For anyone looking to explore the seas, Jules Verne gave us a peak at what could be down there in his 1867 masterpiece “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”. With Professor of Natural Science Pierre Arronax, his trusty advisor counsel, and gruff Canadian Harpooner Ned Land, the adventure through the water is an ultimate escapism dream for any reader. 

With each chapter, epic battle scenes and treks through seafloor forests are broken up by detailed description of the life found where no man has reached. For those uninterested in scientific descriptions or analyses, Penguin Classics has a well abridged version that keeps the action going. 

The novel was originally published in a magazine as part of a serialization through publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel. In a letter to him, Verne said, “Oh my dear Hetzel, if I don’t pull this book off, I’ll be inconsolable. I’ve never held a better thing in my hands.”

Upon its initial serialization, Verne published his chapters along with 111 illustrations by two French painters: Alphonse de Neuville and Edouard. These images captured the majesty described by Vern that enhanced his imagery. 

In the novel, Verne wrote, “Nature’s creative power is far beyond man’s instinct of destruction.”

The story begins with the hunt for a mysterious creature causing havoc all around the globe; wrecking ships and destroying vessels. Arronax theorizes about this supposed “narwhal” until he and his friends are captured by the beast. 

It isn’t until now we discover the beast is no beast at all, but a man-made submarine captained by a man called Nemo, and a vessel called The Nautilus. The presence of Captain Nemo and his elusive and intriguing nature is what brings this novel above all other of Verne’s works including “Journey to the Center of the Earth and The Mysterious Island”. 

Captain Nemo and his crew elevate this novel with their intriguing and elusive nature. Arronax documents everything he notices about this crew from the way they dress to the brand new language they have invented. At times voices are heard throughout the vessel, but neither the reader nor character’s know what’s being said, tightening the air of mystery. 

Arronax watches the man very closely, noting his behavior and consciousness. 

Nemo takes the newly boarded on a two year journey all over the globe. He shows them underwater forests, volcanic eruptions, and a mythical tunnel linking the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea. They go from pole to pole, getting trapped in ice and facing enormous leviathans that the Nautilus must fight against. 

With each excited interaction, the tension builds in Arronax’s good friend at this point, Ned Land. The stubborn military man condemns Nemo for attacking ships, withholding his technology from the surface, and keeping them prisoner aboard his submarine. 

Land, in fact, attempts to escape on multiple occasions, with assistance from Arronax. This is where the moral gray-ness of our main character is revealed, as he doesn’t reveal Land’s plan, but debates on staying aboard the Nautilus out of academic intrigue. 

Although we never discover the true nature of who Captain Nemo is or where he came from, he reflects this dream seen very often in this age of escaping society, condemning the inhumane world created on the surface, and forging your own community outside the bounds of governments. 

The name Nemo is a call back to one of the oldest narratives in human history: Homer’s “Odyssey”. In an escape from the cyclops Polyphemus, Odysseus calls himself “Outis,” meaning ‘no one.’ In latin, the name translates to Nemo. 

Captain Nemo has gathered his own men aboard the craft. He has fashioned his own respiration suits for forays across the ocean floor, electro-beaming weapons to harvest fish for food, and even communicates in his own language with the crew. 

Arronax is amazed by what he’s seen. Nemo shares all his knowledge, as the two bond over an academic inclination and a room aboard the Nautilus full of treasures and specimens from Nemo’s past and ocean journeys. The two are mutually academically inclined, allowing for Arronax to ignore all the red flags aboard. 

Tensions rise with each page turn. Starting with the tumble into the ocean, dangers meet the crew of the Nautilus around each current. Nemo is revealed as an angry man, with little compassion for the outside world other than key scenes that reveal his humanity. 

The full scope of the novel follows exploration of the sea as a metaphor for exploration of the self. Arronax and friends discover wholly new fears and interests, learning more about the world and their place in it, and how people can live and function outside society. 

The book is not a perfect read, however, for those looking for straight action and adventure. Verne often goes into deep scientific descriptions, leading to analyses of flora and fauna of the aquatic environment. These tangents can last up to two pages at a time, which, for some less concerned with the logistics and academics of the world Verne is creating, can border on rambling. 

Theodore L. Thomas, an author in the 1960s, wrote, “Put them all together with the magic of Verne’s story-telling ability, and something flames up. A story emerges that sweeps incredulity before it.” 

For these readers, it’s recommended to look into the Penguin Classics Edition of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, as it is heavily abridged and keeps the store rolling. Although the reader would miss out on the incredible illustrations added in Verne’s edition, backed up by his imagery. 

When diving into classic literature, many are turned off by the complicated syntax, droning of old-age authors, and lack of modernness to relate to. For those wanting to dip their toe into the waters of classics, traveling 20,000 leagues around the globe underneath the surface of the ocean is an incredible way to acclimate. The novel is almost 160 years old and still a staple in the science fiction genre.