Recently, there has been an attempt to improve Captain Bligh’s tainted image. Historians maintain that there was no turpitude in Bligh’s action aboard the H.M.S. Bounty. Perhaps he was imprudent in failing to keep his temper under control. While an infraction aboard ship was quickly criticized, Bligh never carried out those callous actions the movie dramatized in order to depict an evil man, say his defenders. After the mutiny, Captain Blight astutely navigated the lifeboat with other 17 men for over 3,000 miles to safety. This prodigious feat alone, say those who would restore Bligh’s good name, should be enough to allow for a full redress of the wrongs that have been blamed on him for over 150 years. While the coterie defending Captain Bligh does not ask the public to praise him, they do request a more benevolent attitude towards this traditionally reprehensible figure, and an end to the vituperation heaped upon him to these many years.
- tainted- tercemar, kotor, busuk, mambu
- turpitude-perbuatan tercela
- imprudent- lalai, tidak berhati-hati
- callous- tak berperasaan
- mutiny – pemberontakan
- astute – cerdik
- prodigious – luar biasa, menakjubkan
- redress – ganti rugi, perbaikan
- coterie- a small group of people with shared interests or tastes, esp. one that is exclusive of other people.
- reprehensible – tercela, patut dihukum