Follow TV Tropes

Following

History WMG / ThePiratesOfPenzance

Go To

OR

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


At the beginning of the play the pirates reveal that they are all orphans, and at the end Ruth reveals they're noblemen and they resume their titles and legislative duties. This may seem like a large contrivance, but one possible explanation is that before they were pirates they were just children whose Peer fathers went on vacation in the same place and died in some tragedy there. These children, suddenly left on their own, decided [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer like Tom Sawyer]] to become pirates like the ones they read about in story books - this explains why they act like they're in the Golden Age of Piracy despite being two centuries late for it. It can also explain why they at times act childish and why Ruth was a "maid of all work" - they grew up without any adult guidance.

to:

At the beginning of the play the pirates reveal that they are all orphans, and at the end Ruth reveals they're noblemen and they resume their titles and legislative duties. This may seem like a large contrivance, but one possible explanation is that before they were pirates they were just children whose Peer fathers went on vacation in the same place and died in some tragedy there. These children, suddenly left on their own, decided [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer like Tom Sawyer]] to become pirates like the ones they read about in story books - this explains pirates. That's why they dress and act like they're in the Golden Age of Piracy despite being two centuries late for it.it - those were the kind of pirates in the stories they read. It can also explain why they at times act childish and why Ruth was a "maid of all work" - they grew up without any adult guidance.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
adding wild guess


The Pirate King himself, in contrast, is easily led by his emotions, and always ends up reinforcing Ruth's plans (whether for Ruth to join Frederic, to manipulate Federic further, or to march on and destroy the Major-General's home).

to:

The Pirate King himself, in contrast, is easily led by his emotions, and always ends up reinforcing Ruth's plans (whether for Ruth to join Frederic, to manipulate Federic further, or to march on and destroy the Major-General's home).home).

[[WMG: The Pirates started their piracy as children's play]]
At the beginning of the play the pirates reveal that they are all orphans, and at the end Ruth reveals they're noblemen and they resume their titles and legislative duties. This may seem like a large contrivance, but one possible explanation is that before they were pirates they were just children whose Peer fathers went on vacation in the same place and died in some tragedy there. These children, suddenly left on their own, decided [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer like Tom Sawyer]] to become pirates like the ones they read about in story books - this explains why they act like they're in the Golden Age of Piracy despite being two centuries late for it. It can also explain why they at times act childish and why Ruth was a "maid of all work" - they grew up without any adult guidance.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** Well it also seems like Frederick is the most [[HypercompetentSidekick competent pirate]] (even more than the Pirate King himself) so it makes sense that he would become the second in command.

to:

** * Well it also seems like Frederick is the most [[HypercompetentSidekick competent pirate]] (even more than the Pirate King himself) so it makes sense that he would become the second in command.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** Well it also seems like Frederick is the most [[HypercompetentSidekick competent piratepp (even more than the Pirate King himself) so it makes sense that he would become the second in command.

to:

** Well it also seems like Frederick is the most [[HypercompetentSidekick competent piratepp pirate]] (even more than the Pirate King himself) so it makes sense that he would become the second in command.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None



to:

** Well it also seems like Frederick is the most [[HypercompetentSidekick competent piratepp (even more than the Pirate King himself) so it makes sense that he would become the second in command.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Why he puts such value on ceremony (introducing himself in full ''before'' finding out what danger threatens his daughters, establishing whose ancestors legally and technically belong to whom, wanting the policeman to "receive a general's blessing" before they leave, etc., etc.) and oligarchy ("We love our House of Peers!").

to:

* Why he puts such value on ceremony (introducing himself in full ''before'' finding out what danger threatens his daughters, establishing whose ancestors legally and technically belong to whom, wanting the policeman to "receive a general's blessing" before they leave, etc., etc.) and oligarchy ("We love our House of Peers!").Peers!").

[[WMG: Ruth is the true Pirate King.]]
After Frederic spurns her, Ruth returns to the pirates. Almost immediately thereafter, they discover the paradox of Frederic's contract, binding him to their will. Despite supposedly only being an aging child's nurse, she joins in the invasion of Tremorden Castle. In the finale, she's the one to reveal that the entire crew are not merely orphans, but orphaned members of the House of Lords, something she'd only know if she had reviewed the entire crew's papers.

The Pirate King himself, in contrast, is easily led by his emotions, and always ends up reinforcing Ruth's plans (whether for Ruth to join Frederic, to manipulate Federic further, or to march on and destroy the Major-General's home).

Changed: 235

Removed: 183

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
resolve natter with math explanation


* Why he's familiar with the 1878 megahit ''Theatre/HMSPinafore'', even though ''Pirates'' (according to Frederic's math about leap years) evidently takes place several years earlier, in 1873.
** Pirates is set in 1877: in his 21st year Frederick is 63 years from being released from his indentures in 1940 when he will be 84. But this is still before the release of Pinafore.

to:

* Why he's familiar with the 1878 megahit ''Theatre/HMSPinafore'', even though ''Pirates'' (according to Frederic's math about leap years) evidently takes place several years earlier, in 1873.
** Pirates is set in 1877: in his 21st year Frederick is 63
1873.[[note]]Frederic, who's only 5 leap years from being released from old (plus one non-leap year), has to wait 16 more leap years before his indentures end in 1940 when he will be 84. But this is still before the release of Pinafore. 1940. Since 1900 wasn't a leap year, we can count backwards as follows: 1940-(16(4)+4-1)=1873.[[/note]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

**Pirates is set in 1877: in his 21st year Frederick is 63 years from being released from his indentures in 1940 when he will be 84. But this is still before the release of Pinafore.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
spelling


[[WMG: Frederick is the Pirate King's second in command. ]]
After rejoining the crew, Frederick seems to be acting as the second in command, even giving orders such as "hush hush, not a word," and hardly leaving the King's side. Since Frederick was the Pirate King's apprentice he would have been expected to learn and become proficient in his trade by the time he finished his term of apprenticeship, originally assumed to be when he turned twenty-one. That trade being captaining a pirate ship. Since Frederick was effectively being trained as the King's successor, it makes sense that he would act as the second in command.

to:

[[WMG: Frederick Frederic is the Pirate King's second in command. ]]
After rejoining the crew, Frederick Frederic seems to be acting as the second in command, even giving orders such as "hush hush, not a word," and hardly leaving the King's side. Since Frederick Frederic was the Pirate King's apprentice he would have been expected to learn and become proficient in his trade by the time he finished his term of apprenticeship, originally assumed to be when he turned twenty-one. That trade being captaining a pirate ship. Since Frederick Frederic was effectively being trained as the King's successor, it makes sense that he would act as the second in command.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


After rejoining the crew, Frederick seems to be acting as the second in command, even giving orders such as "hush hush, not a word," and hardly leaving the King's side. Since Frederick was the Pirate King's apprentice he would have been expected to learn and become proficient in his trade by the time he finished his term of apprenticeship, originally assumed to be when he turned twenty-one. That trade being captaining a pirate ship. Since Frederick was effectively being trained as the King's successor, it makes sense that he would act as the second in command.

to:

After rejoining the crew, Frederick seems to be acting as the second in command, even giving orders such as "hush hush, not a word," and hardly leaving the King's side. Since Frederick was the Pirate King's apprentice he would have been expected to learn and become proficient in his trade by the time he finished his term of apprenticeship, originally assumed to be when he turned twenty-one. That trade being captaining a pirate ship. Since Frederick was effectively being trained as the King's successor, it makes sense that he would act as the second in command.command.

[[WMG: Major-General Stanley is a JustForFun/TimeLord.]]
The proof is that his IAmSong is sung ToTheTuneOf an old Gallifreyan folk song, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIdDXQ2h1Pc "I am the very model of a Gallifreyan Buccaneer."]] His Time Lord status also explains:
* Why he's familiar with the 1878 megahit ''Theatre/HMSPinafore'', even though ''Pirates'' (according to Frederic's math about leap years) evidently takes place several years earlier, in 1873.
* Why his military knowledge only extends "to the beginning of the century"; he's been too busy learning knowledge from the past and the future to keep track of the present!
* Why he puts such value on ceremony (introducing himself in full ''before'' finding out what danger threatens his daughters, establishing whose ancestors legally and technically belong to whom, wanting the policeman to "receive a general's blessing" before they leave, etc., etc.) and oligarchy ("We love our House of Peers!").
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

[[WMG: Frederick is the Pirate King's second in command. ]]
After rejoining the crew, Frederick seems to be acting as the second in command, even giving orders such as "hush hush, not a word," and hardly leaving the King's side. Since Frederick was the Pirate King's apprentice he would have been expected to learn and become proficient in his trade by the time he finished his term of apprenticeship, originally assumed to be when he turned twenty-one. That trade being captaining a pirate ship. Since Frederick was effectively being trained as the King's successor, it makes sense that he would act as the second in command.

Top