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Captain Cook In The Underworld: A Journey Into Myth and Metaphor

Franklin Bell

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Captain James Cook's voyages to the Pacific in the 18th century had a profound impact on both European and Pacific cultures. His death in Hawaii in 1779 has been the subject of much speculation and myth-making, and he has become a figure in both Hawaiian and Western literature and art.

Captain Cook in the Underworld

by Andrea Colombari

5 out of 5

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In this essay, I will explore the ways in which Cook's death has been interpreted and reinterpreted over the centuries, and the ways in which he has been used as a symbol of both European colonialism and Pacific resistance.

Cook's Death

Cook was killed on February 14, 1779, during a skirmish with Hawaiian warriors on the beach at Kealakekua Bay. The circumstances of his death are not entirely clear, but it is believed that he was attempting to kidnap the Hawaiian chief Kalaniopu'u when he was attacked.

Cook's death was a major blow to the British expedition, and it had a profound impact on European attitudes towards the Pacific. Cook had been seen as a great explorer and navigator, and his death shattered the myth of European invincibility.

Cook in Myth and Metaphor

In the years after his death, Cook became a figure in both Hawaiian and Western literature and art. In Hawaiian culture, he was seen as a kind of anti-hero, a powerful but flawed figure who brought both good and bad to the islands.

In Western culture, Cook was often portrayed as a hero, a symbol of British exploration and conquest. However, in recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the negative impact of European colonialism on the Pacific, and Cook has increasingly been seen as a symbol of that colonialism.

Cook in Literature

Cook has been the subject of numerous works of literature, both fiction and non-fiction. Some of the most notable works include:

Captain Cook's Voyages (1773-1784) by James Cook
The Life and Death of Captain James Cook (1784) by John Ledyard
The Journals of Captain James Cook (1955) edited by J.C. Beaglehole
Captain Cook: A Biography (2003) by Richard Hough
Cook's Legacy: The Pacific in the Age of the Enlightenment (2018) by Gananath Obeyesekere

Cook in Art

Cook has also been the subject of numerous works of art, including paintings, sculptures, and engravings. Some of the most notable works include:

The Death of Captain Cook (1784) by John Webber
Cook's First Voyage (1795) by William Hodges
Captain Cook's Monument (1812) by John Flaxman
Cook's Statue (1874) by Thomas Woolner
Cook's Legacy (2018) by Shane Cotton

Captain Cook's death in Hawaii in 1779 was a major event in both European and Pacific history. His death has been the subject of much speculation and myth-making, and he has become a figure in both Hawaiian and Western literature and art.

Cook's legacy is complex and controversial. He was a great explorer and navigator, but he was also a symbol of European colonialism. His death marked the end of an era of European dominance in the Pacific, and it opened the way for the rise of new indigenous voices.

Captain Cook in the Underworld

by Andrea Colombari

5 out of 5