Treasure Island (DECO Game)
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''Treasure Island'' (originally titled ''The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys''Hammond, J. R. 1984. "Treasure Island." In ''A Robert Louis Stevenson Companion'', Palgrave Macmillan Literary Companions. London: Palgrave Macmillan. .) is an
adventure novel Adventure fiction is a type of fiction that usually presents danger, or gives the reader a sense of excitement. Some adventure fiction also satisfies the literary definition of romance fiction. History In the Introduction to the ''Encyclopedi ...
by Scottish author
Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...
, telling a story of "
buccaneers Buccaneers were a kind of privateers or free sailors particular to the Caribbean Sea during the 17th and 18th centuries. First established on northern Hispaniola as early as 1625, their heyday was from the Restoration in 1660 until about 1688, ...
and buried gold". It is considered a
coming-of-age story In genre studies, a coming-of-age story is a genre of literature, theatre, film, and video game that focuses on the growth of a protagonist from childhood to adulthood, or "coming of age". Coming-of-age stories tend to emphasize dialogue or internal ...
and is noted for its atmosphere, characters, and action. The novel was originally serialised from 1881 to 1882 in the children's magazine ''
Young Folks "Young Folks" is the first single from Swedish band Peter Bjorn and John's third album, ''Writer's Block'' (released in 2006). The single features Victoria Bergsman as a guest vocalist. The song received generally positive reviews from critics a ...
'', under the title ''Treasure Island or the Mutiny of the Hispaniola'', credited to the pseudonym "Captain George North". It was first published as a book on 14 November 1883 by Cassell & Co. It has since become one of the most often dramatized and adapted of all novels, in numerous media. Since its publication, ''Treasure Island'' has had significant influence on depictions of pirates in popular culture, including elements such as deserted tropical islands,
treasure map A treasure map is a map that marks the location of buried treasure, a lost mine, a valuable secret or a hidden locale. More common in fiction than in reality, "pirate treasure maps" are often depicted in works of fiction as hand drawn and contain ...
s marked with an "X", and one-legged seamen with
parrot Parrots, also known as psittacines (), are birds of the roughly 398 species in 92 genera comprising the order Psittaciformes (), found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three superfamilies: the Psittacoid ...
s perched on their shoulders.Cordingly, David (1995) ''Under the Black Flag: the romance and reality of life among the pirates''; p. 7


Plot

The plot is set in the mid-18th century, when an old sailor who identifies himself as "The Captain" starts to lodge at the rural Admiral Benbow Inn on England's
Bristol Channel The Bristol Channel ( cy, Môr Hafren, literal translation: "Severn Sea") is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Seve ...
. He tells the innkeeper's son, Jim Hawkins, to keep a lookout for "a one-legged seafaring man". A former shipmate named Black Dog confronts The Captain about a chart. They get into a violent fight, causing Black Dog to flee. The Captain, proper name Billy Bones, suffers a stroke. That night, Jim's father dies suddenly. A few days later, a blind beggar named Pew visits the inn, delivering a summons to Bones called "the black spot". Shortly thereafter, Bones suffers another stroke and dies. Pew and his accomplices attack the inn, but are routed by excise officers, and Pew is trampled to death. Jim and his mother escape with a mysterious packet from Bones' sea chest, which is found to contain a map of the island on which the infamous pirate
Captain Flint Captain J. Flint is a fictional golden age pirate captain who features in a number of novels, television series, and films. The original character was created by the Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894). Flint first appears in ...
hid his treasure. Jim shows the map to the local physician Dr. Livesey and the
squire In the Middle Ages, a squire was the shield- or armour-bearer of a knight. Use of the term evolved over time. Initially, a squire served as a knight's apprentice. Later, a village leader or a lord of the manor might come to be known as a " ...
John Trelawney, and they decide to make an expedition to the island, with Jim serving as a
cabin boy ''Cabin Boy'' is a 1994 American fantasy comedy film, directed by Adam Resnick and co-produced by Tim Burton, which starred comedian Chris Elliott. Elliott co-wrote the film with Resnick. Both Elliott and Resnick worked for '' Late Night with Dav ...
. They set sail on Trelawney's
schooner A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...
, the ''Hispaniola'', under
Captain Smollett Captain Alexander Smollett is the fictional captain of the schooner ''Hispaniola'' in Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 novel ''Treasure Island''. He plays an important part in disciplining the main characters on the ship as the story progresses, and ...
and Jim forms a strong bond with the ship's one-legged cook,
Long John Silver Long John Silver is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the novel ''Treasure Island'' (1883) by Robert Louis Stevenson. The most colourful and complex character in the book, he continues to appear in popular culture. His missing l ...
. The crew suffers tragedy when first mate Mr. Arrow, a drunkard, is washed overboard during a storm. While hidden in an apple-barrel, Jim overhears a conversation among the Hispaniola's crew which reveals that many of them are pirates who had served on Captain Flint's ship, the ''Walrus'', with Silver leading them. They plan to mutiny after the salvage of the treasure, and to murder the captain and the few remaining loyal crew. Arriving at the island, Jim joins the shore party and they begin to explore. He meets a
marooned Marooned may refer to: * Marooning, the intentional act of abandoning someone in an uninhabited area Film and television * ''Marooned'' (1933 film), a British drama film * ''Marooned'' (1969 film), an American science-fiction film * ''Marooned ...
pirate named Ben Gunn, who is also a former member of Flint's crew. The mutineers arm themselves and take the ship while Smollett's loyal men take refuge in an abandoned stockade on the island. After a brief truce, the mutineers attack them, with casualties on both sides of the battle. Jim makes his way to the ''Hispaniola'' and cuts the ship from its anchor, drifting it along the ebb tide. He boards the ship and encounters the pirate Israel Hands, who had been injured in a drunken dispute with one of his companions. Hands helps Jim beach the schooner in the northern bay, then attempts to kill Jim with a knife, but Jim shoots him dead with two pistols. Jim goes ashore and returns to the stockade, where he is horrified to find only Silver and the pirates. Silver tells Jim that when everyone found the ship was gone, Captain Flint's party had agreed to a truce whereby they take the map and allow the besieged party to leave. In the morning, Livesey arrives to treat the wounded and sick pirates and tells Silver to look out for trouble once he's found the site of the treasure. After a dispute over leadership, Silver and the others set out with the map, taking Jim along as a hostage. They find a skeleton with its arms oriented toward the treasure, unnerving the party. Scaring the crew, Ben Gunn shouts Captain Flint's last words from the forest, making the pirates believe that Flint's ghost is haunting the island. They eventually find the treasure cache, but it is empty. The pirates prepare to kill Silver and Jim, but they are ambushed by the officers along with Gunn. Livesey explains that Gunn had already found the treasure and taken it to his cave long ago. The expedition members load a portion of the treasure onto the ''Hispaniola'' and depart the island, with Silver as a prisoner. At their first port, in
Spanish America Spanish America refers to the Spanish territories in the Americas during the Spanish colonization of the Americas. The term "Spanish America" was specifically used during the territories' Spanish Empire, imperial era between 15th century, 15th ...
, Silver steals a bag of money and escapes. The rest of them sail back to
Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
and divide up the treasure. Still, Jim says that there is more left on the island, but he will not undertake another voyage to claim it.


Background

Stevenson conceived the idea for the novel based on a map of an imaginary, romantic island which he drew with his stepson
Lloyd Osbourne Samuel Lloyd Osbourne (April 7, 1868 – May 22, 1947) was an American author and the stepson of the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, with whom he co-authored three books, including '' The Wrecker'', and provided input and ideas on oth ...
, during a holiday in
Braemar, Scotland Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee sitting at an elevation of . The Gaelic ''Bràigh Mhàrr'' pro ...
in the summer of 1881. He had clearly started work by 25 August, writing to a friend, "If this don't fetch the kids, why, they have gone rotten since my day. Will you be surprised to learn that it is about Buccaneers, that it begins in the Admiral Benbow public house on the
Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
coast, that it's all about a map and a treasure and a mutiny and a derelict ship... It's quite silly and horrid fun – and what I want is the ''best'' book about Buccaneers that can be had". Stevenson originally gave the book the title ''The Sea Cook''. One month after conceiving of the book, chapters began to appear in the pages of the ''
Young Folks "Young Folks" is the first single from Swedish band Peter Bjorn and John's third album, ''Writer's Block'' (released in 2006). The single features Victoria Bergsman as a guest vocalist. The song received generally positive reviews from critics a ...
'' magazine. After completing fifteen or nineteen chapters rapidly, Stevenson was interrupted by illness; he left Scotland and continued working on the first draft near London, where he and his father discussed points of the tale, and his father suggested elements that he included. The novel eventually ran in seventeen weekly instalments from October 1, 1881, to January 28, 1882. The book was later republished as the novel ''Treasure Island'' and proved to be Stevenson's first financial and critical success. The Liberal politician
William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...
, who served four terms as British Prime Minister between 1868 and 1894, was one of the book's biggest fans. Two general types of sea novels were popular during the 19th century: the navy yarn, which places a capable officer in adventurous situations amid realistic settings and historical events, and the desert island romance, which features shipwrecked or marooned characters confronted by treasure-seeking pirates or angry natives. Around 1815, the latter genre became one of the most popular fictional styles in Great Britain, perhaps because of the philosophical interest in
Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...
and Chateaubriand's "
noble savage A noble savage is a literary stock character who embodies the concept of the indigene, outsider, wild human, an "other" who has not been "corrupted" by civilization, and therefore symbolizes humanity's innate goodness. Besides appearing in man ...
". ''Treasure Island'' was a climax of this development. The growth of the desert island genre can be traced back to 1719 when
Daniel Defoe Daniel Defoe (; born Daniel Foe; – 24 April 1731) was an English writer, trader, journalist, pamphleteer and spy. He is most famous for his novel ''Robinson Crusoe'', published in 1719, which is claimed to be second only to the Bible in its ...
's '' Robinson Crusoe'' was published. A century later, novels such as
S. H. Burney Sarah Harriet Burney (29 August 1772 – 8 February 1844) was an English novelist, the daughter of musicologist and composer Charles Burney, and half-sister of the novelist and diarist Frances Burney (Madame d'Arblay). She had some intermittent ...
's ''The Shipwreck'' (1816), and Sir Walter Scott's '' The Pirate'' (1822) continued to expand upon Defoe's classic. Other authors, in the mid-19th century, continued this trend, with works including
James Fenimore Cooper James Fenimore Cooper (September 15, 1789 – September 14, 1851) was an American writer of the first half of the 19th century, whose historical romances depicting colonist and Indigenous characters from the 17th to the 19th centuries brought h ...
's ''
The Pilot A pilot is a person who flies or navigates an aircraft. Pilot or The Pilot may also refer to: * Maritime pilot, a person who guides ships through hazardous waters * Television pilot, a television episode used to sell a series to a television n ...
'' (1823). During the same period, Edgar Allan Poe wrote "
MS Found in a Bottle "MS. Found in a Bottle" is an 1833 short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. The plot follows an unnamed narrator at sea who finds himself in a series of harrowing circumstances. As he nears his own disastrous death while his ship drives ev ...
" (1833) and " The Gold-Bug" (1843). All of these works influenced Stevenson's end product. Stevenson also consciously borrowed material from previous authors. In a July 1884 letter to Sidney Colvin, he wrote that "''Treasure Island'' came out of
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's ''At Last'', where I got the Dead Man's Chest—and that was the seed—and out of the great Captain Johnson's '' History of the Notorious Pirates''". Stevenson also admits that he took the idea of Captain Flint's pointing skeleton from Poe's '' The Gold-Bug'' and he constructed Billy Bones' history from the "Money-Diggers" section ("Golden Dreams" in particular) of ''
Tales of a Traveller ''Tales of a Traveller, by Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.'' (1824) is a two-volume collection of essays and short stories composed by Washington Irving while he was living in Europe, primarily in Germany and Paris. The collection was published under Irvi ...
'' by Washington Irving, one of his favorite writers. Half of Stevenson's manuscripts are lost, including those of ''Treasure Island'', '' The Black Arrow'', and '' The Master of Ballantrae''. Stevenson's heirs sold his papers during World War I; many of his documents were auctioned off in 1918.


Characters


Main

* Jim Hawkins: The narrator of most of the novel. Jim is the son of an innkeeper near Bristol, England, and appears to be in his mid-teens. He is eager to go to sea and hunt for treasure. Jim consistently displays courage and heroism, but is also sometimes impulsive and impetuous. He exhibits increasing sensitivity and wisdom as the journey progresses. *
Long John Silver Long John Silver is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the novel ''Treasure Island'' (1883) by Robert Louis Stevenson. The most colourful and complex character in the book, he continues to appear in popular culture. His missing l ...
: The one-legged cook aboard the ''Hispaniola''. Silver is the secret leader of the pirates. He is deceitful and greedy, but also charismatic, and his physical and mental strength are impressive. He is kind toward Jim and appears genuinely fond of him. Silver was based in part on Stevenson's friend and mentor William Ernest Henley. * Dr. David Livesey: A doctor and magistrate; he narrates a few chapters of the novel. He exhibits common sense and rationality, and is fair-minded, treating wounded pirates just as he does his own comrades. Some years prior to the events of the novel, he had participated in the
Battle of Fontenoy The Battle of Fontenoy was a major engagement of the War of the Austrian Succession, fought on 11 May 1745 near Tournai in modern Belgium. A French army of 50,000 under Marshal Saxe defeated a Pragmatic Army of roughly the same size, led by th ...
, during which he was wounded in action. * Captain Alexander Smollett: The captain of the ''Hispaniola''. He is savvy and is rightly suspicious of the crew that Trelawney hires. Smollett is a real professional, taking his job seriously and displaying skill as a negotiator. Smollett believes in rules and does not like Jim's disobedience, but later in the novel states that he and Jim shouldn't go to sea together again as Jim was too much of the born favourite for him. *
Squire John Trelawney Squire John Trelawney is a supporting character from Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 novel '' Treasure Island''. Character overview Stevenson describes him as a tall man, over six feet high, and plump in proportion, and he has a bluff, rough-and-r ...
: A wealthy landowner who arranges the voyage to the island. He is too trusting and is duped by Silver into hiring pirates as the ship's crew. * Billy Bones: An old seaman who resides at the Admiral Benbow Inn. He used to be Flint's first mate, and is surly and rude. He exhorts Jim to be on the lookout for a one-legged man. A treasure map in his possession set the events of the novel in motion. * Ben Gunn: A former member of Captain Flint's crew who was found on Treasure Island, having been marooned there by Flint's crew several years earlier. He is described as being "insane", at least partially, and has a craving for
cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...
. **In the semi-official prequel story ''
Porto Bello Gold Arthur D. Howden Smith (; 1887–1945) was an American historian and novelist.Robert Sampson, ''Yesterday's Faces: Violent Lives'', Bowling Green State University, 1993, , pp. 177–78. Life Arthur Douglas Howden Smith was born in New York. In ...
'' by Arthur D. Howden Smith, Ben Gunn was the servant of captain Andrew "Rip-Rap" Murray, Flint's associate and the mastermind behind the capture of the treasure ship ''Santissima Trinidad'', whence the buried treasure was taken. Murray described Ben Gunn as a "half-wit" whom he kept as servant specifically because he considered him intellectually incapable of treachery. After Flint's crew killed Murray and overpowered his crew, Ben Gunn went to serve Flint and fled the ''Walrus'' in Savannah after Flint's death. **According to ''
The Adventures of Ben Gunn ''The Adventures of Ben Gunn'' is a 1956 adventure novel by the British writer R.F. Delderfield. It is a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's ''Treasure Island''. In 1958 it was adapted into a BBC television The Adventures of Ben Gunn (TV series) ...
'', he was Nic Allardyce's servant and friend from back home.


Minor

* Alan: An honest sailor who is killed by the mutineers during the landing on the island and whose death scream is heard across the isle. The incident occurs just before Long John murders Tom. * Allardyce: One of the six members of Flint's Crew who, after burying the treasure and silver and building the blockhouse on Treasure Island, are all killed by Flint, who returns to his ship alone. Allardyce's body is lined up by Flint as a compass marker to the cache. **In ''
Porto Bello Gold Arthur D. Howden Smith (; 1887–1945) was an American historian and novelist.Robert Sampson, ''Yesterday's Faces: Violent Lives'', Bowling Green State University, 1993, , pp. 177–78. Life Arthur Douglas Howden Smith was born in New York. In ...
'', one sailor on Flint's ship is named "Tom Allardyce". A lanky fellow with rather long, yellow hair, he is an antagonistic ringleader of sailors opposing Flint in at least two "fo'c'sle councils". Flint thinks they may present him with the Black Spot; he eventually challenges Allardyce to bring six friends and bury the treasure together. **According to ''
The Adventures of Ben Gunn ''The Adventures of Ben Gunn'' is a 1956 adventure novel by the British writer R.F. Delderfield. It is a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's ''Treasure Island''. In 1958 it was adapted into a BBC television The Adventures of Ben Gunn (TV series) ...
'', his first name was "Nic", he was surgeon on Flint's crew, and Ben Gunn was his servant and friend from back home. * Job Anderson: The ship's boatswain and one of the leaders of the mutiny. He participates in the storming of the blockhouse and is killed by Gray while attacking Jim. He is probably one of Flint's old pirate hands, though this is never stated. Along with Hands and Merry, he tipped a Black Spot on Silver and forced Silver to start the mutiny before the treasure was found. * Mr. Arrow: The first mate of the ''Hispaniola''. He is an alcoholic and is useless as a first mate. He disappears before they get to the island and his position is filled by Job Anderson. Silver had secretly given Mr. Arrow alcohol and he fell drunkenly overboard on a stormy night. In his BBC adaptation of 1977, John Lucarotti gives him the first name "Joshua". His first name was not stated in the novel. * Black Dog: Formerly a member of Flint's pirate crew, later one of Pew's companions who visits the Admiral Benbow to confront Billy Bones. He is spotted by Jim in Silver's tavern and slips out to be chased by two of Silver's men (in order to maintain the ruse that Silver and his men are not associated with him). Two fingers are missing from his left hand. *Pew: A vicious, deadly, and sinister blind beggar who served as a member of Flint's crew. Despite his blindness, he proves to be a dangerous adversary and can even be considered a ringleader amongst his fellow crewmen. He is the second messenger to approach Billy Bones and the one to deliver the Black Spot. He is trampled to death by the horses of revenue officers riding to assist Jim and his mother after the raid on their inn. Silver claims Pew spent his share of Flint's treasure at a rate of £1,200 per year, and that for two years until his accident at the "Admiral Benbow", he begged, stole, and murdered. Stevenson avoided predictability by making the two most fearsome characters a blind man and an amputee. In the play ''Admiral Guinea'' (1892), Stevenson gives him the full name "David Pew". Stevenson's novel ''
Kidnapped Kidnapped may refer to: * subject to the crime of kidnapping Literature * ''Kidnapped'' (novel), an 1886 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson * ''Kidnapped'' (comics), a 2007 graphic novel adaptation of R. L. Stevenson's novel by Alan Grant and Ca ...
'' (1886) also features a dangerous blind man. **In ''Porto Bello Gold'', it is Pew who fatally stabs captain Murray, working in concert with Long John Silver. From the context, it seems that Silver means Pew when he addresses one man as "Ezra" just prior. * Mr. Dance: Chief revenue officer (titled Supervisor) who ascends with his men upon the Admiral Benbow, driving out the pirates, and saving Jim Hawkins and his mother. He then takes Hawkins to see the squire and the doctor. * Dogger: One of Mr. Dance's associates, who doubles Hawkins on his horse to the squire's house. * Captain J. Flint: A pirate who was captain of a ship called the ''Walrus'', and who is dead before the events of the novel begin. In life he was the leader of the pirates and they refer to him often. He was the original possessor of the treasure, and buried it on the island. Long John Silver's parrot is named after him. * Abraham Gray: A ship's
carpenter Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, Shipbuilding, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. ...
's mate on the ''Hispaniola''. He is almost incited to mutiny but remains loyal to the Squire's side when asked to do so by Captain Smollett. He saves Hawkins' life by killing Job Anderson during an attack on the stockade, and he helps shoot the mutineers at the rifled treasure cache. He later escapes the island together with Jim Hawkins, Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney, Captain Smollett, Long John Silver, and Ben Gunn. He spends his part of the treasure on his education, marries, and becomes part owner of a full-rigged ship. * Israel Hands: The ship's coxswain and Flint's old gunner. He tries to murder Jim Hawkins, who shoots him in self-defence. * Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins: The parents of Jim Hawkins. Mr. Hawkins dies early in the story. * John Hunter: A manservant of Squire Trelawney. Dr. Livesey considers him to be the most steady and capable of Livesey's servants to have in a fight. He accompanies Trelawney to the island but is later knocked unconscious in an attack on the stockade. He dies of his injuries while unconscious. * John: A mutineer who is injured while trying to storm the blockhouse. Throughout the latter narrative he is primarily referred to by Hawkins as 'the man with the bandaged head' and ends up being killed at the rifled treasure cache. * Dick Johnson: The youngest of the mutineers, who has a Bible. The pirates use one of its pages to make a Black Spot for Silver, only to have him predict bad luck on Dick for sacrilege. Soon becoming mortally ill with malaria, Dick ends up being marooned on the island after the deaths of George Merry and John. * Richard Joyce: One of the manservants of Squire Trelawney who accompany the squire to the island, a mild-mannered valet inexperienced in firearms. He is shot through the head and killed by a mutineer during an attack on the stockade. * George Merry: A mutinous and hostile member of Silver's crew, who disobeys orders and occasionally challenges Silver's authority. He launches the mutiny prematurely, forcing Long John to flee to the island with Jim as an improvised hostage. With Anderson and Hands, he forces Silver to attack the blockhouse instead of waiting for the treasure to be found. Later killed at the empty cache just as he is about to kill both Silver and Hawkins. * Tom Morgan: An ex-pirate from Flint's old crew. He ends up marooned on the island with Dick and one other mutineer. * O'Brien: A mutineer who survives the attack on the blockhouse and escapes. He is later killed by Israel Hands in a drunken fight on the ''Hispaniola''. He is referred to by Hawkins as the pirate 'with the red nightcap' throughout most of the narrative, until Hands reveals to Hawkins that the fellow was an Irishman named O'Brien. * Tom Redruth: The gamekeeper of Squire Trelawney. He accompanies the Squire to the island but is shot and mortally wounded by the mutineers as the captain's party are relocating from the ship to the stockade. * Tom: An honest sailor who is killed by Silver for refusing to join the mutiny. Among other minor characters whose names are not revealed are the four pirates who were killed in an attack on the stockade along with Job Anderson; the pirate killed by the honest men minus Jim Hawkins before the attack on the stockade; the pirate killed by Ben the night before the attack on the stockade; the pirate shot by Squire Trelawney when aiming at Israel Hands, who later died of his injuries; and the pirate marooned on the island along with Tom Morgan and Dick.


Historical allusions


Real pirates and piracy

Historian Luis Junco suggests that ''Treasure Island'' is a combination of the story of the murder of Captain George Glas on board the ''Earl of Sandwich'' in 1765 and the taking of the ship ''Walrus'' off the island of La Graciosa near Tenerife. The pirates of La Graciosa buried their treasure there, and were subsequently all killed in a bloody battle with the British navy; the treasure was never recovered. In his book ''Pirates of the Carraigin'', David Kelly deals with the piracy and murder of Captain Glas and others on board a ship travelling from Tenerife to London by the Ship's Cook and his gang. The perpetrators of this crime also buried the considerable treasure they had stolen but most of it was later recovered. They were all executed in Dublin in 1766. In his research, Kelly showed that Stevenson was a neighbour of the named victim in Edinburgh, and so was aware from an early age of these events, which had been a scandal at the time. Stevenson and his family were members of a church congregation set up by the victim's father. Although he never visited Ireland, Stevenson based at least two other books, ''
Kidnapped Kidnapped may refer to: * subject to the crime of kidnapping Literature * ''Kidnapped'' (novel), an 1886 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson * ''Kidnapped'' (comics), a 2007 graphic novel adaptation of R. L. Stevenson's novel by Alan Grant and Ca ...
'' and '' Catriona'' on real crimes that were perpetrated in Dublin; these crimes were all reported in detail in '' The Gentleman's Magazine'', published in Dublin and Edinburgh. Other allusions to real piracy include: * Five real-life pirates mentioned are William Kidd (active 1696–1699), Blackbeard (1716–1718), Edward England (1717–1720), Howell Davis (1718–1719), and Bartholomew Roberts (1718–1722). Kidd buried treasure on Gardiners Island, though the booty was recovered by authorities soon afterwards.Adams, Cecil ''The Straight Dope''
Did pirates bury their treasure? Did pirates really make maps where "X marks the spot"?
5 October 2007
* The name " Israel Hands" was taken from that of a real pirate in Blackbeard's crew, whom Blackbeard maimed (by shooting him in the knee) simply to ensure that his crew remained in terror of him. Allegedly, Hands was taken ashore to be treated for his injury and was not at Blackbeard's last fight (the incident is depicted in Tim Powers' novel '' On Stranger Tides''), and this alone saved him from the gallows. Supposedly, he later became a beggar in England. * Silver refers to "three hundred and fifty thousand" pieces of eight at the "fishing up of the wrecked plate ships". This remark conflates two related events: first, the salvage of treasure from the
1715 Treasure Fleet The 1715 Treasure Fleet was actually a combination of two Spanish treasure fleets returning from the New World to Spain, the "Nueva España Fleet", under Capt.-General Don Juan Esteban de Ubilla, and the "Tierra Firme Fleet", under Don Antonio de ...
which was wrecked off the coast of Florida in a hurricane; second, the seizure of 350,000 salvaged pieces of eight the following year (out of several million) by privateer Henry Jennings. This event is mentioned in the introduction to
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'' General History of the Pyrates''. * Silver refers to a ship's surgeon from Roberts' crew who amputated his leg and was later hanged at Cape Coast Castle, a British fortification on the Gold Coast of Africa. The records of the trial of Roberts' men list Peter Scudamore as the chief surgeon of Roberts' ship ''Royal Fortune''. Scudamore was found guilty of willingly serving with Roberts' pirates and various related criminal acts, as well as attempting to lead a rebellion to escape once he had been apprehended. He was, as Silver relates, hanged, in 1722. * Stevenson refers to the ''Viceroy of the Indies'', a ship sailing from Goa, India (then a Portuguese colony), which was taken by Edward England off Malabar while John Silver was serving aboard England's ship the ''Cassandra''. No such exploit of England's is known, nor any ship by the name of the ''Viceroy of the Indies''. However, in April 1721, the captain of the ''Cassandra'',
John Taylor John Taylor, Johnny Taylor or similar may refer to: Academics *John Taylor (Oxford), Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, 1486–1487 *John Taylor (classical scholar) (1704–1766), English classical scholar *John Taylor (English publisher) (178 ...
(originally England's second in command who had marooned him for being insufficiently ruthless), together with his pirate partner, Olivier Levasseur, captured the vessel ''Nostra Senhora do Cabo'' near
Réunion Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...
island in the Indian Ocean. The Portuguese galleon was returning from Goa to
Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
with the Conde da Ericeira, the recently retired Viceroy of Portuguese India, aboard. The viceroy had much of his treasure with him, making this capture one of the richest pirate hauls ever. This is possibly the event that Stevenson referred to, though his (or Silver's) memory of the event seems to be slightly confused. The ''Cassandra'' was last heard of in 1723 at Portobelo, Panama, a place that also briefly figures in ''Treasure Island'' as "Portobello". * The preceding two references are inconsistent, as the ''Cassandra'' (and presumably Silver) was in the Indian Ocean during the time that Scudamore was surgeon on board the ''Royal Fortune'', in the Gulf of Guinea. * A real life 1800s smuggling gang, the ''"Benbow Brandy Men"'', operated out of the Benbow pub in
Penzance Penzance ( ; kw, Pennsans) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated ...
, smuggling gin, brandy, and tobacco to avoid paying the massive import taxes imposed by the Crown to fund its foreign wars.


Other allusions

* 1689: A pirate whistles " Lillibullero". * 1702: The Admiral Benbow Inn on the Devon coast, where Jim and his mother live, is named after the real life Admiral John Benbow (1653–1702). * 1733: Foundation of Savannah, Georgia, where
Captain Flint Captain J. Flint is a fictional golden age pirate captain who features in a number of novels, television series, and films. The original character was created by the Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894). Flint first appears in ...
died in 1754. * 1745: Doctor Livesey was at the
Battle of Fontenoy The Battle of Fontenoy was a major engagement of the War of the Austrian Succession, fought on 11 May 1745 near Tournai in modern Belgium. A French army of 50,000 under Marshal Saxe defeated a Pragmatic Army of roughly the same size, led by th ...
(1745). * 1747: Squire Trelawney and Long John Silver both mention "Admiral Hawke", i.e. Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke (1705–81), promoted to rear admiral in 1747. * 1749: The novel refers to the Bow Street Runners (1749). * ''Treasure Island'' was in part inspired by
R. M. Ballantyne Robert Michael Ballantyne (24 April 1825 – 8 February 1894) was a Scottish author of juvenile fiction, who wrote more than a hundred books. He was also an accomplished artist: he exhibited some of his water-colours at the Royal Scottish Acade ...
's '' The Coral Island'', which Stevenson admired for its "better qualities." Stevenson alludes to Ballantyne in the epigraph at the beginning of ''Treasure Island'', "To the Hesitating Purchaser", "...If studious youth no longer crave, His ancient appetites forgot,
Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the five most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...
, or Ballantyne the brave, Or
Cooper Cooper, Cooper's, Coopers and similar may refer to: * Cooper (profession), a maker of wooden casks and other staved vessels Arts and entertainment * Cooper (producers), alias of Dutch producers Klubbheads * Cooper (video game character), in ' ...
of the wood and wave..."


Possible allusions


Characters

* Squire Trelawney may have been named for
Edward Trelawney Edward Trelawney (c. 1653 – October 1726), of Coldrenick, near Liskeard, Cornwall, was an English clergyman who served as dean and archdeacon of Exeter between 1717 and 1726.Ursula Radford (1955). "An Introduction to the Deans of Exeter". Repor ...
, Governor of Jamaica 1738–52. * Dr. Livesey may have been named for Joseph Livesey (1794–1884), a famous 19th-century temperance advocate, founder of the tee-total "Preston Pledge". In the novel, Dr. Livesey warns the drunkard Billy Bones that "the name of rum for you is death."Reed, Thomas L. 2006. ''The Transforming Draught: Jekyll and Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson, and the Victorian Alcohol Debate mustache.'' pp. 71–73.


Treasure Island

Various claims have been made that one island or another inspired Treasure Island: * Isla de Pinos near Cuba, which served as a supply base for pirates for about 300 years, is believed to have inspired Treasure Island. *
Norman Island Norman Island is an island at the southern tip of the British Virgin Islands archipelago. It is one of a number of islands reputed to be the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate novel ''Treasure Island''. History It is said that ...
in the British Virgin Islands was supposedly mentioned to Stevenson by a sailor uncle, and also possesses a "Spyglass Hill" like the fictional Treasure Island."Where's Where" (1974) (Eyre Methuen, London) * Cocos Island off Costa Rica has many similarities with the fictional treasure island. British trader Captain William Thompson buried the stolen treasury of Peru there in 1820; an original inventory showed 113 gold religious statues (one a life-sized Virgin Mary), 200 chests of jewels, 273 swords with jeweled hilts, 1,000 diamonds, solid-gold crowns, 150 chalices, and hundreds of gold and silver bars. The real treasure has never been found, despite more than 300 expeditions to the island. Stevenson mentions the buried treasure and Captain Thompson in an 1881 letter to W. E. Henley, where he also provides the earliest known title for the book: "The Sea Cook, or Treasure Island: a Story for Boys". * Dead Chest Island, a barren rock in the British Virgin Islands, which Stevenson found mentioned in
Charles Kingsley Charles Kingsley (12 June 1819 – 23 January 1875) was a broad church priest of the Church of England, a university professor, social reformer, historian, novelist and poet. He is particularly associated with Christian socialism, the working ...
's ''At Last: A Christmas in the West Indies'', and which he said "was the seed" for the phrase "Dead Man's Chest".David Cordingly. ''Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates''. .Robert Louis Stevenson. "To Sidney Colvin. Late May 1884", in ''Selected Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson''
p. 263
* Small pond in Queen Street Gardens in Edinburgh, said to have been visible from Stevenson's bedroom window in Heriot Row."Brilliance of 'World's Child' will come alive at storytelling event"
, ('' The Scotsman'', 20 October 2005).
* The Napa Valley, California, where Stevenson spent his honeymoon in 1880, as narrated in his ''
The Silverado Squatters ''The Silverado Squatters'' (1883) is a Travel literature, travel memoir by Robert Louis Stevenson of his two-month honeymoon trip with Fanny Vandegrift (and her son Lloyd Osbourne) to Napa Valley, California, in 1880. Background In July 1879, ...
'' (1883). * Osborn Island (now Nienstedt Island) in the Manasquan River in Brielle, New Jersey. Stevenson supposedly visited there in May 1888 (five years after writing ''Treasure Island'') and christened it "Treasure Island" Richard Harding Davis (1916)
''Adventures and Letters of Richard Harding Davis''
p. 5. From Project Gutenberg.
* Fidra in the
Firth of Forth The Firth of Forth () is the estuary, or firth, of several Scottish rivers including the River Forth. It meets the North Sea with Fife on the north coast and Lothian on the south. Name ''Firth'' is a cognate of ''fjord'', a Norse word meani ...
, visible from North Berwick where Stevenson had spent many childhood holidays. * Unst, one of the
Shetland Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands and formerly Zetland, is a subarctic archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands and Norway. It is the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about to the no ...
Islands, to which the map of Treasure Island bears a very vague resemblance. *
R. F. Delderfield Ronald Frederick Delderfield (12 February 1912 – 24 June 1972) was an English novelist and dramatist, some of whose works have been adapted for television and film. Biography Childhood in London and Surrey Ronald Frederick Delderfield ...
, in ''
The Adventures of Ben Gunn ''The Adventures of Ben Gunn'' is a 1956 adventure novel by the British writer R.F. Delderfield. It is a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's ''Treasure Island''. In 1958 it was adapted into a BBC television The Adventures of Ben Gunn (TV series) ...
'', suggests that its real name is Kidd's Island, and identifies it as an outlying island of the
Leeward Islands french: Îles-Sous-le-Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Leeward Islands. Clockwise: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Saint kitts and Nevis. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean SeaNorth Atlantic Ocean , coor ...
and Windward Islands, south-south-west of Tobago (pp. 119–120).


Claimed links to the towns of Birkenhead and Wallasey near Liverpool

In August 2022 the British Member of Parliament for Birkenhead, Mick Whitley, supported the findings of local historian John Lamb, that Robert Louis Stevenson had set his classic novel ''Treasure Island'' in the towns of Birkenhead and Wallasey on the Wirral Peninsula lying opposite Liverpool. This followed a previous announcement by Alan Evans of Wirral Borough Council that the French science fiction writer Jules Verne had also set his 1874 novel ''The Mysterious Island'' in Birkenhead. Their Letters of support for Mr Lamb's claims were posted on the ''Jules Verne and the Heroes of Birkenhead'' website in August 2022.


Other places

* Both the Llandoger Trow in
Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
, and the Admiral Benbow in
Penzance Penzance ( ; kw, Pennsans) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated ...
, have claimed to be an inspiration for the Admiral Benbow Inn. Stevenson visited Cornwall and Penzance in August 1877, and as inn is described in the book as being in a rural area and it was necessary to travel to Bristol, Penzance's ''"Benbow Brandy Men"'' may have inspired him to feature the Penzance Benbow in Treasure Island. * The Hole in the Wall, in Bristol, is claimed to be the Spyglass Tavern. * ''The Pirate's House'' in Savannah, Georgia, is where Captain Flint is claimed to have spent his last days, and his ghost is claimed to haunt the property.


Sequels, prequels, and worldbuilding


Literature

Stevenson's ''Treasure Island'' spawned an enormous amount of literature based one way or another upon his original novel: *''
Porto Bello Gold Arthur D. Howden Smith (; 1887–1945) was an American historian and novelist.Robert Sampson, ''Yesterday's Faces: Violent Lives'', Bowling Green State University, 1993, , pp. 177–78. Life Arthur Douglas Howden Smith was born in New York. In ...
'' (1924), a
prequel A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work. The term " ...
by A. D. Howden Smith that was written with explicit permission from Stevenson's executor, tells the origin of the buried treasure and recasts many of Stevenson's pirates in their younger years, giving the hidden treasure some
Jacobite Jacobite means follower of Jacob or James. Jacobite may refer to: Religion * Jacobites, followers of Saint Jacob Baradaeus (died 578). Churches in the Jacobite tradition and sometimes called Jacobite include: ** Syriac Orthodox Church, sometimes ...
antecedents not mentioned in the original. *'' Back to Treasure Island'' (1935) is a sequel by
H. A. Calahan Harold Augustin Calahan (November 7, 1889 – November 25, 1965) or H. A. Calahan was a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy and an author on sailing."Harold Augustin Calahan, 76, Yachtsman and Author, Dead", ''The New York Times'', Nove ...
, the introduction of which argues that
Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...
wanted to write a continuation of the story. *''
The Adventures of Ben Gunn ''The Adventures of Ben Gunn'' is a 1956 adventure novel by the British writer R.F. Delderfield. It is a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's ''Treasure Island''. In 1958 it was adapted into a BBC television The Adventures of Ben Gunn (TV series) ...
'' (1956), by
R. F. Delderfield Ronald Frederick Delderfield (12 February 1912 – 24 June 1972) was an English novelist and dramatist, some of whose works have been adapted for television and film. Biography Childhood in London and Surrey Ronald Frederick Delderfield ...
, follows Ben Gunn from parson's son to pirate and is narrated by Jim Hawkins in Gunn's words. *''Flint's Island'' (1972), a sequel by Leonard Wibberley, who notes in the introduction that it had long been a dream of his to do so. *''Long John Silver - Den äventyrliga och sannfärdiga berättelsen om mitt liv och leverne som lyckoriddare och mänsklighetens fiende'' (1998) is a prequel by the Swedish author Björn Larsson, who tells the fictional story of the pirate Long John Silver, told in first person by Silver himself in a manuscript in his last days of life. *''
Jim Hawkins and the Curse of Treasure Island ''Jim Hawkins and the Curse of Treasure Island'' is an 2001 adventure novel by Frank Delaney, written under the pseudonym of Francis Bryan. It is a sequel to the 1883 novel ''Treasure Island'' by Robert Louis Stevenson. Plot summary Twelve yea ...
'' (2001) is a sequel by Frank Delaney under the pseudonym "Francis Bryan". *''Before'' (2001) is a prequel by
Michael Kernan Michael Jenkins Kernan Jr. (April 29, 1927 – May 4, 2005) was an American author and journalist. Background Kernan was born in Utica, New York and grew up outside Clinton, Oneida County, New York. His father, Michael J. Kernan (1884–1953), ...
, published in the Netherlands as ''Vóór Schateiland''. *''Sept Pirates'' (2007) is a comic-book sequel by Pascal Bertho and artist Tom McBurnie. *'' Long John Silver'' (2007) is a four-volume French graphic novel by Xavier Dorison and artist Mathieu Lauffray. *''Flint & Silver'' (2008) is a prequel by John Drake, who followed with two additional books: ''Pieces of Eight'' (2009) and ''Skull and Bones'' (2010). *''Return to Treasure Island'' (2010) is a sequel by John O'Melveny Woodswrote. * ''Treasure Island: The Untold Story'' (2011) is a true-life prequel by John Amrhein, Jr. * '' Silver: Return to Treasure Island'' (2012) is a sequel by former Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom
Andrew Motion Sir Andrew Motion (born 26 October 1952) is an English poet, novelist, and biographer, who was Poet Laureate from 1999 to 2009. During the period of his laureateship, Motion founded the Poetry Archive, an online resource of poems and audio reco ...
. *''Treasure Island!!!'' (2012) is a novel by Sara Levine about an American woman who becomes obsessed with ''Treasure Island'' (Europa Editions, 2012). * ''Tread Carefully on the Sea'' (2014), by David K. Bryant, merges all the references to Captain Flint into a prequel covering the burial of the treasure. * ''Skulduggery'' (1991/2014), a prequel written by Tony Robinson which features Ben Gunn attending a school for pirates and meeting junior counterparts of Blind Pew and Long John Silver. Originally published as part of the Silvery Jackanory compilation in 1991. ()


Film and television

A number of sequels have also been produced in film and television, including: * ''
Return to Treasure Island Return may refer to: In business, economics, and finance * Return on investment (ROI), the financial gain after an expense. * Rate of return, the financial term for the profit or loss derived from an investment * Tax return, a blank document or t ...
'' (1954), a film by
E. A. Dupont Ewald André Dupont (25 December 1891 – 12 December 1956) was a German film director, one of the pioneers of the German film industry. He was often credited as E. A. Dupont. Early career A newspaper columnist in 1916, Dupont became a screenwri ...
* ''Return To Treasure Island'' (1986), written by Ivor Dean, Robert S. Baker, and John Goldsmith, is a HTV television series that features Silver, Hawkins, and Gunn. * A 1992 animation version and a 1996 and 1998 TV version * '' Black Sails'' (2014–2017), a prequel drama series by Robert Levine and
Jonathan E. Steinberg Jonathan E. Steinberg is an American television producer, screenwriter, and director. Along with Josh Schaer and Stephen Chbosky, he co-created the television series ''Jericho (2006 TV series), Jericho'', where he served as writer, producer and e ...
, tells the story of Captain Flint and John Silver leading up to the ''Treasure Island'' story. The series is said to take place 20 years before the events of the book, in 1715; however this is actually 40 years before the dates given by Stevenson. The series consists of four seasons.


Worldbuilding

In worldbuilding, there are: *''Admiral Guinea'' (publ. 1892), a play written by
R. L. Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...
with W. E. Henley, features the blind ex-pirate Pew as a character under the name of "David Pew". * In his collection ''Fables'' (1896), Stevenson wrote a vignette called "The Persons of the Tale", in which puppets Captain Smollet and Long John Silver discuss authorship.Stevenson, Robert Louis
''Fables''
.
* In the novel '' Peter and Wendy'' (1911) by J. M. Barrie, it is said that Captain Hook is the only man ever feared by the Old Sea Cook (i.e., Long John Silver); Captain Flint and the ''Walrus'' are also referenced, among others. * In the film '' The Pagemaster'' (1994), the hero is confronted by
Long John Silver Long John Silver is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the novel ''Treasure Island'' (1883) by Robert Louis Stevenson. The most colourful and complex character in the book, he continues to appear in popular culture. His missing l ...
, who surrenders and leaves after he is threatened with a sword * In the animated series ''Fox's Peter Pan and the Pirates'' (based, in part, on the original Peter Pan stories), Captain Flint is referenced in the episode "Peter on Trial", as Captain Hook is stated as being the only man that a pirate named Barbecue is stated to fear, with the following statement being that, "even Flint feared Barbecue," referring to Captain Flint from ''Treasure Island''. Barbecue is the crew's nickname for Long John Silver in the novel. In the same episode, Flint is referenced as being the pirate who supposedly conceived of the idea of pirates putting members of their crew or their prisoners as the case might be, on trial in an event called 'Captain's Mast'. *''Treasure Island'' made an appearance in '' Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Treasure Island'', the 2018 entry of the popular '' Doraemon'' movie series which is also a loose adaptation of the book.


Adaptations

There have been over 50 film and TV adaptations of ''Treasure Island''.


Film

Film adaptations include:Dury, Richard
Film adaptations of ''Treasure Island''
.


English-language

* '' Treasure Island'' (1918) — a silent film released by Fox Film Corporation and directed by
Sidney Franklin Sidney Franklin may refer to: * Sidney Franklin (bullfighter) (1903–1976), American bullfighter * Sidney Franklin (director) (1893–1972), American film director and producer * Sidney Franklin (actor) Sidney Franklin (1870–1931) was an Amer ...
and Chester Franklin. * '' Treasure Island'' (1920) — a silent film notably starring a woman, Shirley Mason, as Jim Hawkins, along with Charles Ogle, who had played Frankenstein's monster a decade earlier in the Edison version of '' Frankenstein'', as Long John Silver. Said to be a lost film, it was directed by
Maurice Tourneur Maurice may refer to: People *Saint Maurice (died 287), Roman legionary and Christian martyr *Maurice (emperor) or Flavius Mauricius Tiberius Augustus (539–602), Byzantine emperor *Maurice (bishop of London) (died 1107), Lord Chancellor and Lo ...
and released by
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
. * '' Treasure Island'' (1934) — the first sound film version remains a lavish and energetic thriller starring Wallace Beery,
Jackie Cooper John Cooper Jr. (September 15, 1922 – May 3, 2011) was an American actor, television director, producer, and executive, known universally as Jackie Cooper. He was a child actor who made the transition to an adult career. Cooper was the first ...
and
Lionel Barrymore Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blythe; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''A Free Soul'' (1931) ...
. * '' Treasure Island'' (1950) — starring Bobby Driscoll and Robert Newton, notable for being the first version in colour and the Walt Disney Studios' first completely live-action film. A sequel to this version was made (but not by Disney) in 1954, entitled '' Long John Silver'', which also starred Newton in the titular role. * '' Treasure Island'' (1972) — starring Orson Welles, was produced by National General Pictures, and directed by John Hough, Andrew White, and John Salway. * '' Treasure Island'' (1973) - a Filmation animated film released by Warner Bros. directed by Hal Sutherland, written by Ben Starr, starring Richard Dawson as Long John Silver, Davy Jones as Jim Hawkins, and Dal McKennon as Captain Flint & Ben Gunn. * '' Muppet Treasure Island'' (1996) — a film produced by The Jim Henson Company and released by Walt Disney Pictures, starring the Muppets. The human performers include Tim Curry as
Long John Silver Long John Silver is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the novel ''Treasure Island'' (1883) by Robert Louis Stevenson. The most colourful and complex character in the book, he continues to appear in popular culture. His missing l ...
, Billy Connolly as Billy Bones, Jennifer Saunders as Mrs. Bluberidge, and newcomer Kevin Bishop as Jim Hawkins. * '' Treasure Island'' (1999) — starring Jack Palance as Long John Silver, Patrick Bergin as Billy Bones, Christopher Benjamin as Squire Trelawney and Kevin Zegers as Jim Hawkins. * '' Treasure Planet'' (2002) — a reimagined adaptation from Walt Disney Animation Studios set in space, with Long John Silver as a cyborg and many of the original characters re-imagined as aliens and robots, except for Jim, his mother and his father, who are human. * '' Pirates of Treasure Island'' (2006) — a direct-to-DVD mockbuster by
The Asylum The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and s ...
to cash in on Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.


Foreign-language

* ''Treasure Island'' (1937) — a loose Soviet adaptation starring
Osip Abdulov Osip Naumovich Abdulov (russian: Осип Наумович Абдулов; in Łódź – 14 June 1953 in Moscow) was a Soviet actor. Biography Osip Naumovich Abdulov was born to a Jewish family in Łódź, Poland (then part of the Russian Empi ...
and Nikolai Cherkasov, with a score by Nikita Bogoslovsky. * ''
Between God, the Devil and a Winchester ''Between God, the Devil and a Winchester'' ( it, Anche nel west c'era una volta Dio) is a 1968 Spaghetti Western film directed by Marino Girolami. The story is based on the 1883 novel ''Treasure Island'' by Robert Louis Stevenson. Cast * Ric ...
'' (1968), a
spaghetti western The Spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's film-making style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...
version starring Richard Harrison and Gilbert Roland. * '' Treasure Island'' (1971) — a Soviet (Lithuanian) film starring Boris Andreyev as Long John Silver, with a score by Alexei Rybnikov. * ''
Animal Treasure Island Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and go through an ontogenetic stage in ...
'' (1971) — an anime film directed by Hiroshi Ikeda, written by Takeshi Iijima and Hiroshi Ikeda, with story consultation by famous animator Hayao Miyazaki. This version replaces several of the human characters with animal counterparts. * '' The Treasure Planet'' (''Planetata na sakrovishtata''; 1982), a Bulgarian animated science fiction adaptation directed by Rumen Petkov. * '' Treasure Island'' (1982) — a Soviet film in three parts; almost entirely faithful to the text of the novel. Featuring Oleg Borisov as Long John Silver. * '' L'Île au trésor'' (1985) — a Chilean-French adaptation starring Vic Tayback as Long John Silver. * '' Il Pianeta Del Tesoro – Treasure Planet'' (1987; aka ''Treasure Island in Outer Space'') — Italian/German science-fiction adaptation starring Anthony Quinn as Long John Silver. * '' Treasure Island'' (1988) — a critically acclaimed Ukrainian animation film in two parts, released in the United States (1992) as ''Return to Treasure Island''. * ''L'Île aux trésors'' (2007) — a French-British-Hungarian film directed by
Alain Berbérian Alain Berbérian ( hy, Ալեն Բերբերյան; 2 July 1953 – 22 August 2017) was a French film director and writer of Armenia, Armenian descent. Biography Born in Beirut to an Armenian father and a Greek mother, Berbérian spent his yout ...
, starring Gérard Jugnot, Alice Taglioni,
Vincent Rottiers Vincent Rottiers (born 17 June 1986) is a French actor. He has appeared in more than thirty films since 2002. He is the older brother of actor Kévin Azaïs Kévin Azaïs (born 1992) is a French actor. He is best known for his performance ...
and Jean-Paul Rouve.


TV films

* '' Treasure Island'' (1990) — a made-for-TV film for TNT, starring
Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923April 5, 2008) was an American actor and political activist. As a Hollywood star, he appeared in almost 100 films over the course of 60 years. He played Moses in the epic film ''The Ten C ...
, Christian Bale, Oliver Reed,
Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultimat ...
and Pete Postlethwaite; written, produced and directed by Heston's son,
Fraser C. Heston Fraser Clarke Heston (born February 12, 1955) is an American film director, film producer, screenwriter and actor. He is the son of actors Charlton Heston and Lydia Clarke, and has a sister, Holly Rochell Heston. Heston's filmography includes ' ...
. * ''Treasure Island Pirate'' (1991) * ''Treasure Island'' (1995) — a made-for-TV movie directed by
Ken Russell Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell (3 July 1927 – 27 November 2011) was a British film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. His films in the main were liberal adaptation ...
and starring Hetty Baynes as Long Jane Silver.


Television

* ''Treasure Island'' (1951) — a seven-part BBC series starring Bernard Miles as Long John Silver. * ''
The Adventures of Long John Silver ''The Adventures of Long John Silver'' is a TV series about the Long John Silver character from Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 novel '' Treasure Island''. It was made in 1954 in colour in Australia for the American and British markets before t ...
'' (1955) — 26 episodes shot at Pagewood Studios,
Sydney, Australia Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and List of cities in Oceania by population, Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metro ...
filmed in full colour and starring Robert Newton. * "Mr. Magoo's Treasure Island" (1964) — a two-part episode of the cartoon series ''
The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo ''The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo'' is an American animated television series produced by United Productions of America that aired for one season on NBC from September 19, 1964 to April 24, 1965. The television series was based on the Mr. Magoo, ...
'', was based on the novel, with
Mr. Magoo Mr. Magoo (known by his full name: J. Quincy Magoo) is a fictional cartoon character created at the UPA animation studio in 1949. Voiced by Jim Backus, Mr. Magoo is an elderly, wealthy, short-statured retiree who gets into a series of comical ...
in the role of Long John Silver. * '' Treasure Island'' (1966) — a German-French co-production for German television station ZDF. * ''Treasure Island'' (1968) — a BBC series of nine 25-minute episodes starring Peter Vaughan. * '' Treasure Island'' (1977) — a BBC adaptation Starring Ashley Knight and Alfred Burke. * '' Treasure Island'' (''Takarajima''; 1978) — a Japanese animated series adapted from the novel. * "Treasure Island" (1988) — an episode of ''
Alvin and the Chipmunks Alvin and the Chipmunks, originally David Seville and the Chipmunks or simply The Chipmunks, are an American animated virtual band and media franchise first created by Ross Bagdasarian for novelty records in 1958. The group consists of three s ...
'' starring Alvin as Jim Hawkins, Dave as Long John Silver, Simon as Dr. Livesey, Theodore as Squire Trelawney, and Brittany as Mrs. Hawkins. * '' The Legends of Treasure Island'' (1993–1995) — an animated series loosely based on the novel, with the characters as animals. * "Salty Dog" — an episode of ''
Wishbone Wishbone commonly refers to: * Furcula, a fork-shaped bone in birds and some dinosaurs Wishbone may also refer to: * Wish-Bone, an American salad dressing and condiment company * Wishbone formation, a type of offense in American football * Wish ...
'' in which the eponymous character explores the story in a children's adapted version. * ''Treasure Island: The Adventure Begins'' (1994) — a TV movie special promoting the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino. * '' Treasure Island'' (2012) — two-part serial starring Eddie Izzard, shown on
Sky1 Sky One was a British pay television channel operated and owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). Originally launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, it was Europe's first satellite and non-terrestrial channel. From 31 July 1989, ...
(United Kingdom) from 1–2 January. * ''Treasure Island'' (''L'isola del tesoro''; 2015) — an Italian CGI animated series by Rai Fiction and Mondo TV. It mixes the original work with new characters and mythical elements such as voodoo.


Theatre

There have been over 24 major stage adaptations made, though the number of minor adaptations remains countless.Dury, Richard
Stage and Radio adaptations of ''Treasure Island''
The story is also a popular plot and setting for a traditional pantomime wherein Mrs. Hawkins, Jim's mother is the
dame ''Dame'' is an honorific title and the feminine form of address for the honour of damehood in many Christian chivalric orders, as well as the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system and those of several oth ...
. * In 1947, a production was mounted at the St. James's Theatre in London, starring Harry Welchman as Long John Silver and
John Clark John Clark may refer to: Entertainment *John Clark or Signor Brocolini (1841–1906), Irish-born American operatic singer and actor * John Clark (actor) (born 1932), English actor and theatre director *John Clark (American actor) (1933–2011), ...
as Jim Hawkins. * For a time, in London, there was an annual production of the musical Treasure Island, based on a book by Bernard Miles and Josephine Wilson. The music was composed by
Cyril Ornadel Cyril Ornadel (2 December 192422 June 2011) was a British conductor, songwriter and composer, chiefly in musical theatre. He worked regularly with David Croft, the television writer, director and producer, as well as Norman Newell and Hal Sh ...
and the lyrics by
Hal Shaper Hal Shaper (Born Harold David Shaper), 18 July 1931 - 8 January 2004) was a South African songwriter. After qualifying as a lawyer in 1955, he travelled to London to begin his five-decade-long musical career during which he worked with and wrote f ...
. The musical was performed at the Mermaid Theatre, originally under the direction of Bernard Miles, who played
Long John Silver Long John Silver is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the novel ''Treasure Island'' (1883) by Robert Louis Stevenson. The most colourful and complex character in the book, he continues to appear in popular culture. His missing l ...
, a part he also played in a television version. Comedian
Spike Milligan Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Raj, British Colonial India, where h ...
would often play Ben Gunn in these productions, and in 1981, Tom Baker played
Long John Silver Long John Silver is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the novel ''Treasure Island'' (1883) by Robert Louis Stevenson. The most colourful and complex character in the book, he continues to appear in popular culture. His missing l ...
. * '' Pieces of Eight'' (1985), premiered in Edmonton, Alberta, is a musical adaptation by
Jule Styne Jule Styne (; born Julius Kerwin Stein; December 31, 1905 – September 20, 1994) was an English-American songwriter and composer best known for a series of Broadway musicals, including several famous frequently-revived shows that also became s ...
. * In 1986, a Danish language musical adaptation of ''Treasure Island'' named ''Skatteøen'' premiered at
Folketeatret, Copenhagen Folketeatret is a theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark. The theatre was founded in 1857, after an initiative from actor and theater director Hans Wilhelm Lange (1815-1873) who managed the theater until his death in 1873. Folketeatret is now operated ...
, written by singer-songwriter
Sebastian Sebastian may refer to: People * Sebastian (name), including a list of persons with the name Arts, entertainment, and media Films and television * ''Sebastian'' (1968 film), British spy film * ''Sebastian'' (1995 film), Swedish drama film ...
. Since its premiere, it has been put to stage frequently by several Danish theatre companies. * In 2007, an adaptation of ''Treasure Island'' by Ken Ludwig premiered at the Alley Theatre, Houston; played at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket on London's
West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...
in 2008; and won the AATE Distinguished Play Award for Best Adaptation of the Year. * An adaptation in August 2009 was run by the Henegar Center for the Arts in downtown historic Melbourne, Florida. * ''Treasure Island: the Curse of the Pearl Necklace'' (2014–15), by Jon Bradfield and Martin Hooper, is an alternative pantomime that included gay, lesbian, and trans characters, and played a sold-out run at London's Above The Stag Theatre. * In 2011, Tom Hewitt starred in B.H. Barry and
Vernon Morris Vernon Leslie Morris (13 June 1900 – 11 January 1973) was a Welsh cricketer. Morris was a right-handed Batting (cricket), batsman who bowled right-arm seam bowling, medium pace. Morris was born at Briton Ferry, Glamorgan. Morris made his deb ...
's stage adaptation of the novel, which officially opened 5 March at the Irondale Center in Brooklyn. * In July 2011, Bristol Old Vic staged a large-scale outdoor production of ''Treasure Island'' outside the theatre on King Street, Bristol directed by Sally Cookson, with music by Benji Bower. * From October 2013 to 2014, Mind the Gap Theatre Company, a leading UK theatre company in working with actors with learning disabilities, embarked on a national tour of ''Treasure Island'', retold with a twist by Olivier award-winning writer Mike Kenny. * In 2013, YouthPlays published ''Long Joan Silver'' by Arthur M. Jolly, an adaptation in which all of the pirates are women. * A version by Bryony Lavery and directed by
Polly Findlay Polly Findlay is a British theatre director, who won the Olivier for Best Entertainment in 2011 for Derren Brown's Svengali. She has directed seven productions for the National Theatre, and four for the Royal Shakespeare Company, where she is ...
was produced at London's
Royal National Theatre The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. I ...
from December 2014 to April 2015. In this version of the play, Jim is a girl. This production starred rising actor Patsy Ferran as Jim and ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' alumnus Arthur Darvill as Silver. * As part of their 2017 Season, the Stratford Festival of Canada premiered an adaptation of ''Treasure Island'' by Canadian playwright
Nicolas Billon Nicolas Billon (born March 22, 1978) is a Canadian writer. He is best known for his plays ''The Elephant Song'', ''Iceland'', and ''Butcher''. Biography Nicolas Billon was born in Ottawa, Ontario and grew up in Montreal, Quebec. He is the son ...
. * In 2018 the newly reopened Leicester Haymarket Theatre staged a new version of ''Treasure Island'', adapted by Sandi Toksvig, as their first Christmas show in 10 years.


Audio


Radio

* Orson Welles broadcast a radio adaptation via '' The Mercury Theatre on the Air'' in July 1938, with its setting being half in England and half on the Island. The broadcast, which omits "My Sea Adventure", included music by Bernard Herrmann. * William Redfield played Silver on the May 14, 1948 ''Your Playhouse of Favorites'' adaptation. *
Ronald Colman Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor, starting his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then immigrating to the United States and having a successful Hollywood film career. He wa ...
hosted an adaptation of the novel on the April 27, 1948, broadcast of '' Favorite Story''. *
James Mason James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films inc ...
played Silver opposite Bobby Driscoll's "Jim Hawkins" on the '' Lux Radio Theatres adaptation on January 29, 1951. * There have been two BBC Radio adaptations of ''Treasure Island'', with Silver being played by Peter Jeffrey in 1989, and Jack Shepherd in 1995. * Author John le Carré performed an abridged reading of the novel in five parts as part of BBC Radio 4's ''Afternoon Reading''. * ''Treasure Island 2020'' (November 12, 2018 - January 12, 2020) is a 10-part BYU Radio radio adaptation broadcast via ''The Apple Seed''. The audio adventure places the main trio of kids in 2019 and turns it into a time-traveling adventure that involves both them going to the past to look for treasures and Long John Silver, Billy Bones, and others coming to the present through the time vortex. The series is now available as a free podcast.


Other audio recordings

*
Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was a South African-born English actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume ...
starred as both The Narrator and Silver in a 1944 audio recording for Columbia Masterworks Records. * James Kenney played Jim Hawkins and Anthony Woodruff played Long John Silver in the '' Tale Spinners for Children'' audio adaptation of ''Treasure Island'' (United Artists Records, UAC 11013). * A 2013
Big Finish Productions Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays (released straight to compact disc and for download in MP3 and m4b format) based, primarily, on cult science fiction properties. These include ''Doctor Who'', the ...
audiobook adaptation of ''Treasure Island'' was written and directed by
Barnaby Edwards Barnaby Edwards (born 20 August 1969) is a British actor, writer, director and artist. He is known as a performer for the British science-fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', in the role of a Dalek operator. He has also written, directed, p ...
and starred Tom Baker as
Long John Silver Long John Silver is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the novel ''Treasure Island'' (1883) by Robert Louis Stevenson. The most colourful and complex character in the book, he continues to appear in popular culture. His missing l ...
, Nicholas Farrell as the Narrator, and
Edward Holtom Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...
as Jim Hawkins.


Books and comics

*''Famous Stories #1'' (1942, Dell Comics) — sixty pages, drawn by Robert Bugg *'' Shin Takarajima'' (1947) — a loose adaptation of ''Treasure Island'' by Sakai Shichima and
Osamu Tezuka Osamu Tezuka (, born , ''Tezuka Osamu''; – 9 February 1989) was a Japanese manga artist, cartoonist, and animator. Born in Osaka Prefecture, his prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such ...
*'' Classics Illustrated'' #64 (Oct. 1949, Gilberton) — adapted by Ken Fitch and Alex A. Blum * "Walt Disney's Treasure Island", '' Four Color'' #624 (April 1955, Dell Comics) — adapted by John Ushler from Disney's 1950 film adaptation * "La isla del tesoro", ''Joyas Literarias Juveniles'' #2 (1970, Editorial Bruguera) — adapted by José Antonio Vidal Sales and Alfonso Cerón Nuñez; translated and reprinted as "Treasure Island", ''King Classics'' #7 (1977, King Features) *'' Pendulum Illustrated Classics'' (1973, Pendulum Press) — adapted by John Norwood Fago and Nardo Cruz *''
Marvel Classics Comics ''Marvel Classics Comics'' was an American comics magazine which ran from 1976 until 1978. It specialized in adaptations of literary classics such as ''Moby-Dick'', ''The Three Musketeers'', and ''The Iliad''. It was Marvel Comics' attempt to pick ...
'' #15 (1976, Marvel Comics) — adapted by Bill Mantlo and Dino Castrillo; re-issued by
Fisher-Price Fisher-Price is an American company that produces educational toys for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, headquartered in East Aurora, New York, East Aurora, New York (state), New York. The company was founded in 1930 during the Great Depressio ...
in 1984 * ''
Godspeed Godspeed, a statement wishing someone a prosperous journey or success, may refer to: Literature * ''Godspeed'' (Sheffield novel), a 1993 science fiction novel by Charles Sheffield * ''Godspeed'', an unpublished novel by Will Christopher Baer * ...
'' (1993) — a science-fictional novel by Charles Sheffield that recasts the search for pirate treasure as the search for lost faster-than-light drive technology *''Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island: The Graphic Novel'' (2005, Penguin Books) — adapted by Tim Hamilton *''Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island'' (2007, Capstone Publishers) — adapted by Greg Rebis *''Treasure Island'' #1–6, ''
Marvel Illustrated Marvel Illustrated was a Marvel Comics publishing imprint specializing in comic book adaptations of classic literature. Each novel's story is told in the form of a limited series, the issues of which are later collected as a trade paperback. Writ ...
'' (Aug. 2007–Jan. 2008, Marvel Comics) — adapted by
Roy Thomas Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor, who was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibl ...
, Mario Gully, and Pat Davidson *''L'Île au trésor, de Robert Louis Stevenson'' (2007–2009, Delcourt) — adapted by David Chauvel and Fred Simon; translated and reprinted as ''Papercutz Classics Illustrated Series'' #5 (2010,
Papercutz :PAPERCUTZ (stylized as :papercutz or :PAPERCUTZ) is a Portuguese electronic music act formed as a side project in Porto that became a fully active band in 2008. Bruno Miguel is the only official member of Papercutz and solely responsible for ...
) *''Disney Treasure Island, Starring Mickey Mouse'' (Oct. 2018, Dark Horse Comics) — adapted by Teresa Radice, Erin Brady (translation), and Stefano Turconi


Music

* The self-titled Ben Gunn Society album released in 2003 presents the story centred on the character of Ben Gunn, based primarily on Chapter XV, "Man of the Island", and other relevant parts of the book. * "Treasure Island" (1992) is a song by Running Wild, from their '' Pile of Skulls'' album, that tells the novel's story. * Scottish glam rock artists The Sensational Alex Harvey Band paid tribute to the book with their 1974 song "The Tomahawk Kid." The song names many of ''Treasure Islands characters in its lyrics, and was often dedicated to Robert Louis Stevenson in live performance. * "
I'm Still Here (Jim's Theme) "I'm Still Here (Jim's Theme)" is a song written by the Goo Goo Dolls frontman John Rzeznik for the Disney film ''Treasure Planet''. The song was released by Rzeznik as a solo track. It was a moderately successful pop hit. Production John Rzezni ...
" and "Always Know Where You Are" are songs performed by Goo Goo Dolls
frontman The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...
John Rzeznik for Disney's animated retelling. *''The Cursed Island'' (2014) is an album by Skull & Bones that is based on ''Treasure Island''.


Video games

* A graphical adventure computer game based loosely on the novel was written by Greg Duddle, published by Mr. Micro (and often rebranded by Commodore) on the Commodore 16, Commodore Plus/4,
Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...
, and ZX Spectrum. In the game, the player takes the part of Jim Hawkins travelling around the island dispatching pirates with cutlasses before getting the treasure and being chased back to the ship by Long John Silver. * ''Treasure Island'' (1985) is an adventure game based upon the novel published by Windham Classics. * ''La Isla del Tesoro de R. L. Stevenson'' (1999) is a point-and-click adventure game based upon the novel developed, edited, and published by Barcelona Multimedia. * '' Monkey Island'', a LucasArts adventure game, is partly based on ''Treasure Island'', lending many of its plot points and characters and using many humorous references to the book. * '' Treasure Planet: Battle at Procyon'' is one of the various video games released by Disney based on their animated film ''Treasure Planet''. * ''Treasure Island'' (2010) is a
hidden objects game A hidden object game, also called hidden picture or hidden object puzzle adventure (HOPA), is a puzzle video game genre in which the player must find items from a list that are hidden within a scene. Hidden object games are a popular trend in ca ...
launched by French publisher Anuman Interactive. * '' Captain Silver'' is an arcade game that follows its protagonist, Jim Aykroyd, in his quest to find Captain Silver's hidden treasure, for which he must battle an undead Captain Silver in order to find.


References in popular culture

* The
Strong Winds series The Strong Winds series is a series of children's books written by English author Julia Jones. The books reference many of the settings and characters of the Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome. The books use adventure stories about ...
of children's adventures by Julia Jones draws freely from events and names in ''Treasure Island''. * In the ''Swallows and Amazons'' series by
Arthur Ransome Arthur Michell Ransome (18 January 1884 – 3 June 1967) was an English author and journalist. He is best known for writing and illustrating the ''Swallows and Amazons'' series of children's books about the school-holiday adventures of childre ...
, the Blacketts' Uncle Jim has the nickname of Captain Flint and a parrot. * A 1960 episode of Dennis the Menace is centered around the pursuit of buried treasure, inspired by Mr. Wilson reading his childhood copy of ''Treasure Island'' to Dennis and his friends. * In 1988, The Soviet Director David Cherkassky released the 1988 Soviet film Treasure Island which relates to the book * '' Treasure Island According to Spike Milligan'' (2000) is a parody by
Spike Milligan Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Raj, British Colonial India, where h ...
* At the beginning of a fifth-season episode of '' Arthur'' titled " You Are Arthur" (2000), the titular character is seen reading ''Treasure Island''. * In an episode of '' Survivor: Heroes vs Villains'', titled "Jumping Ship" (2010), the castaways Amanda, Colby and Danielle win an overnight trip to the former home of Robert Louis Stevenson and a screening of the 1934 version of ''Treasure Island''. * In '' The Way Back'' (2010), one of the prisoners in the Russian gulag briefly narrates some of ''Treasure Island'' to his fellow inmates. He mentions the characters Jim and Long John Silver. * In the teen fiction novel ''One for Sorrow'' (2015, Fledgling Press) by
Philip Caveney Philip Caveney (born 1951) is a British children's author, best known for the Sebastian Darke, Alec Devlin and Movie Maniacs novels. He previously wrote a number of thrillers for adults. He was born in Prestatyn, North Wales but for many y ...
, the main character, Tom Afflick, is reading ''Treasure Island'' which serves as the catalyst for his adventure. * In ''
Blade Runner 2049 ''Blade Runner 2049'' is a 2017 American neo-noir science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green. A sequel to the 1982 film ''Blade Runner'', the film stars Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, w ...
'' (2017), Rick Deckard makes a continued allusion to ''Treasure Island'' upon first meeting the protagonist; in the scene, he explicitly references Ben Gunn's craving for cheese. * In the finale of Season 3 of '' The Handmaid's Tale'' (2019), Commander Lawrence reads an excerpt of ''Treasure Island'' to a group of runaway children.


See Also

Elenore Abbott, illustrator


References


Sources

* Barker-Benfield, Simon (2014). ''The Annotated Treasure Island''. * Cordingly, David (1995). ''Under the Black Flag: The Romance and Reality of Life Among the Pirates''. . * Letley, Emma, ed. (1998). ''Treasure Island (Oxford World's Classics)''. . * Pietsch, Roland (2010). ''The Real Jim Hawkins: Ships' Boys in the Georgian Navy''. . * Reed, Thomas L. (2006). ''The Transforming Draught: Jekyll and Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson, and the Victorian Alcohol Debate''. . * 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

* *
''Treasure Island''
scanned and illustrated books at Internet Archive. Notable editions include: *
''Treasure Island''
1911 ''Scribner''s, illustrated by N. C. Wyeth. See als
alternate edition
(better quality scan, some images missing). *
''Treasure Island''
1915 ''
Harpers Harpers may refer to: * Harpers, popular misnomer for ''Harper's Magazine'', American monthly magazine * ''Harper's Bazaar'', monthly American fashion magazine * ''Harpers Wine & Spirit'', formerly ''Harpers Magazine'' (since 1878), British trade ...
'', illustrated by Louis Rhead. *
''Treasure Island''
1912 ''Scribner''s "Biographical Edition", includes essays by Mr and Mrs Stevenson. *
''Treasure Island''
1911 Ginn and Company, lengthy introduction and notes by Frank Wilson Cheney Hersey (Harvard University).
''Treasure Island''
with an introduction and notes by Franklin T Baker (Columbia University, 1909). Fully annotated online. *
''Treasure Island''
– Full text and audio website.
''Treasure Island''
A. L. Burt Company, 1890.
''Treasure Island''
on The Mercury Theater on the Air: July 18, 1938
Basil Rathbone
stars in ''Treasure Island''">Basil Rathbone">Basil Rathbone
stars in ''Treasure Island'' Columbia Masterworks, 1944
''Treasure Island''
on Lux Radio Theater: January 29, 1951
Download ''Treasure Island''
on Tale Spinners for Children
The 1989 BBC Radio ''Treasure Island''
on Archive.org
''Treasure Island'' Public video panorama room
on vPark.io {{Authority control 1883 British novels Bristol in fiction British adventure novels British novels adapted into films British children's novels British young adult novels Cassell (publisher) books Epic novels Fictional islands Georgia (U.S. state) in fiction Hispaniola Novels by Robert Louis Stevenson Novels first published in serial form Novels set in Haiti Novels set in the Caribbean Novels set in the Dominican Republic Novels about pirates Scottish children's literature Works originally published in Young Folks (magazine) Works published under a pseudonym Novels adapted into comics British novels adapted into plays Novels adapted into radio programs British novels adapted into television shows Novels adapted into video games Novels set in the 18th century 1880s children's books 1883 debut novels