Lit Post 3

 

  King, Richard, and Horace Beck. “Ghosts and Ghost Ship Legends.” Encyclopedia of American Literature of the Sea and Great Lakes, 2001, pp. 152–56.

This source presents a wide variety of sources pertaining to ghost ships themselves, as well as ghost ship legends and stories. Since it has so many sources, it provides many examples that can help me research the ghost ship narrative. 

Richard King, one of the authors of this encyclopedia, has an extensive background with the ocean and maritime matters. He earned a PhD from the University of St. Andrews as well as is a visiting associate professor with the Sea Education Association. 

"In Whittier's version, the islanders use false lights to draw the ship to its death, then strip the ship of its valuables and burn it, leaving the survivors to die on the beach..." (Edwards 347)

"The play's structure follows that of many maritime ghost stories, where a sailing ship encounters a ghost ship, jeopardizing its own course. There are references to the Flying Dutchman legend and to sailors' superstitions and habits, and a sea chantey is included for musical accompaniment." (Orel 141)

"Exploring human purpose regarding the open sea is an endeavor that transcends time, place, genre, and discipline." (King xxi)

This source includes a vast amount of examples regarding maritime legends, their true stories, and works of literature that many authors have wrote about these legends and stories. Since my research question asks about the relationship of these stories, the author's perspective and interest in them, and the truth, this encyclopedia contains information about these points.