Vingt Mille Lieues Sous les Mers
Last week I picked up my copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea & Other Classic Novels by Jules Verne. I grabbed it in the sale rack at Barnes & Noble ages ago. I had to buy it at the time but to be honest I hadn't read a word from it's pages before last week. I'm currently still in the middle of it as I take time away to write this.
I first saw the 1954 Disney movie (starring James Mason as Captain Nemo, Kirk Douglass as Ned Land, Paul Lukas as Prof. Arronax and Peter Lorre as Conseil) at a young age, which sparked a lifelong fascination [1]. The movie is a remake of the 1916 version and demonstrates impressive special effects and set design. Afterwards, I remember going to my local library and checking out a copy of Jules Verne's book. At the time, it seemed to me quite a feat to finish the book - in addition to Verne's wide vocabulary, the prose is full of very large scientific words on the flora and fauna of the ocean's depths. The book sparked a love of Verne's novels and I later read and reread Around the World in 80 Days.
Jules Verne 1876.
© Getty Images
Jules Verne was born in Nantes, France in 1828. His father wanted him to follow in his footsteps and become a lawyer, though Verne had some success writing plays and short stories. Verne ultimately chose not to pursue law and instead took other jobs to support himself and his family, including working as a stock broker in Paris, while writing in the mornings. He continued to write and do research at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France. Verne was fascinated with science and the great explorers of history and dreamed of writing a roman de la science, or novel of science.
In 1862, Verne met publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel and the pair would release Verne's writings as part of the Magazine of Education and Recreation, with Verne's books forming the novel series Voyages Extraordinaires. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas (printed as Sea in English editions) was first published in serial form from 1869-1870 with a book edition in 1870.
Later in life, Verne owned several yachts and spent time sailing. He was shot, not lethally, by his deranged nephew in 1886. Verne developed diabetes and died in 1905. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of science fiction and is the second most translated author in the world with more than 60 books published.
For 20,000 Leagues, Verne took inspiration from the first submersible vessel designed by Robert Fulton in 1800, christened Nautilus, and French submarine Plonger (or 'diver'), the first mechanically powered submarine [2]. Verne's Nautilus is a fascinating feat of engineering - it is powered by sodium/mercury batteries, with the sea supplying the sodium. Verne goes to great lengths to describe in intricate detail the construction and design of his Nautilus. It is clear that Verne must have researched extensively. The book includes a detailed account of maritime history as well as the oceanography and biology of this underwater world.
There's something about the book which always pulls me in - from the magnificent voyage Verne takes the reader on, to the mystery of the Nautilus and it's enigmatic Captain Nemo [3]. As Nemo educates Arronax on his underwater kingdom, the constant drone of humanity's plundering trickles away into the tranquil depths.
In two weeks I will be in France and will be passing through Nantes, Verne's place of birth, before spending some time in Paris. The Jules Verne Museum looks like it will be closed so I hope to pay homage at his statue in the Jardin de Plantes de Nantes. Until then, I will continue my voyage on the Nautilus with Captain Nemo and Professor Arronax.
Until next time,
KW
Footnotes
[1] Disney had a 20,000 Leagues ride at Disney World. While the ride has since been dismantled, the park itself contains hidden easter eggs to Verne's novel.
[2] The USS Nautilus, launched in 1954, was the world's first nuclear powered submarine.
[3] Verne explores the Nemo character in Mysterious Island which I have yet to read. Other writers have also incorporated Nemo into their work, including the comic series The League of Extraordinary Gentleman.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty_Thousand_Leagues_Under_the_Seas
https://www.biography.com/writer/jules-verne
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jules-Verne
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/546405/facts-about-jules-verne
