More Than Monsters

On the surface, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise appears to be a simple fantasy series driven by undead skeletons, sea monsters, and heartless pirates. However, beneath the mythical lore and legendary characters lies a much deeper enemy of early modern history. The narrative is fundamentally rooted in the expansion of British Colonialism, a real world problem. Lawless and wild pirates are reframed as a force fighting against a far more destructive villain, the British. Protagonists Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann, and numerous crews of pirates clash against supernatural figures like Davy Jones or Captain Barbossa, who present immediate physical threats. But the ultimate villain of all the Pirates of the Caribbean film is British colonialism, embodied by antagonist characters such as Lord Cutler Beckett and the East India Trading Company.

Unlike pirates, who operate in crews with individual codes for their own survival and freedom, the British Empire uses corporate monopoly and legal violence to enforce total control over the high seas. Historical evidence from World History Encyclopedia shows that the real British East India Company enacted massive economic exploitation and maintained brutal trade monopolies whilst exploiting populations worldwide. The film reflects the British Empire’s morals and their dark history through characters such as Lord Beckett. Beckett’s motivation does not come from personal malice, but because of his drive for corporal expansion, famously summarizing the reason behind his iconic line: “It’s just good business,” as he betrays Captain Jack Sparrow.

Though pirates are seen as merciless plunderers and killers throughout the movies, we also see a side of them that is not entirely explored throughout the franchise. In the movie, At World’s End, it is implied that Jack and Beckett’s conflict with each other stemmed from Jack refusing to transport enslaved people aboard his ship, Wicked Wench, before it became The Black Pearl. In the opening scene of the same movie, we see the British military execute dozens of men, women, and even children that are simply suspected of being associated with piracy. The British see pirates as a force that can combat their corporal takeover of the high seas simply because they do not comply with their dystopian views. The franchise’s portrayal of the British goes right in place with their actions in the real world. The British owned roughly 25 percent of the entire Earth at one point. They were completely obsessed with taking over land and controlling people, just like in Pirates of the Caribbean. The war between the pirates and the British isn’t just a fantasy either. They really did engage in combat! The British navy was the reason for the death of Edward “Blackbeard” Teach, the most notorious and feared pirate to ever live.

Piracy, throughout the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, represents a counter-culture of freedom against oppression. In the movie At World’s End, the Brethren Court brings together pirate captains from every corner of the earth, uniting against a single enemy: Beckett’s fleet. While the British fly the flag of a king to enforce their global subjugation, the pirate flag represents self-governance and freedom. The struggle between the pirates and the East India Trading Company is not a battle between just good and evil, but a battle for personal freedom. The British are a force of nature representing oppression and injustice; a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

The Pirates of the Caribbean series builds itself beyond a simple pirate adventure story by setting its political universe in the real and harsh historical realities of British imperialism. The true villains of the series aren’t the vicious and undead monsters, but the cold and calculated minds of British colonists that aim to execute complete global control. The franchise contrasts Lord Beckett’s sense of bureaucracy and control with the fiery independence of Captain Jack Sparrow. It illustrates what the greatest threat to humanity really is and what is actually at risk. It also represents staying true to your morals and fighting for what you think is right.