Talk:The Gold-Bug

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[edit] "Cap'n Teedge"

Why is "Cap'n Teedge" linking to William Kidd? It's more likely to be a reference to Blackbeard, whose real name was Teach. Is there a good reason for linking to Kidd instead? If not, I'll change the link. P Ingerson (talk) 10:37, 19 February 2006 (UTC)

The story itself calls him "Captain Kidd" or just "Kidd", I can't find either "Cap'n" or "Teedge" anywhere in the text. Everything Google turns up for "Cap'n Teedge" is derived from Wikipedia — mostly this article (the Kidd article shows up because it's linked to here, not because the name occurs in the article), but the List of Wold Newton Universe characters article may indicate the source for the name. Whatever the case, I'll change it to just "Captain Kidd". Aitch Eye 16:42, 19 February 2006 (UTC)

Thanks. P Ingerson (talk) 00:09, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

"But I have just said that the figure was NOT that of a goat." "Well, a kid then--pretty much the same thing." "Pretty much, but not altogether," said Legrand. "You may have heard of one CAPTAIN Kidd. I at once looked upon the figure of the animal as a kind of punning or hieroglyphical signature ( excerpt from the Gold Bug ) --Neuromancien 02:52, 28 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Pun

Certainly it should be mentioned, if not already obvious to the reader, that William set out to find the treasure after being "bitten by the gold bug," a phrase commonly associated with the gold rush or treasure seekers, later meaning someone who's found a get-rich-quick scheme. The beetle itself, besides being used as a device in the plot, is in this way a wry pun. The story is then further twisted when William shows amusement at being thought crazy by his friends, and playing along, demonstrating the total self-awareness Poe gave his characters. Rainman420 09:25, 9 May 2006 (UTC)

It's a good point, but I have yet to find a source that says that. Maybe it is already that obvious? If I come across something, I'll add it. -Midnightdreary 15:10, 4 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] The decoded message

By substitution the decoded message should be "...forty-one degrees..." instead of "...twenty-one degrees...". Can anyone confirm? Chinhnt2k3 (talk) 05:51, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes, you're correct. Someone changed this recently but I've changed it back now. --- RockMFR 02:14, 15 April 2008 (UTC)