Peas in a pod, darling. [Jack/Elizabeth] [POTC]

[heroics.livejournal.com]

Title: The Pirate and the Lady
Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Relationship: Jack Sparrow/Elizabeth Swann
Author: Jena/heroics (seienophobia@aol.com)
Spoilers: The entire movie.
Notes: It's about an hour before my deadline, but I have to be up early, so here goes.

i. INTRODUCTION
I never know how to start a bit like this, there never seems to be a good idea for introduction. I suppose I could say something like, "In this post you will come to understand why pirates are loads more interesting than blacksmiths", but that isn't right, because the purpose isn't to bash the eunuch Will. There's the tried and true, "Here's my manifesto about my OTP and you shall all be awed and converted by my perfect case." But, that's a bit, I don't know, something we don't want.

So, I figure I'll trivialize the hell out of it for the time being, you know, just to get your attention. That'll go something like this: Come on people, it's Johnny Depp in eyeliner, Keira Knightley in a corset, and more rum than you could shake a flaming stick at.

And now that I've got your attention, let's get reacquainted with the movie that's our backdrop. Pirates of the Caribbean, rousing adventure on the high seas, spun-off of, of all things, a Disney ride. You've got cursed pirates, Aztec gold, corsets, rum, and a zombie monkey. Not to mention the aforementioned Johnny Depp in eyeliner. But is that all this movie is? Summer popcorn flick that blew up bigger than anyone could have expected? Or was it something more that brought people in for viewing after viewing after viewing? Maybe, if you taker a closer look, this movie could teach you a little something about 18th century class struggle, and how some things have not changed over the course of centuries. Perhaps it could teach you how the repressed can be liberated after spending enough time in the company of swaggering, red bandanna wearing, rum drenched, freedom personified. And maybe, just maybe, it could inspire you to chase that same dream. But that's only this writer's two cents.

Back in the fall of 2003, Esquire magazine called Jack the most liberated and (more importantly) liberating screen character in movie history. It told a short story of two housewives who snuck away from their mundane husbands as often as they could. Illicit affairs? No. Pirates of the Caribbean.

Now it's time to meet our contestants.

ii. CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW
One of the first pirates to be shown as a hero, and not a villain. In our world of black and white, this he reminded us of gray, in which "criminals" can be good people, even without turning on their "life of crime". It could be agreed upon by most in the fandom that Jack is what brought them in, and kept them. He is, after all, the star. He commands the attention of the entire audience each and every time he's in a scene. He will, in the future, be remembered as one of the great icons of movie history. You won't have to mention the movie by name, only say, "Captain Jack", and you're sure to be understood. "But, why is the rum gone?" is nearly as recognizable as "I'll never let go," or that guy with the helmet being that other guy's dad (so very kidding). But, like most things in the movie, we have to take a closer look at this seemingly outrageous character.

One of the biggest mistakes I have seen fanfic writers make is the mistake of writing Jack as unlearned. It is made very clear in the canon that he's a quick thinker, a good planner, and just generally intelligent. He references the Divine Comedy, by pointing out that the deepest circle in hell is reserved for betrayers, so clearly, he's at least literate. (It could be argued that Dante's Inferno was a well known work at the time, but I'm not doing the arguing). But the novelization of the film, as well as the original draft of the script, give us some more insight. They both mention that Jack worked as an apprentice for a cartographer (I've heard some say he was one himself, but it's anyone's guess) before becoming a pirate. A trade which would have required some sort of education, implying that his parents, while probably not on Elizabeth's level, weren't starving and living in a shack, either. Jack acts as though he's less intelligent than he is, or just generally daft, as a means of catching people off guard. So long as his enemies are underestimating him, he has the upper hand. This is demonstrated over and over again. The man is no fool.

Another misconception seems to be that Jack is habitually drunk, and while alcoholism was a reality of the pirate life (sometimes small rum rations were the reason they turned pirate in the first place) Jack himself is only seen drinking twice in the span of the movie, and only one of those times is he actually intoxicated. I've no doubt in my mind that he does enjoy his drink, like his brigand brothers, but I don't see it getting in the way of his planning, or becoming a crutch. Rum is not the force that drives him.

Now that those two things are out of the way, let's delve a bit deeper into his internal landscape. At first glance most people probably think Jack has a grand time at life, and figure they'd like to be like him. It appears as though, mostly, he doesn't have a care in the world. Life is a game, the world is his oyster, and all that. But, you see, there's a small problem with that line of thinking. Sure, all of those things are true to an extent, but there are some things that shouldn't be forgotten. The mutiny, for one, is much more than a punchline or a backstory that can be cast off. It would have been a huge turning point for him, and changed him in more ways than we've been told (we don't know him before the mutiny, so it may not be all that obvious), so try this on: Jack was the Captain of the Black Pearl, and one must understand what it is to be a pirate captain. Pirate ships worked on a democratic principle the likes of which has not been replicated in any government anywhere. Pure democracy, in which decisions had to be damned near unanimous. The Captain was voted in by the Council (the entire crew), and they voted on the man who had the most respect and trust. They voted on the man they believed would keep them alive, and the man could count on not to abuse his power. Jack was, apparently, that man.

Enter Barbossa. First mate, and as much, someone Jack himself clearly trusted. Perhaps they were even friends, but we can't speculate. Barbossa takes over the ship for himself, and we can see clearly that it was not the sort of pirate voting the Code called for (guidelines, right?) because Bootstrap Bill was not in agreement, and for that, he was killed. This is what makes it a real mutiny, even in pirate eyes, and not only a change in power. According to the code the man voted out would never have been marooned and left to die, he would simply go back to his old life as a crew member, and wait to see if he'd be elected again. This would have been done amicably, or the disagreeing crew members would have parted ways and found another sloop or ship.

So this was an act of betrayal, and not simple theft. From what we know, and the way in which Jack responds to Will, he and Bill were close. "One of the few who knew him as Bill Turner, everyone else called him Bootstrap, or Bootstrap Bill." This familiarity implies that they were good friends. Now, put yourself in Jack's shoes, imagine that one person you trusted betrayed you, and killed another person you trusted. A good friend. Then person A takes away (very nearly literally) your spirit, and leaves you to die on a desert island. You're gonna think twice before trusting someone again, aren'tcha?

Jack Sparrow, man with trust issues. Jack Sparrow, man who's freedom was taken away from him. And that means it's time to examine his motivations.

In the commentary Johnny Depp says that on the island, sans hat, and coat, and all of the costume that makes up "Captain Jack Sparrow", he was a different man, simply Jack. This statement was a turning point in my own personal characterization, because since then, I've come to see that Jack Sparrow and Captain Jack Sparrow are two different men living in one body. This is a key part of his characterization, and his motivations.

We know, by his own actions and admission, that freedom is his driving force. His freedom is the thing he cares most about, and that freedom is made solid in the form of the Black Pearl. He is a typical pirate in this respect (I could write an entirely different historical paper on why piracy was more than petty theft and "terrorism", but don't get me started now). This is the Captain Jack Sparrow of legend, who roped sea turtles, and sacked Nassau Port without even firing a shot. This is the Sparrow of endless luck, and superior wit. He is the coat, the hat, and a compass that doesn't point north. He is, for the most part, a character to be played by the man behind the costume. This is the personality that sailed into a heavily militarized Port Royal on a sinking dingy like he owned the place.

But the realities of piracy are harsh and cruel (or seafaring life in general), and this is the man we see on the island. This is the man that mournfully watches as the other prisoner's in the jail are freed by a lucky cannon shot. This is the man who stands on the scaffold and waits for the floor to fall. He lacks the costume, but he doesn't lack the experience, and we can see, in these moments most of all, that his life is not easy. He has scars, quite a lot of scars, to say nothing of the branded "P", which may look nifty, but was probably not a pleasant experience for him. "No truth at all." With those words you see more pain on his face than you do in the entirety of the movie. It's mixed with disgust, and bitterness, but not a hint of regret. He knows, because, as we've established, he's not stupid, that the better part of the known would wants him dead. He knows that pirates are called the common enemy of mankind. He knows that he'll mostly likely end his life at the end of a noose, but he doesn't care. Not truly. He continues to be both of these men, in defiance of death itself.

And that's because these two have to co-exist, neither can be whole without the other. The Jack of legend is the freedom that the Jack-on-the-inside needs to live his life happily, he is the adventure and fun that makes up for all of the scars and risk. But the Jack of legend cannot live without the Jack-on-the-inside, because without the soul that fuels his desire, he'd only be a shell of a person. Without the man he used to be, he wouldn't live long enough to be the man he is, or will be.

I can imagine that, despite his freedom, and the fact that he lives a life most people dream about, being Jack Sparrow could be quite lonely. But not the sad sort of loneliness. He has more than enough to make up for it, but sometimes people just need people. Too bad he'd be unlikely to trust anyone. Unless ...

iii. ELIZABETH SWANN
Keira Knightley is quoted as calling Elizabeth a 20th century girl stuck in an 18th century world, and that is the best way to put it simply. The first scene of the movie is of a 12 year old Elizabeth, on a ship, singing a pirate song. Such songs were, historically, outlawed. In some settlements, under penalty of death ("Well you're singing a pirate song, you must be a pirate"). Piracy was her fascination, it was something that she read about (she knew about Jack's exploits) and it was something that excited her. She knew "parlez", and the code. She was first attracted to Will because she believed he was a pirate. It's natural for a child to dream like this, but she carried it well beyond childhood.

Flash forward 8 years, and we have a woman of 20, who is still wearing the pirate medallion, hidden under her clothes. It's a fascination that she holds, literally, close to her heart. But children don't often get the chance to make good on their dreams, and it would have been easy for her to lose interest once she was confronted with the real thing. But that isn't quite how it happened.

In the issue of class you could argue all night as to who has it worse off. My theory is that everyone caught in this struggle of wealth has it hard, just in different ways. The life of an 18th century girl would be one of propriety and repression. This was made physical by the binding corsets that become a big part of Elizabeth's character. The one's such as she wore were a status symbol, and in turn, the chains the held her to that status. It was suggested that she's spent awhile trying to get Will to call her by her given name, and it was a losing battle. This was an act of rebellion, on her part, a small one, but a grave impropriety nonetheless. He'd have none of it, and that frustrated her, because each time he said "Miss Swann" it was as though someone had pulled the laces tighter. "Good day, Mister Turner." She says that line as though she's punishing him, as though she's irritated with him.

Her first brush with a pirate comes when Jack pulls her from the water, and she is quick to defend him, until things get ugly. It should still be mentioned that a lesser woman, an average woman of the time, would have burst into tears if a pirate had a chain around their neck and a gun at their head. What would you do? But not Elizabeth.

Her next encounter comes when Pintel and Ragetti find her hiding place, and she is ready to fight them with their own code. Minutes before this she attempted to get the sword off the wall, which implies that she wasn't too scared to think in terms of survival.

She stands up to the cursed crew, attempts to kill Barbossa, bickers openly with Jack, tries to initiate a kiss with Will, comes up with a wonderful idea for evading capture, knows how to fire a gun, can be conniving enough to get Jack to pass out, smart enough to light the rum on fire, brave enough to rush into a cave of skeletal killers, stand in between Will, Jack, and a lot of muskets, and the list goes on. And on. All through the movie we are shown that she is truly a capable young woman, and has all of spirit required to be a pirate. Even Jack sees this in her, but we'll get to that later.

But perhaps the bravest thing she does in the course of the movie is to declare her love for Will, and her and support and friendship for Jack. This would have been far more horrifying that swordplay with the simple undead. She stood up to a Royal Navy Commodore, and the Governor of Jamaica, and in essence, the entire world she knew.

This shows us that Elizabeth is a girl who follows her heart. She's young, and idealistic, and will seemingly do anything to protect the ones she cares for.

When Dead Man's Chest comes out, it'll be two years since her first adventure, and it's anyone's guess as to how she'll have adjusted. But it's this fan's opinion that once you experience freedom, you're infected by it, and I'm confident she'll have the lasting sort by the trilogy's end.

iv. TOGETHER
Pirate or not, the first meeting of these two speaks loads of Jack's character. There he was, pirate, criminal who was facing death if caught, and he risks all that to jump into the water and save some high society broad he'd never met. He did this without asking for anything in return. The way in which he saves her is especially important. He rips off her corset.

We've already covered the fact that the corset represents the class into which Elizabeth was born. The one she doesn't fit into. The one she hates. And it's with that simple cut that this man, this pirate, frees her from the binding. It's downright metaphoric, people. At that moment we can imagine that she may have been thinking to herself, "You see, I was right." About pirates, of course.

She probably didn't foresee the whole gun bit, but hey, life's unexpected, innit? However, it should be pointed out that this really didn't seem to bother her all that much in retrospect. Later that night when her maid says it must have been a terrifying ordeal, Elizabeth only nods dreamily, and says, in a tone that sounds more intrigued, "Yes, it was terrifying."

Around this time Jack is still probably scratching his head, "Where did she get that?"

I think it's time to mention that fact that Jack and Elizabeth actually have more screen time than the "canon" couple. And that's not counting the deleted scenes. (Watch the deleted scenes. Now. Go. Come back and finish when you're done.) And, of course, that Elizabeth was obsessed with pirates a child, and most certainly not people who bang anvils.

We should move onto the scene where our darlings have the most alone time together. The island. It can be assumed that this was Elizabeth's first taste of rum. It's a vile drink, after all, and I'm sure she doesn't drink it on the weekends. This is the place where she teach's Jack her pirate song, and the two spend God only knows how long spinning around the fire, dancing, twirling, drink, and singing to the top of their lungs. Liberation, I tell you.

The chemistry here is thick enough to be cut with a knife, it's so obvious, so alive. Alive to the point where even people who aren't an active part of the ship community have probably read, or even penned, a good old island smut fic, or two. On this island, away from society and civilization, even though she's planning the entire time, Elizabeth can let her hair down, literally, and be the thing she wants to be the most. Herself.

Jack, as well. As we see, he lacks his costume. Leading us to the deleted scenes.

It is Elizabeth that Jack chooses to show his scars to. I don't imagine that he does that with many people, because it's showing a weakness. Sure, he may have shown them to a few Tortugan "ladies" as battle scars, and whatnot, but not in the "No truth at all" sense. He does this, presumably, to show Elizabeth that piracy is not all stories and romance. By this point in the story he knows of her fixation (she told him his own story, after all) and he can assume that, given her station, she knows nothing of the reality. He shows her, and all she can do is back up, with what look like tears in her eyes.

Sharing this moment of weakness was the first step toward trust, for Jack. It was also important for her, because it led to her eventual trust of him, and because she was made to come to terms with the truth behind the dreaming.

I can't pass by in silence the most telling scene. The favorite of Sparrabeth shippers everywhere. The one that is followed by a chorus of "Why couldn't that be in the cut!?" The Peas in a Pod scene. It is, after all, the most canon explanation of their dynamic.

Elizabeth: You didn't tell him [Norrington] about the curse.
Jack: I noticed neither did you, for the same reason, I imagine.
Elizabeth: He wouldn't have risked it.
Jack: Could've gotten him drunk. Don't get me wrong, luv, I admire a person who's willing to do whatever's necessary.
Elizabeth: You're a smart man, Jack. But I don't entirely trust you.
Jack: Peas in a pod, darling.

Two things going on here. One, Jack has admitted to admiring a trait about Elizabeth. Despite his tantrum over the rum, in retrospect, he appears to have accepted that she beat him fair and square in the battle of wits. And two, more importantly, the title line. It can be interrupted one of two ways.

Elizabeth states that she doesn't trust Jack, and he is saying, "peas in a pod", as in "yeah, me neither." In which case, we can understand that neither is ready to do something so dangerous as trust, yet. Or, the more popular interpretation (and both can be correct, I like that idea) is that Jack was commenting on how alike he and Elizabeth are. He marks her as his equal, and sees in her things that he sees in himself. They are, undoubtedly, the two most liberated characters in the whole of the movie. Their motivations are strikingly similar.

But, the turning point, for Jack at least, happens in the last five minutes of the film. Jack Sparrow, pirate extraordinarre, fall-behind-left-behind type guy, is saved by two young kids. Kids who, for a large part of the story, he was using as means to an end. But in a simple moment, in that one act, they saved his life, without expecting anything in return. Simply because they believed he was worth it. They believed he was a good person.

As a pirate, few others had probably ever assumed such a thing.

Elizabeth and Will risked quite a bit to take a stand and declare their friendship and caring. Now they trusted him, and he had every reason to return the feeling. It's no wonder that he'll be coming around again for two more movies. The bonds forged in the first adventure as lasting. It's no accident that all three of them have identical scars on their palms.

There are two things I don't believe in. Leprechauns, and coincidences. Unless I'm wrong about the leprechaun thing.

So how would the relationship work? Most of the fanfic in existence has Elizabeth striking out to sea as a pirate aboard the Pearl. The realization of her childhood longing, and as a result, she begins a relationship with Jack.

There are two popular methods of getting Will out of the way. One is the say that he's forgotten his heart and cannot give Elizabeth the freedom she desire, as a result, she goes searching for Jack. The other, and more realistic, is to kill Will. Mourning, as most know, has a way of bringing people together.

The relationship itself works almost on a teacher/pupil principle. Elizabeth learns the trade from Jack, he shows her what it means to be a pirate, body and soul, and also schools her in the, ah, ways of the flesh. He's her freedom, he is the fairy hero in her life's story. Black sails replace the white horse. She acts as the string that tethers him to earth, because with a man like Jack, there's a good chance he'd float away. But she also teaches him to trust. She's that little bit of light in his chaotic, and dangerous, world.

Then, of course, you have your island fling. Cause hey, Johnny Depp in eyeliner, Keira Knightley in a corset, and more rum than you can shake a flaming stick at.

v. RECS
_peasinapod_ and sparrabeth are the only two communities I'm aware of right now.

hereswith's lovely nine part series

Eight Wonders of the World by Orange Crush

Soapuppy's Scars is a darker look at what it means to be Captain Jack Sparrow

Choices by erinya is a beautiful J/E epic. It's unfinished, but still well worth checking out.

As is Shadow Phenix's Forty-six and 2 (also a WIP).

Yearn by damoyre is a look at Elizabeth's regrets if she chose mediocrity.

Dreams by aztecgold is another look at what might have been.

Jealous by geek_mama_2 is one of my personal favorites. It's a continuation of Lost and Found.

Remember Me is an angst-ridden haunting piece written by the wonderfully wonderful BETA'er of this manifesto, beautifulphrase. ♥♥

And because I am a horrible glory hound, my own series Of Black Sails and Ivory Towers is in progress, but I'll post the chapters thus far. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

As well as an island drabble by me, called Plans.

Now go. Read. Be happy, and join our noble shipping cause.

EDIT: I realize there are so many wonderful fics out there, and I'm not aware of all of them, but this is our ship, and I know manifestos are posted and linked all over the shipping community, so in light of that, if you have a fic that you love, that you think should be on here, please let me know.

Comments

[thehunter.livejournal.com]

Well done. I adore this ship. ^_^

[supersyncspaz7.livejournal.com]

Sigh. This was awesome. I can't wait for the sequel. How much longer? Seriously?

[lotesse]

This is a beautiful essay--your passion for the pairing really shines through, and you're incredibly perceptive of the subtle nuances in these characters that make them so much more than the stock types of summer blockbusters. Congrats on a wonderful piece!

[roguish-angel.livejournal.com]

That was lovely! if i had been starting to stray from my potc otp (which of course im not!) that would have sent me straight back to sparrabeth land!

well done!

[larakailyn.livejournal.com]

Wonderful essay! I love your insights into the characters and the metaphors as well as your humor. I remember sitting in the movie theater and thinking during the island scene, "Forget Will/Elizabeth. I want Jack/Elizabeth."

I'll have to explore your recs soon!

[paratti.livejournal.com]

Great essay:)

[twinni-two.livejournal.com]

wow, i hate essays generally but that was great. both thumbs up,. and also it brings to epople's minds the real meaning of potc, too many auwful fics about jack being a drunk when hes not.

[shecrows.livejournal.com]

alsjdflasjdf.

you know i think this essay is fucking amazing. and then some.

i'm so unbelievably glad that you were the one to write it, jena. i don't think anyone could have done it better. and dear god it's one of my old fics run awaaaaaay.

♥

[swell.livejournal.com]

yay my otp #1 is been manifesto'd! loved this, great job!

[militarypenguin.livejournal.com]

Wonderful essay! You captured my attention within the first few sentences and never did it wander away while reading this. Great exploration not only on their relationship, but the characters themselves, too. I'll have to read those fics you recced, too. :D

[twinni-one.livejournal.com]

*kills will*

*Washes hands*

Problem solved!

[eponine89.livejournal.com]

And I thought I was the only one who supported this pairing. I'm hoping they'll put them together in the next movie, but I have a strong feeling that it's not going to happen.

Wondeful, insightful essay.

[elektra3.livejournal.com]

Well done! I'm more of a Jack/Will/Elizabeth shipper (it's all about the threesomes, baby), but I think these two have a great dynamic on their own.

*goes to read fic recs*

[angel-kathryn.livejournal.com]

Great essay!

Hehe, after the first time I saw the movie, the moment we got out my friends and I all said:
"Jack/Elizabeth is so there!"
;)

Is there really anyone who believes that *nothing* happenned on that island? :p:p

Nice work :)

[distantemotivo.livejournal.com]

I never really shipped anything from PotC, but I don't really like Will/Elizabeth so this works for me. Marvelous manifesto. It made me realize that I never watched the deleted scenes on my DVD, so I'm going to do that now.

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

I love this pairing, and I'm really glad you wrote an essay about it here. Very nicely done! And thank you, for including my series among the recs.

[ex-theatrica309.livejournal.com]

*pokes around in the shipping essays*

Well done. I'm more of a Jack/Will/Elizabeth fan myself, but I've been noticing the Jack/Elizabeth UST since my first viewing of the film, way back when.

You have a very earnest, engaging writing style, and I think that would've kept me reading even if I hadn't been interested in the subject matter (although of course I was). Also? Points for the Buffy reference.

*goes off to read the recs*

[ayamemishi.livejournal.com]

Guh, I can't begin to say how much I loved this.
I watched PoTC for the first time last night(*beats self for utter lameness*) and the island scene just screamed "JACK/LIZ, OVER HERE!!!" Oh, and Jack's little line about it not being able to work out between them as he leaps off. Though that was more amusing than serious.

Anyways, I've been digging through the fanfiction and I must admit, I like your evidence for them. It really could work- if only we could find a way to distract Will...

[madamx28.livejournal.com]

Very well done!! You seem to have a real grasp of the characters and understand what motivates them. Good for you!!

[oregonblondie.livejournal.com]

Lovely essay. I really like reading these, and I think there's something that makes me smile about Sparrowbeth.

2 Things: You have a typo/grammatical error in 'iv. TOGETHER'

This is the place where she teach's Jack her pirate song,

It should be teaches instead.

And may I recommend the book "Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates' by David Cordingly. You seem to have a great appreciation for both the real life history of pirates, as well as the fictional history that has been created over time.

[ronniekins77.livejournal.com]

Oh, this was wonderful! Are you going to update this or write a second part to go along with the second movie?

[lkwreader.livejournal.com]

this was a wonderful essay. you should really do one with the sequel. I support the threesome Jack/Elizabeth/Will, but I loved the island scene. It gave new meaning to "island getaway". It was so obvious that something happened. great job!

[jessieheart.livejournal.com]

Aye, a sequel must be written! Your essay here is perfectly eloquent and amazing, and I must join the cry for a follow-up, now that Dead Man's Chest and all its gloriously canon Jack/Elizabeth moments are upon us! Based on the wonderful job you've done here, I think you'd be the perfect person to go over DMC and write why pirates are, truly, loads more interesting than blacksmiths. XD

[kal-ella.livejournal.com]

oh wow, that was wonderful. you should definitely do a sequel. *nods*

[snarky-kat.livejournal.com]

Agreeing with an update to the essay. DMC just gave us so much extra proof.