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Billy BonesFictional character
Date of Birth: .
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Content:
- The Fictional Billy Bones: A Mysterious Pirate with a Tragic End
- The Arrival at the Admiral Benbow
- Hidden Threats and Mysterious Encounters
- Medical Intervention and a Revelation
- The Black Spot and a Second Stroke
- Various Adaptations
- The Real Billy Bones
The Fictional Billy Bones: A Mysterious Pirate with a Tragic End
In Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island," Billy Bones is a pivotal character despite his relatively early demise. The pirate upon whom Bones' likeness was based also met a rather unsavory end—although no maps leading to buried treasure were involved in the story of the real William Bones.
The Arrival at the Admiral Benbow
Billy Bones' appearance at the Admiral Benbow Inn sets the stage for the adventures of Jim Hawkins and the crew of the Hispaniola. Bones arrives with a mysterious sea chest and an equally enigmatic demeanor. He seeks a secluded location with a view of the sea, and he insists on being addressed as "Captain."
Bones pays an extravagant advance for his lodgings, but he overstays his welcome considerably. Attempts to collect additional payment from him are met with the old pirate's menacing glare. Despite his financial shortcomings, Bones has some money and employs Jim Hawkins to keep an eye out for a "one-legged seafarer."
Hidden Threats and Mysterious Encounters
During the day, Billy Bones roams the cliffs, observing the sea. He poses little threat at these times, but all changes when he returns to the inn. Unable to control his addiction to alcohol, he terrorizes other patrons with his cursing, singing, and aggressive behavior. Ironically, this behavior becomes an unexpected draw for the inn, as tales of the "genuine seadog" attract new customers.
The reasons for Billy Bones' hiding remain unclear. However, his past catches up to him when Black Dog, a villainous-looking man missing two fingers, arrives at the inn. A violent confrontation ensues, in which Bones proves to be a formidable opponent. He wounds Black Dog, forcing him to retreat.
Medical Intervention and a Revelation
The victory comes at a price, and Bones soon suffers a stroke. Dr. Livesey saves Captain's life and discovers his true identity—William—by finding a tattoo on his arm during a bloodletting procedure. The procedure helps Bones, but Dr. Livesey warns him that further alcohol consumption will have dire consequences.
Bones disregards the doctor's advice. The encounter with Black Dog and his stroke have clearly taken their toll on him. Now weakened, Bones seeks solace in the bottle. His demeanor changes drastically, and Jim Hawkins even overhears the old man singing a wistful love song.
The Black Spot and a Second Stroke
Soon after this unexpected display of tenderness, Billy Bones confides in Jim Hawkins. He reveals that he was once the first mate of the legendary pirate Captain Flint. This revelation sheds light on Bones' behavior and the threat he has been running from.
Days later, Bones faces another of his old acquaintances—Blind Pew. Despite his blindness, Pew terrifies Bones with his mere presence. This time, there is no violent confrontation. Pew places a small object in Bones' hand and disappears. The object is the Black Spot, and upon seeing it, Billy Bones lets out a horrified cry and suffers his second stroke—one that proves fatal.
Various Adaptations
Billy Bones has taken on different forms in various adaptations of Stevenson's original work. In Disney's "Treasure Planet," he is a sinister alien tortoise whose spaceship crash-lands near the Hawkins' inn. Before his demise, Bones passes a mysterious orb to Jim and warns him of a dangerous cyborg, who is ultimately revealed to be Long John Silver. In Starz's television series "Black Sails," Billy Bones is played by Tom Hopper. This adaptation provides him with the full name William "Bones" Manderly and reveals his backstory as a victim of forced conscription.
The Real Billy Bones
It is believed that Stevenson's character of Billy Bones was not entirely fictional. He may have been based on the real-life William Thomas Bones, whose story does not involve treasure or maps but is nevertheless connected to the iconic pirate song "Fifteen Men on the Dead Man's Chest."
According to one theory, the song was a response to a failed mutiny on the ship "Queen Anne's Revenge," captained by Edward "Blackbeard" Teach. Teach suppressed the uprising and, as punishment, marooned 15 of the ringleaders on a desolate island. One of them was the ship's quartermaster, William Thomas Bones.
The island, known as Dead Man's Chest, was located in the Virgin Islands and was little more than a barren rock. Legend has it that each of the marooned men was given a bottle of rum, a cruel trick as it only intensified their thirst.
