tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7229875339727095184.post1033964570475095288..comments2024-03-18T15:17:26.003-05:00Comments on l'astronave: The Glowing End of Two Ships of the LineFrescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15323129046492056942noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7229875339727095184.post-28323258649177554542009-01-17T16:18:00.000-06:002009-01-17T16:18:00.000-06:00P.S. Now I want to get a pet and name it Speedy. P...P.S. Now I want to get a pet and name it Speedy. Perfect for a terrier!Frescahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15323129046492056942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7229875339727095184.post-86029053914970081152009-01-17T16:14:00.000-06:002009-01-17T16:14:00.000-06:00Thanks for clarifying, Manfred--I'll change that b...Thanks for clarifying, Manfred--I'll change that bit about steam.<BR/>A prison ship... doesn't that sound ghastly (to be on)?<BR/><BR/>And thanks for the tip about Cochrane. Cool!<BR/>He was Scottish--and Kirk's name is Scottish, so maybe they're related?<BR/>In fact, my mother's ancestors were Sutherlands, so I figure I can claim relationship too! <BR/><BR/>I am very glad I have already confessed my ignorance of British naval history, so no one will be shocked to learn that I've never heard of the Sea Wolf.<BR/><BR/>I read up on him briefly and thought this tidbit from Wikipedia was a great example of a Kirk-like move of the sort I was writing about:<BR/><BR/>"Chased by an enemy frigate, and knowing it would follow him in the night by the glimmer of light from his ship ("brig sloop," whatever that is) HMS <I>Speedy</I>, Cochrane placed a candle on a barrel and let it float away. <BR/>The enemy frigate followed the candle and <I>Speedy</I> escaped."Frescahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15323129046492056942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7229875339727095184.post-72328876180753535172009-01-17T12:04:00.000-06:002009-01-17T12:04:00.000-06:00Its true, this painting is iconic on this side of ...Its true, this painting is iconic on this side of the pond...it wasn't steam that saw off the Temeraire, she was long obsolete for war,and had been a prison ship and a training ship for many years...<BR/><BR/>Kirk is no Hornblower...Kirk is virtually the double for a real life Royal Navy Captain, the astonishing Sir Thomas Cochrane, the Sea Wolf!!ooooooooooooooooooooooooooohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15347076050510425951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7229875339727095184.post-66297869137996263352009-01-17T09:25:00.000-06:002009-01-17T09:25:00.000-06:00Hi, Annika: Thanks for writing!The timing isn't al...Hi, Annika: <BR/>Thanks for writing!<BR/>The timing isn't altogether accidental:<BR/>I got thinking along these naval lines because of the same steampunk manips that Mortmere linked to (maybe we both found them through lookathisbutt.blogspot.com?), and then her own Kirk, R.N.<BR/><BR/>But I have to confess that I am always writing about things I know very little about: I have read only one Hornblower book when I was twelve, and that's the extent of it. <BR/>Though actually, things you did when you were twelve set the stage for what comes after, so I shouldn't dismiss that so lightly. I should read one again and see if, indeed, Hornblower set my standards for captains! <BR/><BR/>I haven't seen the TV series either. I'll put it on my Netflix queue.<BR/><BR/>I'm glad you enjoy the art history references--whether they're intended or not, I like connecting the dots.<BR/>Someone asked me if I thought Shatner thought out his body language for Kirk, and I said I thought not.<BR/><BR/>Then I heard him confirm that in an old interview (you may have seen it on youTube too): he said he did not have time to plan his acting carefully, since Star Trek filming was so rushed--he said he just went out there and acted as he would if he really were that character--with that confidence, lack of fear of rejection, etc.Frescahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15323129046492056942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7229875339727095184.post-42354238742960372952009-01-17T02:54:00.000-06:002009-01-17T02:54:00.000-06:00Funny that you should go into this now! Both Mortm...Funny that you should go into this now! Both Mortmere and I dived into the Hornblower books and miniseries last year, I think she has finished all the books while I'm slower and have only read two and a half of them. If you haven't seen the TV series, with Ioan Gruffud as Hornblower, I warmly recommend it!<BR/><BR/>When I started reading the Hornblower books I expected them to be more reminiscent of Star Trek than they are, more heroic and optimistic. They actually feel honest - life in the Royal Navy is portrayed as cruel and war as nightmarish, not in the least glorious. <BR/>I can see how Kirk as a character was inspired by Hornblower's gift of thinking outside the box, to use a tired expression, and to act quickly, but Kirk's swaggering pride and love of what he's doing is very different from Hornblower's attitude. Hornblower is more like Christopher Pike in that respect, ever doubtful of his ability, always self-critical and self-accusing. He spends his life between Scylla and Charybdis - I'm trying to think of a good way of wording it, but my classics training is lost in the mists of the past...:P (Sorry, I'm also writing before breakfast.)<BR/><BR/>I'd never seen Turner's painting before, but it's very beautiful, and I love it when you point out Star Trek parallels in art history. The Kirk in Art History entry pointed out something I've noticed (the stance) but had never been able to pinpoint.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com