Ned Kelly: Victim Or Villain?

Many had called Ned Kelly a murderous thug, but what people say doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right. Ned was born in 1854, died at the age of 26 in 1880 and an Irish immigrant. Many have recognised Ned’s infamousness due to his action and his disgraceful family who had said to do many wrongs. Yes, Ned’s action clearly show a villain., but If you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, then you shouldn’t judge a person by his action. Ned’s mother was taken to jail for self-defence, his father died when Ned was 12-year-old further more every now and then police would accuse Ned and his family for horse thief or cattle stealing. These reason can clearly state that Ned’s a victim who played the role of villain.

Ned’s mother was sent to jail because she was PROTECTING her own daughter! Constable Fitzpatrick is a police officer who harmed Kate Kelly (Ned sister). Only due to the fact that Kate Kelly gave Constable

Fitzpatrick a little push. As Ned’s mother saw this valentines, she Struck to help Kate, by hitting Constable Fitzpatrick helmet. “I was thrown to the floor as Fitzpatrick stood up. Mother screaming abuse at the policeman, picked up the coal shovel and brought it crashing down on his helmet while he was still fumbling to get his revolver.” (Kelly, 2002, pp. 31-32) This is definitely self-defence! Fitzpatrick lied, his report was. “Mrs Kelly attacked me with a shovel, unprovoked, and then Ned appeared and shot him in the arm.” (Fitzpatrick, p. 33)With this lie, Ned’s mother was sent to jail. How? Just how could a son sit back and do nothing? Due to Fitzpatrick’s action, Ned’s became a criminal. Ned’s father’s story was very similar to this situation.
Ned’s father was just like Ned Kelly, an Irish immigrant. His name was Red, he died when Ned was 12-years-old. Thanks to the greedy, rich squatter, who made unthinkable rent for the lower class (Ned and his family) “…paid heavy rent for all the open ground, so as a poor man could not keep his stock, and impounded every beast they could catch, even off Government roads.” (Kelly N. , 1878, p. 8) As you see, this is what happened to Red as he came to debt with the squatters and had to sell his land for half the price he spent, Making Red and his family penniless. Eventually Red turned ill and died. If the squatter was normal, then Red might’ve stayed alive and Ned would never have such fate! But, no they were selfish. Enough to not care about the result of their action. If Ned stayed the way he is, he would’ve have the same fate as his farther. Ned’s farther died is part of the reason why Ned became a bush rangers.
Ned had no other role model in the family, due to Reds death.

Therefore, Ned had to learn from the ones that taught Ned to become a cattle thief and bush ranger. “As role models he had his uncle and cousin. If they taught anything, it wasn’t how to be an honest law abiding citizen. A dozen of his relative had criminal records.” (Wilkinson, 2002, p. 10). Just like what is expected Ned became a horse and cattle thief, but that didn’t last long. He was sent to prison for receiving a stolen horse that he didn’t know. After two years of hard life in prison, Ned decided to never go there again. Therefore Ned decided to get a job at a timber mill. Ned spent the last three years of hard work at his job, he was a trusted worker and overseer. Even so every time a horse or cattle went missing, the police would always blame it on Ned or his family. Some might’ve been true, but most of them were fake, yet regardless of true or false Ned still had to take the consequence. Nothing will change if he lived his life being harass. For this reason, he became a

bushranger.
With the result of Ned’s Kelly life, it’s fair to say that Ned Kelly was forced to be a murderous thug, but in truth, he was just a victim of many people. Ned’s mother was taken to jail due to a lie, his dad died due to the greedy squatters and was always blamed for something he didn’t do. It’Ned Kelly was a victim, that was force to make the police shine.