Pirates were murderers, thieves and "scallywags." So why are we so infatuated with them?
No pirate has captured our imagination more than Blackbeard. It can be easily said that he was the inspiration for much of American pirate literature. Why do we like him so much and further more why have pirates held a prominent place in our imaginations?
Perhaps the answer to why pirates capture our imagination lies in the answer to the question: what does it mean to be a pirate? The lifestyle of a pirate was that of freedom and self enjoyment. They thwarted the system to live how they wanted granted it was as Captain Bart Roberts said “Tis a short and merry life!” it was still a life where they had freedom from an oppressive system that was enforced by the officers that were in charge on government ships. The Captain only held absolute power during a time of battle, all other times the ship only went where the men chose to go and the position of the Captain was one that was chosen by the other sailors. For all intensive purposes a pirate vessel was a small democracy. These men may have been cutthroat murderers but they were able to keep an egalitarian system in operation on their ship.
As far as Blackbeard is concerned he fits the pirate stereotype: flamboyant and deadly. He had a style about him in both battle and life form the weapons and clothing that he wore to the rope that he burned from under his hat. It’s the pirate’s style that separates them from common thieves and it’s this very style that causes us to romanticize them. Even Jack Rackham became a legend based on his style even though he was not a very successful pirate. However, Blackbeard is a household name because he didn’t just have style, he was also successful.
Americans love a good success story. We also love the “outlaw hero” the guy who breaks all of the rules but saves the day in the end. The true pirates weren’t heroes but they have all of the other characteristics; they break the law, fight an oppressive system and “sail” away the victor. In our way of romanticizing them we turn these pirates into heroes, even though they have just pillaged a whole town, murdered some people and broke God knows how many other laws, in our minds they are heroes.
Whether we feel that Blackbeard was a classic outlaw hero or just a glorified thief that had a little style, it is undeniable that this pirate has certainly commandeered our imagination and is the inspiration for current popularized fictional pirates.
