Book Review: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

Ostensibly an oceanic travelogue, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'involves rather less travel than it does log: comprising for the most part long, hideously boring lists of marine life and scientific definitions and discussions of the same, its a lengthy Wikipedia entry without a moderator swinging by to do a clean-up. While at least these lists can be skimmed over in book format, spare a thought for those of us enduring the same in an audio version. A better title might be Jules Vernes Taxonomy of Fish (Unabridged).

When Verne isnt listing things, hes tracing the journey of the Nautilus, a vast submarine vesseland admittedly an awesome creation for its timecalled home by the hermit-like, nihilistic Captain Nemo. Nemo seems to have resigned himself from the civilised world, with which his political ideals conflict significantly, and instead seeks out a life of academia and peace beneath the seas, where he has created his own autonomous micro-nation abord his ship.

Hes a tragic figure, having withdrawn so utterly from humanity that despite his zeal for learning and furthering his awareness, he is ever limited to his own perceptions: his library, though huge, comprises only old works, and though he is a practising scientist, he has no other peers with whom he might discuss and debate his ideas and his merits. And while his discoveries are impressive, they are fundamentally useless in that they will never have any use beyond the immediate demands of the Nautilus. He may rule over his own world, but one cant help but see it as somewhat of a pyrrhic victory.

Perhaps, then, its little surprise that when marine biologist Pierre Aronnax (and the bonus cargo of Aronnaxs faithful servantand perhaps lover?Conseil and Ned Land, Canadian fisherman extraordinaire) ends up on the Nautilus, Nemo has little inclination to let him go. (Finally, an educated middle class in the land of the Nautilus!)'What occurs is a series of ambivalent discussions and escape attemptsthe three gentlemen perceive themselves alternatively as passengers and prisoners, and are torn between their desire to be a part of Nemos world of discovery, and their existences as part of a wider society.

As in much of Vernes work, we see formal scientific theory do battle with the more pragmatic approaches of everyday life: Aronnaxs aloof formalisations are constantly challenged by Ned Lands empirical observations, and the value of the different positions is assessed throughout the novel. Science isnt the only thing that gets a working over, however. There are myriad other themes that are placed in (not especially subtle) opposition. Nemos pacifism is contrasted with his willingness to become a kidnapper, and the mismatch in loyalty between Aronnax and Conseil is shown frequently.

But, goodness, its hard work teasing out this stuff from the marine life handbook that makes up the majority of this novel. When dozens of pages at a time are given over to left-handed snails and the creation of pearls (in seemingly real-time), the story lags rather pathetically in its wake. Though definitely an influential novel, its the literary equivalent of hiding a cup of zucchini in a chocolate cakeonly Verne forgot the chocolate.

Rating: (okay)

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