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Re: Hatteras and Les Foreceurs de blocus

From: Brian Taves <btav~at~loc.gov>
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2005 18:48:49 -0400 (EDT)
To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>

Ian, I see Luath is putting out a new edition of Blockade Runners in
addition to Green Ray and the published Underground City--are you involved
with their BR (with all you would have to contribute)?


Brian Taves
Motion Picture/Broadcasting/Recorded Sound Division
Library of Congress
101 Independence Avenue, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20540-4692
Telephone: 202-707-9930; 202-707-2371 (fax)
Email: btav~at~loc.gov


Disclaimer--All opinions expressed are my own.


On Mon, 25 Jul 2005 ithompson~at~geog.gla.ac.uk wrote:

>
>
> <color><param>0100,0100,0100</param><bigger>I have just started reading William Butcher's excellent new
> annotated translation "The Adventures of Captain Hatteras" in
> the Oxford World's Classics series and was impressed by the
> similarities between the opening chapters of this book and Les
> Forceurs de blocus. Some of the similarities are;
>
> 1. The description of the ship building process is detailed as is
> the place of construction (Birkenhead in the case of the
> Forward and Glasgow for the Delphin...both on estuaries
> leading to the North Atlantic). In both cases the names of the
> shipbuilders are given (Scott and Co. for the Forward and
> Tod and McGregor for the Delphin)
>
> 2. Technical detail of the engines, speed, tonnage are given as
> are certain unusual features which give rise to speculation by
> the watching crowds ( the cutting edge on the bow of the
> Forward, the two independent propellers on the Delphin). The
> manufacturers of these special features are named and were
> real, not imaginary companies.
>
> 3. In both instances, the vessels are orderd by wealthy
> individuals (Vincent Playfair and Hatteras) and each has a
> specific, secret project in mind.
>
> 4. The launch of the Delphin and the sailing of the Forward
> are accompanied by large crowds with much guesswork as to
> their function and destination.
>
> 5. Both vessels leave the estuaries accompanied by a pilot
> who leaves the ships at the approach to the open Atlantic and
> the start of the adventure proper.
>
> There are some differences between the vessels reflecting their
> intended purpose. The Delphin is much larger, swifter and
> more manoeuvrable than the Forward...reflecting the need to
> hold a large cargo and to outrun the blocus. The Forward is a
> smaller but very strong vessel to resist the force of ice. But it
> could be argued that from the point of view of establishing the
> structure of the plot, there are remarkable similarities between
> the two novels.
>
> Christian Robin has noted the similarities between Les
> Forceurs du blocus and Les Enfants du Capitaine Grant,
> especially the descriptions of the Clyde estuary (both
> published at approximately the same time). But equally it
> could be argued that there are close similarities with Captain
> Hatteras, published only two years later. Specifically the
> notion of launching a "mysterious" ship for a "mysterious" and
> secret destination was an almost identical literary device for
> "launching" the narrative, in effect recycled in three successive
> novels over a couple of years. Perhaps this observation has
> already been made?
>
> Ian Thompson<smaller>
Received on Tue 02 Aug 2005 - 01:48:59 IDT

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