CHARACTER ANALYSIS * DICK DEADEYE * HMS PINAFORE by Larry C. Littlefield As the curtain falls at the end of Ruddigore, Dick Dauntless shows his preference for the lovely and vivacious Zora from the Corps of Endowed Bridesmaids, and it appears that all has ended happily. But, what evils befall this star-crossed pair in the future! Dick and Zora are wed, enjoy a too short honeymoon, and Dick returns to sea. Upon his return, several years later, he finds, to his horror, that his beloved Zora had been kidnapped after the birth of their son by some "gay blades" of the aristocracy who had gotten carried away at the inn where Zora had worked as a serving girl. After abusing her evilly they had left her to her own devices. Zora's pride would not let her go on in the same village, or look to Robin or Rose Maybud for assistance. So, taking her baby, she moves to Portsmouth. Unfortunately, she is unable to make enough money and dies from a combination of malnutrition, disease and a broken heart. Her child is given to Mrs. Cripps (Buttercup) by the author- ities to bring up with the other foundlings she is nursing and raising in her foster home. Dick's heart and soul are torn to shreds. Mrs. Cripps demands money for the care of the child and Dick, being a poor sailor, is unable to pay. However, an evil scheme forms in his now twisted mind. Mrs. Cripps has also under her care the child of one of the aristocracy who was involved in Zora's original kidnapping. This gay blade and wife have gone to his plantation in the West Indies and have left the child in Mrs. Cripps' care until their return. Unfortunately, they are both lost at sea, and Mrs. Cripps has the orphan in her charge. Dick sees a way to get back at the aristocrat through his child. He convinces Buttercup that by switching the children, a long range investment in their future can be made. Since Dick's child has never seen his father and there is no one to identify Ralph, the switch can easily be made even though Dick's son is several years older than Ralph. Dick's son, as an aristocrat, can move in the proper circles of society where he can arrange a proper marriage. Dick persuades Buttercup that the father of the bride, once he becomes aware that she has married below her station, would be happy to pay over a few hundred pounds to Dick and Buttercup rather than go through the resulting scandal if the word got out. Dick's son is enlisted in the Navy as a Midshipman and climbs rapidly in rank while Ralph, when he comes of age is enlisted as a cabin boy with no hope of raising beyond the level of "the meanest slave that crawls the water" as a British Navy enlisted man. How does Dick Dauntless get his name of "Dick Deadeye"? Dick has, of course, returned to the sea and over the course of years has been involved in many battles. He becomes an excellent gunner and because of his excellent marksmanship with his 24 pounder, receives the name of Deadeye Dick -- a respectful nickname. However, in one of the battles, the enemies' cannon ball strikes Dick's cannon which rolls over on Dick and his gun crew, killing them and horribly maiming Dick. A piece of shrap- nel takes his eye and only the surgeon's skill prevents him from losing his arm and leg. After a long period of recuperation, Dick recovers, but his leg is bent, his arm is useless, his back is twisted, and he now walks like a crab -- terribly crippled -- but he has not lost his ability to hit a target or train his fast firing gun crew and is retained in the service for his skill. But now, his tormented body matches his tormented mind. His disfigurement makes people turn away from him, his old messmates have been turned away by Dick's attitude and his old friends, who tried to help him in his misery have left him to himself to continually think about his plan. He is "resigned" to his fate of being an outcast. He turns into what people expect him to be. His crew turn his nickname from Deadeye Dick to Dick Deadeye -- a disrespectful, beast of a name. While Dick has been sailing, fighting, being wounded and recuperating, his son has married, had a child and lost his wife before Dick and Buttercup were able to put their plan into effect. To make sure they didn't lose out a second time, Dick wangles an assignment to his son's ship. When Ralph Rackstraw is also assigned as a lowly topman, Dick is beside himself with glee because he can watch his son as Captain and the aristocrat's son living the lowly life of the crew. When it turns out that the Lord Admiral is interested in his son's daughter, Dick sees the fruition of his scheme come to an end. When the Pinafore comes into Portsmouth, Dick's granddaugh- ter is first aboard to see her father and Dick notices her interest in Ralph who has been smitten by her beauty. Dick immediately starts plotting to get rid of Ralph since a love affair or marriage would destroy all of his plans. He is abso- lutely gloating when Ralph decides to end it all. When Buttercup comes on board, Dick immediately recognizes her even though she has now fallen to the status of a bumboat woman. When she asks the Boatswain if he has ever had a canker- worm eating out his heart, Dick takes the opportunity to see if she recognizes him and to stop her from saying more. He finds out that Buttercup does not recognize him, but does recognize the name of Ralph and is filled with remorse at the deception she has practiced for these many years. However, Buttercup is afraid of two things if she reveals all. First, she could go to jail and be deported to Australia, and second, Dick Deadeye may kill her. Therefore, she dissembles. Buttercup tries to warn the Captain that "things are seldom what they seem", but the none too bright Captain doesn't under- stand or take much heed. Finally, Dick leads the Captain by the hand to have him end this love affair but his son goes too far -- the Admiral has heard him swear -- Dick's dreams are going up in smoke. Then Buttercup tells all but makes sure her tale is told in such a way that she is not accused of conspiracy. In her "confusion" she mixed the children up -- no mention of Deadeye's part in the foul play. Buttercup has fallen in love with the Captain because he reminds her of Dick Dauntless who she secretly loved many years before. It's all possible if the assumption is accepted that she is about 47, the Captain about 40, Ralph about 33, and Josephine about 18. It was not unusual for men to marry women older than themselves and women to be about half the age of their husbands in those days. After the revelation, Deadeye is beside himself -- his son is a commoner. The aristocrat's son comes into his own -- his plans and schemes have come to nothing. Then it dawns on him that his granddaughter by marrying Ralph will become an aristo- crat, his son will have a good woman (plump and pleasing person) who he can now marry, and the Admiral has dismissed them all so "no danger lowers". Therefore, Dick is happy at the end of the show. Though no one has suspected why he became so involved with such feelings during the period of the show. Without his schemes to constantly think on, Dick's "attitude" toward his fellow crewmen changes, and he returns to his regular duties but is no longer "the bad guy". Even though his plans were foiled, all has come out all right in his mind at the end. Dick goes on in his lonely way until he loses his life saving his Captain (Ralph Rackstraw) from being lost at sea in a gale off Cape Hatteras, Virginia, during the American Revolution in 1777. [This article appeared in Issue 12 (June 1987) of Precious Non- sense, the newsletter of the Midwestern Gilbert & Sullivan Society. Posted by permission of Sarah Cole, Society Secre- tary/Archivist. For information on Society membership write to: The Midwestern Gilbert & Sullivan Society, c/o Miss Sarah Cole, 613 W. State St., North Aurora, IL 60542-1538.]