In the words of Professor Aronnax, the deepest parts of the ocean are totally unknown to us. And almost beyond imagination – but not beyond the imagination of Jules Verne. But 20,000
leagues is not just a tale of adventure, or of underwater exploration, it is also the story of the enigmatic
Captain Nemo, and of his legendary submarine (the Nautilus).
An expedition is being assembled to seek out and to destroy the unknown monster that is stalking ocean going vessels. Professor Aronnax joins the expedition (led by Commander Farragut and harpoonist Ned Land) in his capacity as a scientist. Its propeller and rudder smashed in a collision with the Nautilus, their ship is rendered immobile. Professor Arunnax, his assistant and Ned Land are taken captive aboard the Nautilus. Their very existence in jeopardy, as they have stumbled upon an important secret, and they wait with some trepidation for their captors to reveal their intentions.
Captain Nemo is both rebel and intrepid
freedom fighter. The mystery of Captain Nemo''s past
life and future intentions only deepens as the tale unfolds. The brooding Captain Nemo has a dark side to him, and this lends the novel a vitality of its own beyond a mere struggle between good and evil. In Captain Nemo’s own words, they are in the presence of a
man who has cut himself off from all humanity. No man could call him to account for his actions. The
sea did not belong to tyrants, beneath the sea their authority ended. In the sea, Captain Nemo recognized no superiors - here he found freedom and tranquility.
Given a choice between life in captivity and death in freedom, Professor Aronnax and his companions accept the conditions imposed by Captain Nemo; and they become his guests and traveling companions for the remainder of the voyage.
The mysterious Captain Nemo takes the Professor on a guided tour of the submarine. Captain Nemo has no hesitation in answering the Professor’s queries – since they are fated never to leave the underwater boat again. The Nautilus derives its power, and its sustenance, from the oceans. It runs on electricity, and electricity gave the Nautilus heat, light and motion – all the necessary preconditions for life. Obviously, Captain Nemo
loves his ship in the same way a father loves his child.
As for the Nautilus''s earlier encounters, these were the results of accidents, its captain, builder, and engineer explains...
20,000 leagues under the sea is one of the classical novels about the sea; and it has served as an inspiration for a whole generation of explorers and voyagers. Like the author of this novel, Captain Nemo is clearly a man who loves the sea, and would not be parted from it under any pretext or condition.
His science – the submarines and the diving suits – is both prescient as well as detailed enough to sand up to the closest scrutiny. At the best of times, it is difficult to match vision and facts with great accuracy; that the author manages to do so with ease is a deserved credit to him.
More reviews about the 20000 Leagues Under the Seas