How I think Dick’s opening song shows a window into his character is how it shows him to be maybe slightly less than the glorious hero that he is introduced as. His ship is mentioned to be a revenue sloop, a very small lightly armed ship, designed to intercept smugglers or coastal raiders. They spot what they think is a defenceless French merchant ship, and go to try and capture it, but are surprised when it turns out to be a frigate, a significantly more powerful ship that should be able to blow a sloop out of the water with ease. Royal Navy doctrine of the time said that a Captain had to engage the enemy if he came across them (a doctrine the US used to their advantage in the War of 1812, luring smaller British ships into combat with heavier American ones that they had no chance of beating on their own). The Captain of Dick’s ship then comes up with the convenient excuse that as they are British, and the enemy French, it wouldn’t be a fair fight (since, you know, they’re French), so they “spare” the frigate by essentially running away from it and escaping an engagement that in reality they would almost certainly have lost. This is, of course, sung in the style of a full throated, tub thumping, Rule Britannia type of sea song that sounds like the songs glorifying military heroics, unless you’re paying attention to the words. To me this shows that Dick is happy to wear the costume of a hero, and to accept the adulation it gives him, but also that he is not entirely the noble heroic sailor that everyone assumes he is. This certainly doesn’t make him a villain by any means, but I think it gives an opening for him to have a cunning side that wouldn’t normally be found in the character archetype of the heroic mariner (like a Ralph Rackstraw for example). Glad to see the videos continuing now that you’ve completed the mammoth task of very pedantically ranking every element of them! I’ve enjoyed every one, and look forward to the next one!
Exactly. Also, after the song, Dick doesn't brag about all the French ships that the Tom-Tit has taken. He brags about all the French ships that the Tom-Tit has spared --- presumably also by running away from them.
Somebody recently, who I met after having a fortune stolen by a friend, said that she learned greatly from my explanation that people are not basically good, as she had previously thought
I like the way you open my eyes to alternate interpretations. I got the idea that Richard was not that sharp but I believed he was only acting from complete self interest. Mostly because of how easily he switches to Zorah. This short format is very easy to watch and absorb. Please add more like this.
Thank you so much! I really like making these shorter videos, and it was fun to respond to recent comments to make an entire video rather than having something planned.
Thank you for this character breakdown, Rachel! I've known many a Dick Dauntless in my life. They'll screw you over not out of spite, but because of their own narrow comprehension of the world. It's sad, but not unusual. Great video! Also, I love your outfits; I've seen you model in so many of them, and they all look fantastic!
Thanks for these videos - they're really useful. I think my comment on your "least want to be friends with" video must be one of the ones you're replying to. I do agree with your general point that characters need to be nice people with flaws (not just bad guys), and I think practically all G&S characters are so. Regarding Dick's song. First verse - the British ship never fires. It advances threateningly on the French ship, then the French ship fires - then the British ship runs away. Second verse - I don't see where it's sexist. "It's like hitting of a gal" might sound like patronising language to our ears, but he's giving male violence against women as an example of contemptible behaviour. The point of the song surely is to satirise the two most notorious faults of the 19th century British - xenophobia and hypocrisy. Xenophobia - Dick uses lots of derogatory terms for the French. Hypocrisy - he claims that his ship called off its attack out of pity, when in fact they did so out of fear. (I initially wrote "cowardice" but then changed it to "fear" in view of DionysiusTW's explanation of the small size of a revenue sloop and the requirement for a RN ship to attack - I now better understand that the Captain had a genuine dilemma.) But there is something that surely makes Dick still very very relevant in the 21st century. While being unfailingly unthinkingly self-serving, he gets himself trusted and admired through the supremely confident way he spins everything he does. Does he remind us of any recent Prime Minister ... ?
I still do not believe he is NECESSARILY self-serving. He can be played very innocent. The reason that remark is sexist is by comparing the French to 'girls' that is meant to be belittling. It's a micro-aggression, not hugely problematic, but problematic all the same.
I actually know a guy in real life who reminds me of Richard Dauntless! He's also young, impulsive and thinks with his heart, sometimes with his own interests over other people's. But I would never call him evil or a bad person, he's just in his own world with his own mindset. We're all 3 Dimensional with reasons to do things, the way that good characters should be.
![เปิดใจ "อาจารย์เบียร์ คนตื่นธรรม" อดีตเคยสุดทุกทาง ถ้าใช้หนี้หมดไปบวชแน่ l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/IxeE0xVhy08/mqdefault.jpg)
How I think Dick’s opening song shows a window into his character is how it shows him to be maybe slightly less than the glorious hero that he is introduced as. His ship is mentioned to be a revenue sloop, a very small lightly armed ship, designed to intercept smugglers or coastal raiders. They spot what they think is a defenceless French merchant ship, and go to try and capture it, but are surprised when it turns out to be a frigate, a significantly more powerful ship that should be able to blow a sloop out of the water with ease.
Royal Navy doctrine of the time said that a Captain had to engage the enemy if he came across them (a doctrine the US used to their advantage in the War of 1812, luring smaller British ships into combat with heavier American ones that they had no chance of beating on their own). The Captain of Dick’s ship then comes up with the convenient excuse that as they are British, and the enemy French, it wouldn’t be a fair fight (since, you know, they’re French), so they “spare” the frigate by essentially running away from it and escaping an engagement that in reality they would almost certainly have lost. This is, of course, sung in the style of a full throated, tub thumping, Rule Britannia type of sea song that sounds like the songs glorifying military heroics, unless you’re paying attention to the words.
To me this shows that Dick is happy to wear the costume of a hero, and to accept the adulation it gives him, but also that he is not entirely the noble heroic sailor that everyone assumes he is. This certainly doesn’t make him a villain by any means, but I think it gives an opening for him to have a cunning side that wouldn’t normally be found in the character archetype of the heroic mariner (like a Ralph Rackstraw for example).
Glad to see the videos continuing now that you’ve completed the mammoth task of very pedantically ranking every element of them! I’ve enjoyed every one, and look forward to the next one!
Exactly. Also, after the song, Dick doesn't brag about all the French ships that the Tom-Tit has taken. He brags about all the French ships that the Tom-Tit has spared --- presumably also by running away from them.
Really good points! I appreciate your insight and nuanced perspectives.
Somebody recently, who I met after having a fortune stolen by a friend, said that she learned greatly from my explanation that people are not basically good, as she had previously thought
I like the way you open my eyes to alternate interpretations. I got the idea that Richard was not that sharp but I believed he was only acting from complete self interest. Mostly because of how easily he switches to Zorah. This short format is very easy to watch and absorb. Please add more like this.
Thank you so much! I really like making these shorter videos, and it was fun to respond to recent comments to make an entire video rather than having something planned.
I love these videos
Thank you for this character breakdown, Rachel! I've known many a Dick Dauntless in my life. They'll screw you over not out of spite, but because of their own narrow comprehension of the world. It's sad, but not unusual. Great video! Also, I love your outfits; I've seen you model in so many of them, and they all look fantastic!
The characters are always more than just the words they say. It always improves the show to know why they do what they do and try to show that.
The funny thing is just reading the text people think Fairfax is a bad guy. Your interpretations are quite refreshing.
Thanks for these videos - they're really useful. I think my comment on your "least want to be friends with" video must be one of the ones you're replying to. I do agree with your general point that characters need to be nice people with flaws (not just bad guys), and I think practically all G&S characters are so.
Regarding Dick's song. First verse - the British ship never fires. It advances threateningly on the French ship, then the French ship fires - then the British ship runs away. Second verse - I don't see where it's sexist. "It's like hitting of a gal" might sound like patronising language to our ears, but he's giving male violence against women as an example of contemptible behaviour.
The point of the song surely is to satirise the two most notorious faults of the 19th century British - xenophobia and hypocrisy. Xenophobia - Dick uses lots of derogatory terms for the French. Hypocrisy - he claims that his ship called off its attack out of pity, when in fact they did so out of fear. (I initially wrote "cowardice" but then changed it to "fear" in view of DionysiusTW's explanation of the small size of a revenue sloop and the requirement for a RN ship to attack - I now better understand that the Captain had a genuine dilemma.)
But there is something that surely makes Dick still very very relevant in the 21st century. While being unfailingly unthinkingly self-serving, he gets himself trusted and admired through the supremely confident way he spins everything he does. Does he remind us of any recent Prime Minister ... ?
I still do not believe he is NECESSARILY self-serving. He can be played very innocent. The reason that remark is sexist is by comparing the French to 'girls' that is meant to be belittling. It's a micro-aggression, not hugely problematic, but problematic all the same.
I actually know a guy in real life who reminds me of Richard Dauntless! He's also young, impulsive and thinks with his heart, sometimes with his own interests over other people's. But I would never call him evil or a bad person, he's just in his own world with his own mindset. We're all 3 Dimensional with reasons to do things, the way that good characters should be.
Antagonists are not necessarily villains.