riented heros, like the many comic-book superheroes of the 1930s and beyond, or like The Scarlet Pimpernel in British lore. The very fact that Zorro has this dual identity is a contribution to his image as a larger than life figure, as someone who can successfully hide his identity while appearing whenever needed. The fact that he can do this strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies, as does his habit of leaving a mark behind--the "Z" carved with his sword--to identify his handiwork. The black cape and mask, his "uniform," also both hide his identity and strike a note of fear in his enemies, much as Batman does with the figure of the bat in his costume much later. The black of the costume is also an ironic comment in that Zorro is the embodiment of good, while black is usually thought of as evil but is here turned around as a way of fighting evil.
One reason Zorro is a hero is because he does not have to be, and this is a mark of the hero. Zorro could remain comfortable in his aristocratic life. He could be the unconcerned fop that he seems to be in his normal guise rather than the heroic Zorro he creates in order to redress the injustice he sees all around him. He is like Robin Hood in this as well, for Robin did not have to repair to Sherwood Forest to protect the poor and could instead have enjoyed being part of the ruling class according to his birthright.
As played by Douglas Fairbanks, of course, the young don
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