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[[image:Pirates of Penzance.jpg|thumb|left|<center>An 1890 poster for the light opera, portraying the Major-General.</ref>]]'''The Pirates of Penzance''', or "the Slave of Duty", is one of the most enduringly poular of [[Gilbert and Sullivan]]'s many comic operas.  It is known for its many memorable songs, its witty dialog and lyrics, its clever plot, and its charicatures.

'''The Pirates of Penzance''', or "the Slave of Duty", is one of the most enduringly popular of [[Gilbert and Sullivan]]'s many comic operas.  It is known for its many memorable songs, its witty dialog and lyrics, its clever plot, and its caricatures.

Among the many famous songs from this opera are Mabel's brilliant coloratura song "Poor Wand'ring One", the Police Chief's song "A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One", the Pirate King's song:

Among the many famous songs from this opera are Mabel's brilliant coloratura song "Poor Wand'ring One", the Police Chief's song "A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One", the Pirate King's song:

In conics I can floor pecularities parabolous.}}

In conics I can floor pecularities parabolous.}}

The latter is perhaps the best known of Gilbert and Sullivan's "patter songs" -- songs with extremely rapid-fire delivery of nonsensical lyrics.  It has been adapted and parodied many times, most notably in [[Tom Lehrer]]'s song "The Elements".

[[image:Pirates of Penzance.jpg|thumb|left|<center>An 1890 poster for the light opera, portraying the Major-General.</center>]]The latter is perhaps the best known of Gilbert and Sullivan's "patter songs" -- songs with extremely rapid-fire delivery of nonsensical lyrics.  It has been adapted and parodied many times, most notably in [[Tom Lehrer]]'s song "The Elements".

Gilbert and Sullivan's characters were often portrayed in exaggerated and outlandish ways, as in the officiousness of Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore, or the hubris of Pooh-Bah in The Mikado. Pirates of Penzance is no exception:  Frederic, the central character, is fanatically devoted to what he sees as his "sense of duty", carrying it to ridiculous extremes.  Also, the band of pirates are actually very moral people who have taken up comical piracy as a form of social protest.  They are really very soft-hearted, and burst into tears at the mention of orphans.

Gilbert and Sullivan's characters were often portrayed in exaggerated and outlandish ways, as in the officiousness of Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore, or the hubris of Pooh-Bah in The Mikado. Pirates of Penzance is no exception:  Frederic, the central character, is fanatically devoted to what he sees as his "sense of duty", carrying it to ridiculous extremes.  Also, the band of pirates are actually very moral people who have taken up comical piracy as a form of social protest.  They are really very soft-hearted, and burst into tears at the mention of orphans.

*There are a number of witty plays on words.  Frederic was mistakenly apprenticed as a "pirate" because his nurserymaid confused the word with "pilot".  There is also a play on "often" and "orphan", though it doesn't work very well with American pronunciation.

*There are a number of witty plays on words.  Frederic was mistakenly apprenticed as a "pirate" because his nurserymaid confused the word with "pilot".  There is also a play on "often" and "orphan", though it doesn't work very well with American pronunciation.

*The concept of a "plug" (promotion of one work from within another work) is not a 20th century invention.  There is a plug for H.M.S. Pinafore in the Major General's song.

*The concept of a "plug" (promotion of one work from within another work) is not a 20th century invention.  There is a plug for H.M.S. Pinafore in the Major General's song.

*Gilbert and Sullivan were in something of a tricky political situation with Queen Victoria, since they had made disparaging comments about her cabinet ministers, and about the House of Lords, in their earlier opera H.M.S. Pinafore.  They put an artful apology into the final scene of Pirates of Penzance.  The police, having lost a battle with the pirates, make a last-ditch patriotic appeal -- "We charge you yield, in Queen Victorias's name".  The pirates, being charicatures of extremely moral people, surrender -- "We yield at once, with humbled mien, because with all our faults we love our Queen".

*Gilbert and Sullivan were in something of a tricky political situation with Queen Victoria, since they had made disparaging comments about her cabinet ministers, and about the House of Lords, in their earlier opera H.M.S. Pinafore.  They put an artful apology into the final scene of Pirates of Penzance.  The police, having lost a battle with the pirates, make a last-ditch patriotic appeal -- "We charge you yield, in Queen Victoria's name".  The pirates, being caricatures of extremely moral people, surrender -- "We yield at once, with humbled mien, because with all our faults we love our Queen".

==Links==

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