Marooned

This painting is titled Marooned, it is the work of Howard Pyle, whom I blogged about here. He popularized the rather romanticized image we have of pirates. A character being marooned in a desert island was a common trope in adventure fiction, especially pirate fiction. I am uploading this image here because even though such dramatic event does not happen to common people in our day and age, the state and the painting does echo strongly in our psyche. Once does feel marooned when he longs for holidays, for instance. Which I will have this summer, but not just yet, so sometimes I feel very much like this pirate.

I uploaded it for another reason: my interest for piracy is rekindled every summer. I used to have pirates make belief games as a child, great fun. This year I am going on holiday in Devon, so very close to the sea. I already chose what I would read for my stay, but I might bring another book in case I finish this one and I was pondering about bringing something set by the sea, or in the sea and featuring some sort of pirates. Treasure Island starts not too far from Devon, but I already read it. Which makes me think: I have no idea what book I would bring with me on a desert island. Too many to choose.

Who Shall be Captain?

This image is titled Who Shall be Captain? and it was drawn by Howard Pyle.I have discovered reading this book that the artist popularized the image of pirates in fiction and in popular culture. I don't think I ever was aware of his work in the past. I have decided this summer to learn more about real historical piracy. That said, I can't help but be drawn by the fiction, the rich imagery Pyle created. I love the drama in this picture, how the settings and the characters enhance it. We are witnessing a fight to the death, but it is in fact a combat for power. The treasure chest, on the bottom left, is not the focus of the conflict. These two men are ready to risk their life in order to become leaders of a bunch of cutthroats who would betray them at the nearest opportunity, if ever the new captain, whoever he is, shows any sign of weakness. It might be melodramatic and the characters are of course stereotypes, the scope is nevertheless epic.

Learning about piracy

I have borrowed from the local library Pirates: Predators of the Sea. I have mentioned the book on this post, without naming it. As I often say, we can find so many treasures in local libraries. This is how I prefer to find books: not always looking for them, but stumbling upon them on a bookshelf. I had wanted to learn more about historical piracy for a long while. I am not very far ahead in the book, but I have already learned a few things: that the artist Howard Pyle popularized the traditional image of the pirate, that flibustier is the root of the English word filibuster, that buccaneers, from the French boucaniers, were named because they smoked their meat over a buccan, i.e. a barbecue. In Québec, the word boucane means smoke. I used to think the buccaneers were named after the smoke of their canons. I was obviously wrong. Anyway, the book is a great source of information for anyone who wants to know the truth behind the Hollywood fantasy.