Piracy and other assorted things that form a general update

I haven't actually posted here for ages - haven't really felt like it to be honest and besides I've had nothing interesting to say. Still not sure if I actually have any incites that are noteworthy but still.

My life seems to have been consumed by the big blob that is work and spend most hours of the day working meaning I have completly negelected all of my hobbies for quite some time! But work has at least been relatively interesting. The essay on Hamlet was quite tedious but it is done and handed in now!

Most of the rest of work has focused around either reading Shakespeare (and watch Shakespeare based films!) and Pirates. Two documents have been analysed. One a proclomation from the King offering Pirates a pardon in return for their surrendour and the other the infamous Captain Charles Johnson's 'A General History of Piracy' (shortened title). Johnson was the first history book on Piracy and it portrayed an exciting world of adventure and dastardly deeds making it an instant best seller. However the content is often exaggerated to excite public opinion and because of its vast influence it has shaped modern day perceptions of Piracy - as the romantic hero. Despite this no one actually knows who Johnson is - he doesn't show up in a single record and many have speculated about his true identity - is he real person who just flew under the radar, others have suggested that he is the playwright by the same name (minus the Captain bit :p) simply becuase he wrote a play about pirates! But the most popular idea is that Captain Charles Johnson is in fact Daniel Defoe - author of 'Robinson Crusoe'. Defoe wrote many histories that explored piracy and this wouldn't have been the first time he had attempted to pass off a fictional character as the author of his works - when 'Robinson Crusoe' was first released it was sold as being a true account.

Next came a book review - looking at three books on the topic of Piracy and focusing on the 'what is the reality of Piracy?' All three books were interesting and I was particularly interested in a book on Women Pirates named 'Bold in her Breeches' which leads me to think that for my masters I could expand my study of Piracy and look into Women and Piracy. I'm sure there is a lot to explore - how many women were involved in piracy, how pirates viewed them, why there is so little evidence and sources including women and piracy?

Waffled enough now I think. I will be back...