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mr_phil 's review for:
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
by Jules Verne
The Year of Grace 2020 was made unmemorable by a rather tedious and self-indulgent tale as recounted by a fictional naturalist who identifies himself with the name of M. Aronnax. The range of vocabulary employed by this gentleman certainly does justice to the full range of grammar and lexicology of modern language. The words used are of varying lengths and include not only the verb and noun, but likewise the adjective, adverb and in addition the humble preposition. Alternatively, to give them their proper Latin names, correspondingly verbum, nominibus, adjectivum, adverbium, and haec praepositio. The sentences in which these words are painstakingly imprisoned could range from as few as three or four to as many as in excess of twenty or thirty words in length, and yet, seemingly, M. Aronnax rarely arrives at any pertinent observation or narrative progression.
These superfluous, and one might venture, boorish, interventions are commonly utilised to provide prolonged descriptions of the fantastic lifeforms encountered while M. Aronnax is held captive aboard a submersible vessel christened the Nautilus. It is with some regret, however, that the attitude demonstrated by this character towards nature and its inhabitants without question betrays prevailing opinions of the story's era, and thus we often observe that fascination with wondrous sights is followed with swiftness by utter indifference to its destruction and, often, its consumption at the dining table. It is not unknown for these regrettable actions to be accompanied by some measure of self-awareness of their folly and inevitable conclusion.
M. Aronnax's companions in his imprisonment include his faithful man-servant Conseil, and a Canadian harpooner known as Ned Land. It is a frequent occurrence that these two lower status characters demonstrate knowledge of their place in society and submit to our narrator's superior intellect. What a blessed relief it must be for them to stand in the presence of such greatness! They certainly on many occasions inform him of their gratitude of his continued existence. Conseil, in particular, evidently enjoys nothing more than communicating reassurance to M. Aronnax that his primary purpose is to sacrifice everything if necessary to his master's health and comfort, and his master is certainly confident that these feelings are true.
Truly, it is a wonder to observe that their captor, the dreaded Captain Nemo, is widely regarded as the villain of the tome. Verily, I am guided to believe that M. Aronnax fairly rivals the commander in both arrogance and obnoxiousness.
These superfluous, and one might venture, boorish, interventions are commonly utilised to provide prolonged descriptions of the fantastic lifeforms encountered while M. Aronnax is held captive aboard a submersible vessel christened the Nautilus. It is with some regret, however, that the attitude demonstrated by this character towards nature and its inhabitants without question betrays prevailing opinions of the story's era, and thus we often observe that fascination with wondrous sights is followed with swiftness by utter indifference to its destruction and, often, its consumption at the dining table. It is not unknown for these regrettable actions to be accompanied by some measure of self-awareness of their folly and inevitable conclusion.
M. Aronnax's companions in his imprisonment include his faithful man-servant Conseil, and a Canadian harpooner known as Ned Land. It is a frequent occurrence that these two lower status characters demonstrate knowledge of their place in society and submit to our narrator's superior intellect. What a blessed relief it must be for them to stand in the presence of such greatness! They certainly on many occasions inform him of their gratitude of his continued existence. Conseil, in particular, evidently enjoys nothing more than communicating reassurance to M. Aronnax that his primary purpose is to sacrifice everything if necessary to his master's health and comfort, and his master is certainly confident that these feelings are true.
Truly, it is a wonder to observe that their captor, the dreaded Captain Nemo, is widely regarded as the villain of the tome. Verily, I am guided to believe that M. Aronnax fairly rivals the commander in both arrogance and obnoxiousness.