Outlaw or Outlaw Hero Essay
Folklore — Outlaw, Outlaw Hero, or Other? Essay
Rich

Outlaw or Outlaw Hero Essay
Folklore — Outlaw, Outlaw Hero, or Other? Essay
Richard K. Fox, editor of the National Police Gazette from 1877 to 1922, listed ten characteristics of the Western hero-outlaw:
• Prodigious accuracy with any weapon
• Unparalleled bravery and courage
• Unfailing courtesy to all women, regardless of rank, age, or physical charm
• Inherent gentleness and modesty
• Notable handsomeness—sometimes almost prettiness (but he is, of course, very masculine, and exceedingly attractive to women
• Piercing blue eyes which turn gray as steel when he is aroused
• Undeserved ostracism—his life of outlawry results from his quite properly defending a loved one from an intolerable affront with lethal consequences
• Commendable honor: shields widows and orphans, robs only bankers and railroad monopolists
• Treacherous undoing—he dies by betrayal
• Inconclusive death—he keeps turning up in other places for many years; it is indeed arguable whether he is dead yet. (Lyon 35-36)
If an outlaw lacks one of these ingredients, journalism and folklorists create it for him (Connolly 403-404).
A Note about Outlaw Heroes and Social Banditry:
Amazon Prime created a tv series called “The Head of Joaquin Murrieta” streaming now. You may have heard of Joaquin Murrieta before if you saw the first Zorro movie with Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins.
Some believe that Murrieta was the inspiration for the folk hero (outlaw?) fictional character Zorro. I’ve seen just the first couple of episodes, and it seems they are sticking pretty close to the known history and folklore. You can watch in English or in Spanish.
Interesting article attached: Prime Video Bows ‘The Head of Joaquin Murrieta,’ – Variety.pdf

Prompt:
Choose one of the following as a potential outlaw or outlaw hero. (Robin Hood is not acceptable for this assignment since most agree he is the primary example of an outlaw hero.) Use the 10 characteristics to help you decide whether or not you think the person is an outlaw or an outlaw hero. Be sure to say why you chose the label for the person (1 full-page, double spaced, MLA Format).
Select from the following choices:
Ned Kelly
Billy the Kid
Joaquin Murietta (Zorro)
William Wallace
Pancho Villa
Guy Fawkes
John Wesley Hardin
Bonnie & Clyde
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Mike Fink
Geronimo
William Tell
John Dillinger
Sam Bass
Ché Guevera
Cesar Chavez
Bernard Goetz
Johnny Ringo
Doc Holliday
Belle Starr
Pat Garrett
Reference Material:
Jesse James Outlaw or Outlaw Hero Zoom Recorded Lecture Link
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/history-magazine/article/infamous-missouri-outlaw-jesse-james
***FINAL NOTE*** Do not use Artificial Intelligence to draft the literary analysis.