Summary: Recollecting Illegitimacy [Pirates]
Assignment 1: Chapter Summary by Natalie Duchen
- Williams, Carolyn. “Recollecting Illegitimacy: The Pirates of Penzanze.” Chapter 5 (pp. 122-148) in Gilbert and Sullivan: Gender, Genre, Parody. Chicago: Northwestern University Press, 2008.
In 1878 pirated productions became a huge concern for the team of Gilbert and Sullivan, it became hard for them to have control over their own “intellectual property”. Before dramatic copyright was established, there were copyright performances, which were shortened or “stripped-down” versions of the production. This established stage rights, which were necessary for bringing the play to print. Copyright laws became an issue; for example, American copyright only protected American citizens, meaning the British were exempt. This led to Gilbert, Sullivan, and Carte creating the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, thus giving them complete control over their productions and material.
The idea of illegitimate theatre highlights the idea of rebelling against authority and accentuated the ideas of outlaws/pirates against the law, the lower class instead of the upper class, and the reversal of gender roles. The piracy that was being experienced in the realm of theater creates framework when understanding the production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. A common joke that is in the production entails that piracy is a business like any other, which touches on the struggles Gilbert, Sullivan were having at home and abroad. Pirates continually jokes or touches on the fact that authority is seen as weak, for example the Police in the production. In a nautical melodrama, such as this, the presentation of the weak authority through the police, directly correlates with the idea of piracy and anti-authority. G&S’s Pirates of Penzance focuses on the creation of national identity and class conflicts that were integral in a naval hierarchy. It focuses on the opposing forces between law and lawlessness, shown through the conflict between police and pirates, land and sea, and duty and freedom.
Memorable songs that parody the piracy climate:
- The entrance of the Policemen, while they are childish and portrayed as weak, they try to imitate the idea of manliness when by portraying the sound of the trumpet, “Tarantara!”/“When the Foeman bares his steel.”
- Mabel possesses the bravery that the policemen lack, her proclamation in the entrance of the policemen suggests the gender-role reversal making her a feminine reformer- changing the ideas of society.
- “Major General’s Song”- very similar to the “Judge’s Song” in Trial by Jury”- the most parodied song, irrelevant information that does not reflect on his authority.
- Frederic’s address to the pirates where he is struggling with his own self-identity as a Pirate and his respect for the law of the land.
William’s sources include direct quotations and stage directions from the script and libretto of Pirates of Penzance. She also touched on personal accounts and opinions when talking about parody, gender, and social criticism, as well as using the thoughts and writings of varying outside scholars.