# Arrrr, Could This be the End of Pirate Shakespeare, Mateys? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 31, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212 "2003-07-31T20:26:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/1 "2003-07-31T20:26:30Z")
Over in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=201433), I came to the stunning and disquieting conclusion that _Shakespeare_ was a _pirate!_ I’m too tired right now, but I’ll bet some of you can come up with some great Pirate Shakespeare plays and quotes! ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/2 "2003-07-31T20:47:27Z")
He sure speaks the lingo … “Down with the topmast! yare! lower! lower! Bring her to try with main-course” [Tempest I.i.] He swears like a pirate, too: “A pox o’ your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog! … Hang, cur, hang, you whoreson, insolent noisemaker!” [Tempest I.i] ---
**Author:** ![Alto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Alto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alto)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/3 "2003-07-31T21:10:15Z")
Well, we all know that Shakespeare pirated his plays from Bacon (or Oxford or Marlowe or whoever). ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/4 "2003-07-31T21:11:46Z")
I am a Pirate. Hath not a Pirate booty? Hath not a Pirate hooks, peg legs, parrots, eye patches, swashbuckles, pieces of eight?–fed with the same pirate food, hurt with the same blades, subject to the same scurvy, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not “Arrrr”? If you tickle us, do we not hoist up the Jolly Roger? If you poison us, do we not visit Davy Jones’ Locker? And if you wrong us, shall you not walk the plank? ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/5 "2003-07-31T21:57:35Z")
**Alto** – **thwap** And of course there are pirates in _Hamlet_ (though we never see them onstage), _Pericles,_ and _2 Henry VI._ Antonio in _Twelfth Night_ is accused of being one though he certainly doesn’t act like it. 😉 And there’s a dead pirate in _Measure for Measure_ (though he doesn’t get to haunt anyone)… ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/6 "2003-08-01T02:00:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tars Tarkas \* > \*\*I am a Pirate. Hath not a Pirate booty? Hath not a Pirate hooks, peg legs, parrots, eye patches, swashbuckles, pieces of eight?–fed with the same pirate food, hurt with the same blades, subject to the same scurvy, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not “Arrrr”? If you tickle us, do we not hoist up the Jolly Roger? If you poison us, do we not visit Davy Jones’ Locker? And if you wrong us, shall you not walk the plank? \*\* You, my friend, are a genius. If this weren’t so long and if I weren’t afraid to cut it, I’d pilfer it for my sig locker on the _Ted_. ---
**Author:** ![Bucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Bucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bucky)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/7 "2003-08-01T02:13:51Z")
Coincidentally, perhaps, John Barton of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s version of Shakespeare’s dialect is kind of close to what we might think of as pirate. There’s a hard R, a fairly flat vowel sound, and not too much nasal resonance. It’s a bit of a mix of Irish, Australian, and American. To be, orrrr not to be! ---
**Author:** ![Humble\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/47e85d/32.png) [@Humble\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Humble_Servant)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/8 "2003-08-01T02:35:08Z")
Shakespeare was up on how to navigate by the st[arrrr]s: O no! it is an ever-fixed m[arrrrr]k That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wandering b[arrrrr]k Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken. Hee hee. Only on the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/9 "2003-08-01T02:45:28Z")
Mateys, swabs, old salts. Lend me your Arrrs… …Wether 'tis nobler in the mind to endure the grapeshot and muskets of outrageous Spaniards, or to take arms against a sea of booty… ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/10 "2003-08-01T03:03:37Z")
I thought this was obvious from his early play, “Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate’s Daughter”… ---
**Author:** ![dangergene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@dangergene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangergene)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/11 "2003-08-01T04:09:06Z")
‘A zombie pirate robot ninja monkey. What could be more perfect?’ Avast! -'Tis- perfection, mateys! I have new inspiration for the next batch of illustrations when I really ought to be working _heh heh heh_. Thanks be to ye scurvey dawgs, BuckleberryFerry and Dewey Cheatem Undhow. -end pointless post (but it was kind’ve about piracy, kind’ve. And isn’t all inspiration about piracy?). El Danger Djinn! -peril of the low c’s- ---
**Author:** ![dangergene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@dangergene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangergene)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/12 "2003-08-01T04:14:34Z")
‘A zombie pirate robot ninja monkey. What could be more perfect?’ Avast! -'Tis- perfection, mateys! I have new inspiration for the next batch of illustrations when I really ought to be working _heh heh heh_. Thanks be to ye scurvey dawgs, BuckleberryFerry and Dewey Cheatem Undhow. -end pointless post (but it was kind’ve about piracy, kind’ve. And isn’t all inspiration about piracy?). El Danger Djinn! -peril of the low c’s- ---
**Author:** ![dangergene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@dangergene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangergene)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/13 "2003-08-01T04:21:39Z")
‘A zombie pirate robot ninja monkey. What could be more perfect?’ Avast! -'Tis- perfection, mateys! I have new inspiration for the next batch of illustrations when I really ought to be working _heh heh heh_. Thanks be to ye scurvey dawgs, BuckleberryFerry and Dewey Cheatem Undhow. -end pointless post (but it was kind’ve about piracy, kind’ve. And isn’t all inspiration about piracy?). El Danger Djinn! -peril of the low c’s- ---
**Author:** ![dangergene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@dangergene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangergene)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/14 "2003-08-01T04:35:20Z")
aw crap! sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/15 "2003-08-01T05:43:35Z")
Sigh no more, mateys, sigh no more, Tharr be a pile of treasure, A trip to the sea, and back to shore; And we be men of leisure. Then sigh not so, But shout Yo Ho, And be you blithe and bonny; Convertin’ all your sounds of woe Into Ahoy there, matey. ---
**Author:** ![Kn\_ckers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/96bed5/32.png) [@Kn\_ckers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kn_ckers)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/16 "2003-08-01T13:21:26Z")
Tom-arrr-ow and tom-arrrr-ow and tom-arrr-ow creeps in this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of rec-arrr-ded time… Savvy? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/17 "2003-08-01T13:36:27Z")
Oh Brave New World, that has such loot in it! ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/18 "2003-08-01T15:02:03Z")
We arrrr such stuff as dreams arrrr made on! ---
**Author:** ![Dizzy\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dizzy\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dizzy_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/19 "2003-08-01T15:14:13Z")
And Phibbus’ carrrrrr Shall shine from farrrrrr And make, or marrrrr The foolish Fates! ---
**Author:** ![A\_wizard\_song\_for\_thee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@A\_wizard\_song\_for\_thee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_wizard_song_for_thee)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212/20 "2003-08-01T21:33:48Z")
And yet of comfort no landlubber speak: Let’s talk of waves, of worms, and parrots; Make flesh our paper and with cutlasses Write “Avast!” on the British colonists, Let ‘em choose executors and talk of wills: And yet not so, for what can they bequeath Save their defiled bodies to Davy Jones’ Locker? Their lands, their lives and all should b’long to us, And nothing can they call their own but death And that small model of the barren earth Which serves as paste and cover to their bones. All murder’d: for within the three corn’d hat That rounds the mortal temples of a pirate Keeps Death his court and there the Bandit sits, Scoffing at States and grinning at gallows! 'Course, he had to make some changes to get it into _Richard II_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrr-could-this-be-the-end-of-pirate-shakespeare-mateys/192212.md?page=2)