‘It's Remarkable How Often [Madness and Brilliance] Coincide’: An Analysis of the Characters, Captain Jack Sparrow and Tarrant Hightopp, as Alternate Depictions of Masculinity

Abstract

In fairy tales, male heroes typically come from royalty and villains are categorised as pirates, evil Kings, various animal and supernatural creatures, for example, Scar, the Beast, Rumpelstiltskin, and Bluebeard. In Pirates of the Caribbean (2003), Captain Jack Sparrow lacks the villainous qualities that come from Disney's predecessor, Captain Hook. However, Jack does not possess the classic qualities of a prince. He tries to be heroic when he rescues Elizabeth Swann but turns on her to excel in his own motives. With beads in his hair, his eyes lined with kohl, and a love for accessories, Jack's appearance distorts traditional notions of masculinity. In Alice in Wonderland (2010), Tarrant Hightopp (Mad Hatter) is an untraditional character who has become detached from reality.

His madness, which is evident through his clothes, speech, and actions, comes from the destruction of his family. Jack and Hatter invert the expected order of things, ‘Now up is down’ (Verbinski, 2007). Their hats appear to be symbols of their obscure masculinity. Although they are both played by Johnny Depp, the Hatter and Captain Jack Sparrow possess unconventional male attributes which make them unlikely heroic characters. They offer a fluid perspective on the ever-changing aspects of masculinity. Unconventionality is becoming increasingly popular in Disney works. Therefore, this chapter aims to analyse two non-traditional male fairy tale characters with an emphasis on their fashion choices, lack of true love endeavours and unconventional heroic actions.

Citation

Brassil, A.K. (2024), "‘It's Remarkable How Often [Madness and Brilliance] Coincide’: An Analysis of the Characters, Captain Jack Sparrow and Tarrant Hightopp, as Alternate Depictions of Masculinity", Le Clue, N. (Ed.) Gender and the Male Character in 21st Century Fairy Tale Narratives (Emerald Studies in Popular Culture and Gender), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 155-164. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83753-788-420241013