Captain Blood: His Odyssey

Captain Blood: His Odyssey is a work of historical fiction by Rafael Sabatini, published in 1922. Sabatini was a British Italian writer who produced fiction, history, and drama. Set during the 1680s, the narrative relates Peter Blood’s journey from country doctor in England to enslaved convict in Barbados to pirate captain in the Spanish Main to British naval hero. The novel is a seafaring adventure about a swashbuckling trickster whose humanity and chivalry help him survive, win his freedom, and decide his destiny, which is to live with the woman he loves. The popular novel inspired a film adaptation in 1924 and another in 1935; the second launched actors Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland to stardom.

This study guide uses the Penguin Classics edition from 2003.

Content Warning: The source material contains racist language and representations, ethnic and religious prejudices, and depictions of or references to violence (sexual assault, slavery, battle, and murder).

Plot Summary

The third-person omniscient narrator begins by describing Peter Blood, an Irish doctor who was a soldier before settling in England’s West Country 11 years ago. It is now the summer of 1685.