The "Real" Flying Dutchman and Davy Jones. Parallels?

According to folklore, the Flying Dutchman is a ghost ship that can never go home, but is doomed to sail "the seven seas" forever. The Flying Dutchman is usually spotted from afar, sometimes glowing with ghostly light. If she is hailed by another ship, her crew will often try to send messages to land, to people long since dead. The sight of this phantom ship is reckoned by seafarers to be a portent of doom.

Versions of the story are numerous in nautical folklore and are related to earlier medieval legends such as that of Captain Falkenburg who was cursed to ply the North sea until Judgement Day, playing at dice with the Devil for his own soul. According to some sources, the 17th century Dutch captain Bernard Fokke is the model for the captain of the ghost ship. Fokke was renowned for the uncanny speed of his trips from Holland to Java and was suspected of being in league with the devil to achieve this speed. However the first version to appear in print seems to be that which featured in Blackwood's Magazine for May 1821. This puts the scene of the action as the Cape of Good Hope:

She was an Amsterdam vessel and sailed from port seventy years ago. Her master’s name was Captain Hendrik Van der Decken. He was a staunch seaman, and would have his own way in spite of the devil. For all that, never a sailor under him had reason to complain; though how it is on board with them nobody knows. The story is this: that in doubling the Cape they were a long day trying to weather the Table Bay. However, the wind headed them, and went against them more and more, and Van der Decken walked the deck, swearing at the wind. Just after sunset a vessel spoke him, asking him if he did not mean to go into the bay that night. Van der Decken replied: ‘May I be eternally damned if I do, though I should beat about here till the day of judgment.' And to be sure, he never did go into that bay, for it is believed that he continues to beat about in these seas still, and will do so long enough. This vessel is never seen but with foul weather along with her. [1]

Pretty close to the movie, isn't it? I wonder if they'll make any mythological references to it in the film.

Davy Jones' Locker is an idiom for the bottom of the sea — the resting place of drowned seamen. It is used as a euphemism for death at sea (e.g. to be "sent to Davy Jones' Locker"😉[1]; Davy Jones is a nickname (word formerly used by pirates) for what would be the devil of the seas. The origins of the name are unclear, and many theories have been put forth, including incompetent sailors, a pub owner who kidnapped sailors, or that Davy Jones is another name for the devil - as in, "Devil Jonah."

The reputation has been widespread among sailors since its popularization and nautical traditions have been created around Davy Jones. He is also very popular in the broader culture. It is considered to be, even today, modern maritime vocabulary.

Oh, wow, willo!!

Nice work.

Versions of the story are numerous in nautical folklore and are related to earlier medieval legends such as that of Captain Falkenburg who was cursed to ply the North sea until Judgement Day, playing at dice with the Devil for his own soul. According to some sources, the 17th century Dutch captain Bernard Fokke is the model for the captain of the ghost ship. Fokke was renowned for the uncanny speed of his trips from Holland to Java and was suspected of being in league with the devil to achieve this speed. However the first version to appear in print seems to be that which featured in Blackwood's Magazine for May 1821. This puts the scene of the action as the Cape of Good Hope:

This is really interesting. I forgot about that dice game Will had with Davy.

Byt the way, we have to check on that again. Will made a deal with Davy. A lifetime of servitude. I know Will said it just because, so he can get the key.

But I think we should not overlook that...

Yes Willo this all really fascinating thanks for sharing!!

wow. so interesting! thanks for sharing. i think i read all this before..i think i might have a book on it somewhere..

Have you also looked at the Opera for its inspiration?

yes....i remeber discussing that in another thread a while back!!! AWE seems to be mirroring the Opera!! in some ways!

Opera? Isn't there a kind of opera or an opera term called Sturm und drang? I think it means "storms and rain," but there is an opera about a ship that can move underwater, sort of like a submarine. Is that what you're talking about?

No there theres an Opera about the Flying Dutchman were the Girl falls in love with the captain or something!!! and she casts herself into the sea....i think i really need to brush up!!!

lol...i feel stupid, i assumed she meant phantom of the opera *is embarrased*

yes, it's a Wagner opera: Der fliegende Holländer

Hehe, Hollander, anyway...

The Flying Dutchman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flying_Dutchman_%28opera%29

Oh Thanks *Brushes up on Opera*

hee hee, I was thinking Phantom also, but I tried to remember my terms.