Inspired by this post by @castieldelamancha
Medieval belief defined the liver as the origin of courage. Later, Shakespeare popularised the term ‘lily-livered’ which Stede’s father applies to his son. Bloodless, fragile, cowardly in nature. Even if not taken literally, it points to deterministic thinking about human make-up, that a person can be born ‘faulty’. Nothing to be done other than bear the ridicule when your apparently broken centre doesn’t allow your character to measure up to society’s definition of courage.
Ed doesn’t think that highly of liver-based courage, or livers in general, thankfully. And his disregard allows Stede to be shown a move which saves his life…
Because courage perhaps is not found in a toxic-swagger, punching down at those weaker than yourself. Maybe instead it’s in believing you can outsmart an apparently skilled, but rigid-thinking swordsman with your mental quickness, and the first-time try of a dangerous trick…
Dare to run me through my lily-liver and we’ll see who wins.
Stede’s originality could be classed as courage. ‘Two chandeliers’ in a captain’s cabin; an ‘open-fire on a wooden vessel surrounded by bits of paper’…courage could be synonymous with being a bit of a ‘lunatic’, actually. Stede daring to be himself in the face of naysayers might be courage; and if so, it’s a courage which blows Ed’s worldview apart.
Courage is almost certainly standing up for your tortured crew and the man you love even if you think it might be to the detriment of your gentle soul.
The greatest example of courage might be in breaking the mould. Having an absolute bully of a father and saying, ‘but what if it weren’t like that.’ What if now I’m a man, I were instead kind?
And yeah, courage is definitely leaving everything you’ve ever known with only a fossilised half-orange, dinghy, and an unflinching belief in true love.
Stede continues to define himself through both seasons as ‘a coward’ and ‘a failure’, which is heartbreaking because Stede is fearless really. Or he feels the fear and does it anyway. And that’s the same thing.
This was in my drafts before yesterday’s posts on ‘cringe’ started by @celluloidbroomcloset, but hard agree. One of the best words to describe Stede Bonnet does start with a ‘c’ - it’s courageous.
