Marriage

Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann before their marriage aboard the Black Pearl.

"I apologize if I seem forward, but I must speak my mind. This promotion throws into sharp relief that which I have not yet achieved. A marriage to a fine woman. You have become a fine woman, Elizabeth."

―James Norrington to Elizabeth Swann

Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, was a recognised union between two people. It established rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and between them and their in-laws. Typically, it was an institution between cultures and religions in which interpersonal relationships, usually sexual, were formally acknowledged or sanctioned. The marriage ceremony was called a wedding.

Around the world, individuals may marry for several reasons, usually due to romantic feelings, or mutual love and attraction, but sometimes a marriage was arranged or done for cultural, financial, political or social reasons. In some areas of the world, arranged or forced marriages were practiced and legally permissible. Marriage could be recognized by a religious authority, an organization, a tribal group, a local community or peers, with the union or ceremony officiated either by a religious official, a government official or a captain of a ship.

History

"Ummmm, darlin', this doesn't mean we're married now, or anything like that, does it?"

―Jack Sparrow to Amenirdis, after she put a golden ring on his finger

Although the young barmaid Arabella Smith originally planned on working at the Faithful Bride for the rest of her life, or until she was married, she was in love with the idea of the freedom and power that came with the Sword of Cortés prior to joining young Captain Jack Sparrow's quest. Years later, when Sparrow was given a golden ring by his lover, Princess Amenirdis of Zerzura, he was afraid that meant they were married for a moment, but she assured him they weren't.

About ten years after Hector Barbossa led the mutiny on the Black Pearl, Jack Sparrow met wenches who he would deceive into getting married only to be auctioned at Shipwreck City. Scarlett and Giselle were the most notable of the "brides" Sparrow was to marry, only for both wenches to figure it out once the auction started with various wenches. According to Oona, one wench who sported an eyepatch, "It's the 'appiest day of a girl's life."

Following his promotion to the rank of commodore, James Norrington proposed marriage to Governor Weatherby Swann's daughter, Elizabeth, only for her to choose young blacksmith Will Turner instead. Will and Elizabeth were ready to be married, only for Lord Cutler Beckett to interrupt their wedding day upon his arrival to arrest them. By this point, Jack Sparrow believed marriage to be a wager on who would fall out of love first, and once offered to perform a marriage to Elizabeth as captain of a ship. It wasn't until the titanic battle around the maelstrom that Will and Elizabeth married, presided by Captain Barbossa aboard the Black Pearl.

Mayor Dix of Saint Martin was married to a woman named Frances, who cheated on him with Jack Sparrow prior to the opening of the Royal Bank of Saint Martin. Her infidelity was discovered when Sparrow's crew of the Dying Gull attempted to rob the bank. Several days later, Sparrow ended up in a wedding of his own at Hangman's Bay, forced to marry Pierre "Pig" Kelly's sister, Beatrice.

Behind the scenes

"I just thought I'd be married by now."
"I like marriage! It's like a wager on who will fall out of love first. You know, I am captain of a ship. I could perform a marriage right here on this deck, right now."
"No, thank you."

―Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann

• Marriage was first mentioned by James Norrington in the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Though Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann's wedding day was interrupted in Dead Man's Chest, an actual marriage ceremony first appeared in At World's End.
• In Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio's screenplay for Dead Man's Chest was Jack Sparrow telling Elizabeth Swann he likes marriage, saying it's like a wager on who will fall out of love first. Though the line never made it to the final cut of the film, it was retained in the film's junior novelization. Terry Rossio mentioned the line in his "Tales from the Set" posts on the website Wordplay, noting that while it was his favorite line from Jack, it was cut due to running time issues.
• In Terry Rossio's screenplay draft for Dead Men Tell No Tales, Hector Barbossa would have married the beautiful Nadirah, actually the villainous Sea Widow in disguise, only for her to escape right after the wedding ceremony, taking one of the Pearls of Neptune from him.

Appearances

• Jack Sparrow: The Coming Storm (Mentioned only)
• Jack Sparrow: Silver (Mentioned only)
• Jack Sparrow: Bold New Horizons (Mentioned only)
• The Price of Freedom
• Legends of the Brethren Court: Rising in the East
• Legends of the Brethren Court: The Turning Tide
• Legends of the Brethren Court: Wild Waters
• Legends of the Brethren Court: Day of the Shadow
• Tales of the Code: Wedlocked (Mentioned only)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003 junior novelization) (First mentioned)
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2006 junior novelization)
• The Guardians of Windward Cove (Mentioned only)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (junior novelization)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (First appearance)
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (junior novelization) (Special Edition)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Sources

• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Visual Guide
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide

External links

• Marriage on Wikipedia