Ethics Debate
After reading a blog post from think:lab by Christian re The “Robin Hood” Debate, I decided to try it with my class. Rather than summarise what they thought I’m going to leave it to them to add their comments on what they thought of the actions of each of the characters. Although we didn’t spend a huge amount of time in class debating the morality of each characters actions, many students left the room still arguing debating their personal choices.
September 8th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Looking forward to hearing how the conversation unfolds. Cheers from the U.S. Christian
September 9th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
My order from best to worst:
Maid Marion – Let Robin free
Little John – Takes people away from all the unhappiness
Sheriff – Blackmail
Robin Hood – Hitting a woman
My reason for Maid Marion being the nicest is because she would rather Robin be sad than be dead and she would rather suffer for the rest of her life with the little guilt of betraying than the big guilt of killing.
I have Robin at the end because no matter, under any circumstances you never hit a woman if you are a man. It is a very ugly form of abuse.
September 9th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
My order from best to worst.
Little John – Helped Maid Marion
Sheriff – Used his brains
Maid Marion – Broke a promise
Robin – Hit a woman
I made Little John best because when a girls heart is broken and she is about to cry you help her if you can.
I put the Sheriff next because he used his brains and made a deal to get what he wants. That was very smart. Even though it hurt many people he did something I would have done.
Next was Maid Marion. The reason of her being bad is she broke a promise, she also broke Robins heart because now she is the Sheriffs wife and will spend the rest of her life with him.
Robin is next because of the same reason as Milly, You do not hit a girl. Common Sense should have guided him away fro doing that nasty thing.
September 9th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
My order from best to worst,
1 – Little John – Helping a woman in her time of need. Being a ‘gentleman’.
2 – Maid Marion – Did what she could to help the man she loved.
3 – Sheriff – Taking advantage of a woman.
4 – Robin Hood – Hitting a woman.
I think that Little John is the best because he helped Maid Marion when she needed help and also because he did nothing wrong. Maid Marion is second because she did anything that she could to save Robin Hood. The Sheriff is third because he actually used his brain to take advantage of Maid Marion and marry her. Robin Hood is at the bottom of the list because you don’t it a girl. Corey and Milly have already said it; you just don’t hit a girl!
September 9th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
I put Little John in as the best because he did nothing bad and helped Maid Marion, she came 2nd as she saved Robins life but marred a bad man then came Robin hood because he attemptid to help the poor but had to rob the Sheriff he came last as his taxes were very high he made his men bet the living daylight out of Robin and made an inasant girl marry him.
September 9th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
My order from best to worst,
1 – Maid Marion – She helped get robin free.
2 – Little John – He helped Maid Marion to get away from where she was unhappy
3 – Sheriff – He took advantadge of Maid Marion
4 – Robin Hood – He hit a woman
I agree with Milly-
Maid Marion has the best ethics because instead of letting the Sheriff kill Robin Hood she risked her marriage and had to suffer for it just to be able to free him and to keep him alive
I put the sheriff third because he could tell that Maid Marion loved Robin Hood and so he took advantadge of her and got her to marry him. I think that for him to do such a thing his ethics are pretty bad. But for Robin Hood to actually hit her after she saved his life his ethics are even worse
September 9th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
My order from best to worst.
- Maid Marion
- Little John
- Sheriff
- Robin Hood
I think Maid Marion has the best morals as she was willing to risk her life in order to set Robin free. She may have given in to the Sheriff’s demands but she was doing this for a good cause.
I also think that Robin Hood had the worst morals as he stole from the people of the village. He may have been doing so in order to give to the poor but he was still stealing and this isn’t good. He also hit Maid Marion after she saved his life.
September 9th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Order from best to worst
Maid Marion
Little John
Robin Hood
Sheriff
Maid Marion has the best morals because she was willing to do anything to keep her lover alive.
September 9th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
To all of the students:
I’m really impressed to see so many of you beginning to debate this project…and look forward to what the rest of your classmates have to say soon.
Once everyone adds their voice, I’ll add some ‘devil’s advocate’ questions to all of you here on the blog to see if anyone is willing to change their mind.
Have a great day in class tomorrow!
Cheers from the U.S.
Christian
September 9th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
Order from best to worst.
1. Little John- because he helps anybody who needs it.
2. Maid Marion- she wanted to help Robin Hood.
3. Sheriff- greedy
4. Robin Hood- he slap the girl that wanted to help him.
I think Robin Hood is the worst because he robbed the Sheriff’s money. even though Robin wanted to help the poor guy, he still steals gold. And that is wrong.
September 10th, 2007 at 10:15 am
I thought that every thing seemed to contridict what ever I thought, I eventually settled for an order that worked for both what was bad about what the people did and one that that shows what was good. first I have written the good:
little John- He helped someone who hasd nothing else
Maid marion- She helped free robin hood
Sherif- he inforced the taxes to the poor.
Robin hood- helped get the poor food.
And the bad:
Little John- betrayed his friend by taking off with maid marion
maid marion- betrayed robin hood
sheriff- torchered robin hood
robin hood- stole the taxes and hit a woman.
I would also loke to point out that little john helped create a distraction but didnt actualy steal it was oonly robin hood who stole, and no where in the story does it say that the taxes were high.
September 10th, 2007 at 10:20 am
My order from best to worst is-
1. Maid Marion
2. Little John
3. Robin
4. Sherriff
Maid Marion was the best because she would rather suffer than let her love die.
September 10th, 2007 at 10:21 am
The post above was actually Laura
September 10th, 2007 at 10:31 am
I agree with Rochelle. Every decision I made about the order, I found some fault in it. Here is what I finally decided on from best to worst…..
1. Maid Marion
2. Little John
3. Robin Hood
4. Sheriff
Maid Marion has the best morals because, although she betrayed Robin Hood by leaving with Little John, she married the man she despised the most to save him, and then Robin Hood turned around and hit her. I belive she had a great reason behind leaving.
Little John has second best because, although some may think he was doing the right thing by taking off with Maid Marion, he betrayed the trust of someone who was suppose to be his best friend. I believe that he took advantage of a vulnerable situation.
Robin Hood has the second worst morals because he hit a woman, which is something only a cowardly man would do, and he stole from people. Yes, he did steal from the rich, and gave to the poor, but stealing is not ok.
The Sheriff has the worst morals because a) he tortured Robin Hood and b) practically stole from the poor to quench his own greedy needs by having ridiculously high taxes.
September 10th, 2007 at 10:42 am
Maid Marion
Little John
Robin Hood
Sheriff
I think that Maid Marion has the best ethics and morals because she was willing to do anything to keep Robin Hood alive.
September 10th, 2007 at 10:45 am
The last post was actually me
September 10th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Maid Marion
Little John
Robin Hood
Sheriff
I think that Maid Marion had the best ethics because she put Robin Hoods life before her own happiness.
September 10th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Maid Marion
Little John
Sheriff
Robin Hood
I believe that Maid Marion had the best ethics because she though of others instead of herself. She also would give up her life to save another person.
September 10th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Maid Marion
Little John
Sheriff
Robin Hood
I think that Maid Marion had the best ethics because she would do anything for someone she cared for. She also put own life on the line to save someone elses.
September 10th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
I always find the initial lists fascinating…but not in terms of ranking the 4 characters. What is most fascinating is what the ‘pattern’ of choices may or may not say about us as people (in a subconscious way) in terms of what we see as right/wrong in a given situation.
Additionally, I’m fascinated by the students (above) who said that they found weaknesses or faults with all 4 characters. Every year I’ve done this with my own students (at least 7 years now), the class ends up seeing that NONE of the characters is pure ‘good’ and that none is pure ‘bad’. In fact, each has options and can be seen in positive and negative lights.
For instance, the following questions come to mind:
1. If Little John’s main role in life (implied by his initial loyalty to Robin Hood) is to be a trusted ‘right-hand man’, isn’t his betrayal of Robin even worse than what the other characters did? Isn’t his sudden willingness to have Maid Marion ’save’ Robin and to also ‘rescue’ Main Marion at the end a bit too convenient?
2. Did Robin asked to be ‘freed’ by Maid Marion? Was he put into a situation that he didn’t ask for by having her give up her freedom?
3. Did the Sheriff force anyone to do anything, other than keep Robin (a theif) in prison? Didn’t he live up to his promise at the end?
4. Can Maid Marion be seen as innocent in terms of going against her father (the King) by marrying secretly a ‘thief’ outside of her class? Did she really expect Robin to remain loyal to her if she couldn’t be ‘public’ about their marriage?
These are just a few of the questions that my students in the past have asked once they got beyond their initial reactions/choices. Love to hear what your class may come up with after you do the initial lists.
Again, wonderful work. Enjoying the conversation all the way from the U.S.
Cheers,
Christian
September 11th, 2007 at 10:39 am
This is my order from best to worst
1. Maid Marion- she was only doing her best to save Robin from his death
2. Little John- Because he was trying to help others
3. Sheriff- He was only trying to enforce his law even though he was getting a bit to mean
4.Robin- because he was helped by Maid Marion and he got really angry at her when she was only trying to help him and saved his life.
September 11th, 2007 at 10:52 am
I ranked my people as follows:
1st: Little John
2nd: Maid Marion
3rd: Robin Hood
4th: The Sheriff
I put Little John at the top because it seems as though he was the only person who didn’t do anything wrong. Maid Marion is second as she was trying to do what she thought was right but in the end she was still in the wrong a bit. Robin Hood is third because he was doing good but he was doing that by breaking the law and that is bad. The Sheriff is last because he stole Robin Hoods wife and he was meant to be enforcing the law and not breaking it. Now that is why I placed the people where I did.
September 11th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
1st: The Sheriff
2nd: Little John
3rd: Maid Marion
4th: Robin Hood
I put the Sheriff at the top because he was only enforcing the law and if people had a problem with that they sould leave. Also he didn’t force Marion to marry him he just told her what was going to happen if she didn’t which would of happend anyway. Little John is second because he was trying to help but ended up breaking the relationship with Robin and Marion. Maid Marrion is thrid because she married two men and then ran off with another which isn’t a good example of a wife. Robin is last because he was stealing from rich people and even though he was giving to the poor he had no right to steal and its not the richer peoples fault that the poor are poor and he also hit a girl not a very good thing to do.
September 11th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
This is regarding Christian’s last comment. The Sheriff didn’t do anything to anyone except Robin Hood, but he mentally forced Maid Marion into freeing Robin Hood only to marry the Sheriff. I believe that it is taking advantage of a woman just to get what he wants. But he uses his brains to actually think of a cunning plan to get the girl that he wants.
September 11th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
In regards to Christian’s last comment. The sheriff was probably the smartest out of all the characters. The only person he really hurt was Robin. He did take Maid Marion though but this was not forced on her by the Sheriff. She did this out of her own free will, and the Sheriff sort of helped her to make that desicion.
September 11th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Regarding to Christians comment. I do agree in saying that Little John had the most convenient. But I think that in life you have to make these sacrifises, and not everyone can be saved (or live happily). But I do not think that his betrayl of Robin was worse than what the other characters have done. He did what he thought was ‘right’, and I dont blame him for going with Maid Marion instead of Robin…
September 11th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
1st: Little John
2nd: Maid Marion
3rd: Robin Hood
4th: The Sheriff
I think that little John was the best behaved because he wasn’t willing to hurt anyone and he tried to help Maid Marion when she was feeling really bad about something she had done.
I think that the Sheriff was the worst behaved because he was willing to make people poor because he wanted all of their money!
Patrick
September 11th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
1. little john, he was the only person who didn’t do anything wrong.
2. Robin hood, i think that hitting a girl is a lot less bad then cheating on your husband or hanging people for having a different opinion to them.
3. maid marion, when she cheated on robin, she had no other choice but to marry the sheriff.
4. the Sheriff, as he was very terrible, making maid marion marry him and going to kill robin.
Stil if you look at all the storys of robin hood, (on TV and in books) he is the most ethical.
September 11th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
In reply to Christians comment, I agree with Jayden that the sheriff did not only put Robin in prison but also took advantage of Maid Marion. He should not have put her in that situation. The sheriff also threatened to kill Robin Hood not just leave him in prison.
September 11th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
Wow. Just reading that comment that Christian gave made me think alot.
So this is my order from best to worst:
1. Little John-he did almost nothing and when he took Maid Marion away, he probably came back often so he didn’t give up his commitment to Robin.
2. Maid Marion-she was willing to do anything for the one she loved, but, she married the Sheriff in public so that means she is stuck with the Sheriff forever and when she left the forest with John, that would have made not only the Sheriff and his guards concerned, but it also would make Maid Marion’s father ( The King ) very worried.
3. The Sheriff-He greedily raised the taxes so that the poor people had to give up all their things just so the sheriff could laze around. Yet, it was the Sheriff’s job to collect the taxes and put theives in jail. It was probably the law for Robin Hood to die.
4. Robin Hood-He was a thief. Even though he gave to the poor, those rich people probably earned that money of their own backs. He also slapped the person who he was married to, which is a very baad thing to do.
September 11th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
My order from best to worst
1. Little John because even though he stole, he did for a good reason. Also he tried to save Robin Hood and he helped Maid Marion when she needed it.
2. Maid Marion because she saved Robin Hood
3. Robin Hood is close to worst because he didnt appreciate the fact that Maid Marion was only trying to help him and he hit her
4. The Sheriff is the worst because he gave Robin Hood a beating only for stealing and he knew Maid Marion would marry him to save Robin Hood. He also wants to be so rich so he makes the taxes a really high price.