Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Article written by Emma Baldwin

B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University.

When the novel begins, the main character and narrator, Professor Aronnax, describes a terrifying new occurrence in the world’s oceans. There is a large creature, some suggest, that is attacking ships indiscriminately. He has been tasked, along with others, to hunt this creature down and ensure that it does no further damage. Initially, under the impression that the animal they’re hunting is a giant narwhal, the Professor and his companions soon discover that it is, in fact, a huge submarine commanded by Captain Nemo. This mysterious antagonist keeps the three central characters hostage aboard the submarine, unwilling to allow the secret of his existence and his vast creation to reach those he believes are trying to prosecute him and keep him from living his chosen way of life.

Key Facts about Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

• Title: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
• When/where written: Paris, France 1869-1870
• Published: 1870 (English version— 1872)
• Literary Period: Romanticism
• Genre: Science Fiction
• Point-of-View: First-person
• Setting: The world’s oceans
• Climax: Nemo attacking a warship
• Antagonist: Captain Nemo

Jules Verne and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea 

Jules Verne was a French author and pioneer of the “adventure” genre. This novel is one of several in his “Voyages Extraordinaires.” This was a series of novels he started in 1862 and included other classics like Journey to the Center of the Earth and Around the World in Eighty Days. He worked in the adventure genre throughout his career, an interest that scholars believe began in his youth. Perhaps, through the influence of Madame Sambin, a particularly important instructor who, some scholars suggest, laid the initial spark of inspiration and interest in seafaring.

A famous anecdote from his youth, which is generally considered more fiction than fact, describes the young Verne embarking on a ship journey at eleven years old without his family’s permission. Supposedly, he signed on to the vessel as a cabin boy. His father is said to have retrieved him at the ships’ first stop.

Commonly, scholars cite the rapid industrialization of France, as well as the rest of Europe, for Verne’s (and other authors’) interest in science and new technologies. For example, the use of electricity throughout the country and what it could lead to (positively and negatively) in the future. In Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, this is seen through the narrator’s focus on how the Nautilus operates and illuminates the water.

By the end of his career, he had invented what is known today as “Roman de la Science,” or “Novel of Science.” This genre of novel is considered a precursor to science fiction. Verne’s interest in contemporary culture, history, exploration, and more is seen through numerous allusions to real-life explorers and historical events in the novel. He also sought to create scientifically accurate descriptions of the submarine, how it maneuvered, and marine life.

Books Related to Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Throughout his career, Jules Verne wrote prolifically. Scholars describe his ability to create as many as two books a year for several years throughout his career. His Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is similar to the other adventure novels he penned at the height of his popularity. For example, Journey to the Center of the Earth. It was first published in French in 1864 and described the adventures of an eccentric professor who journeys to the center of the earth. The explorers discover prehistoric creatures, an underground ocean, and more.

The novel also shares similarities with other early examples of science fiction like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, H.G. Wells novels like War of the Worlds and The Invisible Man, and adventure novels like Toilers of the Sea by Victor Hugo. Famously, Hugo (who is best known for Les Miserables) was one of Verne’s primary influences.

The Lasting Impact of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea