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Boatswain

This article is about the title. You may be looking for the pirate known as Bo'sun.
Bo'sun Blaming Ragetti and Pintel
"Bosun! Summon the Kraken!"
―Davy Jones[src]

A boatswain, bo'sun or bosun, was the ship's officer with responsibility over the rigging, anchors, and other similar equipment. They were sometimes also the third or fourth mate. A boatswain or bo'sun was a qualified member and the most senior rate of the ship's deck department, responsible for the components of a ship's hull and supervised the other crew members on deck. Additional duties vary depending upon ship, crew, and circumstances.

History

A boatswain, bos'n and bosun, was the ship's officer with responsibility over the rigging, anchors, and other similar equipment.[1] On a pirate vessel, the boatswain was also responsible for maintaining and hoisting the ship's colours. All flags retained from enemy vessels or other countries would be turned over to the boatswain for storage.[2]

Around 1630, Malcom Hatcher was the boatswain aboard the Victory.[3] During the adventures of young Jack Sparrow in the early 1700s, Billy Turner was a boatswain aboard the Fleur de la Mort, the pirate ship under Captain Laura Smith.[4]

By the time within the two years Jack Sparrow became captain of the Black Pearl,[5][6] Billy became known as William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner and was a member of Jack's crew prior to Sparrow going after the treasure of Isla de Muerta. However, Bootstrap's title on board is unknown, partly due to the crew of people Captain Sparrow recruited in Tortuga[7] included an African pirate, known only by name and title as Bo'sun.[8][9] Like the other crewmen aboard the Black Pearl, Bootstrap Bill and Bo'sun sailed with Captain Sparrow and his first mate Hector Barbossa, later serving under Captain Barbossa following the mutiny against Jack, finding the location of the treasure, falling under the Aztec curse and the beginning of the ten-year search to lift the curse. Although Bootstrap Bill was thrown overboard, believing they deserved to remain cursed, Bo'sun still served Captain Barbossa until the battle at Isla de Muerta.[8][9]

About one year later, when Jack Sparrow attempted to settle his debt with Davy Jones, the cursed captain of the Flying Dutchman, Jimmy Legs served as the boatswain and bosun aboard the Dutchman, though the exact time in which he joined Jones' crew is unknown. As Jones' bosun, Jimmy Legs was a hard taskmaster who enjoyed demanding the impossible as he ordered the crew to work. Punishments were his specialty, as he prided himself on cleaving flesh from bone with every swing of his cat-of-nine-tails.[10] His example as the bo'sun aboard the Dutchman most notably occurred Bootstrap Bill attempted to take Will Turner's punishment of five lashes from the cat-o'-nine-tails, only for the father to be forced by Jones to whip his son himself.[5][6] Jimmy Legs continued serving as the boatswain when Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company controlled Davy Jones and the Flying Dutchman during the war against the Fourth Brethren Court, though his service following the battle is unknown, due to Will Turner becoming the new captain of the Dutchman.[11]

Notable boatswains

Behind the scenes

Overview

Boatswain first appears through Malcolm Hatcher in the 2003 video game Pirates of the Caribbean.[3] Bo'sun first appears through a pirate character identified with the same name in Irene Trimble's junior novelization for the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.[8][9]

Screenplays

"Boatswain! Haul the halyard, slacken braces!"
"Aye, Captain! Slacken braces, men, make all! How does she lie?"
―Jack Sparrow and Jack (Boatswain)[src] (screenplay draft)

In Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio's screenplay draft for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, as the crew of the Flying Dutchman appear on the scuttled ship, Greenbeard was described as the Boatswain, while Jimmy Legs was later described as the Bo'sun as Will Turner and Bootstrap Bill Turner meet aboard the Dutchman.[14] Whereas in the final cut of the film, only Jimmy Legs was described as the Bo'sun.[6]

In Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio's screenplay draft for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, during Jack Sparrow's "Multiple Jacks" hallucination in Davy Jones' Locker, the first Jack seen on the rigging with the order to "slacken braces" is called the Boatswain. Jack (Boatswain) is also the one Captain Jack talks to about "the condition of the knot on this bow line" while another earnest, well-meaning Jack identified as Jack (Honest) begs Captain Jack to give the man another chance. Captain Jack pulls a pistol and shoots honest Jack, who goes stumbling backwards, over the rail.[15] In the final cut of the film, the first Jack Sparrow seen eating a peanut is the first hallucination before being shot by Captain Jack, while Jack (Boatswain) is the second Jack hallucination. Jack (Boatswain) is also not called the boatswain, nor is he identified as the Jack hallucination that Captain Jack talks to about "the condition of this tack line." This Jack hallucination has the combined role of (Boatswain) and (Honest) Jacks, and is killed with Captain Jack's sword.[11]

Video games

In the video game Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Maccus was called "Bosun" by Davy Jones.[12] However, this may be incorrect as Jimmy Legs was said to be the Bosun under Jones in Dead Man's Chest.[6]

Bo'sun is one the ranks a player can earn in the 2011 video game app Pirates of the Caribbean: Master of the Seas.[16]

Appearances

Source

External links

Notes and references

  1. ↑ The Captain Jack Sparrow Handbook, p. 168
  2. ↑ The Pirates' Code Guidelines, p. 60
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Pirates of the Caribbean (2003 video game)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jack Sparrow: Poseidon's Peak, p. 124
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (junior novelization)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
  7. ↑ Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Audio Commentary with Screenwriters Stuart Beattie, Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Jay Wolpert
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003 junior novelization), p. 39
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide, pp. 68-69 "Shipmates"
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (video game)
  13. ↑ Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
  14. ↑ Wordplayer.com: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio
  15. ↑ Wordplayer.com: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio
  16. ↑ Pirates of the Caribbean: Master of the Seas