The Allegory of the Ship

Geoff Hunt Limited Edition Print - H.M.S. Surprise, On the Far Side of the World

The film Master and Commander is an allegory of a virtuous Monarchy, Captain Aubrey is the just King on the “Ship of State” as depicted by Plato:

Captain Jack Aubrey rules by absolute authority within his wooden world “this ship is England” with justice, courage, temperance & practical wisdom—the Platonic virtues. He comes to power from competence, character, and the sacred traditions of naval service.

On this ship of State the crew are the passions and appetites, the officers are the auxiliary guardians and the captain is the reason-sovereign who must navigate through storms (war, politics and nature) while keeping order over the many. The constant threat of mutiny is the democratic/mob impulse that must be tempered by proper hierarchy.

“Monarchy of the best man” that Plato considers the only true solution to democracy’s tendency to slide into tyranny is found in Captain Aubrey, the Philosopher King at the Helm.

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