Married to Britannia: Musicals, Mutinies, and Manhood

Abstract

Jack Tar appeared an enviable figure to some, yet many common seamen felt that they did not receive their proper share of the credit for victory at sea. This was certainly not the result of a national indifference to naval triumphs; in the course of the eighteenth century, admirals quickly became celebrities on more than one occasion.1 What, then, was the difference between Jack Tar and his officers? Patriots feared that the common seaman did not seem to care much about where his cannon pointed, as long as he found an opportunity to empty his shot locker. This implied not only unorthodox sexual behavior, but also the possibility that the sailor might turn his bellicose energies against Britain. Jack Tar ruled the waves, but until he could master himself, he would remain a suspect figure.KeywordsEighteenth CenturyDisorder Gender IdentityBritish PublicPopular SongWooden WallThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.