Publication details
The Flying Dutchman as an early example of a nautical drama
| Authors | |
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| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | The English are a historically seafaring people and the sea runs deep in the development of English literature. While the genre of marine fiction is a relatively widely discussed topic, nautical drama has so far received less critical attention. This paper examines one of the earliest nautical dramas and the first rendition of a popular legend entitled The Flying Dutchman; or, The Phantom Ship (1827) by Edward Fitzball. The Gothic tropes permeate the text of the play as the author explores the distinct symbolic and narrative possibilities of the sea, mixing nautical, Gothic, and domestic elements. Even if the main character, Captain Vanderdecken, is a spectre doomed to sail the ocean forever, there are moments when he loses his spectral character and becomes a real person. The character of the accursed captain inspired a number of writers and dramatists who introduced this enigmatic figure in their novels and dramas. |