Cernunnos,
but I seem to be having a great deal of difficulty figuring out what parts of
his portrayal are based on the beliefs of the people at the time, and what
part was invented by Mr. Carpenter.) Also, what myths is the conception of
Rhiannon's Wheel as Time or Fate based upon? I have found references to
Rhiannon, but not to the Wheel, in Celtic mythology.
The Celtic calendar also fascinates me. I keep seeing references to Beltain
customs in RoS fan fiction, and Robin Hood refers to himself as the "Summer
King" and Marion as the "May Queen." What Beltain customs were really in
practice at the time of Robin Hood that were not shown in the series? (I
somehow got the feeling that this was censored for Britain's Family Hour...)
Were the villagers all basically pagan and the nobles basically Christian, as
portrayed in the story? And what about the other festivals? I keep hearing
references in fan fiction to Lammas and human sacrifice... Was this
something that was already ancient by Robin Hood's time?
What is "Earth Magic?" I saw a reference to it in a piece of fan fiction to
the effect that Loxley had once caused all the soldiers' crossbows to shoot
off prematurely. Did this happen in an actual episode, or did the writer
create this incident? What other examples were there of Robin actually
using magic on his own? (I can't recall any examples in which Herne was not
involved, but maybe I was just not observant enough.)
There's so much more I'm really interested in that's related to RoS-- every
aspect of real medieval life, particularly how their social and sexual
customs differed from ours; the real historic events of Robin Hood's time;
the Robin Hood legend and the historic(?) Robin Hood; costuming as pertains
to Robin Hood's time; the history of the bow and crossbow; fighting styles of
the sword and quarterstaff; the geneology of the kings and nobles of England
and Scotland of Robin Hood's time; and the historic language patterns of the
various groups of people in use at the time (How did language separate the
classes?)--but these topics are not quite as relevant to the issues at hand.
You may print my name and address. I look forward to receiving further
information from "Cousins."
Nansi Loser and Nancy Arena:
My roommate and I read about Cousins in the latest MPNN Newsletter, and it
sounds like a wonderful idea -- this group within a group thing.
Coincidentally (if there is such a thing as coincidence) a day or two before
the Newsletter arrived, we were talking about the fact that it is so
difficult to figure out who you can talk to about the Craft/Old
Religion/myths, etc., and who is going to get all offended and hyper about
the fact that we hold Pagan beliefs! (I am the nerdopagan of the family,
constantly driving everyone -- even Nancy -- crazy with outcries of "Oh for
$%"!! sake, it does not work like that!" when a TV show or movie is on. Her
son wonUt even watch "The Inheritance" with us anymore!
Anyway, let us know what all you plan on doing and thanks for coming up with
the idea in the first place!
Hilda:
Kitty: It's for such folk as you that Cousins was, in my heart of hearts,
created. Witches (and all people who consciously make magic their day-to-
day lifestyle) can always find each other. But people who who are called by
magic to live in a magical way, but who are stranded in a culture that
denies that part of the universe's organization which is called magic, have a
much harder time sharing their hearts' knowledge. WELCOME!
Raven: What a lot of complicated questions! My reply to the matter of "was
RoS' version of magic/the Craft/British mythology too obscure" is a sort of
Ryanic faith in the shared experience of all humans: I think that the
archetypes involved are strong enough and universal enough to tell their
respective parts of the story with or without the cultural/ magical
background.
My purely emotional reaction to your comments on "Hernism": AARGH! Oogh!
GRRRRR! How dare you say anything nasty about Richard Carpenter? I can't
honestly vouch for the objectivity of my point of view, given this gut
reaction; but I would guess that Kip was trying to preserve RoS' chances of
getting aired at all. You can say a lot of interesting words on the air
nowadays, but "Goddess" isn't often one of them. As far as who Herne's
counterpart is, I like Mark Ryan's Ellen (from the Green Arrow Special -
although I can't back up this bit of deep-well affection with any sort of
research); but some deities (e.g. Brigid) don't have a definite and culturally
equivalent other-sex counterpart.
Marion? Beats me. I think (feel) that her representation of the Goddess was
very much of the water/earth "save the details for later and just do"
variety. She was neither wild Maiden nor ever- reliable Mother, but she was
the Green Woman just the same - an anchor simultaneously to the wonder of
the living world and to the necessities of getting by. She was always the
first both to see the humor in any situation, and to realize what
preparations had to be made. Maybe in this sense, she was both Maiden and
Mother. (The fanfic does seem to bear this out.) I think she only took on
the Crone once, accepting Albion and her own continued life against the loss
of all that kept her alive. As a character, that was a lot to expect of
her, but as the only well-defined female archetype, I guess she had to get
stuck with it eventually. Funny "coincidence" how the situation with the
actors stuck her with that...
I deal with both Robin and Robert in my own magical work, but only as new
faces and new names for the Dark and Light Gods whom I've known for a long
time, since long before I knew to call Them gods. I've run into Marion a
couple of times, but more as a guide/interpreter in the still largely
unfamiliar world of Sherwood. Nasir, as "Other," also strikes a familiar
chord. I love to play the airhead theorist and wonder how many other women,
the "others" of our culture, feel this as well...
My own experience with the cowans (a cute, archaic term for anybody who's not
Pagan) of RoS has been nothing but positive. Everybody has been willing to
enjoy the art and song and storytelling that goes with the old myths without
taking any of it as a personal affront.In fact, I'm really glad that there
are so many Christians and Jews and atheists and who-knows-what-all-else in
our community, because they give us so many more cultural parallels and
contrasts to enliven and give texture to the story. I think that this
diversity is RoS fandom's lifeblood, despite the social delicacy sometimes
required by its divergent linguistic and cultural norms. (And this is really
something, from someone who can't afford to pride herself on her diplomacy!)
Janet: What can I say but WELCOME! I'm so tired of people getting mad at me
if I hum "Amazing Grace" or use a good old Christian swear word. Although I
haven't "accepted Jesus as my personal Savior," I'll be polite to him as I
would to any Sacred King. But I'll give him as wide a berth as I do the
sword-swinging Norse Gods and the often sexist Yoruba Orishas, because so
many of their values are at odds with my own. After all, if you can't trust
yourself to find the truth in your own heart, why would you even be looking
for it in the first place? (Of course, looking for it together is a lot
more fun and goes much faster! And that's why we're here...)
Mary Ann: Your questions deal largely with history, so once again I'm
grateful for the diversity of RoS fandom. Any takers? I'm about as good
with history as I am with the quarterstaff...
For what it's worth, I tend to give little credence to any portrayal of
devil-worshipping "witches," as most tales of such stuff arising from
medieval times have proven to be the heavily interpreted reports of repressed
and frightened churchmen. But Satanism does exist, and for whatever reasons
it exists now (barring heavy metal), I suppose it could have existed then. I
shouldn't think that such folk would have had any reason to call themselves
"witches," though. (For that matter, I canUt figure out why todayUs
Satanists donUt call their services "Masses" and their groups "parishes."
Christian heretics celebrating "sabbats" in "covens" is like Norse Asafolk
celebrating Kwanza by playing African rhythms and dancing in dashikis!)
I can offer only the local pseudo-consensus on Herne/Cernunnos. Herne seems
to play more the part of the Gatherer of Souls, the Wild Hunter of the
Winter Solstice. Cernunnos appears to be more of a guardian of the woodland
and its beings.
"Rhiannon's Wheel" (correct me if I'm wrong, folks!) is the name of an actual
stone circle, but the Wheel of Time or Fate that I've encountered in my
limited studies of Celtic mythology is Arianrhod's Silver Wheel of the stars.
Maybe all those Welsh Ladies looked alike to our heroes...
I think you've got the right idea about why we didn't see more Authentic
Beltane Action on our screens...more's the pity... Lammas was indeed a
traditional time of sacrifice, but by Robin Hood's time, the substance of
the sacrifice was more likely the first fruits of the harvest.
I don't know how widespread the use of the term "Earth Magic" is, but I can
tell you how I use it. I tend to use it to mean magic accomplished by the
direct use of the energy of the living Earth, directed by will (as opposed to
more ceremonial ways of doing things, with lots of props and memorization.)
It's a more "peasanty" kind of magic than, say, high alchemy with all of its
symbols, or Belleme's mangulated Latin chants and fancy knives. Definitely
the sort of magic that Loxley would be most likely to use in a pinch (and he
was always in a pinch!) I don't recall him being obvious about
independently working magic in the show, but I very clearly remember my
reactions to his dreams and his tendency to take a fix on his own heart when
he was lost. Enough was left to the imagination for me to pretend that he
was dealing with his difficulties in just the same way that I would!
Nansi & Nancy: Why am I getting the feeling that my little "special interest"
project is going to end up involving 95% of the fandom? DoesnUt it feel nice
not to have to sneak? Lady, thank you for the Macintosh - this is going to
be fun!
ELABORATE RESCUE IN THE FACE OF RIDICULOUS ODDS DEPARTMENT
I said I wouldn't print full-length articles because all of my printing and
copying is, in essence, stolen; but by the time I got around to telling
Ariel this article was already half-written. I expect that it should start
things off with a bang... So, please take this as proof positive that I'll
print anything within reason and that I'm not afraid of controversy! But it
doesnUt mean that I expect to be able to handle this kind of volume once the
letters really start coming in. So - here goes!
PAGANISM IN ROBIN OF SHERWOOD REVISITED
by Ariel
The wonderful thing about fan fiction is that writers aren't constrained by
budget, cast, weather, and the sundry other problems that face a TV crew
trying to film a 50 minute story. Writers can resurrect dead characters,
bring in unlikely guest stars, write spectacular sequences that would have
cost $500,000 in special effects, and so forth. Most of the fun in fanfic,
however, probably comes from getting inside the characters' heads and
describing how they feel, particularly at a crucial moment in a story.
Equally as fun is wondering, "Wouldn't it be neat if..." and then applying
your own creativity to an already given set of characters.
This temptation is irresistible in Robin of Sherwood fandom, not only because
the series is so multifaceted and complex, but because of the famous "loose
ends" that everyone feels compelled to tie up sooner or later. The sheer
volume of fanfic that RoS has produced is staggering, as anyone who voted
for the Major Oak Awards (and certainly Rache, who put the ballot together)
will probably attest. As a relative newcomer to the fandom, I've spent the
past two years sifting through past issues of Uzines, while trying to keep
up with new Uzines as they come out, and also working on pieces of my own.
One thing that has struck me is that, given the number of people
contributing to RoS fanfic, thereUs not more diversity of ideas.
Go back to the early Uzines and youUll find a wide variety of storytelling.
Go to any of the more recent issues and youUll get the same themes popping
up over and over again. Not that this is inherently bad - thereUs bound to
be some overlap of ideas sooner or later - but it is exasperating. I get the
feeling that fanfic is beginning to fall into a rut, where certain beliefs
are held as canon, almost as dogma. In watching and re-watching the series,
IUve thought that there are many nifty directions that fanfic could go in,
and IUm surprised someone hasnUt explored those paths.
This article is not meant to be a critique of individual pieces of fanfic,
though I may bring one up if I feel that it illustrates a particular point.
What IUd like to do here is discuss some of the broad, general themes in
fanfic and suggest a few alternatives. The reason IUve chosen this forum,
rather than one of the other RoS newsletters, for expressing my opinions is
that so much fanfic has involved paganism or the Old Religion, magic,
witchcraft, whatever you want to call it. The opinions stated here are
mostly my own, except where IUve indicated otherwise.
Robin of Loxley
Robin is probably the character most associated with the Old Religion in RoS.
The first two seasons are replete with pagan symbolism, some of it subtle,
some of it quite obvious. Read any book on witchcraft and youUll find
yourself saying, "Oh, thatUs what that meant!" For example, when Robin
returns to the outlaws after his first visit to HerneUs cave in "The
Sorcerer," the camera gives us a lovely shot of his knee. Why? Perhaps to
give us a view of the garter tied around his knee - according to Doreen
ValienteUs An ABC of Witchcraft, the garter is a symbol of the leader of a
witchesU coven.
Is Robin then a witch? Are the outlaws a coven? It can certainly be argued
either yes or no. A coven doesnUt necessarily have to have thirteen
members, though this number is more usual. Seven is certainly one of the
most powerful numbers in traditional magic. [See "A Theory on Seven" by Ali
Pourabbas, Journal of the Friends of Robin of Sherwood, Issue 1. -H] Some
writers have depicted Robin as the religious leader of the band, their
spiritual guru. We see him invoke HerneUs blessing before the outlaws eat,
but he does not seem to preside over any other ritual. (DonUt forget, at
least two of the outlaws, Nasir and Tuck, are not pagans and Robin doesnUt
seem the type to force his faith down someone elseUs throat.) Given that
Robin is often confused or uncertain himself, I canUt see him providing
spiritual guidance to others. That seems to be HerneUs role. I see Herne
as more of a "High Priest" than Robin, who appears to be HerneUs legman, his
knight or champion. To paraphrase Richard Carpenter, Herne is Merlin to
RobinUs King Arthur.
Robin has been associated with supernatural or paranormal abilities - we do
see him have visions and prophetic dreams. However, he also exhibits very
human emotions, limitations, and frustrations. His sixth sense offers
clues, but doesnUt provide him with the answer to every problem he
encounters.
Fan writers have, in some instances, taken these abilities to extremes, and
we read stories where Robin reads peopleUs thoughts, performs feats of
telekinesis, and summons the elements and wild beasts to do his bidding.
Again, these are far beyond the abilities of what we actually see Robin do
on television. ThatUs not to say he absolutely wouldnUt be capable of these
things. Personally, I find it more interesting to have a hero use his own
strength, courage, willpower, intelligence, and intuition to resolve a
problem or crisis, rather than just snap his fingers and have the entire might
of nature at his disposal. Fan writers have also suggested that Robin,
representing the GodUs son, is the Sacred King, the harvest sacrifice whose
blood feeds the crops. (He would then be "reborn," accounting for RobertUs
presence in Sherwood the next year.) This would then take RobinUs personal
sacrifice for Much and Marion into a larger, more symbolic realm, that of
dying for the people or the land. Nearly every book on witchcraft or
mythology that IUve read has made reference to this belief. There also seems
to be some disagreement as to whether this sacrifice was literal or symbolic.
It may have been both.
Certainly RobinUs death on the tor has aspects of ritual sacrifice about it.
However, I feel that itUs important to keep in mind that Robin's death (as a
character) came about because Michael Praed left the series. Had Praed not
decided to leave the show, Robin wouldnUt have died and the idea that his
death was (or represented) a divine sacrifice would be inconsequential.
The idea of the Sacred King is one thatUs practically become canon in RoS
fanfic. Might there possibly be some other reason behind RobinUs death?
Surprisingly few writers have explored this path. One notable exception is
Rache, who suggests in "Miracles" (Tree of Life 1) that death is the price
Robin ultimately pays for having Marion restored to life in "The KingUs
Fool."
My last musing on Robin regards his origins. A number of writers have
painted him as a member of the Faery, the Little People of the Hills. I
personally see no evidence either supporting or refuting this idea in the
series itself. According to Valiente, the Little People may possibly have
been an aboriginal group of Britons who were forced into hiding by the
invading Celts. This is a historical explanation, rather than folkloric or
mythic. However, any description of fairies IUve come across invariably
describes them as very small. I have a hard time believing that anybody with
a drop of faery blood in his (or her) veins would grow to be six feet tall.
True, we never meet RobinUs mother (but then, we never meet anyoneUs mother,
except when itUs convenient to the plot), and fan writers have suggested
that Ailric of Loxley mated with a faery woman who then bore Robin and died.
RobinUs "magical powers" can then be attributed to his motherUs heritage.
My problem with this is that it puts Robin above the rest of the characters
on the show and makes him something other than a mere mortal. To my way of
thinking, this isnUt congruent with the Robin who makes some painfully human
mistakes as the Hooded Man. (It also runs contrary to the belief that all
people are created equal and itUs what one does with oneUs life that makes
the difference. This is an underlying tenet of democracy as well as the re-
emerging Goddess religions.)
IUve seen few writers explore the possibilities of RobinUs ancestry. From his
coloring, he might easily be of Irish or Welsh descent. ThereUs a vast
reservoir of mostly untapped story ideas here and nobodyUs really made use
of it.
On a related tangent, writers seem to assume that Robin "inherited" his
rebellious spirit from Ailric. Yet, Robin only knew his blood father until
he was about five. IsnUt it possible Robin "learned" rebelliousness from
Matthew the Miller, who raised Robin for fifteen years? After all, Matthew
refuses to disclose RobinUs whereabouts to Gisburne, at the cost of his own
life. ThereUs another story possibility right there, and yet Matthew has
been, for the most part, overlooked by fan writers.
Robin of Loxley: magus, witch, pagan sacrifice, faery king?
How about leader, friend, hero, lover fighter? I think I like him best as a
human being.
Marion of Leaford
Marion, as the only female member of the regular RoS cast, has had a lot of
attributes credited to her by feminist writers who want to see a strong
woman character. Indeed, "our" Marion is probably the most resilient and
independent Marion in any version of Robin Hood. She fights, she plots, she
lives with the guys and commands a lot of respect from them. She has her own
mind; sheUs called "headstrong" more than once. Yet she still exhibits
"feminine" qualities of nurturing, comforting, healing. SheUs RobinUs wife,
but becomes like a mother to Much, like a sister to Nasir, Will, and John,
and like a daughter to Tuck.
Writers with pagan leanings have depicted Marion as the Maiden aspect of the
Goddess, just as Robin represents the youthful aspect of the God. Yet we
never see Marion under the direct guidance of a Goddess figure (such as
Cerridwen, Rhiannon, or Arianrhod). WeUre not even sure if there is a "Lady
of the Trees," although according to traditional Craft or mythology, Herne
would certainly have a female consort. [I disagree - many Gods and
Goddesses have no regular consort. See my reply to Raven. -H] At the very
least, he would co-exist with the Goddess. In my view, stories that portray
Marion as the GoddessU daughter are well-grounded in Wiccan tradition.
However, I start to run into the same problems here as I do with Robin. Does
Marion have any "power" of her own, and if so, what is the extent of it? Is
she then the coven High Priestess, the bandUs female leader? As far as the
series goes, MarionUs psychic abilities seem to be limited. Herne appears to
her in "The Witch of Elsdon" and warns her that the band is in danger, but he
could arguably appear to anyone if he wanted to.
In "The Power of Albion," she has another vision, that of Robert being
wounded. This scene raises an interesting question. From MarionUs
reactions in this story, it seems that she had been unaware that Albion
would not kill HerneUs Son. Which makes me wonder: was Robin himself aware?
If so, why didnUt he tell Marion? ThereUs another story idea.
MarionUs final vision comes in a dream in "Time of the Wolf," when she sees
GulnarUs copy of Robert dead in the Ring of the Nine Maidens. When she later
actually finds the body, she believes it to be Robert.
These visions suggest to me a mild clairvoyant ability. It doesnUt seem as
though Marion has these experiences as a matter of course, only in cases of
extreme urgency. Yet, writers frequently depict Marion as a full-fledged
psychic who, like Robin, "knows" when something is amiss. Again, I think
this detracts from her characterUs basic humanity. There are points in the
series where Marion doesnUt "know" whatUs going on. For example, in "Swords
of Wayland," Marion is unaware that the other outlaws have been bespelled by
Morgwyn. Robin clearly feels something when Morgwyn casts the spell, but
given that she used Albion, which is psychically a part of him, itUs hardly
surprising. However, Marion goes charging off after Little John, indicating
(to me, anyway) that she had no clue what had happened to him.
Another point that can be made against Marion as a witch is that in "Cromm
Cruac," she doesnUt know when Samhain is and has to ask the Abbot. If she
were a practicing Wiccan, wouldnUt she have known? (It could be argued that
after RobinUs death, Marion stopped observing the pagan feast days, or maybe
the outlaws had been away from their "home" villages long enough for her to
have lost track of time. But again, this is only a hypothesis.)
In "The Greatest Enemy," Marion doesnUt seem aware that Herne has warned
Robin of his impending death. ItUs not until theyUre actually up on the tor
that Marion asks, "Are we going to die?" It seems to me that if sheUd had any
inkling what was going on, she would never have let the outlaws go to Wickham.
Yet, a number of writers have suggested a psychic link between Robin and
Marion. I personally doubt this, given that Marion doesnUt know RobinUs going
to die until he tells her. Also, when Robin jumps off Ravenscar Cliff in
"Swords of Wayland," Marion visibly believes him to be dead. If there had
been a link between their minds, wouldnUt she have realized he was alive?
(Unless, of course, she couldnUt "sense" his mind when he was unconscious.)
Writers who prefer the Praed Robin hold that Marion is more independent and
strong in the first two series than in the third, where she becomes a
wilting sexual stereotype. I disagree with this completely. Firstly,
Marion is not a fighter from the very beginning. SheUs stubborn and strong-
willed in "The Sorcerer," but she also exhibits some conditioned passivity.
It takes her a while to shrug this off after she marries Robin. Marion is
not above tears when she thinks RobinUs life is in danger. SheUs not above
needing comfort in times of trouble, nor is she above giving comfort to
those who need it. She fights, but she also gets captured on occasion and
needs to be rescued, just like the rest of the outlaws.
In the third series, sheUs just as strong, but this strength is tempered by
sorrow and probably also the fear that Robert might get himself killed at
any moment. ItUs also important to remember, as Richard Carpenter pointed
out at HerneUs Con 2, that in the first two series, the entire band played
an integral part in the plot of each story. In the third series, part of the
storytelling focus shifted to convincing viewers of RobertUs legitimacy as
Robin Hood. Marion gets a little less story time in the third series, but
so do the other outlaws.
As for Marion not being "strong" in the third series - Marion doesnUt wait
around forever in Clun Castle to be rescued. She tries to get out herself,
but runs afoul of Gulnar. Despite having been pardoned by the king, she
returns to Sherwood when Robert is wounded. She gets captured in "The
Inheritance," but sheUs also ready to rip Isadora to shreds in the dungeon.
In "The Cross of St. Ciricus," "Adam Bell," "The Pretender," and
"Rutterkin," sheUs in the fray, plotting, fighting, and ambushing as always.
A weak woman could hardly have played "Conquest" with King John and gotten
away with it. I would not describe the woman who fights the guards in "The
Sheriff of Nottingham" as a typical female character. And in "Time of the
Wolf" she fights with the other outlaws until sheUs wounded and is forced to
remain in Halstead. To paraphrase Linda Furey, if thatUs a helpless, frail
flower, "IUll eat my bow and arrows."
Every writer, it seems, has come up with her (or his) own view of why Marion
decided to stay in Halstead and/or whether she remained there permanently,
or returned to Sherwood. IUve even herd of two "official" versions from the
fabled fourth series: one, that Marion would remain in Halstead and the six
male outlaws would be captured and killed, a la BlakeUs Seven; or two, that
Marion would come out of the convent in the final episode of the series and
marry Robert.
The "Marion returns to Sherwood" stories generally have her leaving Halstead
either because of some earth-shattering event, or simply because sheUs bored
silly. The "Marion stays in Halstead" genre offers numerous reasons why she
chooses the nunnery over the forest. Some stories take her statement in
"Time of the Wolf" at its face value: sheUs afraid of losing Robert. Some
writers suggest that she never loved Robert and so stayed in Halstead rather
than marry someone she could never truly love. On a related theme, other
writers have suggested that Marion could not give her heart "freely" to
Robert and became a nun because she could never give Robert "the kind of
love he really needed."
Writers who interpret the series in terms of its pagan symbolism have
suggested that with RobinUs death, Marion has passed into the Mother phase
of the Goddess, and is incompatible with Robert, who as the youthful aspect
of the God, needs a Maiden. Yet, according to books such as StarhawkUs The
Spiral Dance, the Goddess created the God, then mated with Him, so the
"incestuous" nature of the son/lover does not have the Oedipal connotations
given to it by Western culture. I personally feel that the Maiden/Mother
theory is a device used by Loxley- oriented writers to prevent Robert from
marrying Marion.
ItUs interesting how most writers frame MarionUs decision to stay in Halstead
in terms of her relationship with Robert. ItUs possible that the reason
lies within Marion herself. Perhaps she was sick of the uncertain life of
outlawry and decided to quit while she was still ahead (or alive). Modern
psychology describes the stages of grieving that people go through upon a
loss. One of the first steps is denial. Perhaps Marion never allowed
herself to grieve RobinUs loss properly and didnUt go through the stages
necessary for acceptance. In marrying Robert, she would have to admit that
Robin was truly dead and would never return, and she could not bring herself
to let go of this fantasy. When she tells Robert, "Let me live in your
heart, but let me go," perhaps sheUs asking him to do to her memory what she
could never do to RobinUs. [OUCH! That rings so true it hurts! -H]
Given how independent and free-spirited Marion is, her choice of staying in a
convent is surprising. ThereUs room for a lot of creative storytelling here.
As Rache says in Merry Meet, Merry Part: "Where the trail goes from here,
well, thatUs up to you."
Robert of Huntingdon
Robert gets a lot of grief in RoS fanfic. ItUs funny how one of the most
down-to-earth, determined individuals in the series has had more negative
labels stuck on him than the sheriff, Gisburne, and Belleme combined. It
seems to me that writers canUt find enough bad things to say about him.
IUve seen Robert portrayed as weak, cowardly, indecisive, high-strung,
arrogant, and insensitive. IUve seen stories where heUs depicted as an
unfeeling block of wood with no magical abilities, no real rapport with the
outlaws, and no chance of winning Marion. IUve seen stories where he loses
his mind after MarionUs departure, gives up on the outlaws, and slinks back
to Scotland or Huntingdon with his tail between his legs.
What particularly irks me is that Robert is viewed as a somehow less "real"
Robin Hood than Loxley. This might stem from Robin Hood as the Earl of
Huntingdon having been invented by Elizabethans who couldnUt abide the Robin
of their plays and ballads being a peasant. In this case, Marion and Tuck,
who were also introduced in the Elizabethan period, would not be "real"
Merries either.
Quite a few writers assume that the only reason Robert eventually returned to
the forest is because Marion was kidnapped. IUd like to point out the
vastly different circumstances surrounding RobinUs and RobertUs being chosen
as HerneUs Son. Loxley had nothing to lose when he came to Sherwood. He
was an outlaw and a fugitive. He had no material wealth or social status at
stake, nor did he have a family name to dishonor. Because the outlaws more or
less came together fighting a common cause in "The Sorcerer," Loxley won
their support more easily than did Huntingdon.
Robert, on the other hand, had everything to lose. He had wealth and a title
at stake, and his familyUs name to consider, all formidable things in
medieval England. He had to fight not only the bandUs suspicion of him
because of his noble status, but their grief at losing Robin. He had to walk
in the footsteps of a man who had commanded intense loyalty from his
followers. Given this, itUs hardly surprising that Robert initially fled to
Huntingdon. However, once he made the decision to return to Sherwood, that
choice was final. He could easily have gone back to Huntingdon after saving
Marion, but he didnUt. His commitment to justice was stronger than the ties
that bound him to his family.
Despite their different circumstances, there are similarities between the
initial reactions of both Robin and Robert to being chosen. When Robin
first encounters Herne in "The Sorcerer," he doesnUt exactly rush headlong
into his destiny. He shouts, "No!" and runs away. Herne has to come for him
again later. Outside of ambushing Gisburne and winning the archery
competition, RobinUs first really formidable trial is rescuing Marion from
Belleme.
Likewise, Robert at first denies HerneUs claim on his future. The main
difference is that thereUs a full year between RobertUs first and second
encounters with Herne. In "HerneUs Son," Robert admits to John that he
lacked the courage to stay in the forest; however, if he had presented
himself to the outlaws at the end of "Greatest Enemy," would they have
accepted him? Or, in their grief, would they have driven him away? The
"lost year" probably gave the outlaws a bit of time to ease the pain of their
loss. True, the wounds have festered a bit. But I have a hard time believing
that the outlaws would have welcomed Robert into the band immediately after
RobinUs death. Outside of pulling the band back together in "HerneUs Son,"
RobertUs first trial, like Robin's, is rescuing Marion, this time from Owen
of Clun.
Loxley writers have also suggested that Robert, coming from a noble
background, would have sexist attitudes, whereas Robin, coming from the pagan
faith, would hold a more egalitarian world view, given that witches revere
the Goddess as well as the God. However, Barbara Walker, in her WomenUs
Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects, points out that the Goddess
cultures were being usurped by patriarchal pagan sects long before the rise
of Christianity. (Thus, the widespread evidence of phallus worship over
much of Europe.)
In RoS, we see evidence of sexism exactly once on the part of each Robin.
Loxley refuses to let Marion fight with the outlaws in "Witch of Elsdon"
until she comes to their rescue at the end of the story. Huntingdon goes
through the same thing with Isadora in "The Inheritance," but she argues him
down pretty quickly. RobertUs speedy capitulation is probably in part due to
having already fought with Marion and realizing that if one woman could
fight, any woman could.
Otherwise, both Robert and Robin are considerate and non-patronizing with all
of the women they encounter. Each of them seems to have his own code of
chivalry. This brings me to another point: religion.
Robin is pretty obviously a pagan. However, he has no objection to having
both a Christian and a Moslem in his band. Tuck gives up none of his
Christian practices and this doesnUt seem to bother Robin one bit. What
both Robin and Tuck resent (and quite understandably so) is
institutionalized religion, "Churchianity," particularly the high-ranking
Church officials who use their positions as a means for gaining personal
wealth.
Several writers have depicted Robert as a devout Christian. However, unlike
Tuck, we do not see Robert observing Christian practices. He kneels at the
burial of Lady MargaretUs servants, but this might be simply out of habit
and/or courtesy. He asks Tuck to marry him and Marion, but this might be
because he regards Tuck as a friend. At this point, Tuck might very well be
excommunicated, indicating to me that the religious aspect of the ritual is
not that important to Robert.
Robert strikes me as being a skeptic. Given that he would be well aware of
the abuses of power in the Church, he would probably take its doctrines with
a grain of salt. Writers have also portrayed RobertUs father as a devout
Christian, yet thereUs no evidence of this in the series. Like Robert, the
Earl would most likely be very world- wise. In fact, in any work of
historical fiction IUve read set in this time period, the Christian nobility
are usually quite cynical about their faith.
So, itUs possible that Robert didnUt have very strong ties to Christianity
to begin with. Indeed, he accepts HerneUs authority with no apparent
qualms. However, he doesnUt seem much in awe of Herne, either. Maybe he
generally regards all religion as hocus-pocus. Writers often paint Robert as
very ignorant of the Old Religion. I have a hard time buying this.
According to Valiente, and T.C. LethbridgeUs Gogmagog: The Buried Gods,
pagan beliefs in England persisted well into the era of the Plantagenet
kings. (Valiente points to Henry IIIUs Order of the Garter as evidence.)
There also seems to have been a long period where the two faiths were
mingled and interchanged. I canUt believe that even with a Christian
upbringing, Robert would know nothing whatsoever of pagan customs.
Particularly if Robert had had a lot of contact with servants and guards
(such as the one whoUd taught him the quarterstaff), itUs even more likely
that he would at least have been familiar with the beliefs of the common
people.
I think there are some excellent story possibilities regarding Robert and
witchcraft or magic. Yet, writers are so set in the notion of Robert being
a Christian that they canUt allow any aspect of paganism to enter his
character (there have been a few instances of Robert having supernatural
experiences, but these stories are few and far between.) This has resulted
in a split in the fanfic, with Loxley stories being "mystical" and
Huntingdon stories being "historical." IUd really like to see a writer put
the shoes on the other feet, so to speak. How about a historical Loxley
piece, or a magical Huntingdon piece?
The last part of this article concerns RobertUs relationship with Marion.
Obviously, Robert is very attracted to Marion from when he first sees her in
"HerneUs Son." I feel quite sorry for him. Not only was Marion deeply in
love with her first husband, they lived on the swordUs edge of danger, which
would doubtless bind them even more closely together. RobinUs death was
violent and tragic, and the grief Marion felt at his loss was probably
unfathomable. Also, there surely must have been an element of guilt in
MarionUs sorrow - after all, Robin died in order to save her life.
Marion, therefore, is no ordinary widow and Robert knows this. He always
seems to know just the right thing to say, but when it comes to expressing
his feelings for Marion, he becomes tongue-tied (as in "The Cross of St.
Ciricus.") He knows sheUs in mourning and doesnUt press his affections on
her. When they first kiss at the end of "The Betrayal," itUs by mutual
consent.
MarionUs behavior towards Robert is difficult to interpret. She is friendly
one moment, cool the next. She seems to worry about him, perhaps fearing
heUll also meet an untimely end. She seems willing enough to marry him in
"Time of the Wolf," but her fear is still there ("promise me weUll never be
parted.") When she believes him to be dead, she has hysterics and decides to
enter the order of Halstead Priory. Even when she learns that Robert is
alive, she remains in the convent.
My first question is:
why did Marion stay in Halstead? As I mentioned previously, perhaps she had
never really come to terms with RobinUs death. In marrying Robert, she would
not only have to accept that Robin was truly gone, but that Robert might also
one day be killed. Taking the story at its face value, it seems that Marion
has come to the end of her emotional endurance.
My second question: would Marion have returned to the forest? Again,
writers have debated this endlessly. Some feel that no, she wouldnUt
because she could never love Robert as truly as sheUd loved Robin. In some
tales, Marion stays in the convent and rots, while other stories have her
"rescued" from Halstead by the resurrected Loxley. Often, Loxley
resurrection pieces also have Robert marrying another women (usually
Isadora). As long as the lovers are all (re)united and happy, the fen seem
to have no complaints.
In the stories where Marion does go back to Sherwood, sheUs usually spent
some time contemplating her own thoughts and is now prepared to marry Robert
and take the risk that heUll die. The coming-to- grips process varies,
depending on the nature of the story and the circumstances that bring her
out of the convent.
And what of Robert? Could he find love with another woman? ItUs possible to
believe he might overcome his sorrow at MarionUs departure and eventually
come to love another woman. Again, writers have created different
scenarios. Post-Halstead stories have ranged from Robert going mad with
grief to stories where he settles down with another woman, be it Isadora or
Owen of ClunUs sister.
My only real objection to post- "Time of the Wolf" stories is that so many of
them show Robert in an unfavorable light, and not as the strong-willed
individual we see on TV. Regardless of what decision Marion might
ultimately make, IUm sure heUd survive it.
Where the Trail Goes from Here...
Well, IUve stood on my soap box for about 20 pages now. [ItUs all true... -H]
Does anyone have thoughts about paganism, fanfic, and how the characters are
portrayed? I hope that someone will respond to this lengthy column, and that
writers will continue to produce stories with ingenuity and imagination.
Nifty Books You Might Want to Read
Lethbridge, T.C. Gogmagog: The Buried Gods.
Starhawk. The Spiral Dance.
Valiente, Doreen. An ABC of Witchcraft.
Walker, Barbara. A WomanUs Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred
Objects.
Ariel-
I hope you didnUt underestimate my eagerness to exercise my Droit de Editor,
and to present you with my opinions in turn... I agree with: the need for
more diversity, and fairer treatment of Robert. As for RobinUs death being
precipitated by Michael PraedUs leaving the series, itUs a solid fact - but
I donUt believe in coincidence. After all, one of the most fertile fields
for fanfic ingenuity, MarionUs defection to Halstead, came about because
Judi Trott wanted to be less involved in the series; but the Marion Stays in
Halstead/Marion Leaves Halstead genres are hardly invalidated by that fact!
In both cases, Richard Carpenter did what he could with an awkward
circumstance - why blame fan writers for doing the same?
While historical/aboriginal Faerie were indeed small, mythic/folkloric
versions of the Faerie (such as the Irish Sidhe) often render them as at
least 6 feet tall, which must have been particularly remarkable in medieval
times. They were also sometimes credited with the ability to change shape
at will, but seldom did this for extended periods of time; and could also be
changed unwillingly by others of their own kind by way of punishment or
instruction.
I hardly think that Loxley-oriented writers need an "excuse" to keep Marion
from marrying Robert! TheyUve tried just about everything, and any of their
strategies could be labelled an "excuse" on a bad day. But I do agree that
excessive rigidity in distinguishing between two phases of the Goddess is
probably incompatible with Paganism as it was practiced by illiterate (and
probably incestuously inbred) peasants.
Yes, writers who ascribe supernormal abilities to Robin and Marion are
departing from both the showUs basic premise and most folksU ranges of
belief. I can only hope that they continue to do so. Perhaps IUm a foggy-
headed space cookie, a credulous fool, and a snob, but those stories transfix
me like only the very best of the more egalitarian RoS literature can.
RobinUs courage and dedication and MarionUs determination and wisdom as
portrayed in the show already awe me so much that I simply canUt identify
with them, and I like a bit of magic to help me explain their already
superhuman (though imperfect) characters. That way, I can pretend that if
only I had been born with this or that ability, I could be just like Marion
- but since IUm just a mongrel working slob of no particular bloodline, I
have to get by on my own merits (sound familiar?) and canUt be blamed for
the fact that IUm a bit thick sometimes, or that I sometimes lose my temper
or get sick or have to go to the bathroom. ThatUs what fantasy is for - I
get enough real life! Can you hear me, you fan writers? Please - donUt
stop!
Robin is definitely portrayed as a Pagan, which is precisely why he doesnUt
mind having a Christian and a Moslem in his band. Polytheism lends itself
to allowing each individual their own gods.
My guess as to why Marion didnUt know when Samhain is (or any other such
apparent lack of information on the part of the outlaws) is that it was
written in to give the characters a chance to explain it for the audienceUs
benefit. This is a hard thing to do gracefully, but it has to be done in
any show that takes place in another culture and makes use of that culture in
its plot. In retrospect, I guess I might have chosen a different character
- but hindsight is 20-20.
I feel compelled to mention here that "fen" is the plural of "fan."
In conclusion, or perhaps confusion: I guess that itUs RobertUs very
lovability that makes me put up with people who cut him down to size. In
such a tale of high and fated hearts, where can I find someone with whom to
identify? Loxley is GodUs son born, too well-suited to his circumstances to
seem at all familiar (at least to me). Marion is a shining creature of
distilled love. Will is borderline suicidal, and so afraid of nothing.
TuckUs faith is true and unshakable. NasirUs role is "Other," meant to be
known only from outside. JohnUs simple common sense and MuchUs loyalty are
like nothing I see in my day- to-day life. But Robert - heUs from the
"oppressing" class, heUs torn by conflicting loyalties, he has to admit that
heUs out of his territory and has things to learn. ThereUs a character. The
rest of the outlaws I usually know "through a glass, darkly," and can love
but never feel. When Robin makes a mistake, I say, "Oops, what a dumb
mistake," but when Robert makes a mistake I blush and say "Ouch! I canUt
believe he did that." I think it was Laura Chevening who once said "I love
to stick pins in my characters!" but when most RoS characters get pins stuck
in them, it feels like a bad dream. When Robert gets stuck, I bleed. Robert
appeals to alienation, our cultureUs unfortunate default emotional state.
Above and beyond the need to create conflict to construct a story, we who
can never live up to the ones we insist on writing about, singing about, and
dreaming about have a kind of National Enquirer need to injure those we
admire most to bring them closer to us. Robert, with his considerable
situational disadvantages, is just the most likely target. HeUs certainly a
Sacred King in this metaphorical sense! We thirst for his blood like
England does for RobinUs, and become one with him through his humanity.
EditorUs Notes
Well, thatUs Issue 1! If youUre going to be at Visions U91, watch the Con
Bulletin Board for a message for "Cousin Jennet" - it will be a notice for a
Cousins get-together. If I manage to find a time in the Con schedule when
there arenUt any RoS events going on, IUd like to have a very simple circle
to thank the Lady and Lord for bringing us together and to request continued
harmony and learning - and then to get acquainted! Bring munchies if you
can.
Meanwhile, keep those cards and letters (and, please, postage contributions)
coming. And please do your best to make them legible (unless, of course,
youUre telepathic like Loxley.) (Gotcha, Ariel!) It looks like we have a
wonderfully diverse and fascinating brew of humanity here! Until the next
issue, may Herne protect you. Blessed be. Love, Hilda