Hornblower on Deck (sonnet)

This was so complicated for my eyes.. until I read what's above.

And definitely it's enjoyable.

Sonnets are one of a kind forms!

Thanks for pointing that out, Queen

^ I agree with Cindy on this, however, the below line contains nine syllable total, perhaps you meant "ragged" instead of "raged".

"your crew braved mizzenmast though gales raged; "

Very interesting piece Larry...I had never heard of Horatio . So I learned something new today. Great word choices and imagery.
Excellent job!
Take care
Cindy

Background and terms explanation:

The argument of this sonnet deals with the character, Horatio Hornblower, focus of numerous stories by C. S. Forester and made the subject of nine movies. Throughout all the books, Hornblower daily paces the quarterdeck for hours at a time. During these treks the reader is fully engaged in
Hornblower's torturous self-doubts and plan formation; you walk in his shoes, not for a day, but for months on end.

The leading octave is in a-b-b-a-a-b-b-a scheme, and sets forth the proposition that Horatio Hornblower is trapped in his own mental prison due to his intense inferiority complex, yet he is a great leader of his men and accomplishes seemingly impossible deeds.
The following sestet takes the unusual but heroic form of two poetic triplets, c-c-c-d-d-d, in order to emphasize the adulation accorded this warrior. The solution presented in the sestet urges Hornblower to learn that others appreciate him truer than he does himself, and that he need only accept himself to find freedom.

- 'pale' as used here denotes the safety boundary expected in home water as used in colonial Britain; it is most familiarly applied to the fenced area surrounding Elizabethan era Dublin, but gained more general usage.

- 'mizzenmast' was the third mast in 18th century war ships, and the furthest aft. Although it was the shortest mast, were a sailor to fall off the mizzenmast, he'd likely drop behind the ship with no one to know he was gone until it was too late to rescue him.

- 'Beat to quarters' refers to deploying sailors to the canons in preparation for battle. The beat was provided by a marine drummer. The term is also the title of the first Hornblower novel