It is difficult to evaluate and study the mythical character of Robin Hood without considering his significant other, the beautiful Maid Marian. Although Marian does not appear in the original legend, in the 16th century she becomes an essential part of the tale. A common theory suggests that Marian appeared because the character of Robin Hood was gaining class stature: "[T]he first time a significant role for a woman appeared in the outlaw myth was is when its hero has become a lord and therefore needs a lady, both as part of his gracious lifestyle and to ensure the continuity of the earthly lineage” (Knight, 59). Marian, however, plays a more important role than that of mistress of the house. Two major works that gave Marian an identity are Thomas Love Peacock's 1822 short story Maid Marian and the ballad Robin Hood and Maid Marian. In these two literary works, Marian appears both as a strong intellectual role model for women and as a neglected and sexualized subordinate by her male peers. This dichotomy raises questions about the possible biases that may have affected the myth into modern times and the type of feminist hero that Marian has the potential to embody. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"?Get the original essayIn Peacock's Maid Marian, the main character "is drawn from Peacock's ideal of womanhood, and she owes more to her author than legends” (Chevalier, 61 years old). Peacock was influenced by Mary Wollstonecraft's Vindication of the Rights of Women and "came to believe that female intelligence should be defended against its contemporary depreciation" (Barczeweski, 192). His Marian “represents vigor and activity” and demonstrates “unquenchable energy and determination.” in his body and in his mind (Ibid., 151). She refuses “to be constrained by male authority” (Ibid., 192), disobeying her father to spend time with the merry men of the forest, despite being “a decidedly undistinguished heroine.” » (Ibid., 190), Peacock's Maid Marian is not so anti-feminine as to challenge gender prejudices. Marian's sport of choice is a good example of how Peacock strikes a balance between the unconventional and the socially appropriate. Marian excels at archery, which requires it. in other words, she may be unfeminine, but only up to a certain point. One reason why Marian must appear sufficiently feminine is that her focus, in some analyses, is purely sexual. . She may exist as a character solely to assert Robin Hood's heterosexuality and sexual prowess: "With Marian as his lady, Robin is both a lord and, undemonstratively, a lover" (Knight, 61) . Peacock portrays Marian as a strong and independent woman, but demeans these qualities by blatantly sexualizing her. As “one of the Young Romantics,” Peacock’s “sensual personalization and masculine point of view are clear” (Ibid., 120). Almost all of the male characters in the novel are sexually interested in Marian: “[T]he text makes it clear that no red-blooded male could resist [her]” (Ibid., 120). Peacock undoubtedly gathered much of his narrative action in the ballad Robin Hood and Maid Marian, as "The 18th-century ballad...is the main source of [Marian's] frequent appearance in many later versions of the legend” (Lux, 191). It is an action-packed ballad in which Marian's "disguise, cross-dressing, and revelation become the means of defining the hero's identity."..