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melvisik · 4 months

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OFMD - TREASURE, LOVE, AND EDWARD

Edited - Possible trigger warnings at the bottom under the gif of Edward and MerStede by @soapbubbles511. Thanks to @agneswarda for pointing this out in the reblogging tags.

Totally joining in with this discussion about the deleted scenes (even though I'm extremely late to the party)...

Source crediting set decorator Lindsey Cantrell's insta at linds_cantrell

Absolutely, Ed is a beautiful hot mess splayed out on the ground pouring whateveritis into his gaping mouth, and we were sorely robbed of some awesome shots (no doubt due to budget/time cuts). Also, the text here somewhat vindicates the fandom's in-depth observations as to the incredible weight of Ed's unhappiness at this point.

So here it comes, because reiterating fandom analyses and interpretations is fun...

One of the key elements we see in season one is Ed's desire for the fine things he's been denied in much of his youth, things his own mother told him they could never have. Mother Teach frames it as it being a matter of providence or even nature, because that isn't who they are rather than accrediting it to unfair circumstances they were born into.

Who can blame her really? The poor woman was a victim of the unfair social class/caste system of the 18th century and she had an abusive, degrading dick for a partner.

Anyway, that fine piece of silk she gives her son is probably one of the biggest symbolic tools in TV history - Ed's fondness for fine things, his wish to be one of 'those kinds of people' (despite the odds) thinking it will make it happy, his connection to affection, his first bond with Stede Bonnet both in camaraderie...

...and in love.

And then, of course we see this...

Well then.

Long before the unhinged binge-raiding, Ed had already accrued more riches than some uppity officer can shake a fucking stick at, but he had yet to find that elusive something he'd been pursuing since childhood.

Source

Cue Stede Bonnet, a constituent of that aristocratic world Ed's been dreaming about and a sweet representation of finery and refinery.

...sorta. Really, they just pass the time so well...

Extremely well, like 'welcome to the family'...

But at the beginning of season two, what Ed came to treasure most is gone, and he can't replace it no matter how many valuables he collects. There's a void in his heart he was on a rampant quest to fill, and just when he thought he'd found someone that can occupy some of that space, he's abandoned by him.

So, afterwards (and after some other stuff) Ed jumps from raid to raid as Blackbeard 2.0, raising hellions and sending them out to play, pillage, and plunder.

But he does this without any sense of care or pleasure. Another day in the life of a pirate. Make the plan, execute the plan, make the plan, execute the plan, and again, and again, and again... so fucking boring.

He's amassed so much stuff that the crew literally has to dump it overboard, and only more is coming in because he's determined never to divert from this strict regiment, whether it's because he intends to incite Ned Lowe into coming after him or to have it serve as a distraction from the unyielding pain.

Either way, he shuts down in a sort of resignation and fully conforms to the role expected of him, because they think it's just who he is...

In the interim, during those all too frequent moments of inaction, he self-medicates with drugs and alcohol and wallows about in misery, sometimes in Stede's old cabin surrounded by riches that are ultimately worthless to his broken heart.

It's a fairly common trope - a gut-wrenching display of unhappiness whilst surround by troves of treasure.

But we see here that Ed takes it a step farther, reverting to an almost childlike state and enacting his fantasy with dolls.

And with those cut scenes, we could very well have seen how he behaves similarly with the treasure, perhaps by playing dress up with the jewelry or admiring these objects that should, by all rights, represent the vast wealth he'd once hoped to achieve.

He's surrounded by the fine things he coveted in his childhood, but now he finds none of it remotely satisfying. He's had a taste of true joy, and all this stuff just listlessly lying around pales in comparison.

Is he having fun? Nope, because this was fun...

Is he basking in the splendor? Nope, because this was splendor...

Does he recognize the value of the treasure at his fingertips? Nope, because you know where this is going...

In fact the only stolen piece that means anything to him is fiscally worthless.

That figurine is a cheap representation of something intrinsically valuable. Just like the jewels, the furs, the gold, and every lifeless item in that room, it essentially means nothing save for the memory Ed attaches to it.

Ed's life has become that dull drag of monotony just like before. On the outset, that life was probably fun for a while and perhaps did initially satisfy his thirst for wealth, acceptance and attention, but over time he basically became married to his work, 'working for Blackbeard,' an unhappy husband to piracy.

This discomfort in a married state only started to alleviate when that bizarre, cheerful lunatic showed Ed that he can absolutely escape his situation and doesn't have to let his past prevent him from moving forward.

Ed was fully willing to give it all up. Stede served as a perfect conduit for this, but falling in love with him altered Ed's aim - he no longer necessarily desires the lavish lifestyle and/or identity of Stede Bonnet, but rather something loads better...

Then we have the sharp turn-around, and Ed is in an even worse state than where he started off.

He's been there, done that, and even trying to reach for an extreme version of Blackbeard just isn't quite cutting it.

Death seems to be the only unexplored avenue left to him. It might not make him happy, but then he was never meant for happiness, was he? He's just not that kind of person. But it can, at least, just make everything stop...

And these scenes could have shown so much of that - the impotence of all the wealth available for Ed's leisure and how spending the day with someone is the better treasure. This kind of treasure later only serves as a sign of Ed's guilt at the atrocities he committed, and it's only useful in helping others throw a big bash or giving other less fortunate kiddies a better chance than he had.

It really wasn't worth all that much to Ed in the end. Just as it wasn't worth all that much to Stede Bonnet either.

The man who sees value in what's thought to be worthless, who discerns fortune in a chest of blue dirt and exquisite detailing in a pile of junk, finds his ultimate treasure.

P.S. The treasure in that scene also possibly serves as reflection of all the 'finery' attributes Ed sees in Stede, the beauty and status he'd once craved presented up in a warm jaunty melody that somehow matches Ed beat for weird beat.

P.P.S. And for the fantastical lovers - Stede's the handsome prince (mer-prince in fact) that helps this beautiful princess escape from the dragon's hoard.

Warning: This post contains implications of suicide, abuse, drug use, and alcohol abuse. These subjects are delicate and complex and I am no expert, so if any information/opinions in this post are evaluated to be erroneous, seem careless, or cause too much controversy, this post will be deleted and apologies given.

Constructive criticism is welcome.

#ofmd #ofmd s2 #self indulgent #our flag means death #stede bonnet #edward teach #gentlebeard #blackbonnet #blackbeard

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ingravinoveritas · 2 years

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People on Twitter saying they’ve never seen anyone more born to play a role than Rhys Darby as Stede Bonnet when Michael Sheen is out here going method and played Aziraphale so hard he fell in love with David Tennant, like...

#i'm just saying #rhys darby #our flag means death #michael sheen #welsh seduction machine #good omens #aziraphale #stede bonnet #the comparisons between GO and OFMD have been driving me crazy for a while #but this is like...come on now #you can't be saying that when there's a whole ass Welshman out here #who can't even tell where Aziraphale ends and he begins #method acting by falling in love with David Tennant #yes #can't wait for the second season #ineffable lovers #discourse

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gydima · 2 years

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I'm so psyched about the renewal as a fan of the show, but I'm THRILLED especially to see more Rhys Darby as Stede Bonnet. GIVE THIS MAN A FUCKING EMMY NOMINATION AT THE LEAST, OK? He WAS 100% born to play this role, no one could do it better. I need the whole world to hear him shout, "MAN FOR SALE! CHECK OUT THIS FABULOUS BOOTY I'M HAWKIN'!"

#ofmd #our flag meets death #rhys darby #stede bonnet #give him a goddamn emmy stg

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phantom-ellie · 2 years

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The Art of (Smashing) Crockery Chapter 2 - Katie Cruel

Summary: Stede visits the Rage Room a second time. Awkwardness ensues.

Click here for CWs/Full Chapter List

Stede Bonnet’s “World’s Okayest Dad” mug is missing.

Sure, it’s a silly mug, probably cost a couple of dollars on Amazon, but it’s the only gift his daughter has ever given him. She favors her mother. Both of his children do. And Stede doesn’t blame them. They aren’t old enough to understand why he spends so much time at work, they don’t understand that he doesn’t like being away from them. He just has to be. That’s his duty, that’s the role he was assigned before they were even born. He tries to be there for them, he does. But still, things are awkward at home. Stede doesn’t really understand why. He goes through the motions, says and does the right things. At least he thinks he does. But there’s some sort of barrier, some disconnect between him and the rest of his family unit. And deep down Stede knows it’s his own fault, because it’s always been that way, with everyone.

So when Alma shyly handed him this stupid mug for Father’s Day this year, he completely ignored the subtle insult of just being just an okay father and smiled his best smile and gave her a hug. And they played pirates, which is the only thing Stede does with his children that causes them to open up and show their true, happiest selves to him. And when Louis accidentally bumped the dining table and knocked the mug to the floor, Stede stopped everything to make sure the mug was whole and intact (it was).

But now he’s at work, and the mug is missing. He didn’t remember leaving it in the breakroom. In fact, he’s avoided the breakroom for weeks now, only going when absolutely necessary. Mugs can be cleaned with antibacterial wipes, anyway. Right?

He sighs and leaves his office for the breakroom, hoping against hope that he’ll be alone in there as he searches for it. He takes in a deep breath as he pushes open the door.

There it is. The mug. Both halves of it, plus some extra dusting of ceramic, on the break room table. He lets out the breath and looks at the woman standing not two feet away from it. She is shorter than Stede, but somehow still looking down on him, smiling.

“Gabby,” Stede says in greeting to Chauncey Badminton’s personal assistant.

“Call me Ms. Travers, please.” Everyone else in the office calls her Gabby, but Stede just nods.

“Ms. Travers… did you… that’s my mug.” Stede walks over and starts to pick up the pieces.

“Oh, is it? Mr. Badminton found it on the floor, I was just about to throw it in the trash.” Stede knows he didn’t just find it, and knows she had instructions not to throw it out until Stede had seen it. He’s used to this process, it’s like a well-oiled machine, or bike chain. Or just a chain.

“Well, I am very grateful that I found it first, I’m sure I can repair it, I’ll just take this back to my office-”

“Mr. Badminton wants to see you in his office, I was just coming to let you know.” Stede feels something in his chest die, just a little.

“I-I’ll be right over then, let me just…” Stede scoops up whatever he can of his mug and returns to his office. Honestly, he shouldn’t bother trying to repair it, he should just purchase an identical one. And possibly a few back-ups just in case. But still, he doesn’t have the heart to throw the pieces away and instead dumps them in the drawer of his desk. He can’t wait to hear what Chauncey wants.

He wipes down his shirt and makes his way towards Chauncey’s office like a prisoner going to his execution.

And that’s another day wasted of Stede Bonnet’s life.

---

The second it happens, Ed feels something in his chest, something resembling fondness. He doesn’t know why, he doesn’t even know this guy’s name. And yet, Ed had spent the better part of the last few days thinking of the rich man crying in the rage room, making up stories in his head to justify his presence, his anger, his sadness.

The man walks in looking a bit sheepish, but asks for another 40 minutes in the rage room. Ed doubts he can suddenly making it the whole duration, but that’s this guy’s business. Also, Ed is tired of calling him Billy, or Tom, or Steve. He really needs to put a name to the face. Ed can’t even sneak a peek at the name on his credit card, because he has been paying in cash.

“Uh, what name should I write down here? On the reservation card. You know-”

“Ah! Sorry.” The man holds out his right hand and gives a solid, businessman shake. “My name is Stede-”

“No shit?” Ed bursts out laughing. “I knew you looked like a Steve!” He immediately regrets his outburst when he sees the odd look on Steve’s face.

“Sorry about that, man, I wasn’t thinking.”

Steve just gives a goofy shrug and waves it off. “Nothing wrong with being a Steve.” He leans in a bit conspiratorially. “I’d have been offended if you’d said I were a Nigel or a Chauncey.”

“Oh, gross. No fuckin’ way, mate. Steve is much better.” Ed writes his name down on the card. Steve it is. Ed had cut him off before he could give a last name, but it doesn’t matter.

“Oh!” Steve lifts up a paper bag that gives the familiar clinking sound of ceramic. “Is it all right with you if I brought a few things of my own to… smash?”

“Yeah of course, more the merrier.”

Steve gives a thumbs up and puts on his protective gear. When he’s finished, he’s escorted to the rage room again, while Ed stocks it with a few more crappy items for Steve to destroy.

This time, it’s easier for Steve to get his bearings and start breaking things. He goes for the baseball bat immediately and starts out on a toilet bowl that is probably stained yellow due to the passage of time (probably). But the baseball bat doesn’t do much to the toilet and Steve ends up needing to grab the sledgehammer again. He doesn’t look like he’s used one a day in his life. He raises it awkwardly over his head and brings it down, and Ed cringes a bit, imagining Steve dropping it on his head. But he gets the hang of it after a few tries.

Ed waits a further ten minutes before he gets the itch to be social, which is rare for him. He usually wants to be fucking ignored. But beneath Steve’s rage and sadness, Ed can see something light and happy. He saw a glimpse of it last time, and is somehow aching to see it again. So he shoots his shot.

“Hey mate?”

Steve looks up at the ceiling again (adorable), panting. “Yeah? Is everything all right?”

“Yes, it’s fine, just wanted to know if you wanted to hear a song or something, you know, for fun.”

“Uh, sure! That sounds great!”

“Any requests?”

“No, I trust you, I’m sure you know what you’re doing.”

That’s just what Ed was hoping to hear.

“Bet you’ve never heard of this one, my friend.” Ed starts Le Bien qui Fait Mal from Mozart Rock Opera, but as the violins start, Steve just smiles and shakes his head.

“I think I have, mate.”

“No shit!”

Steve reaches into his plastic bag and begins setting up what he’s brought. It’s a collection of mugs, six or seven of them. Ed can’t completely read what’s on them, but there seems to be some text that says, “World’s Greatest Dad” or somesuch (he has kids?) and a bunch of other mugs with logos from no doubt fancy and prestigious universities and corporations.

Steve lifts up the baseball bat to smash, but seems to think better of it. He puts down the bat, grabs a mug, and hurls it full-force at the wall. It shatters into a dozen pieces, but all Ed can look at is Steve’s strong upper arm.

Oh yeah, he definitely played baseball, Ed thinks, licking his lips. Then he realizes he’s being a perv. Then he remembers that he doesn’t really care. He sits back and watches the show, occasionally listening in on the headphones.

“You’re gonna smash my fucking mug and then invite me to dinner, is that it? You… you… wanker. How do you like your mugs now, huh?”

It takes Steve until the 30 minute mark before he begins crying this time. He sits against the wall for the second time, twirling pieces of smashed ceramic in his hand. Ed decides to leave him be. Maybe this is part of it for Steve, maybe he needs this. Ed isn’t going to judge, and he hopes Steve knows this. He hopes Steve keeps coming back to cry in a small enclosed space where only Ed can be there for him.

Wait, there Ed goes being creepy again.

When Steve is finished removing his safety gear, he leaves, but not without looking Ed in the eye this time and giving a weak smile.

---

Excerpt from the blog Hear Something Weird:

Hi all! Ready to hear something weird?

Bit of a depresser today, sorry my tiny-yet-efficient HSW fam. Take care of yourselves.

When I first came to town, They bought me drinks of plenty. Now they change their tune, And hand me the bottles empty.

The purpose of folk music is to tell the story of a culture, a society, a community. Sometimes these songs celebrate the joy of family and friendship, sharing drinks together and holding hands and telling someone what they mean to you. This isn’t that kind of song. If you don’t have that kind of community, but long for it, Karen Dalton shares your pain with the American folk song Katie Cruel.

If I was where I would be, Then I’d be where I am not. Here I am where I must be, Where I would be I cannot.

Dalton had a harsh, passionate voice that reminds me of Billie Holiday or Janis Joplin. She lived a hard life. I think this kind of folk resonates with a lot more people than we think it does. We have dreams, we have hopes. We see something in our future, something we know must be there. But maybe it doesn’t happen. Maybe it’s bad luck. Maybe you’re a coward and don’t seize the opportunities when they arrive. Or maybe you take the wrong opportunities all together. I’d like to think that for those of us who feel that way, there’s a chance for something better for us. A chance to leave where we are and enter a new town, find a new family where the drinks will be aplenty forever.

That didn’t happen for Dalton, though. She died homeless and alone, addicted and impoverished. But her voice lives on, her story continues every time you hear her music. And that’s a bit beautiful, isn’t it? Maybe we all can do a bit better. For Karen Dalton. I know I try every day.

Comments: Be the first to leave a comment.

Chapter 3: My Secret Friend

#ofmd fanfic #our flag means death fanfic #modern alternate universe #ofmd modern au #stede x ed #blackbonnet #gentlebeard #cross posted on ao3 #ellie aosc #ellie modern au

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not-wholly-unheroic · 2 years

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Will the Real Captain Hook Please Stand Up?

An Examination of the Historical Figures Who Inspired One of Literature’s Most Enduring Villains

Illustration of Captain Hook and Peter Pan by F.D. Bedford featured in the First Edition of the Novel

Recently, I stumbled upon a post that has been going around that made a rather intriguing connection between Peter Pan’s Captain Hook and Treasure Island’s Israel Hands. The author makes the claim that Hook, who was said to be Blackbeard’s bosun and the only man Barbecue feared, may, in fact, be Israel Hands reborn under a new name. Per the original post:

“Barbecue” is Long John Silver from Treasure Island. Jas. is short for James, but in “Captain Hook at Eton,” he's also called Jacobus. The biblical figure Jacob was renamed Israel.

Blackbeard’s historical boatswain, and also a character in Treasure Island, was Israel Hands.

I’m just saying, if I got a hand chopped off and my last name was Hands... I might want to change it.

It’s a postulation I had never heard put forth and a tantalizing one at that. However, while it is well-known that Barrie greatly respected and exchanged letters with Robert Louis Stevenson, on closer examination, the theory doesn’t appear to hold up. Stevenson’s fictional version of Hands is an ill-spoken, uneducated drunkard—a far cry from the elegant Etonian that is James Hook, even if he had somehow managed to survive a gunshot wound (and apparent subsequent drowning) at the end of Stevenson’s narrative. As for the historical Israel Hands, he was not Blackbeard’s bosun at the time of the infamous pirate’s capture—that title belonged to Garrat Gibbens—but did play a vital role in Teach’s fleet and was made captain of The Adventure after Blackbeard deposed the former captain, David Herriot, and forced him to join the crew. Little else is known about Hands except that he was permanently disabled by a gunshot wound to the leg (from Blackbeard himself) and as a result, was not present at the final showdown off the coast of North Carolina that cost the infamous pirate his life. Instead, Hands was offered a pardon and probably lived out the remainder of his days as a beggar on the streets of London.

So, if Hands wasn’t the primary inspiration for Hook, who else might we consider in our search for the man behind the myth? There has been much speculation over the years by both Barrie scholars and casual fans, and though we will likely never definitively pin down one single historical figure as the inspiration for James Hook, there are several possible contenders. Here, I will examine the five I consider most plausible.

1. Stede Bonnet, “The Gentleman Pirate”

If Barrie knew of Blackbeard and Israel Hands, it is likely that he also knew of Stede Bonnet. Most of what we know about Blackbeard, Bonnet, and their contemporaries comes from the 1724 work A General History of the Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson (likely a pen name).

Stede Bonnet was born to English parents on the island of Barbados and grew up with a pretty standard, normal life for a gentleman of the time, though he did suffer the loss of both parents and a guardian at a fairly young age. He was a wealthy landowner who wore stylish clothes, had a liberal education, and even served as a major in the British army at one point. Life was good. Then, one day, seemingly out of the blue, he decided to turn pirate. Some speculate that he had a sort of mental break—possibly related to the loss of a child—while others think he just got bored of domestic life with his wife and had what we might call today a “midlife crisis.” Whatever the case may be, Bonnet ended up purchasing a vessel which he named the Revenge and hiring on a crew. The only problem was…he knew absolutely nothing about sailing. It didn’t take long for the crew to figure this out and become rather discontent with their choice of captain. Bonnet, aware of his limits, decided to partner up with Blackbeard when the opportunity arose, but Blackbeard quickly became frustrated with Bonnet’s ineptitude and more or less ended up holding him hostage on his personal ship and placing one of his own men in charge of the Revenge. Bonnet was treated well on Blackbeard’s ship but didn’t do much actual pirating while aboard. According to one Captain Codd who was attacked by Blackbeard’s fleet, Bonnet “walks about in his morning gown, and then to his books, of which he has a good library on board.” He was prone to bouts of melancholy during this time and was known to have expressed regret at turning pirate. When he was eventually offered a pardon and allowed to work as a legalized privateer, Bonnet changed his own name to Captain Thomas and renamed his ship the Royal James. (Bonnet may have been a Jacobite, as many pirates were—more on the Jacobites later.) However, his new attitude about piracy didn’t last long and he eventually ended up back in his old ways. Bonnet was eventually captured by the authorities off the coast of North Carolina after a fight in which he had threatened to blow up his entire ship rather than surrender…but the crew overruled him and raised the white flag. Bonnet was hanged for his crimes in Charleston, South Carolina, in December of 1718.

2. Christopher Newport

Christopher Newport was an English privateer during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I who worked alongside men like Sir Francis Drake during the Anglo-Spanish War. It was said that he led more attacks against the Spanish than any other English privateer. In one battle off the coast of Cuba, Newport lost his right hand and later replaced it with a hook. Newport brought back countless treasures and curiosities from the Caribbean, including a pair of baby crocodiles which he presented to King James I in 1605. A few years later, Newport would go on to captain the Susan Constant—the largest of the ships owned by the Virginia Company—and helped establish Jamestown in 1607 along with John Smith and others.

3. Charles II’s Illegitimate Son or Nephew

In Barrie’s novel, Hook is said to have borne a striking resemblance to Charles II. Add to that the fact that Hook was educated at Eton (a boys’ school often attended by the social elite, including royalty) and that Barrie notes, “to reveal who he truly was would even at this date set the country in a blaze,” and it’s possible to conclude that Hook may have, in fact, been a member of the royal Stuart family. What gives this theory even more credence is the fact that Hook tells the Darlings that if they join his crew, “You would have to swear, ‘Down with King George.’” This is particularly interesting because of the potential double meaning: Hook could be either referring to King George V of the Darlings’ time period or King George I of the House of Hanover who ruled during the early 1700s (the time of Blackbeard and the height of the Golden Age of Piracy) and took over the throne from the Stuart line due to some Catholic/Protestant controversy. There were multiple James’ in the Stuart line, so hang tight and pay close attention because it’s about to get confusing. There are two relatives of King Charles II, in particular, who I think might make good candidates for Hook.

James Scott, Duke of Monmouth

When Charles II was still a teenager, he and one of his mistresses named Lucy Walter had a son. James was born in the Netherlands in 1649 and closely resembled Barrie’s Hook in both appearance and personality, though his education was a bit spotty compared to that of other noblemen. He was a military officer who was known to be vain and violent-tempered. Once, he ran a man through for a minor insult but his ties to the royal family got him pardoned. Charles had no legitimate children and as his oldest son, James was brought up to believe that he should be the rightful heir to the throne. “Better for Hook, perhaps, if he had had less ambition.” Better, too, for James Scott if he had been less ambitious. James, a Protestant, led an unsuccessful attempt to take over the throne from his Catholic uncle (also named James) in 1685 and was ultimately beheaded for it. It was a gruesomely memorable affair; the executioner did a botched job, and it took several whacks for James’ head to finally come off.

James Francis Edward Stuart, “The Old Pretender”

The other James who might make a good candidate for Hook is James Francis Edward Stuart, cousin to James Scott and son of King James II (who had James Scott beheaded) by his second wife. James Stuart, a staunch Catholic, had two Protestant half-sisters, Mary and Anne. Mary, along with her husband, William of Orange, first took the throne from James II. When they both died without producing an heir, Anne was considered the next in line. Anne, too, died childless and when she passed, the throne went to her second cousin and closest Protestant relative, George of the House of Hanover. James Stuart hated George for taking what he felt was rightfully his place as king and was quoted as saying of George, “we have beheld a foreign family, aliens to our country, distant in blood, and strangers even to our language, ascend the throne.” He led an uprising known as the Jacobite Rebellion in 1715 in an attempt to gain control of the monarchy but was unsuccessful. Ultimately, this James lived out his days in exile in Rome, prone to fits of melancholy and eventually passing away in his 70s from a “lingering illness.”

4. J.M. Barrie

While all authors inevitably put a bit of themselves into their characters, it is unusual for a writer to give a main character his own first name. And James Barrie was, in many ways, like his character James Hook. When Barrie was still a young boy, his older brother David was fatally injured in an ice-skating incident right before his 14th birthday. The boys’ mother was said to have made a comment about how David would remain a little boy forever, now—always frozen in her memory at age 13. Barrie’s mother adored David, and his loss hit her extremely hard. She became more or less bedridden from her deep depression, and the only thing Barrie could do that seemed to make her happy was to dress up in his older brother’s clothes and pretend to be David instead of James. James was not enough, it seemed. It’s likely Barrie held both some reverential awe and some resentment for this perfect eternal youth of a brother, not unlike Hook’s feelings toward Pan. Much later on in his life, when acting out stories with the Llewelyn-Davies boys that would become the inspiration for Peter Pan, Barrie would occasionally take on the role of the pirate, “Captain Swarthy,” a sort of precursor to Hook. Barrie even shared in Hook’s disability. Though he still had both hands, Barrie frequently suffered from severe writers’ cramp and had to learn to write with his left hand when his right hand troubled him too much. Indeed, his play Mary Rose was written entirely in his non-dominant hand.

5. Headmaster Wilkinson

This name won’t likely be readily familiar to most people, but Headmaster Wilkinson (sometimes given the derogatory nickname “Milky” by his students) is one of the few people we can definitively say influenced Barrie in his creation of Hook. Mr. Wilkinson ran a boys’ preparatory school in Orme Square near Kensington Gardens that George Llewelyn-Davies attended. He was a strict man described as having a long, pointed nose and golden mustache and who didn’t seem to care much for children. He often referred to his students as “blithering little fools.” Wilkinson first shows up as Pilkington in Barrie’s precursor to Peter Pan, The Little White Bird.

He may be conceived as one who, baiting his hook with real knickerbockers, fishes all day in the Gardens, which are to him but a pool swarming with small fry.

Abhorred shade! I know not what manner of man thou art in the flesh, sir, but figure thee bearded and blackavised, and of a lean tortuous habit of body, that moves ever with a swish. Every morning, I swear, thou readest avidly the list of male births in thy paper, and then are thy hands rubbed gloatingly the one upon the other. ‘Tis fear of thee and thy gown and thy cane, which are part of thee, that makes the fairies to hide by day; wert thou to linger but once among their haunts between the hours of Lock-out and Open Gates there would be left not one single gentle place in all the Gardens. The little people would flit. How much wiser they than the small boys who swim glamoured to thy crafty hook. Thou devastator of the Gardens, I know thee, Pilkington.

The similarities to Barrie’s later character of Hook are uncanny, particularly when one considers Barrie’s early draft of the play with alternate ending in which Hook survives the initial crocodile attack and returns to England in the guise of a schoolmaster.

Conclusions

J.M. Barrie’s notorious pirate character, Captain James Hook, though likely not based upon one single historical figure, can have his origins traced back to many real men. From actual pirates and privateers to British royalty to J.M. Barrie himself and a haughty schoolmaster he knew, Hook is a complex villain composed of sometimes seemingly disparate parts of complex men. This grounding in reality allows us to peel back the layers of lace and brocade to reveal the very human heart of James Hook.

———————

For more information on some of the historical figures mentioned, I recommend checking out the following books:

A General History of the Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson

Why We Love Pirates by Rebecca Simon

Pirates of the Southern Coast by Sandra MacLean Clunies and Bruce Roberts

Captain Christopher Newport: Admiral of Virginia by A. Bryant Nichols Jr.

The Royal Stuarts by Allan Massie

J.M. Barrie and the Lost Boys by Andrew Birkin

#Captain Hook #captain james hook #james hook #jm barrie #Peter pan #stede bonnet #Blackbeard #christopher newport #charles ii #Stuart family #the stuarts #British royalty #James Scott #james stuart #the old pretender #history #literature #pirates #pirate history

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In Game:

Stede Bonnet, often referred to as “The Gentleman Pirate” due in part to the fact that he was a moderately wealthy landowner prior to turning to piracy, owning a profitable sugar plantation in Barbados, was an early 18th century Barbadian pirate of English descent who sailed the Eastern Seaboard of the Thirteen Colonies with his crew.

He was a rather likeable associate of several well-known pirates based in the Caribbean, including Edward Kenway, Edward Thatch, Benjamin Hornigold, and Mary Read.

In 1715, Stede's schooner, the Revenge, was waylaid by a Royal Navy warship off the coast of Cape Bonavista, Cuba. The British suspected Stede of being involved in a nearby battle between a pirate warship and a passing vessel.

Despite denying this profusely, the British refused to accept his turn of events, intending to commandeer his vessel and marooning him. He was saved by the timely intervention of Edward Kenway, a pirate who had been involved in the engagement, and shortly beforehand assumed the identity of Duncan Walpole, an Assassin whom Edward had been forced to kill. Having saved Stede's life, the pirate offered to pilot Revenge to Havana, where both of them had business. On arriving in Havana, Stede and Edward headed into the city, eventually ending up in a tavern, where Edward was recognized by a privateer, who knew of Kenway being a pirate. The two engaged in a fight after Edward's attempt to silence him, drawing the attention of some nearby Spanish guards. Stede was mistaken for Kenway's accomplice and severely beaten by the guards, having his sugar confiscated in the process.

After Edward’s return, he agreed to retrieve Bonnet's cargo at the same time as his own effects, but could not fulfill on his promise. Fortunately however, Stede was still able to make a profit with his remaining inventory, and Kenway then confessed his real first name to Bonnet, which he excitedly called out to the pirate when he was meeting with a couple of Templars.

Near the end of 1717, Stede bid his wife and children farewell, sailing north from Barbados, never to see them again, apparently having grown tired of a life of comfort. He sailed to Nassau where he met Edward Thatch. Blackbeard mentored Stede for a time on board the Queen Anne's Revenge, where Bonnet reunited with his old friend Edward Kenway, while searching for medicines for Nassau in the old ship wrecks. There, he became a victim of Thatch's fear tactics, which frightened him speechless.

Later on, Thatch and his crew started a battle with a British Man O' War, and were eventually assisted by Kenway. After the battle, Thatch allowed Bonnet to leave his service, returning him the Revenge. Meeting Kenway for the final time, Bonnet bade Edward farewell, thanking him for their friendship, which he stated was "more precious than any treasure".

In Real Life:

Stede Bonnet, also known as the Gentleman Pirate was born in 1688 to Edward and Sarah Bonnet, who owned an estate of over 400 acres (1.6 km2) southeast of Bridgetown, which was given to Bonnet upon his father's death in 1694. He married Mary Allamby in Bridgetown on November 21st, 1709.They had three sons (Allamby, Edward, and Stede) and a daughter, Mary. Allamby died before 1715, while the other children survived to see their father abandon them for piracy.

During the spring of 1717, Stede Bonnet decided to become a pirate, despite having no knowledge of shipboard life; some theorize that this may have been his “midlife crisis” or he decided to leave after the death of one of his sons. Regardless, he commissioned a local shipyard to build him a small ship called the Revenge. This was unusual, as most pirates seized their ships by mutiny or boarding, or conversion of a privateer vessel to a pirate ship. Bonnet enlisted a crew of more than seventy men. He relied on his quartermaster and officer for their knowledge of sailing, and as a result, he was not highly respected by his crew. On the other hand, he did pay his crew a wage, rather than shares of plunder. Bonnet is alleged to have been one of the few pirates to make his prisoners walk the plank.

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Bonnet met Captain Benjamin Hornigold and Edward Teach for the first time in 1717; Teach, better known as Blackbeard, played a large role in the remainder of Bonnet's life. Bonnet temporarily gave command of the Revenge to Blackbeard, as he had been injured in a ship battle on the way to Nassau, but remained aboard as a guest of the more experienced pirate captain. Blackbeard and Bonnet weighed anchor and sailed northward to Delaware Bay, where they plundered a total of eleven ships. It was with Bonnet’s ship that Blackbeard was able to capture the Concorde, which was shortly thereafter renamed The Queen Anne’s Revenge.

Bonnet did not exercise command again until the summer of 1718. Shortly after he resumed command, a bumboat's crew told him that Blackbeard was moored in Ocracoke Inlet. Bonnet set sail at once to hunt down his treacherous ex-confederate, but could not find him, and Bonnet never met Blackbeard again.

In September of 1718, Bonnet took part in the Battle of Cape Fear River. During the end of the Golden Age of Piracy, the Royal Navy was constantly in campaign against pirates in the Caribbean and off North America. At this point in time, Bonnet had been sailing from the Delaware Bay to the Cape Fear River. He was commanding his sloop-of-war flagship Royal James and two other armed sloops, Francis and Fortune. Royal James was a former flagship of Blackbeard which was armed with eight cannons. The other two sloops were similarly armed. All together, there were about 46 pirates. Royal James needed to be careened and the hurricane season was soon to come so Bonnet chose the Cape Fear estuary as a reliable shelter against storms. For the next few weeks, Bonnet's crew repaired the Royal James with material salvaged from a captured shallop.

Reports of Bonnet's sloops in the Cape Fear River reached Governor Robert Johnson of South Carolina in August. Johnson ordered Colonel William Rhett to command an operation to destroy the threat.

After a brief battle, the South Carolinians suffered twelve killed and eighteen wounded, while the pirates sustained twelve casualties and all the survivors were captured. Bonnet was taken to Charleston, arriving on October 3rd to await trial on charges of piracy.

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Bonnet was separated from the majority of his crew and held for almost a month at the home of a Charleston provost marshal. With him was his boatswain (Ignatius Pell) and the sailing master (David Herriott), all of whom escaped with the help of two slaves and a Native American and possibly local merchant Richard Tookerman. Governor Robert Johnson immediately ordered a £700 bounty to be awarded to any man who could kill or capture the pirates. Herriott was shot and killed on Sullivan Island a few days later and Bonnet, the gentleman pirate, was soon recaptured after a skirmish on Sullivan's Island and hanged on December 10th, 1718 at the White Point Garden, Charles Town.

After his execution, Stede Bonnet has made several apperances in various pop culture products, including Tim Powers’ novel “On Stranger Tides” (the fictional John Chandagnac's quest to reclaim his inheritance and rescue an Englishwoman) and “Kate Bonnet: The Romance of a Pirate's Daughter,” by 19th century author Frank Stockton (a satirical novel relating the adventures of a fictional daughter of Bonnet named Kate). Bonnet also appears in the 2004 video game, “Sid Meier’s Pirates.”

Sources:

http://www.thewayofthepirates.com/famous-pirates/stede-bonnet/

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-gentleman-pirate-159418520/

http://www.goldenageofpiracy.org/infamous-pirates/stede-bonnet.php

http://www.scnhc.org/story/stede-bonnet-gentleman-pirate

https://www.amazon.com/Pirates-Privateers-Rebel-Raiders-Carolina/dp/0807848638

#Assassin's Creed #AC 4 #People

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