Mr Bligh's Bad Language: Passion, Power and Theatre on the BountyCaptain Bligh and the mutiny on the Bounty have become proverbial in their capacity to evoke the extravagant and violent abuse of power. But William Bligh was one of the least violent disciplinarians in the British navy. It is this paradox that inspired Greg Dening to ask why the mutiny took place. His book explores the theatrical nature of what was enacted in the power-play on deck, on the beaches of Tahiti and in the murderous settlement at Pitcairn, on the altar stones and temples of sacrifice, and on the catheads from which men were hanged. Part of the key lies in the curious puzzle of Mr Bligh's bad language. |
Contents
I | |
II | |
III | |
IV | 15 |
V | 33 |
VI | 53 |
VII | 86 |
VIII | 94 |
XXI | 215 |
XXII | 220 |
XXIII | 228 |
XXIV | 237 |
XXV | 251 |
XXVI | 255 |
XXVII | 260 |
XXVIII | 281 |
IX | 111 |
X | 122 |
XI | 128 |
XII | 131 |
XIII | 138 |
XIV | 140 |
XV | 145 |
XVI | 151 |
XVII | 155 |
XVIII | 173 |
XIX | 187 |
XX | 211 |
XXX | 303 |
XXXI | 307 |
XXXII | 322 |
XXXIII | 327 |
XXXIV | 332 |
XXXV | 337 |
XXXVI | 367 |
XXXVII | 373 |
XXXVIII | 395 |
XXXIX | 427 |
Other editions - View all
Mr Bligh's Bad Language: Passion, Power and Theater on H. M. Armed Vessel Bounty Greg Dening No preview available - 1993 |
Common terms and phrases
ari'i bad language beach began Bounty Bounty's breadfruit British Burkitt cabin called canoes Captain Bligh Captain Cook ceremony chiefs command Cook's court martial crew cultural literacy death discipline discovered discovery Dolphin Edwards Ellison English feathers Figure film flag Fletcher Christian flogged Fryer gentlemen George institutions invented island James John Adams John Fryer Jonas Hanway Joseph Banks killed King knew land launch lives London Lono lower deck marae maro ura Matavai midshipman Millward Mitchell Library Morrison Muspratt mutiny narrative naval navy never Oberea officers Omai Oro's Pacific Pandora percent Peter Heywood Pitcairn Pitcairn Island play politics Pomare possession Press priests punishment Purea quarterdeck ritual sacred sacrifice sailed sailors Samuel Wallis scene seamen seen sense ship signs social sort space symbols Tahiti Tahitian Taputapuatea Tarahoi theatre things tion Tofua Tubuai Tubuaians vessels violence voyage Wallis Wewitzer William Bligh women wrote young