Jules Verne Forum

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Religion

From: Carter Kaplan <cakapl~at~ark.ship.edu>
Date: Thu, 02 Mar 2000 10:08:31 +0800
To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~math.technion.ac.il>

Ralf Tauchmann wrote:

> oc0u5004 schrieb:
> >
> > If anyone out there would like to share their opinions on the religion
> > in the works of Jules Verne listed below, I'd be very interested to
> > hear.
> > De la terre a la lune
> > Le tour du monde en 80 jours
> > L'ile mysterieuse
> > 20 000 lieues sous les mers
> > Voyage au centre de la terre
> >
> > Thanks, Leigh Thompson.
>

This can be complicated if you are looking for textual and biographical
evidence leading to an empirical explanation of what Verne's religious
*inclinations* may be. However, if you examine Verne's poetics, you are
left with a significant clue into understanding an important aspect of
Verne's religious *implications*. Consider, first, his interest in Poe and
Poe's technique. Then consider how Verne capitalizes on *Moby-Dick* in
*20,000 Leagues*. Consider, next, the theme of forgiveness (or Nemo's
failure to forgive) in *20,000 Leagues*. The community aboard the crew of
the Nautilus, especially their treatment of the dead, is significant too.
There is then the image of Nemo contemplating the ruins of Atlantis, as the
moon rises above the waves. Finally, there is Nemo's mission, and the
Byronic touch of Nemo's contributing funds to the cause of Greek
independence. What I induce is this: Verne is a Miltonic
post-Presbyterian dissenter having strong sympathies with Blake and
Byron--in short, he is a Hippie Art Christian, or, if you prefer, a Secular
Humorist.

I address this question as it concerns Verne in my forthcoming book,
*Critical Synoptics: Menippean Satire and the Analysis of Intellectual
Mythology*, due out at the end of the year from Fairleigh Dickinson
University Press.

Carter Kaplan
Received on Thu 02 Mar 2000 - 17:10:47 IST

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