Bandits and Outlaws

Outlaws have been heroes of children's stories and folk tales for centuries and in cultures all over the world. I wonder why this might be when outlaws and bandits such as Billy the Kid and Ned Kelly - to name just two - are renound for stealing and killing thousands. Perhaps all outlaws are thought of as being like the fictional character Robin Hood, who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. The reality of the situation is that outlaws were thieves and cold killers. It is true that they stole from the rich, but more often than not, they also stole from the poor (usually not in their immediate locality as they relied on local peasants as allies, but peasants further away were targeted). It seems amazing to me that although outlaws lived the lives they did, people over the years have popularised and glorified them in literature, folklore and film.

Outlaws portrayed in this way in film include Robin Hood and Ned Kelly.

For an interesting discussion about whether Jesse James was a 'folklore hero or cold-blooded killer' go to: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-JesseJames.html

Notice how this makers of this film (see image) portray Kelly as a legend, and a good looking one too!