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Treasure Island

From Alfawiki
Treasure Island
Company typeNovel
IndustryLiterature
FoundedNovember 14, 1883; 142 years ago (1883-11-14)
FounderRobert Louis Stevenson
ProductsAdventure novel, historical novel

Treasure Island—originally published under the title The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys'—is an adventure novel and historical novel authored by Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson in 1883. Set during the 18th century, the narrative revolves around pirates and hidden riches, and is celebrated as a coming-of-age tale renowned for its vivid characters, immersive atmosphere, and thrilling plot.

The story was first serialized between 1881 and 1882 in the children's periodical Young Folks, where Stevenson used the pen name "Captain George North." Its debut as a complete book occurred on 14 November 1883, published by Cassell & Co.. Since then, it has become one of the most frequently adapted adventure novels.

Treasure Island has left a lasting mark on popular culture’s portrayal of pirates, introducing enduring images such as remote tropical islands, treasure maps marked with an "X," and sailors with one leg accompanied by parrots.

Plot summary

In mid-18th century England, an elderly mariner known as "The Captain" takes up residence at the Admiral Benbow Inn near Bristol, cautioning the innkeeper’s son, Jim Hawkins, to be alert for a one-legged sailor. This mysterious figure, Billy Bones, soon encounters former pirate Black Dog and later faces an attack by Pew’s blind beggar gang, who seek a treasure map kept in Bones’s sea chest. After Bones dies and Pew is killed during a raid by excise officers, Jim and his mother manage to flee with the map.

Jim confides in local doctor Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney about the map, prompting them to organize a voyage to locate Captain Flint’s treasure island. They secure passage on the schooner Hispaniola, commanded by Captain Alexander Smollett, with Jim assigned as cabin boy. Onboard, Jim forms a friendship with Long John Silver, the ship’s one-legged cook. Following the disappearance of first mate Mr. Arrow at sea, Jim overhears Silver conspiring with former pirates among the crew to mutiny.

Upon arrival at the island, Jim witnesses Silver kill a resisting sailor before escaping into the jungle where he encounters Ben Gunn, a marooned pirate. The mutineers seize control of the ship while Smollett’s loyal crew fortify themselves in an abandoned stockade. As combat erupts, Jim takes command of the Hispaniola, fends off an attack from pirate Israel Hands who attempts to kill him, and returns to find Silver negotiating a truce that permits both factions to depart with the treasure map.

The following day, Silver leads Jim and his band of pirates to a treasure site marked by a skeleton but discovers only an empty cache. Haunted by Captain Flint’s ghostly warnings shouted from the forest by Ben Gunn, they grow uneasy until Gunn reveals he had previously recovered most of the treasure and concealed it in his cave. The treasure is loaded aboard the Hispaniola, which then sets sail with Silver held captive.

At their initial port in Spanish America, Silver steals money and escapes. The remainder of the crew returns to Bristol to divide the recovered loot. Some treasure remains undiscovered; however, Jim refuses to revisit what he terms the "accursed" island.

Inspiration

Stevenson conceived Treasure Island after his initial visit to America where he married. At that time still relatively unknown as an author, he began developing the story during summer 1881 while confined indoors by inclement weather in Braemar, Scotland.[1] To entertain his twelve-year-old stepson Lloyd Osbourne, he crafted a narrative featuring a secret map and hidden treasure.

By 25 August he wrote to a friend: "If this doesn’t captivate children... it involves Buccaneers starting at the Admiral Benbow pub on Devon’s coast, with a map, treasure, mutiny, and a derelict ship... It’s rather silly and horrid fun – my goal is to write the best book about Buccaneers available."[2]

Initially titled The Sea Cook, chapters were published in Young Folks within weeks.[3] Progress was swift but interrupted by illness.[4] Stevenson resumed work near London with collaboration from his father on story elements. The novel appeared in seventeen weekly parts from October 1881 through January 1882. Later reissued as Treasure Island, it became Stevenson's first major commercial and critical triumph.

The desert island theme dates back to Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1719) and was further developed by works such as S. H. Burney's The Shipwreck (1816) and Sir Walter Scott's The Pirate (1822). Mid-19th-century writers including James Fenimore Cooper and Edgar Allan Poe also influenced Stevenson.[5]

Stevenson openly acknowledged drawing inspiration from earlier authors. In 1884 he credited Charles Kingsley's At Last for introducing the Dead Man's Chest motif and Captain Johnson's History of the Notorious Pirates. He adapted Captain Flint’s skeletal image from Poe's The Gold-Bug and shaped Billy Bones’s background from Washington Irving's Tales of a Traveller, one of his favored works.[6]

Main

  • Jim Hawkins: Serving as the novel’s chief narrator, Jim is the son of an innkeeper located on England’s northern Devon coastline. A teenager with a strong desire for adventure, he demonstrates bravery and heroism, though at times his actions are rash. Throughout the story, Jim’s emotional depth and insight mature significantly.
  • Long John Silver: The one-legged cook aboard the Hispaniola who secretly commands the pirate faction. Silver is both charming and manipulative, blending physical prowess with cunning intellect, and exhibits a sincere attachment to Jim. His character was partly modeled after Stevenson’s mentor William Ernest Henley.
  • Dr. David Livesey: A physician and magistrate who provides narration in certain chapters. Known for his logical approach and fairness, he treats both pirates and allies impartially while firmly opposing the mutineers. He has a military past, having been wounded at the Battle of Fontenoy.
  • Captain Alexander Smollett: The Hispaniola’’’s captain, highly skilled and wary of the crew recruited by Trelawney. A disciplined professional who upholds strict order, Smollett initially disapproves of Jim’s insubordination but eventually recognizes his natural rapport with others.
  • Squire John Trelawney: A wealthy landowner who bankrolls the expedition. His overly trusting disposition results in him unknowingly hiring pirates as part of Silver’s crew.
  • Billy Bones: Flint’s former first mate who lodges at the Admiral Benbow Inn. Gruff and irritable, he cautions Jim about a one-legged man. His possession of a treasure map sets the novel’s plot in motion.
  • Ben Gunn: Once a member of Flint's crew, Ben was stranded on Treasure Island for three years. Exhibiting signs of partial madness and a fondness for cheese, he assists Silver’s escape. Upon returning to England, he is given £1,000 but quickly squanders it before later becoming a gamekeeper and choir singer.
    • In the prequel Porto Bello Gold, Ben Gunn serves under captain Andrew "Rip-Rap" Murray, an associate of Flint involved in capturing the treasure ship Santissima Trinidad. Considered incapable of betrayal due to limited intellect, Gunn shifts loyalty after Flint’s demise.
    • The Adventures of Ben Gunn portrays him as a servant and companion to Nic Allardyce from their hometown.
  • Black Dog: A former pirate under Flint and companion to Pew who confronts Billy Bones at the Admiral Benbow Inn. Missing two fingers on his left hand—likely from an earlier conflict with Bones—he is later seen by Jim in Silver's tavern before fleeing to protect Silver’s secrecy.

Minor

  • Alan: An honest sailor slain by mutineers during the island landing; his death precedes Long John Silver’s killing of Tom.
  • Allardyce: One of Flint's six crew members who buried the treasure and constructed the blockhouse; Flint kills all six and uses Allardyce's corpse as a landmark compass point. In Porto Bello Gold, a "Tom Allardyce" appears as a leader opposing Flint. In The Adventures of Ben Gunn, "Nic Allardyce" is depicted as Flint's surgeon and Ben Gunn’s friend.
  • Job Anderson: Boatswain and leader of the mutiny who dies attacking Jim Hawkins; he initiates the rebellion by presenting Silver with a Black Spot.
  • Mr. Arrow: The Hispaniola’’’s alcoholic first mate who vanishes before reaching Treasure Island, replaced by Job Anderson. Silver covertly causes Arrow to fall overboard while intoxicated.
  • Pew: A blind and ruthless beggar belonging to Flint’s crew who delivers the Black Spot to Billy Bones. He dies crushed beneath horses belonging to revenue officers. According to Silver, Pew squandered his treasure share before turning to crime. In Porto Bello Gold, Pew fatally stabs Captain Murray, apparently collaborating with Silver.
  • Mr. Dance: The chief revenue officer leading the raid on the Admiral Benbow Inn, rescuing Jim Hawkins and his mother.
  • Dogger: An associate of Mr. Dance who accompanies Hawkins to Squire Trelawney.
  • Captain J. Flint: The deceased pirate captain of the Walrus, original possessor of the buried treasure; Long John Silver’s parrot bears his name.
  • Abraham Gray: Carpenter's mate loyal to Captain Smollett; he kills Job Anderson to protect Hawkins, aids in defending against mutineers, escapes with key survivors, and invests his share in education and ship ownership.
  • Israel Hands: Ship coxswain and Flint’s gunner who attempts to kill Jim Hawkins but is shot in self-defense.
  • Harry: Presumed one of Flint’s old crew involved in early altercations at the Spyglass Inn.
  • Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins: Parents of Jim Hawkins; Mr. Hawkins dies early in the narrative.
  • John Hunter: Loyal servant to Squire Trelawney; wounded during stockade attack and dies unconscious.
  • John: A mutineer injured during blockhouse assault; killed while rifling through treasure; likely one of Flint’s old crew members.
  • Dick Johnson: The youngest mutineer carrying a Bible; pirates use its page as a Black Spot against Silver. He falls ill with malaria and is abandoned on the island.
  • Dirk: One of Flint’s old pirate hands serving as lookout during Pew's attack on the inn.
  • Richard Joyce: Mild-mannered valet to Squire Trelawney; killed by a mutineer during stockade assault.
  • George Merry: Mutinous crew member challenging Silver's command; helps instigate premature mutiny and is killed attempting to kill Silver and Hawkins.
  • Tom Morgan: Former pirate marooned with Dick Johnson and another mutineer on Treasure Island.
  • O'Brien: Mutineer surviving blockhouse assault but later killed by Israel Hands during a drunken fight aboard Hispaniola. Recognizable by his red nightcap.
  • Tom Redruth: Gamekeeper for Squire Trelawney; fatally wounded by mutineers while moving from ship to stockade.
  • Tom: Honest sailor murdered by Silver for refusing participation in mutiny.

Additional unnamed minor characters include pirates killed during various conflicts or marooned alongside Tom Morgan and Dick Johnson.

Authentic pirates and piracy

According to historian Luis Junco, Treasure Island merges the narrative of Captain George Glas's 1765 assassination aboard the Earl of Sandwich with the tale of pirate treasure concealed on La Graciosa near Tenerife, which was lost following a fatal encounter with the Royal Navy.

David Kelly's Pirates of the Carraigin details Glas’s murder orchestrated by a ship’s cook and his accomplices during a voyage from Tenerife to London. Most of the stolen riches were eventually recovered, and those responsible faced execution in Dublin in 1766. Stevenson, who lived near Glas’s family in Edinburgh and attended the same church, was likely familiar with these incidents early in life. Additionally, he drew from actual Dublin criminal cases reported in The Gentleman's Magazine when writing Kidnapped and Catriona.

Additional allusions to genuine piracy include:

  • Five historical pirates referenced are William Kidd (active 1696–1699), Blackbeard (1716–1718), Edward England (1717–1720), Howell Davis (1718–1719), and Bartholomew Roberts (1719–1722). Kidd famously buried treasure on Gardiners Island, though it was soon retrieved.
  • The character "Israel Hands" is named after an actual pirate in Blackbeard’s crew, whom Blackbeard maimed to intimidate others. Hands survived Blackbeard’s final fight and reportedly ended up begging in England.
  • Silver’s reference to "three hundred and fifty thousand" pieces of eight recovered from the "fishing up of the wrecked plate ships" combines two historical events: the salvage operations of the 1715 Treasure Fleet wreck off Florida and privateer Henry Jennings’ capture of 350,000 pieces a year later. This is documented in Johnson's General History of the Pyrates.
  • Silver mentions a ship’s surgeon from Roberts’ crew who performed an amputation and was later executed at Cape Coast Castle. Historical records identify Peter Scudamore as Roberts’ chief surgeon, convicted of piracy-related offenses and hanged in 1722.
  • Stevenson alludes to the Viceroy of the Indies, seized by Edward England near Malabar while John Silver served aboard England’s Cassandra. Although no such ship or event is officially recorded, in 1721 John Taylor (England’s former second-in-command) captured the heavily laden Portuguese galleon Nostra Senhora do Cabo, returning from Goa with the retired Viceroy aboard. This incident may have inspired Stevenson’s reference despite differing details. The Cassandra’’ was last reported in 1723 at Portobelo, Panama, which also appears briefly as "Portobello" in Treasure Island.
  • These accounts conflict somewhat since the Cassandra was operating in the Indian Ocean while Scudamore served on Roberts’ Royal Fortune in the Gulf of Guinea.
  • A genuine smuggling syndicate known as the "Benbow Brandy Men" operated during the 1800s out of the Benbow pub in Penzance, smuggling gin, brandy, and tobacco to avoid heavy Crown import duties used to finance overseas wars.

Additional references

  • 1689: A pirate whistles the tune "Lillibullero".
  • 1702: The Admiral Benbow Inn on Devon’s coast, home to Jim Hawkins and his mother, is named after Admiral John Benbow (1653–1702).
  • 1733: The founding year of Savannah, Georgia, where Captain Flint died in 1754.
  • 1745: Doctor Livesey participated in the Battle of Fontenoy.
  • 1747: Both Squire Trelawney and Long John Silver mention "Admiral Hawke," referring to Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke (1705–81), who was promoted to rear admiral that year.
  • 1749: The novel makes reference to the Bow Street Runners.
  • Partly inspired by R. M. Ballantyne's The Coral Island, which Stevenson admired for its "better qualities," Treasure Island’’ includes an epigraph titled "To the Hesitating Purchaser," nodding to Ballantyne as well as authors like Kingston and Cooper.

Characters

  • The name Squire Trelawney might be derived from Edward Trelawney, who served as Governor of Jamaica from 1738 to 1752.
  • Dr. Livesey could be an allusion to Joseph Livesey (1794–1884), known for his temperance activism; notably, in the story, Livesey cautions Billy Bones that "the name of rum for you is death."

Treasure Island

Although Stevenson never explicitly identified a real island as the model for Treasure Island, he mentioned Dead Chest Island, British Virgin Islands, a desolate rock referenced in Charles Kingsley's At Last: A Christmas in the West Indies, as the inspiration behind "Dead Man's Chest." Various sites have since claimed to have influenced the fictional island, despite lacking direct confirmation:

  • The pirate provisioning hub Isla de la Juventud near Cuba is often suggested as an influence.
  • Norman Island in the British Virgin Islands, reportedly mentioned to Stevenson by a sailor uncle, contains a "Spyglass Hill" reminiscent of the novel’s setting.
  • A modest pond within Queen Street Gardens in Edinburgh, visible from Stevenson's childhood residence.
  • Osborn Island (currently Nienstedt Island) in New Jersey, visited by Stevenson in 1888 and referred to by him as "Treasure Island."
  • Fidra, located in the Firth of Forth near North Berwick where Stevenson spent vacations.
  • Unst, one of the Shetland Islands, which bears a general resemblance to the island’s map.
  • In The Adventures of Ben Gunn, R. F. Delderfield identifies the island as Kidd's Island near the Leeward and Windward Islands.

In August 2022, MP Mick Whitley endorsed local historian John Lamb’s assertion that Treasure Island is set around Birkenhead and Wallasey on the Wirral Peninsula. This claim follows earlier suggestions linking Jules Verne’s The Mysterious Island to Birkenhead.

Both Bristol’s Llandoger Trow and Penzance’s Admiral Benbow establishments assert they inspired the Admiral Benbow Inn. Stevenson visited Cornwall and Penzance in August 1877; the rural character of Penzance and its "Benbow Brandy Men" may have shaped his portrayal. Bristol’s Hole in the Wall has been cited as a model for the Spyglass Tavern. In Savannah, Georgia, The Pirate's House claims association with Captain Flint’s final days and is reputedly haunted by his spirit.

Literature

Stevenson's Treasure Island has given rise to numerous literary continuations and expansions:

  • Porto Bello Gold (1924), a prequel by A. D. Howden Smith authorized by Stevenson's executor, delves into the origins of the treasure and reimagines pirates' youth while incorporating Jacobite themes absent from the original.
  • Back to Treasure Island (1935) by H. A. Calahan suggests that Stevenson intended to extend the narrative.
  • The Return of Long John Silver (1949) authored by John Connell with illustrations by Ley Kenyon.
  • The Adventures of Ben Gunn (1956) by R. F. Delderfield, narrated through Jim Hawkins’ perspective, chronicles Ben Gunn’s journey from parson’s son to pirate.
  • Flint's Island (1972), a sequel penned by Leonard Wibberley.
  • Long John Silver – Den äventyrliga och sannfärdiga berättelsen om mitt liv och leverne som lyckoriddare och mänsklighetens fiende (1998), a Swedish prequel by Björn Larsson told from Silver’s viewpoint.
  • Jim Hawkins and the Curse of Treasure Island (2001) written by Frank Delaney under the pseudonym "Francis Bryan."
  • Before (2001), a prequel authored by Michael Kernan, published in Dutch as Vóór Schateiland.
  • Sept Pirates (2007), a comic sequel created by Pascal Bertho and Tom McBurnie.
  • Long John Silver (2007), a French graphic novel series spanning four volumes by Xavier Dorison and Mathieu Lauffray.
  • The trilogy Flint & Silver (2008), followed by Pieces of Eight (2009) and Skull and Bones (2010), authored by John Drake.
  • Return to Treasure Island (2010), a sequel written by John O'Melveny Woodswrote.
  • Treasure Island: The Untold Story (2011), a factual prequel penned by John Amrhein Jr.
  • Silver: Return to Treasure Island (2012), a sequel crafted by former UK Poet Laureate Andrew Motion.
  • Treasure Island!!! (2012) authored by Sara Levine, focusing on an American woman captivated by the novel.
  • Tread Carefully on the Sea (2014) by David K. Bryant, blending Captain Flint references into a prequel centered on burying the treasure.
  • Skulduggery (1991/2014), a prequel authored by Tony Robinson, featuring Ben Gunn attending pirate school alongside youthful versions of Blind Pew and Long John Silver.
  • Treasure Island Comprehension Guide (2009) written by Ned Bustard, offering educational analysis of the novel.

Film and television

Multiple sequels have been created, such as:

Adaptations

There are more than 50 cinematic and television adaptations of Treasure Island.

Film

Key film versions include:

English-language

  • Treasure Island (1918) — a silent movie produced by Fox Film Corporation, directed by Sidney and Chester Franklin.
  • Treasure Island (1920) — silent film featuring Shirley Mason as Jim Hawkins and Charles Ogle portraying Long John Silver; directed by Maurice Tourneur and distributed by Paramount Pictures. This version is now considered lost.
  • Treasure Island (1934) — the first talking adaptation starring Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, and Lionel Barrymore.
  • Treasure Island (1950) — starring Bobby Driscoll and Robert Newton; notable as Walt Disney Studios’ initial fully live-action feature and first color rendition. Its 1954 follow-up, Long John Silver, featured Newton but was produced independently of Disney.
  • Treasure Island (1972) — with Orson Welles in the cast; produced by National General Pictures; directed by John Hough, Andrew White, and John Salway.
  • Treasure Island (1973) — an animated Filmation production released through Warner Bros., with Richard Dawson voicing Long John Silver.
  • Treasure Island (1987) — an animated version by Burbank Films Australia, directed by Warwick Gilbert.
  • Muppet Treasure Island (1996) — from The Jim Henson Company and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures; Tim Curry portrayed Long John Silver alongside the Muppets ensemble.
  • Treasure Island (1999) — featuring Jack Palance as Long John Silver and Kevin Zegers as Jim Hawkins.
  • Treasure Planet (2002) — Walt Disney Animation Studios’ science fiction reinterpretation with a cyborg Long John Silver and extraterrestrial characters.
  • Pirates of Treasure Island (2006) — direct-to-DVD release by The Asylum, designed as a mockbuster leveraging the popularity of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.

Foreign-language

TV films

  • Shin Takarajima (1965) — a 52-minute anime television special directed by Osamu Tezuka and animated by Mushi Productions, featuring anthropomorphic animal characters. Initially intended as a 26-episode series, it was ultimately broadcast as a standalone special. This production is not a direct adaptation of Tezuka's manga bearing the same title.
  • Treasure Island (1990) — a made-for-television movie produced for TNT, starring Charlton Heston, Christian Bale, Oliver Reed, Christopher Lee, and Pete Postlethwaite; the project was written, produced, and directed by Fraser C. Heston.
  • Treasure Island Pirate (1991)
  • Treasure Island (1995) — a TV film directed by Ken Russell, with Hetty Baynes portraying Long Jane Silver.

Television

  • Treasure Island (1951) — a BBC series consisting of seven episodes, featuring Bernard Miles in the role of Long John Silver.
  • The Adventures of Long John Silver (1955) — a 26-episode color series filmed at Pagewood Studios in Sydney, starring Robert Newton.
  • L'isola del tesoro (1959) — an Italian miniseries produced by RAI, starring Alvaro Piccardi, Ivo Garrani, and Arnoldo Foà.
  • "Mr. Magoo's Treasure Island" (1964) — a two-part segment from The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo, with Mr. Magoo cast as Long John Silver.
  • Treasure Island (1966) — a German-French collaborative production created for the German broadcaster ZDF.
  • Treasure Island (1968) — a nine-episode BBC series with each installment running approximately 25 minutes, starring Peter Vaughan.
  • Treasure Island (1977) — a BBC adaptation featuring Ashley Knight and Alfred Burke.
  • Treasure Island (Takarajima; 1978) — a Japanese animated television series based on the novel.
  • "Treasure Island" (1988) — an episode from the animated series Alvin and the Chipmunks, with characters portraying Jim Hawkins, Long John Silver, Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney, and Mrs. Hawkins.
  • Treasure Island (1990), featuring Christian Bale, Charlton Heston, Oliver Reed, and Christopher Lee.
  • The Legends of Treasure Island (1993–1995) — an animated series loosely inspired by the novel that includes animal characters.
  • "Salty Dog" — an episode of Wishbone presenting a child-friendly retelling of the story.
  • Treasure Island: The Adventure Begins (1994) — a television movie created to promote the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino.
  • Treasure Island (2012) — a two-part miniseries starring Eddie Izzard that aired on Sky1 in the United Kingdom.
  • Black Sails (2014) — a dramatic television series functioning as a prequel that explores the backstories of Captain Flint, Billy Bones, and John Silver during the Golden Age of Piracy.
  • Treasure Island (L'isola del tesoro; 2015) — an Italian CGI animated series produced by Rai Fiction and Mondo TV that combines the original narrative with new characters and mythical themes such as voodoo.
  • Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2024) — an upcoming Disney+ streaming series that loosely adapts Treasure Island within the context of the Star Wars universe.

Theatre

More than 24 significant theatrical renditions of Treasure Island have been produced, alongside numerous smaller adaptations. The narrative is also a favorite in traditional pantomime, frequently featuring Mrs. Hawkins portrayed as the dame.

  • Jules Eckert Goodman’s play Treasure Island made its Broadway debut in 1915.
  • A 1947 staging at London's St. James's Theatre showcased Harry Welchman as Long John Silver and John Clark as Jim Hawkins.
  • London’s Mermaid Theatre annually presented a musical adaptation based on a script by Bernard Miles and Josephine Wilson, with music composed by Cyril Ornadel and lyrics by Hal Shaper. Bernard Miles both directed and performed as Long John Silver, while comedian Spike Milligan frequently took on the role of Ben Gunn; in 1981, Tom Baker assumed the role of Silver.
  • The 1985 musical Pieces of Eight, adapted by Jule Styne, premiered in Edmonton, Alberta.
  • Danish singer-songwriter Sebastian created Skatteøen in 1986, a Danish-language musical first produced at Copenhagen's Folketeatret, which has been revived multiple times since.
  • Ken Ludwig’s adaptation debuted at Houston’s Alley Theatre in 2007, transferred to London's West End in 2008, and earned the AATE Distinguished Play Award for Best Adaptation.
  • In August 2009, the Henegar Center for the Arts in Melbourne, Florida mounted a production of the story.
  • Treasure Island: the Curse of the Pearl Necklace (2014–15), written by Jon Bradfield and Martin Hooper, presented an alternative pantomime featuring LGBTQ+ characters and played to sold-out audiences at London's Above The Stag Theatre.
  • B.H. Barry and Vernon Morris’s version was performed at Brooklyn’s Irondale Center in 2011 with Tom Hewitt starring.
  • Bristol Old Vic staged a large-scale outdoor production in July 2011, directed by Sally Cookson with original music by Benji Bower.
  • Between 2013 and 2014, Mind the Gap Theatre Company toured a retelling adapted by Olivier Award winner Mike Kenny that starred actors with learning disabilities.
  • YouthPlays published Long Joan Silver (2013) by Arthur M. Jolly, which features an all-female pirate cast.
  • Bryony Lavery’s adaptation ran at London’s Royal National Theatre from 2014 to 2015 under Polly Findlay’s direction, starring Patsy Ferran as Jim (reimagined as a girl) and Arthur Darvill as Silver.
  • Nicolas Billon’s version premiered at Canada’s Stratford Festival during their 2017 season.
  • Leicester Haymarket Theatre reopened in 2018 with Sandi Toksvig’s adaptation serving as their first Christmas production in ten years.

Radio

  • In July 1938, Orson Welles aired a radio version on The Mercury Theatre on the Air, partially set in England and partly on the Island; this adaptation excluded "My Sea Adventure" and featured music composed by Bernard Herrmann.
  • On May 14, 1948, William Redfield portrayed Silver in an adaptation for Your Playhouse of Favorites.
  • A version hosted by Ronald Colman was broadcast on April 27, 1948, for the program Favorite Story.
  • On January 29, 1951, James Mason played Long John Silver opposite Bobby Driscoll’s Jim Hawkins in the Lux Radio Theatre adaptation.
  • The BBC produced two radio adaptations with Silver portrayed by Peter Jeffrey in 1989 and Jack Shepherd in 1995.
  • Author John le Carré delivered an abridged five-part reading for BBC Radio 4's Afternoon Reading series.
  • Treasure Island 2020 (2018–2020) is a ten-episode BYU Radio adaptation that reimagines the tale as a time-travel adventure; it is currently accessible as a free podcast.

Additional audio recordings

  • In 1944, Columbia Masterworks released a recording featuring Basil Rathbone as both Narrator and Silver.
  • The audio version by Tale Spinners for Children cast James Kenney as Jim Hawkins and Anthony Woodruff as Long John Silver.
  • A 2013 audiobook produced by Big Finish Productions, scripted and directed by Barnaby Edwards, starred Tom Baker portraying Long John Silver.
  • The King Arthur/Treasure Island album contains two different orchestrated versions of "Fifteen Men on a Dead Man's Chest" alongside a song dedicated to Silver’s parrot, Captain Flint.

Literature and comics

  • Famous Stories #1 (1942) from Dell Comics, illustrated by Robert Bugg
  • Shin Takarajima (1947), a loose manga adaptation by Sakai Shichima and Osamu Tezuka
  • Classics Illustrated issue #64 (1949), adapted by Ken Fitch and Alex A. Blum
  • "Walt Disney's Treasure Island" in Four Color #624 (1955), adapted from the 1950 Disney film
  • Numerous international versions, including Spanish editions published by Editorial Bruguera and King Features
  • Marvel Classics Comics #15 (1976), adapted by Bill Mantlo and Dino Castrillo; reprinted by Fisher-Price in 1984
  • Godspeed (1993), a science fiction novel that reinterprets the treasure hunt as lost faster-than-light technology
  • Graphic novel renditions released by Penguin Books (2005) and Capstone Publishers (2007)
  • Marvel Illustrated series #1–6 (2007–2008), adapted by Roy Thomas among others
  • The French edition L'Île au trésor (2007–2009) published by Delcourt; translated into English as Papercutz Classics Illustrated Series #5 (2010)
  • Disney Treasure Island, Starring Mickey Mouse (2018) from Dark Horse Comics

Music

  • The Ben Gunn Society’s eponymous 2003 album focuses on the character Ben Gunn
  • Running Wild’s 1992 song "Treasure Island" narrates the novel’s storyline
  • The Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s 1974 track "The Tomahawk Kid" honors characters from the book
  • John Rzeznik of Goo Goo Dolls contributed songs for Disney’s animated adaptation
  • Skull & Bones released The Cursed Island album in 2014 inspired by the novel
  • "Dead Man's Sea Shanty" by Chonny Jash retells the story through traditional sea shanty style

Video games

  • The 1984 graphical adventure game Treasure Island for Commodore and ZX Spectrum features Jim Hawkins combating pirates
  • Windham Classics published an adventure game titled Treasure Island in 1985
  • Barcelona Multimedia developed the point-and-click adventure La Isla del Tesoro de R. L. Stevenson in 1999
  • The LucasArts Monkey Island games draw heavily on the novel’s plot and characters with comedic elements
  • Disney-themed games include Treasure Planet: Battle at Procyon
  • Anuman Interactive released a hidden object game called Treasure Island in 2010
  • The arcade game Captain Silver centers on protagonist Jim Aykroyd’s quest for Captain Silver’s treasure

Appearances in popular culture

  • Julia Jones’ Strong Winds series incorporates names and events inspired by the novel
  • In Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons, Uncle Jim is nicknamed Captain Flint and keeps a parrot
  • J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan mentions Captain Hook as feared by Long John Silver ("Barbecue")
  • A 1960 episode of Dennis the Menace revolves around buried treasure influenced by the book
  • The 1988 Soviet film adaptation directed by David Cherkassky relates to Stevenson's story
  • Referenced in episodes of The Simpsons, Spike Milligan’s parody works, and children’s shows such as Arthur
  • Featured in reality television including Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
  • Alluded to in films like The Way Back (2010), Philip Caveney’s novel One for Sorrow, and Blade Runner 2049
  • Woody Harrelson’s character Tobias Beckett in Solo: A Star Wars Story is modeled after Long John Silver
  • In the Season 3 finale of The Handmaid's Tale, an excerpt is read aloud to runaway children

Pirates of the Caribbean'

The Disney franchise Pirates of the Caribbean frequently alludes to Treasure Island. The original theme park attraction named its island port Isla Tesoro, meaning "Treasure Island" in Spanish. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer cited Stevenson's novel as one of the inspirations behind the movies.

Screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, drawing upon their work on Treasure Planet, explored Long John Silver’s complex personality while developing Captain Jack Sparrow. Hector Barbossa’s pet monkey named "Jack" is a nod to Silver’s parrot Captain Flint.

Significant references include:

  • Joshamee Gibbs singing "Dead Man's Chest"
  • Jack Sparrow receiving the Black Spot from Bootstrap Bill Turner to summon the Kraken
  • The merchant vessel Edinburgh Trader portrayed by the replica HMS Bounty, which was also used as Hispaniola in the 1990 film adaptation

In Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Barbossa sports a wooden peg leg, mirroring Long John Silver’s signature feature. Actor Geoffrey Rush acknowledged this tribute to Robert Newton’s portrayal.

Terry Rossio’s script notes for Dead Men Tell No Tales contain nods to Stevenson’s work, including a character named Admiral John Benbow. Early comic concepts connected characters to those from Treasure Island. Its video game expansion features a phantom pirate called Black Dog Briar.

See also

References

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Bibliography

  • Barker-Benfield, Simon (2014). The Annotated Treasure Island. ISBN 978-1-937075-01-9
  • Cordingly, David (1995). Under the Black Flag: The Romance and Reality of Life Among the Pirates. ISBN 0-679-42560-8.
  • Letley, Emma, ed. (1998). Treasure Island (Oxford World's Classics). ISBN 0-19-283380-4.
  • Pietsch, Roland (2010). The Real Jim Hawkins: Ships' Boys in the Georgian Navy. ISBN 978-1-84832-036-9.
  • Reed, Thomas L. (2006). The Transforming Draught: Jekyll and Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson, and the Victorian Alcohol Debate. ISBN 0-7864-2648-9.
  • Watson, Harold (1969). Coasts of Treasure Island: A Study of the Backgrounds and Sources for Robert Louis Stevenson's Romance of the Sea. .

External links

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