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Re: 145th anniversary

From: Ian Thompson <ithompson~at~geog.gla.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 2004 10:37:29 +0100
To: "Jules Verne Forum" <jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>

Jean-Pierre,
The question of Verne's partial Scottish ancestry is well documented. On the issue of his antipathy re England I imagine that imperial rivalry vis-à-vis France was a major factor (conveniently overlooking the fact that many of great British imperial figures (merchants, administrators, military, missionaries) were in fact Scots! Verne appears to have viewed the "Atlantic Arc" of celtic regions (Brittany, Ireland and Scotland) as being dominated and exploited but his dislike of the English was not universal...he admired English explorers, engineers and some authors (Wells, Dickens for example). I am not sure to what extent Verne felt himself to be Breton. Nantes is right on the edge of Brittany and it was the river and port, the gateway to the Atlantic and to distant lands, that appeared to have excited the young Verne rather than interior Brittany.His relatives on both the Verne and his wife's side seem to have lived outside Brittany and his own orientation in work and residence was eastwards (Paris, Picardy) rather than westwards towards Brittany.I am sure that there are others who can comment better than I on your question.
Ian
Received on Fri 03 Sep 2004 - 12:38:09 IDT

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