I would love to hear a feminist analysis of this, but I don’t think I’m studied enough in feminist theory to do it justice. But the themes of this tale are still true of all us dreamers.
Here I continue my analysis of the story of two queens and how their dreams correlate with us dreamers 🙂 You can read part 1 and part 2 also.
Sidebar: Delilah couldn’t let us all be pirates without her! #DelilahTales
Don’t forget: listen along with the full playlist free on YouTube here.
Surrender
Tiernan approaches the Queen, requesting that he trade his life for Grania’s so she can go to her child.
She who has all
Queen Elizabeth is shocked that he loves Grania enough to sacrifice himself, and she accepts his offer. “I who have all / I have nothing compared to the dream she holds fast in her heart.”
Imprisoned Grace on the other hand sings, “I will survive for the day / when I see once more / both the man I love / and the child I bore… / I who have naught / I have all.”
Success in your dream isn’t always what you think it is. Don’t lose sight of what’s important – the people. the passion. the vision.
The Sea of Life <3
Grania returns to an Ireland in shambles. She gathers the people of Clew Bay who set sail in the Pirate Queen for England to plead with Queen Elizabeth.
A wonderful lullaby <3
Woman to Woman
Grania pleads to Queen Elizabeth as a woman.
- I ask for dignity, no more.
- Your leaders plunder [Ireland] for greed. My child goes hungry every night.
- All of our crops get sent to you. How long before we starve outright?
- Sadly the men you put in charge despoil us everywhere they go
- and disrespect our women so, to me, the most egregious crime.
She urges Elizabeth to instead of fighting her woman nature, to use it in her role as Queen. A lesson that Grania has well learned by now – her most powerful moments as pirate being through her identity as a woman.
Grania came to appreciate her womanly nature and use it towards her dream, even as a pirate. Perhaps the strongest dreams are those which find a way to marry two disparaging ideas.
In real life, this is a historic moment where Grania and Queen Elizabeth actually speak in private for 2 hours, what about no one knows. “Who knows the truth that we may glean / Neither as chieftain, nor as Queen… / woman to woman, face to face.”
Queen Elizabeth releases Tiernan and gives Grania her lands and ship.
Finale
Okay, NOW the happily ever after. Kinda 🙂 Tiernan and Grania are reunited at last.
What did Grania learn through her journey? “I fought my wars on land and sea, / to be a woman strong and free. / I should have learned at journey’s start, / no woman’s free who ignores her heart.”
Should Grania have not married Donal for the clan truce? In retrospect, probably, because really that truce didn’t last long. But she fought for her dream, and ya can’t change the past, only the future.
You can’t change the past, only the future. You learn, you grow, you correct your course. And your destiny can’t escape you.
If you “can’t” realize your dream because of some part of your nature, maybe you’re exactly the person to achieve the dream YOUR way. Your destiny involves both who you are that cannot change AND who you want to be.
That’s all the pirate-y stories for now 🙂 Go out there and kill it, Pirate Queens! Make your destiny, one risk and one sacrifice at a time <3
Hey, for inspiration and to remind yourself who are truly you, dress up as a pirate and send me a pic of your costume. I’ll be sharing my photo session with you next week!
This is pretty cool, you give me inspiration to dress however I want and not care what other people think. Thanks
Oh girl, wear it! Whatever it is you’re unsure about, wear it! Life is too short to wear boring clothes, mixing and matching (and mismatching) is the best <3 🙂
I always wear mismatch socks lolxs
Mismatched socks are the best!