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Today I will be talking about Ben hall’s life and what makes him a hero.
Ben Hall is different from the other bushrangers. One of the victims of the holdup described him as “a quiet, good-looking young fellow, rather tall, frank-looking face.” He was not a heartless, cruel, malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness. (Bradley:2007). Ben Hall was praised by everyone in the district as a fine, hard-working, dedicated and honest stockman. He was known variously as ‘Bold Ben Hall’, ‘Gentleman Bushranger’ for his avoidance of bloodshed and daring raids, many on which were planned to ridicule the police. Ben Hall was quoted saying 'I'm not a criminal. I've been driven to this life, I was held for a month in gaol, an innocent man. Mr Norton, it’s your mob that have driven me to it”. The bitterness of losing his wife and son to an ex policeman who called himself Ben’s mate, being jailed for nothing, his house burnt down by an arsonist his cattle stolen didn’t make him like the law very much. This made him very bitter and he gradually drifted into a life of crime, from a successful grazer to an infamous bushranger. Hall would never …show more content…
Ben Hall was a poor man’s hero because he stole from the rich and gave to the poor. He was seen as a ‘Robin Hood’ figure to the people who would steal from the rich and redistribute the money to his supporters, family, friends and the poor. The gang angered and frightened the rich people. The poor settlers laughed and cheered. As a majority of the population could relate to this, Ben was elevated to hero status. He did hold up the townspeople in the Robinson Hotel for 3 days but treated the people well. He always treated them with drinks, meals, music and a party like atmosphere. Hall humiliated the only policeman of the town by making him march up and down along the Hotel's veranda. Once the party was over they gave the townspeople expense money and left without taking any money with them. This was to show their honesty and respect to the people and to make public the gang’s power and to ridicule the police. The holdup was not to frighten or harm the townsfolk but to demonstrate his hatred to the police, which the hostages agreed with. This shows that he was a warm hearted young man
Ben Hall is different from the other bushrangers. One of the victims of the holdup described him as “a quiet, good-looking young fellow, rather tall, frank-looking face.” He was not a heartless, cruel, malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness. (Bradley:2007). Ben Hall was praised by everyone in the district as a fine, hard-working, dedicated and honest stockman. He was known variously as ‘Bold Ben Hall’, ‘Gentleman Bushranger’ for his avoidance of bloodshed and daring raids, many on which were planned to ridicule the police. Ben Hall was quoted saying 'I'm not a criminal. I've been driven to this life, I was held for a month in gaol, an innocent man. Mr Norton, it’s your mob that have driven me to it”. The bitterness of losing his wife and son to an ex policeman who called himself Ben’s mate, being jailed for nothing, his house burnt down by an arsonist his cattle stolen didn’t make him like the law very much. This made him very bitter and he gradually drifted into a life of crime, from a successful grazer to an infamous bushranger. Hall would never …show more content…
Ben Hall was a poor man’s hero because he stole from the rich and gave to the poor. He was seen as a ‘Robin Hood’ figure to the people who would steal from the rich and redistribute the money to his supporters, family, friends and the poor. The gang angered and frightened the rich people. The poor settlers laughed and cheered. As a majority of the population could relate to this, Ben was elevated to hero status. He did hold up the townspeople in the Robinson Hotel for 3 days but treated the people well. He always treated them with drinks, meals, music and a party like atmosphere. Hall humiliated the only policeman of the town by making him march up and down along the Hotel's veranda. Once the party was over they gave the townspeople expense money and left without taking any money with them. This was to show their honesty and respect to the people and to make public the gang’s power and to ridicule the police. The holdup was not to frighten or harm the townsfolk but to demonstrate his hatred to the police, which the hostages agreed with. This shows that he was a warm hearted young man