Captain Jack Sparrow: A Historical Analysis

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Jack Sparrow has become the most recognizable of all pirates, but just how accurate is he to his historical counterparts?
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
0:20 Name
1:50 Appearance
7:49 Personality
9:18 Flag
10:05 Backstory
15:15 Verdict
15:30 My alternative
17:38 Your turn
18:29 Outro
#pirates #piratesofthecaribbean #jacksparrow

[@GoldandGunpowder]

The channel has soon reached 50k subscribers and when it does I intend to host a Q&A Livestream to celebrate. If you have any questions you can either ask me during the livestream, send them to me via email, patreon, or post them on Discord. You can ask them in this thread, but I'm unlikely to see them.

[@Defenestration_]

love ur vids

[@mortache]

Ever plan to discuss Hornblower?

[@charleslarrivee2908]

At the end of the day, there's only one thing about Jack Sparrow that matters: He's Captain Jack Sparrow.

[@domjohnson9188]

​@jaredjams4267 that's got to be the best pirate I've ever seen.

[@vintagecapgunsatyourmomshouse]

Yes

[@ndld4955]

It's the only thing you really need to remember ... 😏

[@frederikhein4195]

So it would seem…

[@dagnirglaurunga1620]

Savvy?

[@monkstery]

I love your drawings of a historically accurate Jack Sparrow

[@cleverusername9369]

Captain*

[@pavelslama5543]

Its worth noting that Jack´s appearance isnt typical even in the movie. The only person who dresses up even remotely similar is Barbossa. Another thing, Jack is attached to his ship because he´s used to it. And he´s used to it because he doesnt have to switch ships. And he doesnt have to switch ships because he already has the best one. And third, Jack´s flag appears to be his own personal modification, which although non-historical, is still close enough.

[@GoldandGunpowder]

missed the point

[@mageillus]

And after Captain Jack Sparrow, everyone’s costumes included eyeliner, dreadlocks, and random stuff attached to their belts 😂🤦‍♂️

[@goodoldbubba6620]

I wonder what brand of eyeliner the real pirates wore? Maybe it was Maybelline.

[@bushhippie7372]

Makes it all the easier for those of us with original outfits to stand out.

[@Captain_Cinnamon]

I think charcoal makes 200% sense. A technique used by berbers and alpinists to make sure they dont get glare.

[@user-nt2bq9th1n]

In potc 3 Movie actually revealed that jack’ s mother is an Indian And potc 2 also showed that jack can speak Native language So jack is a mixed race Indian pirate (maybe a reference to Johnny depp’s native grandpa) This movie detail probably can become another video about “the relationship between pirates and natives”

[@kaspershaupt]

some explanation for the tatoos

[@CosplayZine]

Sounds a bit like a convenient way to make a character be all things that white people fancy.

[@Dr.Balaclava]

Hes the best pirate I've ever seen Gold and Gunpowder:"So we shall see" *proceeds to give a historical analysis*

[@ivar637]

Jack actually has a syphilis mark on his cheek, which gets progressively more noticeable each movie.

[@decem_sagittae]

9:43 Jack Sparrow was syphilitic, he has syphilis sores on his face and you can see them aggravate and grow throughout the series.

[@cleverusername9369]

Captain*

[@decem_sagittae]

@@cleverusername9369 what

[@jordanhuff2422]

It's "Captain Jack sparrow" xD this comment was just like a scene from the movie omg lollol

[@merafirewing6591]

"He has got to be the best pirate I've ever seen." (Forgot the name of the guy that said this line.) "So it would seem."-Commodore Norrington

[@PANCAKEMINEZZ]

I always assumed Tricorns were worn by sailors because of the shape of the hat. I had always intuited (not researched) the way the hat is shaped keeps rain out of face, for the most part, and off your shoulders because water pools at the top and leaks out the three points where the hat is folded. But if what you said is true and they were made of cloth and not leather, then that seems like a silly thing to do. At least leather is somewhat water resistant.

[@joku02]

Leather isnt very good for water resistance. When it gets wet it can shrink and change shape, and crack and ruin the hat. Hence Felt was more useful and practical. Sure it got wet more easily and could shrink etc, but it wouldnt be unusablr after a rain. Also felt wasnt the only material, straw was also a popular material

[@Phlostonparadise2971]

I always assumed the shape of the hat was an effort to keep it on your head when looking into a strong wind.

[@EggGuy461]

"That's got to be the best pirate I've ever seen!"

[@Shocojones1212]

Captain

[@jackkendron2467]

So it would seem

[@PANCAKEMINEZZ]

Also, I love your drawing of a more historically accurate Jack. While I admittedly thoroughly enjoy the fantasyisms of the movies (mostly because they colored my perceptions of pirates, and they seemed grounded enough in history I took a lot of details for granted), Id like to see more historically accurately done pirates. I was especially disappointed when I was told to check out Black Sails and it felt, somehow, less grounded than the fantasy adventure films that have Davy Jones and the Kraken, and cursed Aztec gold. Not to say those fantasy elements can make the ither stuff surrounding it not grounded, of course, just funny that Black Sails is toted as the "real" pirate show while PotC does pirates better.

[@cleverusername9369]

Captain*

[@cleverusername9369]

I love this analysis, and at the same time Captain Jack's historical inaccuracies do not take away from my enjoyment of these movies in the slightest. He's just such an iconic character. In the same way that basically the only accurate thing about Braveheart is that Scotland exists, but it's still a damn entertaining movie, so to is my reaction to Captain Jack.

[@magicpyroninja]

The thing that always got me about Jack Sparrow is he seems way too educated for where he is. That vocabulary alone outpaces almost every other character we met in the movies. And despite all of his attempts to look like an idiot, you can tell he's not

[@Giddog40]

Barbossa similarly seems more educated than you’d expect

[@buckplug2423]

Could you make a video about pirate brutality? Was it something extraordinary at the time or similar to how most sailors behaved?

[@GoldandGunpowder]

for halloween

[@DIREWOLFx75]

If you want the really short and simple answer, it wasn't so much pirate brutality as it was PERIOD brutality. And pirates also differed greatly depending on what sort of pirates they were.

[@buckplug2423]

@@DIREWOLFx75 nah, I want the long answer. can't wait till October

[@vorynrosethorn903]

They generally tried to look brutal to scare people but not enough to make them think that fighting would be the better option. If the person had no value then they would probably kill them but in a time of slavery and manual labour that would have been rare, also most pirates were religious even if they weren't very moral so even then you'd probably have to run into the worse types. Of course Muslim pirates thought nothing of casual brutality towards Christians, they were notorious for sodomy, and likewise Christians would think very little about killing Muslims, pagans or the like, though it was generally more profitable to sell or enslaved them, when it came Muslims hatred would likely be a factor, likewise if pirates with nation loyalties caught someone of an identity they didn't like they better hope that the bias wasn't shared by enough of the crew. Thus treatment depended greatly on context, both of the region, the pirates and the victims, though of course psychopaths and natural human depravity existed they would endanger profits and make things harder due to authorities taking notice and victims fighting harder, of course though if everyone was killed then no one would know what happened but then drunk or unreliable crew would become a danger. Some pirates were much more brutal, the Barbary pirates very much so were and Cossacks tended to just kill in their black sea raids, taking slaves wasn't a goal and they had religious justification, they did force tartar women to marry them but those were not in pirate raids generally. For most however pirates were after money and captains did not maintain discipline by facilitating the base desires of the crew but by funding them, also hierarchy had cultural aspects to it and part of that was honour and personal decency, certainly many exceptions would have existed but such parties likely would have been short-lived, tumultuous and not very profitable, also experienced sailors likely wouldn't have envied the prospect of intercrew violence or foreseeable mutiny.

[@DIREWOLFx75]

@@Private-Potato That's what i wrote...

[@Kalakakku_]

I love the intro to prevent copyright lol

[@erickvonengelwalten8568]

I always though Jack was a englishman naturalized in East Indian colonies, and then became a Pirate sailing Between East Africa and Caribe. Could you make a video about the Cannibals Isles tribes? I read that colonists and privateers hunt and slave them too.

[@cleverusername9369]

Captain*

[@sempersuffragium9951]

You didn't mention the golden teeth. Maybe do that in the next one

[@loudthattrack8974]

just a note on the dreadlocks, they can form out of laziness if you just never cut or untie your hair, being this type im sure pirates with long hair would have had dreadlocks (sry for my english best try xd)

[@GoldandGunpowder]

yeah true

[@sempersuffragium9951]

Your english is damn near perfect

[@Redneckkratos]

“But WHY IS THE RUM GONE?!?!” -Gold and Gunpowder, probably

[@aniksamiurrahman6365]

A similar analysis of Barbosa?

[@nickklavdianos5136]

Here to say about the ship and flag. Jack is attached to his ship because of all the years he's been sailing with her. Also, if pirates only swapped their ship with a better one, well, according to the movies the Black Pearl is THE best ship. As for the flag, well, the bird is a sparrow, because, you know, he's Jack Sparrow. Also the scull with the bandana can be a reference to Jack too, given that he wore one. As for his background, maybe Beckett burnt his ship as a warning to other captains that might want to pirate or otherwise steal from himself and the East India Company.

[@CosplayZine]

The video is comparing real pirates to Jack Sparrow and your argument is based on the made up backstory. Arguing fantasy against fact doesn't make a lot of sense.

[@Shocojones1212]

I hope you’re happy. I made my family watch the Black Pearl the other night thanks to your videos. Love the channel

[@goodoldbubba6620]

That's a great movie. If you have to "make" your family watch it, I'd be concerned about wtf is wrong with them.

[@witchboy44]

Nice humming of jacks theme to avoid copyright

[@liuciusvincent2736]

That was a long awaited video and it was really fascinating. 100% AI is not a good tool for accurate depictions. I think your sketch is great and informative it doesn't have to be perfect as long as its readable. Good job!

[@Quirderph]

Relying on AI for historical accuracy would be plain idiotic.

[@liuciusvincent2736]

@@Quirderph facts lol🤧 idk who in their right mind would think that's a great idea

[@Quirderph]

@@liuciusvincent2736 I assume, people who don't quite understand how AI works.

[@Minnan1]

Jack Sparrow's design is intended to be representative of any and all styles of pirates, I think. That's why he has so many different elements combined into one appearance.

[@RittervonNord]

Would be interesting to touch upon Barbossa. As he seems to fit the pragmatic, practical and brutal pirate quite a bit.

[@akumaking1]

1:50 I laughed hysterically at the quack

[@JesusRocksTryPrayin]

POTC was so cool when it came out.. everything is cool when yer a kid; disney is quite dark.. Mickey reflected looks a lot like Wicked

[@SomeNot]

Could the bird on his flag possibly be a sparrow, referencing his name?

[@sleinzer2302]

I assumed that’s what it represented too. Seems pretty obvious

[@cleverusername9369]

Gee, ya think??

[@bushhippie7372]

Did not expect a Blood Meridian reference but I’m here for it.

[@JohnnyLouisXIX]

But why is the rum gone

[@goodoldbubba6620]

Since Calico Jack got two of the only female pirates preggers, st the same time, he must've had it going on.

[@jackrice2770]

The 'Disneyfication' of stories is understandable....it's supposed to be for children, sort of. In modern movies the writers/directors include a lot of winks and nods to the adults accompanying the little tykes. It's a shame that Black Sails isn't the popular cliche for pirate popular culture. Granted, the show has many historical inaccuracies and much nonsense, it beats the POTC franchise hands down. Yeah, okay, so no, you're not smart to let your little kiddies watch it, so stick to Treasure Island and Peter Pan for them, eh?

[@sirboenndal]

Some say he has found a way to live forever

[@nathanial8587]

here's a very oddball suggestion for a Historical Analysis suggestion: Treasure Planet?

[@vintagecapgunsatyourmomshouse]

Disney executives were a little skeptical that Depp’s take would be a hit. “It trickled back to me that Michael Eisner went on some sort of bent about how ‘Goddamnit Johnny Depp’s ruining the film! Is it drunk? Is it gay?’ Johnny Depp 2015/09/10

[@TheHowlingEye]

I think Jack is fixed on retaking the Pearl because there aren't many ships that are better than one which was raised from the sea bed by Davy Jones and turned into an unstoppable war machine. It's quite pragmatic

[@miserablecuss3744]

I wish I could wrap my head around exactly how they tied their pistols in the aforementioned silk sash.

[@billybonesthepirate2025]

Billy bones the pirate: That is a cool pirate video.

[@aldrinmilespartosa1578]

Tbf I don't really think anyone would think pirates liberated slaves just because Jack did it. Jack is a inceptional and crack-head kind of guy, even in his story. Crazy enough that he acted on his sympathies to the real world making him the exception rather than the rule.

[@jimjamauto]

It makes sense for his character because he's spent a lot of time being marooned, captured, or imprisoned. He puts a high value on his own freedom and hangs it over other characters' heads, probably not because he wants them to be free, but because he wants them to see things his way. He enjoys it when restrained characters like Norrington and Elizabeth act chaotic and "piratey", and seems less frustrated dealing with chaotic backstabbing enemies like Barbossa than authoritative enemies like Davey Jones. It's not from the bottom of his heart, just his principles.

[@The2ndFirst]

Hey brother. I want you to know I love this channel. I've learned a lot. Don't Worry about people being haters about your English. It's not bad. I can understand and it's not off putting. This is a very entertaining stream and I thank you for it.

[@drewmadenew3000]

Congrats on 50k! Well deserved

[@jojodio9851]

Love these analysis! Thank you!

[@Kenichi-Nil]

This was enjoyable to see one of most beloved characters amongst pirate genre fans being analysis and granting more image of the time-period. Bit curious, will you potentially touch on Wako Pirates in the future? I'm interested to see how you would handle looking into them.

[@MBP1918]

Glorious

[@bagel3703]

Loving these

[@user-sy2hw3ht7i]

awesome video, and i especially like the cool sketch you made

[@wojta]

Great analysys! Thanks for your effort!

[@jl88570]

I had NO idea about Jack's past with Beckett and Davy Jones, although I have watched all the movies hundreds of times. They shouldn't that scene. Thank you very much for that information friend. Nice work. Keep going 👍👌😉.

[@jasondohrman7098]

Thanks for another great video! Keep them coming. Jack sparrow always interested me.

[@MagicSpermWhale96]

Excited af for this

[@Goofyoliverde]

Analyse cpt barbossa and the crew of the black pearl, in the next one!

[@TheMCCraftingTable]

Great video! And great drawings too!

[@corvaxblackfeather6529]

Wow this channel gets more and more interessting. Am really looking forward to more stuf :)

[@Gizka123]

17:38 Did people use those black spots to hide anything else or was their presence an automatic mark of syphilis. Also being barefoot on a wooden vessel sounds like a lot of pain, especially in battle when extra splinters are getting created.

[@GoldandGunpowder]

was used for anything ugly

[@ryanh4775]

Your videos are slowly helping me piece together a family mystery to where im slowly but surely getting a profile for a distant relative from long ago who pops ups a a background character in a couple books about pirates and privateers. Initially I dismissed it because the part of the country where they all come from is no where near the Caribbean or that jazz however I have learned that is simply not the case at all. You have given me a good profile of sorts to where it alll sounds very plausible even getting dates and events correct that are otherwise obscure or as I thought lost to history.

[@dareethan4159]

Why's no one talking about the beginning singing?! It's funny as hell

[@user-tm7ot9lh7i]

Something about the syphylis pirates dealt with, supposedly the red spot on jacks jaw gets bigger every movie as a joke between depp and the makeup department as a syphilis sore growing

[@jonathaneffemey944]

Thanks for posting.

[@user-sn6is4wl7y]

Do a episode about pirate housing were they typically stayed when they weren’t out at sea or when they were retired both the average pirate and more successful pirates

[@blakerobinson8]

Ship berthing

[@nekokyun]

I wasn't expecting custom art, but DANG I love it!

[@dareethan4159]

4:57 jack was chief of isla de pelegostos, so it wouldn't be too far fetched. Plus his mother was also a shrunken head which (simingly) looked to be native to them

[@izzygarcialionibabaloipici6293]

If I just wondered on to a pirate ship and told the captain and crew I wanted to join and had no experience would they let me stay and train me up to be a part of the crew?

[@paulsteele8614]

Good insight as usual

[@johnpatterson8697]

3:30 Nice reference to Blood Meridian

[@clevermcgenericname891]

While it has about nothing at all to do with reality, Pyles pirate artwork is f$%king beautiful

[@thecreweofthefancy]

I will disagree on long coats. They do appear in enough period maritime images that I don't question them, especially not on land. I also don't agree with sleeveless waistcoats outside of working or if it gets way too hot in 2023. Even the buccaneers free of formalities, kept sleeves. The most common times I see them worn as an outer layer is surprisingly for cold weather over other jackets in several Dutch paintings. Outside of that, excellent video as usual.

[@GoldandGunpowder]

im not sure what you're saying, i never argued against coats, I argued against too many layers, which has been documented as being unpopular in the caribbean during the period

[@thecreweofthefancy]

@@GoldandGunpowder I'd ditch the sleeved waistcoat altogether. Now did they exist, yeah, but for some reason even the buccaneer images refuse to use them. I think it's about keeping the layer closest to the skin as clean as possible, that would be my argument.

[@thecreweofthefancy]

@@GoldandGunpowder material culture is my thing, I am going to have to do a waistcoat video. Dang it. In return you are doing a full Batchelor's Delight video. For folks who don't know the ship....the dang thing didn't die.

[@thecreweofthefancy]

With my Tew video you are getting tagged on it for Batchelor's Delight crewmembers FYI.

[@jacobblackard2574]

"You are without a doubt the worst pirate I've ever seen" "But you have heard of me"

[@loganw1232]

Your artwork isn’t bad. It’s pretty good for a non professional.

[@lionofthemorning7997]

Now you have to do Captain Flint & Long John Silver.

[@barnettmcgowan8978]

I agree on no AI. Great back story.

[@vintagecapgunsatyourmomshouse]

In 16th to 18th century militaries, the right brim of a larger hat was usually worn cocked up, to avoid interference with the loading and firing of muskets and rifles.

[@williamwallace3780]

Great series but the anticipation of the delayed, yet inevitable, video about the historicity of Insult Sword-Fighting is killing me.

[@TheRiverPirate13]

The Pirate and Treasure Museum here in St Augustine has a documented and authentic Jolly Roger flag from 1850. We do know what at least one or two pirate flags looked like and how they were made. There is also the original documented Pirate chest of Pirate Captain Thomas Tew at the museum. Just speaking as a Pirate which loves history Jack Sparrow is sort of a collage of historic and modern interpretation of the Golden age of piracy. The local re-enactors who actually wear historically accurate & material garb of the 17th and 18th century pirates do not draw the tourist's attention anywhere as much as the one Pirate in town that does the whole Captain Jack Sparrow outfit and routine! Lol! My personal Pirate garb that I wear I call an "Echo" of the time period, not the literal version. Tourists like the boots so that is the way it is! Buckled shoes with stockings looks boring! I enjoyed your video! I do think SOME of the look of pirates is lost to historical record, so I don't dismiss some out of hand how hair or clothing might have been worn. Tricorn hats started to appear as early as 1675 although your right that it wasn't common type of hat until a century later.

[@Blueghostboi]

I’ve been to that museum! Great place! Highly suggest it to anyone visiting St. Augustine.

[@jackcommonman1381]

dreadlocks weren't called that beyond less than a hundred years ago and were described sometimes as braids

[@vintagecapgunsatyourmomshouse]

Please keep the humor, always!

[@marauder7209]

Do you know anything about the sailors' fashion of wearing the cocked hat with a point forward? Cause infantry wore them slightly sideways, and (surprise) cocked. This was to not interfere with head movement when shouldering a firelock. But I think most navy boys didn't have that issue

[@bookofroger]

That was post-golden age of piracy (1730 onwards) The tricorn hat was rarely seen among sailors and was worn backwards

[@arashinhojr902]

Do edward kenway next

[@captainjameshook90]

Can you make a full video about Calico Jack please?

[@cdfe3388]

To be fair, characters in the first couple movies seem to think that Jack stands out, so his appearance can be slightly forgiven. Then again, I can forgive a lot from a movie that’s entertaining.

[@1n5uff1c13n7]

Maybe it is comparable how people viewed slaves back then how the current society views livestock? There are people thinking it's morally wrong to use livestock but the society and law is absolutely on the side of livestock=property.

[@internetkurator9256]

Actually very nice drawing!

[@ElysiaWhitemoonOmega]

i have a question, what do you think of the boardgame Merchants and Marauders, itrs basicly a pirates boardgame, and a really cool one

[@zacmarulo8721]

Are you likely to do a vid around the superstitions pirates believed in?

[@Toshineko]

Gold and Gunpowder: If you're really a pirate, why are you wearing... that? Jack: Son, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?

[@ravenb3048]

Accapella on this channel is just amazing. Edit: If I ever make a video game, I'll point you out as one of my historical references. I kinda would have to at this point. Double edit: Love that you ignored 5. I don't know if anyone likes that movie.

[@alxazar]

Have you considered making videos about the seid meir pirate games ?

[@RDG99]

For fun, how about you analyze the pirates and their ship at the intro of the first Spongebob movie?

[@danenorthon9330]

Would love to see a video on the book Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton.

[@luismeireles9588]

Please make a video about Edward Low

[@unknowntrooper_2791]

Nice analysis all around. I do wonder about the Caribou horn in his hair, they said in one documentary of the filming how the long bone in his hair is from a Cairbou (reindeer). Having looked at older prints and such I think the backwards cocked hat may have been a thing among naval officers at the time in early 1700s, but indeed it is not very keenly worn maritime wear for seamen until perhaps the 1730s and never in the way it was depicted in Potc. Indeed, due to these kind of presentations, in media like a game set in fantasy 1600s called "Greedfall" there is this sailor "race" called Nauts who dress much like Jack Sparrow with leather tricorns, whereas most other characters in the game use 17th century round brimmed hats. People use Jack sparrow pirate dress as an example of any age of sail sailor! Of course the game is fantasy, so it gets a pass, but still. It is ironic if you watch commentaries and extras in dvds there is some talk how the attire chosen for Jack was problematic: the original leather hats were lost and sunk so they were made out of rubber made to look like leather, the boots caused issues with water in them in Dead Man Chest shore scenes etc. Anyway, keep up the good work and cheers!🏴‍☠

[@SonofTiamat]

[@alexman378]

Jack has a good reason to be attached to his ship. It was the first ship he called his own, and it was brought back by Davy Jones to be the fastest and most durable ship. Meaning, he’s not really going to find a better one just lying around.

[@GetDougDimmadomed]

Jack probably stole the boots from a noble.maybe that explains his terrible walking, rather than his alcoholism.

[@willdenoble1898]

9:45 I think PTSD could’ve been present too.

[@sapeurmaboul4046]

cool draws ! i would do the same ! there nothing to change

[@SkyFly19853]

Almost nobody likes him or interested him... Almost everybody calls him whenever they need him... I feel the same...

[@eazy8579]

So slightly earlier, but there is an earlier period account of Northern European peoples wearing Kohl, but it is not period to the golden age of piracy, but specifically the Norse from Hedeby, during the 10th century, by Ibrahim ibn Yaqub, who described the residents of Hedeby during his time as wearing Kohl. However, this is only one account, and we don’t know how prevalent it was, if he was mistaken in what he saw, or if he was embellishing.