Characters in H.M.S. Pinafore
- The Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Porter, KCB, First Lord of the Admiralty (Baritone)
- Captain Corcoran, commanding H.M.S. Pinafore (Baritone)
- Ralph Rackstraw, able seaman (Tenor)
- Dick Deadeye, able seaman (Bass-baritone)
- Bill Bobstay, boatswain's mate (Baritone)
- Bob Becket, carpenter's mate (Bass)
- Sergeant of Marines
- Josephine, the Captain's daughter (Soprano to top C)
- Little Buttercup, a Portsmouth bumboat woman (Contralto)
- Cousin Hebe, Sir Joseph's first cousin (Mezzo-soprano)
Synopsis of H.M.S. Pinafore
Act I
Sailors work on the deck of the H.M.S. Pinafore off the coast of Portsmouth ("We sail the ocean blue"). Little Buttercup enters with her wares ("For I'm called Little Buttercup"). Ralph enters ("The Nightingale loved the pale moon's bright ray") and reveals that he loves Josephine, the Captain's daughter ("A maiden fair to see").
Captain Corcoran enters, and the sailors cheer him ("I am the Captain of the Pinafore!"). After the sailors leave, he confides in Buttercup that Sir Joseph wishes to marry Josephine, but she does not love him. Josephine enters, bemoaning her fate ("Sorry her lot who loves too well"), and confesses to her father that she loves a common sailor.
Sir Joseph arrives with his relatives ("I am the monarch of the sea"; "When I was a lad I served a term"). He warns Corcoran not to patronize his men; all seamen are equal, and the fact that some are captains and some are sailors is a mere accident of birth. He gives Ralph and the other sailors a song to remind them of this fact ("A British tar is a soaring soul").
Emboldened by Sir Joseph's words, Ralph expresses his love to Josephine; but knowing that she must marry Sir Joseph, she rejects him ("Refrain, audacious tar"). He is about to kill himself out of grief, but Josephine reveals that she loves him after all ("O joy! O rapture unforeseen!"). They plan to elope, although Dick warns them that such a plan will go awry.
Act II
At night, the Captain sings to himself as Buttercup watches him ("Fair moon, to thee I sing"); he thinks to himself that he might love her, if not for the difference in their rank. She prophesies that changes will come for him ("Things are seldom what they seem").
Sir Joseph expresses his disappointment in Josephine's behavior; Corcoran suggests that she is merely intimidated by Sir Joseph's rank. Josephine enters, anticipating her elopement with Ralph ("The hours creep on apace"). Sir Joseph reassures her that a difference in rank is no impediment to a marriage ("Never mind the why and wherefore"), and she notes "how eloquently he has plead his rival's cause."
Dick reveals Ralph and Josephine's plan to the Captain ("Kind Captain, I've important information") and they watch as the couple makes ready to leave ("Carefully on tiptoe stealing"). Corcoran confronts Ralph and becomes so angry that he swears. This distresses Sir Joseph, who sends Corcoran to his cabin.
Ralph and Josephine reveal their love to Sir Joseph, who orders Ralph thrown in the dungeon. Ralph says farewell to Josephine ("Farewell, my own"). However, Buttercup steps forward to reveal that Captain Corcoran and Ralph were accidentally switched at birth, and so the Captain is merely a common sailor.
Sir Joseph rejects Josephine on account of her low rank, and she and Ralph are free to marry ("Oh joy, oh rapture unforeseen"). The Captain promises to marry Buttercup, and Sir Joseph promises to marry Hebe.