Journal of the Caribbean Kangaroo

Continued from Pt. 2 - "Dead Man's Quest"...

I would certainly go on to write a full-blown analysis of the mythological cycle in "Pirates of the Caribbean", but for the fact that I want to provoke your attention, not dissuade it. I will add that I'm writing this on Memorial Day weekend, 2007, which marks the 30th anniversary of the premiere of Star Wars, a story which, in essence, illustrates the Hero's cycle perfectly. I think there are a lot of parallels between the "Pirates" trilogy and the "Star Wars" cycle. I intend this as a compliment, not as insulting factoid--I'm sure most people cannot deny the similarities, but I attempt to explain that that is not unintentional. Not that the makers of "Pirates" set out to imitate "Star Wars", but that they fell upon the common storytelling devices which have been employed throughout centuries of storytelling. If you feel like there are no fresh ideas in storytelling...well, you're partially right...

In the first part of this, I'm going to discuss Death and Life in "Pirates" here, so once again, fair warning to go see the third movie--now. I'll still be here when you get back. Ok?

Ok. Death is everywhere in "Pirates". There's no doubt or disguise about that, from zombies to lost souls, to World's End--each movie is brimming with Death. Cheery stuff.

Death is crucial to every hero's journey. Every hero experiences death and rebirth. Sometimes it's a figurative death, and sometimes it's a literal one. Think about every sports movie you've seen--there's always a point, usually in the first part of the last half of the movie, where the player/coach/team experiences some great loss, some major event that seems virtually unrecoverable. Trust is lost, hope has failed, no one can go on...or so it seems.

This is necessary, not the least of which is because a unchallenged rise to victory is boring. At least from a storytelling point of view. An unchallenged rise to victory is not the story of a hero, but of a tyrant. The hero must overcome not just physical conflict, but metaphysical conflict!

In "Curse of the Black Pearl", we accept that the crew of the Pearl are, for most purposes, dead. They're animated corpses. Barbossa's anti-hero path takes this into account, for by the end of "Curse", he is returned to life. (Briefly, albeit.) This passage from life to living-death back to life and then true-death once again is quite crucial to the idea that Barbossa is on his own Hero's Journey.

Jack, on the other hand, cheats a bit.... Jack accepts Death as a means to challenge Barbossa on equal footing. Of course he is quite willing to return to "life" once he's defeated Barbossa. Even Jack's entrance, bursting forth from a cast-away casket at the beginning of the second film (which foreshadows the ending of the second film) once again illustrates quite visibly Jack's ability to cheat death repeatedly. (Conversely, this is once again another birth metaphor, as Jack has been cast away in a wooden "womb", bursting forth with a flourish of the Pirates' triumphant theme, and taking out a raven (another harbinger of death), for good measure. However, having him face True Death at the end of "Chest" truly signifies his Heroic Death. Much like Han Solo at the end of "The Empire Strikes Back", his "death" is unresolved by the end, though everyone is determined that they can rectify this.

Will's "death" is somewhat subjugated to the actions of Jack. Will's is the greater arc, as we've seen him go from blacksmith's apprentice to "mighty pirate". Will has moments of delay and doubt, which are considered, for the purposes of self-contained movies, his symbolic "deaths". Having him emerge from Sao Feng's "tub o' torture" in Shanghai is a symbolic re-birth, from a death that never actually occured, unless you consider (and you are certainly invited to do so) the break between films as a "death" between chapters. His more imminent future, however, contains a larger "destiny", as Tia Dalma foretells. Will and Elizabeth's own intertwining fates parallel that of Davy Jones and Calypso, and is potentially ill-fated if not for the ever-intervening hand of Jack Sparrow, eager himself for immortality.

A moment, here, to consider the fate of Norrington. Norrington himself is faced with death, both symbolic and literal. His first death, symbolic in his off-screen fall from grace in the events between "Curse" and "Chest". The opportunity is presented to him to re-establish himself among "the living", in presenting Beckett with the heart of Davy Jones. When confronted by Elizabeth (whose presence, more than once, acts as a purifier of other characters), he reconsider his false "life", opting for a defiant and truly heroic death.

Death is the end of the cycle, but the beginning of the cycle anew. The place where this happens, on the Campbellian model is known as the "Omphalos" - the World-Navel. Very appropriate is the idea that the climactic battle occurs in a massive maelstrom, which, very symobolically, is a navel. (Or a naval navel, if you want to get all homophony about it....) Here is where the journeys of Davy Jones and Will Turner are going to finally intersect, and with the defeat/death of Davy Jones, Will is going to be reborn. The two have now filled the same role, the Captain of the Flying Dutchman now Davy Jones must yield to the new Captain as destiny foretells. (There is an old story about a gaunt man who is force to row back and forth across a lake/river for all eternity, until one day a hero tells the ferryman to offer his oar to the next man who comes to cross, and when that man takes it up, he will become the next ferryman...more than once in "Pirates", I was reminded of this old faerie tale...)

Jack has come full cycle, being once more stranded, captaining a very small ship, once again, in search of the eternal life that he surrendered to Will.

(Barbossa has come full cycle, being the one who stranded Jack....)

Elizabeth has come full cycle, as we learn at the end of "At World's End", when her passion yields to a new life, one singing, as she did at the same age "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me..."

The "Pirates of the Caribbean" story arc has a bittersweet ending. It's romantic and in some ways tragic, and there are no easy happy endings...(Pirate, after all.) But it ends well, and it begins anew like any good mythological tale should. Could it stand a fourth chapter? Of course...Jack has farther to go in his own story. Much farther if he ever finds that Aqua de Vita...

Hope you've enjoyed this. Finding mythological value in stories is one of my passions, and I've tried to keep things relatively brief and readable, but with so much to work with, I'm only too happy to lose myself picking apart elements again and again. Let me know what you think, I may take on "Harry Potter" next....

--Steve.

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: "At World's End" - Hans Zimmer

Are there any heroes left? If you know me then you know my answer is yes. Heroes, whether heroic or not, are first and foremost defined by their journeys, in my assessment, and there are many paths to tread...

I apologize if I seem to lean too much upon the Campbellian model for hero-analysis, though I feel that some people do not lean enough upon it....at least not with their own knowledge.

The Hero's Quest is, in most instances, cyclical. Death is not an ending, but a passage to rebirth. The hero's journey goes something like this:

BIRTH/DEATH

In "Curse of the Black Pearl" , there are four separate births. Bear with my symbolic analysis..

1. Elizabeth - She is the first image on screen, emerging from the fog. This is her "birth".
2. Will - He is pulled from the water, (by a female--Freudian analysis aside for the moment) - He has no full memory prior to that, so this is his own "birth".
3. Jack - Jack is the first fully formed character to step from the ocean onto land. As one vessel (ships are usually designated female) gives him up, he emerges onto land, wobbly and self-serving, taking whatever shiny things appeal to him.
4. Barbossa (The Pearl crew) - When Elizabeth plunges into the water, the coin/amulet summons the arrival of the Pearl, captained by Barbossa. In as much as the amulet is borne by a female, (who plucked it from a male), it has become something of an egg to be hatched, though it is also much like a Pandora's box, as little is known of what will emerge from that egg....(The skull on the coin might be a hint, though.)

As stated in Part 1 of my analysis (go read it!), the three leads, Elizabeth, Will, and Jack, are already thought to be the forces on the side of (mostly) good. The curious addition here is Barbossa. Barbossa is an anti-hero, here, as his own journey through the cycle will be made apparent.

Another character I would add here is Norrington. Norrington's own journey is somewhat obscured by the narrative, but his own heroic worth is not invisible here. He is, as the story begins, already the hero in the middle of his journey, though as he is staged as an antagonist to Will (as a romantic rival for Elizabeth) and to Jack (as a executioner of pirates), he is established as an enemy. His fate will be made clearer through the passage of events...

CALL TO ADVENTURE/REFUSAL:

When the heroic character in question finally realizes that they have been set upon a chain reaction of events that will lead them to the next stages of the Journey (inevitably, battle and death), they are, of course, either reluctant, or refused outright.

With Elizabeth, it seems that her refusal is somewhat unwitting, as her imminent engagement to Norrington is pre-empted by an uncooperative corset. When Elizabeth is captured by Pirates, Will (already established as a competent-if-unwily swordsman) is eager to set upon his next step, though is refused by Norrington as being nothing more than a blacksmith's apprentice. Jack, of course, is thrown in prison as soon as possible. Barbossa's own refusal is (as an anti-hero) actually one of personal gain, managing to invert the denial upon Elizabeth, twisting her bargain upon her.

CROSSING THE THRESHOLD/THE TRIALS

This is very often a series of symbolic clashes and challenges, usually referred to as "Brother-Battle", "Dragon-Battle", "Dismemberment", "Crucifixion", "Night Sea Journey", "Whale's Belly" and "Hell's Gate".... All of these are in some way dealt with throughout the "Pirates" story arc...

The "Brother-Battle" - interpreted here as a battle of nigh-equals, or at least those on similar sides. The clashes between Will and Jack can be seen as a Battle of Brothers, as they both work towards stopping Barbossa in the first film. Likewise, the battle of Jack and Barbossa can also be interpreted as a battle of "Brothers", as they are both of similar origins and similar natures, particularly when Jack's deviousness enables him to temporarily become one of the undead.

The "Dragon-Battle" seems more literally reserved for the second film, in that the Kraken represents the Dragon, the epic beast, which even if defeated, will undoubtedly take a piece of the hero with him or her. The battle between the pearl and Norrigton's ship in "Curse" is a form of Dragon-Battle, as the naval vessel out matches the Pearl in firepower, though not in speed.

"Dismemberment" is slightly more vague, here, if not surpassed for the most part. Pintel's eye, for example, can be seen as a form of Dismemberment, as after all, he is on his own mini-arc. Davy Jones' cutting out of his own heart is included in this. He is a Tragic Figure, whose own journey fails the heroic loftiness of Jack, Will, and Elizabeth, though echoes and foreshadows it, as well.
(It's worth while to note that "Dismemberment" can be something more symbolic, and does not literally include disfigurement, but can be an emotional crippling in some way, as well.) Elizabeth's denial of her anticipated wedding, being imprisoned, and then forced to disguise herself as a man is a form of emotional dismemberment, as is Barbossa's loss of sensation via the Aztec gold. Like Norrington's (off-screen) fall from military grace, "Dismemberment" is foremost a punishment, and in "Dead Man's Chest", Jack's black-mark on his hand is a form of dismemberment, when he is forced to "stick to the shallows" to avoid the Kraken.

"Crucifixion" - If to illustrate no better example, I point to Jack's being made Chief--as even though he has reached deity status, albeit to cannibals, they still intent to strap him to a stick and roast him. Other less obvious examples include the flogging of Will at the hands of his own father, and least likely, Elizabeth's Wedding-Dress puppet as a disembodied Crucifixion, of sorts, which is employed cleverly as a motivational device.

"Night Sea Journey" - Too obvious. Moving on.

"Whale's Belly" - Just because a whale is a creature does not mean that the "whale" here is literally a creature. The implication is that the hero has temporarily been unwillingly engulfed by something unquestionably dangerous, and will likely at some point, be "spit out", (like the biblical Jonah and the Leviathan, or the more current Millennium Falcon and the Death Star.)

When Elizabeth is captured by the crew of the Black Pearl, she is later "spit back out", stranded upon the island with Jack. Later, it is Jack's turn to be engulfed by the Royal Navy, to escape in a post-climactic turn of events. Will is likewise taken in by the Flying Dutchman, very much like a living creature itself, even going as far as to hide in it's "mouth" beneath the bow of the ship.

"Hell's Gate" - I think we'll call this what it is--the underworld entrance to "World's End"--literally, the edge of living existence. Elizabeth, Will, and Barbossa all go through it to fetch Jack, who is already experiencing something of his own personal hell (or heaven?) on the other side. The passage through the Entrance always comes at a price, though, and no hero passes through unchanged permanently. Will's own fate is foreshadowed, and Jack's passage has left him with doppleganger demons that will likely "torment" him endlessly during moments of quiet reflection. Elizabeth sees her father on the other side, and is motivated to anger and vengeance for the untimely passage. (Barbossa seems relatively unaffected...it's already evident that death has rejected him twice now, and being a man with no soul, is clearly undisturbed at the journey. Still worth noting, though, in his role as anti-hero.)


I've dragged this on quite long enough for the moment...more to follow in part 3...

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: "At World's End" - Hans Zimmer

Not attempting to spoil anything for any rare person who may actually read this, I offer fair warning that this may very likely contain key plot elements, crucial to the story, for those who have not yet seen "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"....I'm not attempting to ruin it for anyone--quite the contrary, I intend to offer some analysis as I am processing the overall story arc...so, once you have seen it, please return and read this!

Ok...Not that I have anything useful or even helpful to offer the fleet of critics who claim that "Pirates of the Caribbean" is "unintelligible", "muddled", or any other number of quagmiresque adjectives. I have to say, I found it a little boggling myself at times, but trying to be mythologically analytical of stories, I can at least apply some of what I know/have learned towards the "Pirates" trilogy, herein. Perhaps you fans will appreciate more.

First, a simplified preface (as I understand it)

Many years ago, Davy Jones fell in love with Calypso, a demi-goddess, and through some agreement, became Captain of the Flying Dutchman, a vessel that bore the souls of those lost at sea to the Realm of the Dead. (Somewhat like Charon of Greek mythology, though on a larger scale.) The binding of Jones to the Dutchman stipulated that only once every 10 years would he be able to touch soil. Jones returned 10 years later, but she had moved on, and Jones was literally heartbroken. Angered to demonic proportions, Jones betrayed the secret of Calypso to nine esteemed pirates, later known as "Pirate Lords" from around the globe, who bound Calypso to human form.

The Nine Pirate lords were each bestowed with a token, which would remain an essential element of any attempt to restore Calypso to her true form. This token is commonly (and somewhat ironically) referred to as a "piece of eight". This token was handed down from each Lord to their sucessors through the years, and was a secret mark of distinction amongst those who followed the Code.

Davy Jones continued to sail the Dutchman, but so tortured was he, that he and all that sailed under him became physically contorted into sub-demons by his wrath, all of them bound by oaths to the Dutchman, which itself was a greater power on the ocean than any ship yet built.

Too much exposition? It's not necessary to know this to enjoy the films for what they are...just be prepared to accept some things on faith (much of which, Critics have none.) Not all of this is known, and most of it is still a mystery. But pieced together by the story-loving soul, it does make some sense...

Beyond that, however, what is more crucial to know? Captain Jack Sparrow, in true pirate form, (much like Loki, Coyote, Brer Rabbit, or any given trickster-figure), plays both sides of the mythological equation, both hero and villain, and often manipulates the forces of good and evil for his own personal gain. (Which, ultimately, serves the public well-being, though not through any initial intent of his own preconception.)

The difficulty, I find, lies in the fact that Jack's constant manipulation of these forces often blurs the line for most viewers who are used to a more black-and-white depiction of Good and Evil. Made even more blurry is the introduction of Davy Jones in the second film, as viewers are uncertain as to who is the greater threat: the malificent Davy Jones or the all-too-human East India Trading Company. Now Sparrow's conflict must be dealt with on three fronts: Good (or the piratical eqivalent thereof), Evil, and...More evil? (And which is which?)

With Sparrow proving his role as hero by actually dying at the end of "Dead Man's Chest", and Davy Jones' power being usurped by the E.I.T. Co., the playing field is somewhat narrowed by the beginning of "At World's End"...

The third movie is perhaps even more thematically ambiguous, as there are many heroes which must now rise. But unavoidable is the fact that when dealing with Pirates, nothing is ever clearly black-and-white...

Now Jones and the E.I.T. Co. have been compressed into one force. (Unwillingly, albeit, but so it is.) The opening sequence of "World's End" should leave no doubt as to who the true villains of the story are, if ever an indication were more necessary. Still, with Jack not in the realm of the living, there is no modulator. Worse (but certainly more interesting!), is that we are forced to side with Barbossa, the villain of the first film! We are more secure in the fact that Will and Elizabeth are on the side of right, though they both have ulterior motives. Will's desire to defeat Davy Jones is conflicted with Elizabeth's desire to defeat the imperialistic E.I.T. Co.--they have not resolved the idea of uniting the effort to combat both.

The difficulty, if it exists for viewers, is trying to carve through layers of what is commonly accepted as "evil" in order to find good (or, again, the nearest piratical equivalent thereof.)

We accept most of what Jack accomplishes as "good", because even if it is self-serving, it is the most human response. He is the perfect pirate, always on the fine edge of good/evil, sane/mad, skilled/just plain lucky...

We accept what Will does as good, because of his pure intentions, (if they are somewhat idealized beyond the accomplishments of most normal folk.) He is not favored with luck, as much as skill. Will aspires to the romantic notions of piracy, though his actions tend to belie his ability to maintain that role.

But the unrealized hero, finally brought to light, here, is Elizabeth. Even when surrounded with mostly evil, still exists to purify selfish intentions by channeling them against oppressive forces. She is the False Goddess, but the true Pirate King.

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: At World's End - Hans Zimmer.