The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood Epilogue Summary & Analysis

Summary

After King Richard is killed in battle, Robin Hood, who has become the Earl of Huntingdon, returns to Sherwood with the permission of the new king, King John. While walking in the forest, Robin thinks back on the adventures he and his men had there. He blows his horn, and Little John and other men come to him. In their emotional reunion, Robin promises he will never leave the woods again. Hearing of this, King John sends Sir William Dale and the Sheriff of Nottingham to bring Robin Hood back. Robin and his men kill the Sheriff and wound Sir William, who gives up and retreats.

Later, Robin comes down with a fever and asks Little John to take him to his cousin, the prioress of a nunnery, to have his blood let. However, the prioress fears punishment from King John if she helps Robin. She opens a vein leading to his heart and then locks him in a room alone. As Robin feels himself losing strength, he blows his horn weakly. Little John still hears the call and knocks down the door to Robin’s room. Afraid of Little John, the prioress stops Robin’s bleeding. Little John vows to seek revenge on her, but Robin urges peace and forgiveness. Dying, he asks Little John to lift him to the window so that he can see the forest. Little John then helps Robin shoot one final arrow before Robin dies in his arms. Robin’s band of men part ways and are left alone by the new, forgiving Sheriff.

Analysis

As the novel comes to a close, the importance of friendship is cemented as one of the story’s most important themes. Though Robin Hood has earned status and fame as a member of the royal court, visiting Sherwood Forest is enough to make him nostalgic for his old life with his friends. Even though years have passed, his friends still come as soon as they hear the sound of his horn, showing that their friendship is still strong. Even when Robin is dying and struggles to breathe, his most trusted companion, Little John, comes to him at the sound of the horn. The image of Robin Hood dying in Little John’s arms as he looks at Sherwood Forest, remembering the good times and camaraderie they had there, shows how their friendship surpasses the mortal world.

Despite how Robin Hood’s life has changed in the years since he joined King Richard, he remains committed to his moral compass. It is suggested that Robin’s illness is caused by his regret over killing the Sheriff of Nottingham in self-defense, even though the Sheriff was intent on killing Robin for many years. Although Robin knew his death would be the fault of his cousin, he convinces Little John to forgive rather than seek revenge. Even on the brink of death, Robin tries to take the moral high ground, rather than succumbing to the sense of vengeance that plagues the legal system and that followed him in the form of the Sheriff of Nottingham, King Henry, and the Bishop of Hereford for most of his life.

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