H.M.S. Pinafore (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: W. S. Gilbert
- First Published: 1878
- Type of Work: Play
- Type of Plot: Love
- Time of Work: Latter half of the nineteenth century
- Setting: Portsmouth harbor, England
- Genres: Satire, Drama, Comedy, Musical drama
- Subjects: Love or romance, Nineteenth century, England or English people, Sailing or sailors, Sea or seafaring life, Navies
- Locales: Portsmouth, England
Characters Discussed
Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty, the pompous ruler of the Queen’s Navy. He has reached his exalted station by sticking to his desk and never going to sea. Wherever he goes, he is accompanied by a host of admiring female relatives. A great egalitarian, he believes a British tar (sailor) the equal of every man except himself. He intends to condescend to marry Josephine and makes an official pronouncement that love levels all ranks, but in practice he finds some limitations in this dogma.
Captain Corcoran, the well-bred captain of...
[The entire page is 749 words long]
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