When the discussion of “classic” outlaws/criminals comes into play, especially in the United States, the same names pop up: Al Capone, John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, etc. Even Robin Hood might come up due to his mythical status being kept alive through several film adaptations throughout the last century. These names are usually brought up because they conjure up times and places when the world was young and impressionable in comparison to the present, possibly due to their black-and-white motives (stealing from the rich to give to the poor) or even a specific characteristic of their notoriety (young lovers on the run from the cops). One that’ll rarely ever come up is quite possibly the Australian equivalent: Edward “Ned” Kelly. In terms of notoriety, impact, and romanticization, Ned Kelly is the kind of figure that’ll probably last longer than most of us will live because, similar to the American examples, there is just something still compelling about Kelly’s story more than a century after his death.
True History of the Kelly Gang
True History of the Kelly Gang
True History of the Kelly Gang
When the discussion of “classic” outlaws/criminals comes into play, especially in the United States, the same names pop up: Al Capone, John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, etc. Even Robin Hood might come up due to his mythical status being kept alive through several film adaptations throughout the last century. These names are usually brought up because they conjure up times and places when the world was young and impressionable in comparison to the present, possibly due to their black-and-white motives (stealing from the rich to give to the poor) or even a specific characteristic of their notoriety (young lovers on the run from the cops). One that’ll rarely ever come up is quite possibly the Australian equivalent: Edward “Ned” Kelly. In terms of notoriety, impact, and romanticization, Ned Kelly is the kind of figure that’ll probably last longer than most of us will live because, similar to the American examples, there is just something still compelling about Kelly’s story more than a century after his death.