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Supplemental Study Guide
April 23, 2012
Dear Teacher:
We are thrilled that you are interested in using the Study Guide for Robin Hood in your classroom.
We look forward to interacting with you and your students this winter. We hope that you will use the
following Study Guide as you discuss Howard Pyle in your classroom and possibly attend a performance of Robin Hood at Arden Theatre Company.
The following academic standards are met in this curriculum:
PA Academic Standards
Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening 1.1C,D,E,H; 1.2D; 1.3A,B,C,E,F; 1.4A,B,C; 1.5C;
1.6A,C,D,E
Arts and Humanities 9.1A,B,C,D,E,F,G; 9.3A,B
Health, Safety and Physical Education 10.1.C
Environment and Ecology 4.4
NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards
Reading--Literature 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.9
Writing 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.7
Speaking and Listening 3.4, 4.1, 4.2
Language 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5
Visual and Performing Arts 1.1.2.C.3, 1.2.2.A.1, 1.3.2.C.1
Health and Physical Education 2.1.B
Science 5.3
National Arts Education Standards:
Theatre Content Standards 1-6
Feedback, comments, and concerns are always welcome. Please feel free to contact me directly at
any time if you would like to discuss our program. Our teaching artists look forward to visiting your
schools before and after your trip to the theatre. We look forward to hosting you here at Arden Theatre Company soon.
Sincerely,
Maureen Mullin Fowler
Maureen Mullin Fowler
Director of Education
Arden Theatre Company
Phone: 215.922.8900 ext.28
mmullin@ardentheatre.org
Table of Contents
Biographies
4
A Drawing by Pyle
5
Synopsis
6
The Story of Robin Hood
10
Words to Know
11
Hidden Words
12
Verb Tenses
13
The Missing Item
14
The Arden Theatre Cast and Artistic Staff
15
The Costumes of Sher wood
16
Make your own Robin Hood Hat
17
Heraldry in Medieval Times
18
Your Guide to Reading a Coat of Arms
19
Make your own Coat of Arms and Motto
20
The Real Sher wood Forest
21
Discussion Question
22
Biographies
Howard Pyle (1853-1911)
was an artist, author, and teacher born
in Wilmington, Delaware on March 5,
1853. He is known in artistic circles
as the “Father of American Illustration”,
having contributed action focused
drawings to over a dozen books and
publications.
As a teacher, Pyle taught
illustration at the Drexel Institute of Art,
Science and Industry in Philadelphia for
six years. He then founded the
Howard Pyle School of Illustration Art
in Wilmington, Delaware.
As an author, he is credited with
authoring such adventure books as
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
(1883), The Wonder Clock (1888),
The Garden Behind the Moon (1895),
and The Story of King Arthur and His
Knights (1903). After his death in 1911,
many of his stories, articles, and illustrations of pirates were collected and published
as Howard Pyle’s Book of Pirates (1921).
Greg Banks (adaptor)
work as an actor, writer and director has taken him all over the world from Singapore to Seattle via the Arctic Circle.
This year he has written and directed an adaptation of Pinnochio for Taurus Voice,
and Salaam for Fair Game Theatre. Future projects include a Native Canadian
adaptation of his production of Tir Na N’og, Treasure Island for The Birmingham
Stage, and his own adaptation of Huck Finn for The Children’s Theatre Company.
Previously at CTC, Greg directed the 2005 production of Sleeping Beauty and the
original 2003 production of Antigone.
4
A Drawing by Pyle
Howard Pyle was known as a talented illustrator before he became an author. Add
some color to the drawing below, which is featured in his book, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood.
5
Synopsis
We are introduced to the legend of Robin Hood by a group of beggars that share how hard life is in
the Kingdom of Nottingham. We learn that King Richard, is off fighting a war and his brother, Prince
John is ruling the kingdom unfairly. They speak of a man who steals from the rich and and gives to
the poor.
The scene transforms as a boy tells the story of how one of the Sheriff of Nottingham’s men killed his
father for hunting the king’s deer. Before the Sheriff could find him, Robin Hood appears and takes
the moneybag the Sheriff has on his belt as well as the money in his saddlebags. He then forces the
Sheriff to flee. After the boy and Robin bury the boy’s father, named Much, Robin offers an apology
to Much’s son saying he made an oath to himself that he would help anybody in distress that needed
protecting from the Sheriff. Robin Hood asks the boy if he would like to join his band of merry men.
After the invitation is accepted, the boy is renamed Much the Miller, after his father.
Much’s first task as an outlaw is to go with Will Scarlett, one of the other members of Robin’s band,
to distribute the newly acquired gold to the people who need it most. They travel to the city of Nottingham in the dead of night when everyone is asleep. Once there they travel from house to house
giving out gold coins. Will is caught distributing the gold and is arrested. He is discovered as one of
Robin’s men and is scheduled by the Sheriff to hang the next morning. Much races to tell Robin of
Will’s capture. Upon hearing the news, Robin devises a plan to outsmart the Sheriff and save Will.
The next day, a crowd gathers near the gallows. Among the crowd is a pretty young woman. The
Sheriff realizes that the hangman is nowhere to be found. He offers double the absent hangman’s
pay to anyone who will hang Will. The woman accepts the offer, saying she has a personal grudge
against Will Scarlett. Just as she is about to put the rope around the prisoner’s neck, she reveals
herself to be Robin Hood. Will is released and Robin’s band of men are chased through the streets
of Nottingham and eventually escape.
The Sheriff is now forced to admit to Prince John that Robin Hood has stolen the money he was
entrusted with and escaped. He redeems himself by planning a trap for Robin Hood.
Marian, one of the maids that served in Prince John’s court, is persuaded to take part in the trap for
Robin Hood after the Sheriff threatens her father’s life.
6
Synopsis Continued
Marian and the Sheriff are riding through Sherwood Forest when Marian asks for the carriage to
stop. One of the Sheriff’s men appears and pretends to attack the carriage. Robin Hood hears the
voices of distress and fends off who he believes to be the attackers. Against Will Scarlett’s advice,
Robin invites Maid Marian to stay at his secret camp. Before the trap was set, Marian was given
pebbles that were to be used to lead the Sheriff to the secret location. She does not realize that
Will is picking up the pebbles that she is leaving behind. Marian ends up falling in love with Robin
and confesses to her part in the Sheriff’s plot.
In order to save Marian’s father, Robin sends her back to the castle with instructions to tell the Sheriff the pebbles were discovered by one of the outlaws. Before she leaves him, Robin gives a horn
to Marian. If she ever needs Robin, all she has to do is blow on it three times.
Marian goes back to the Sheriff and tells him that the outlaws treated her roughly and that the
plan didn’t work. The Sheriff is upset, but soon finds out that Marian is now loyal to Robin Hood.
He decides to marry Marian himself to upset Robin.
Meanwhile Robin finds himself in front of a narrow bridge in Sherwood Forest. A tall stranger is on
the other side. The two men confront each other in the middle of the bridge. To decide who should
allow the other to pass, they consent to a staff fight. Robin is forced into the stream and asks for
the fighting to end. The stranger reveals that his name is John Little and is looking for Robin Hood
in order to join his band. Robin grants his request and renames him Little John.
In Nottingham, the Sheriff convinces Marian’s Dad to give his daughter’s hand in marriage to him.
Friar Tuck, the man of God who is to perform the ceremony appears as Marian argues with the
Sheriff and her father about the arranged marriage. The Friar takes Marian’s side in the argument
and they both run away into the forest.
The Sheriff is furious that his plan to make Robin jealous by marrying Marian has failed. He decides on a different approach to find the outlaw. He disguises himself and wanders into the forest.
7
Synopsis Continued
The Sheriff encounters Little John and pretends to be a helpless farmer who is a victim of the
Sheriff’s brutality. After some clever conversation, the Sheriff accidently reveals himself to Little
John. Little John then takes the Sheriff to Robin’s secret hideout and they all enjoy a feast with the
band of outlaws. After the meal is over, Robin Hood takes the Sheriff’s money and discovers that
the he has taken Maid Marian’s horn. The Sheriff admits that Marian ran away from him and no
longer knows where she is. Robin orders him to be blindfolded and taken to the edge of the forest
to be released.
Little John enters with a poster announcing a tournament Prince John is hosting. It includes all
kinds of activities and features an archery competition with a silver arrow as a grand prize. Robin
decides to go to the tournament in disguise.
Dressed as an old man, Robin is on his way to the tournament when he encounters a young male
forester. Robin asks of news from Nottingham and learns the Sheriff is gathering his men to hunt
down a band of outlaws. When the forester refuses to share his name, the two fight. After an equal
fight, the forester cuts Robin. Robin yields and asks the forester if he would like to join Robin
Hood and his band. Robin takes off is disguise and introduces himself. The forester is surprised
and is revealed to be Maid Marian.
At the tournament, the Prince and Sheriff are keeping their eyes peeled for Robin Hood. They are
sure that he wouldn’t be able to pass up this competition. After a few rounds, the competitors are
narrowed down to two, Robin and Marian. The Sheriff draws a small white dot in the center of the
bull’s eye. Marian is first and as she draws back her bow, the Sheriff recognizes her and Robin.
Marian’s arrow finds the small target. Robin takes his turn and splits the first arrow in two. As
Robin is claiming his prize, the Sheriff reveals his identity to Prince John. Prince John orders his
guards to attack. Robin and his band fight off the Sheriff and his guards. At the end of the battle,
Robin kills the Sheriff. When his band starts to cheer, Robin stops them and tells them to never
cheer any man’s death.
8
Synopsis Continued
Soon after the Sheriff’s death, King Richard returns to England and Prince John goes into hiding. Robin Hood and his band are pardoned and are no longer outlaws. Friar Tuck performs the
ceremony to wed Robin and Marian.
When King Richard is called away to war again, Prince John returns. Robin is in a church in Nottingham when he is seized and told the King has come back in secret to speak with him. He is
led up a tower where Prince John is waiting for him. Prince John tells Robin that King Richard is
dead and that he plans on bricking up the door with Robin inside. Robin finds a way to escape but
injures himself in the process.
Marian and Little John help Robin to escape on horse but King John is waiting and chases them
through Nottingham. After a night of not being able to shake the new King and his men, Robin
tells Marian and the rest of his merry men to seek sanctuary in a nearby church. Robin fears he is
going to die soon and wants to give the King and his men one final chase. He kisses Marian one
last time and rides off into the night.
9
The Story of
Robin Hood
After you read the synopsis, fill in the spaces using the words in the box. There is one
word extra that you don’t need!
10
Words to Know
Archery- the art or sport of shooting with bows and arrows.
Distress- great pain, anxiety, or sorrow.
Earl- a royal governor.
Friar- a member of a religious order.
Gaggle- an often noisy or disorderly group or gathering.
Gallows- a wooden structure usually consisting of two upright posts with a crossbeam from which a rope is suspended, used for hanging
criminals.
Hasty- made or done with speed.
Miller- a person who owns or operates a mill, especially a mill that grinds grain into flour.
Outlaw- a lawless person or habitual criminal, especially one who is a fugitive from the law.
Sanctuary- a place of refuge; asylum.
Siege- a prolonged period of trouble or annoyance.
Sniveling- to affect a tearful state; whine.
Definitions from dictionary.com
11
1
Hidden Words
Use the wordbank below to find the voacbulary words.
A
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G
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T
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G
L
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Z
R
O
N
L
E
I
W
J
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C
G
I
E
V
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T
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D
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C
G
H
G
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V
A
O
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S
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X
A
F
E
E
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D
E
O
N
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G
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R
S
Y
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I
V
Q
W
Z
M
E
H
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Y
P
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D
V
Y
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A
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N
A
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Z
V
X
R
R
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P
K
C
Q
P
S
T
O
R
E
O
E
J
Y
T
S
A
H
H
ARCHERY
DISTRESS
EARL
FRIAR
GAGGLE
GALLOWS
HASTY
MILLER
OUTLAW
SANCTUARY
SIEGE
SNIVELING
using puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com
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I
S
O
M
A
X
B
D
W
A
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Verb Tenses
Fill the gaps with the correct tense or verb form of the verb in brackets.
Where there is no verb, insert an appropriate model.
In Sherwood Forest, near the town of Nottingham there (live)_______an outlaw (CALL)_________Robin Hood, the leader of a band of bowmen. They
(ROB)___________the rich and (HELP)_________the poor.
Robin Hood’s greatest enemy (BE) ________the cruel sheriff of Nottingham.
Robin Hood (THINK) ________ (BE) __________a very dangerous man. One day
some of Robin’s men (CATCH) ___________by sheriff’s soldiers. They (THROW)
_________{{_into prison immediately after that. When Robin (HEAR) _______
the news of the brothers’ arrest he (BE) _________ very angry. “I _______ like
to storm the prison and rescue them,” he said “But this ________ be wise. If we
(GO) _______ to Nottingham, the sheriff’s soldiers (CATCH) _________ us and we
(LAND) ____________ in prison, too.”
While Robin (Speak) __________ he (approach) ________________ by a
beggar. This old man told Robin that the sheriff’s soldiers (ALREADY BUILD)
____________ the gallows but the sheriff (NOT FIND) __________ the hangman
yet. Suddenly Robin (HAVE)________ an idea. He asked the beggar if he (SELL)
_________ him his old coat. After it (GIVE) ______________ to him he put it on
and asked his men, “(YOU RECOGNIZE) ___________________ me IF you (SEE)
_______ me in this coat?” “Your mother (NOT RECOGNIZE) _________________
her own son,” Said Little John, the tallest of all.
13
The Missing Item
Draw something that each Character might carry in the space below each picture.
Sheriff of Nottingham
14
Robin Hood
Little John
The Arden Theatre Cast and Artistic Staff
15
The Costumes of Sher wood
16
Make your own Robin Hood Hat
Newspaper Hat to Fold and Go
Use a full newspaper page or go fancy with a
sheet of 25 × 22-inch colored paper. Once
you’ve mastered the few basic folds, add a
pinch here, a bend there and voila! a whole
new hat.
Add a feather to
the Basic Hat and
it’s a Robin Hood!
17
Heraldry in Medieval Times
People in medieval times used personal and family banners and shields to express their identity
and status in society. Think of your school logo, or the logo of a professional sports team. These
logos are so distinctive that you can recognize your school banner or your favorite team simply
by their logo. Heraldry is the same kind of thing, but a bit more structured.
Heraldry includes a family motto and a family coat of arms. The actual design of the coat of arms
followed a pattern, although each was distinctive.
The concept of using a coat of arms as a form of identification goes way back to Roman times,
and possibly further back than that. In Roman times, a coat of arm was used to identify groups of
fighting men within the Roman legion. In the Middle Ages, a distinctive coat of arms was used to
identify each noble family. Each item in the design had meaning.
Once a coat of arms was adopted by a family, the design was placed on shields held by knights
of the manor, embroidered on tapestries, and carved in stone throughout the castle or manor
house. It was placed on swords and on banners and even burnt into the top of breads on special
occasions. A family’s heraldry was important. It said, “This is who we are, and we are special.”
That is heraldry.
On the next page there is a list of terms and meanings to help you read any coat of arms.
18
Your Guide to Reading a Coat of Arms
Below are a few common things you might see on a Coat of Arms along with their
meaning.
Heraldic Colors:
Yellow or Gold - Generosity
White or Silver - Peace & Sincerity
Black - Constancy (& sometimes Grief)
Blue - Loyalty & Truthfulness
Red - Military Fortitude & Magnanimity
Heraldic Animals:
Green - Hope, Joy & sometimes Loyalty
Bear - Protectiveness
Purple - Royal Majesty, Sovereignty & Justice Dog - Loyalty
Double Eagle & Eagle - Leadership & Decisiveness
Dragon - Defender of Treasure
Falcon or Hawk - Eagerness
Fox - Cleverness
Griffin (part eagle, part lion) - Bravery
Horse - Readiness to Serve
Lion - Courage
Pelican - Generosity & Devotion
Heraldic Symbols:
Raven - Constancy
Bridge - (signifies a governor or magisSnake - Ambition
trate)
Stag, Elk or Deer - Peace & Harmony
Crescent - Enlightenment
Tiger - Fierceness & Valor
Crosses - Christian sentiments
Unicorn - Extreme courage
Crown - Authority
Wolf - Constant Vigilance
Fire - Zeal
Flaming Heart - Passion
Fleur-de-lys (stylized Iris flower) - Purity
(associated with France)
Hand - Faith, Sincerity & Justice
Heart - Sincerity
Horns & Antlers - Fortitude
Lightning - Decisivenes
Star - Nobility
Sun - Glory
19
Make your own Coat of Arms and Motto.
Then make one for Robin Hood!
20
Want to Vist the Real Sher wood Forest?
Once an area of woodland and heathland stretching over 30 miles from Nottingham to Worksop,
Sherwood Forest was established as a royal hunting preserve in the 10th Century.
Revived by the Normans, the “forest” (a legal term for woodland having a separate jurisdiction) was
enjoyed by successive kings: the sandy heath and thickets of Sherwood provided ideal cover for
deer and hunting with falcons.
Over time, Sherwood Forest has become fragmented as settlements developed and the rich wood
resources found here were used for building materials. You can now find a cluster of main country
parks that offer an insight into how this mighty forest may have once appeared - Rufford Abbey,
Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve and Sherwood Pines Forest Park to name but a few.
Every summer there is a one week festival that centers all around Robin. Folks dress up, re-enact
stories, watch a medieval tournament, enjoy a parade, and even participate in an archery cometition! You can learn more about it by visiting the Robin Hood Festival’s website,
www.robinhoodfestival.org!
Pictures by Charlotte White
21
Discussion Questions
1. How much do you know about the story of Robin Hood?
2. What do you think of Robin Hood? Was he a criminal or a hero?
3. Robin Hood’s intentions were good. To what extent does this justify his actions?
Does the end ever justify the means?
4. Have you ever stolen anything? If so, why? What happened next?
5. Do you give money to beggars? Why or why not?
6. If you won the lottery jackpot would you give any of the winnings to charity? If so,
how much? Which charity or charities would you prioritise and why?
7. How much money would you need to be happy?
8. What does your country do to help the poor? What more can people do?
9. Should the mega-rich be allowed to pass all their riches on to their children when
they die? Why or why not?
10.What are the disadvantages of being extremely rich?
11.What would you do if you found a large sum of money in the street?
12.What is more important to you- wealth or success? Why?
22