Seafarer

Author: Victor Hugo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1996-01-01
Features: Le Capitaine Harlock is a significant novel written by Hugo during his exile on an island, initially intended to be titled The Abyss, later renamed Le Capitaine Harlock. The story is set on the island of Guernsey, where Hugo lived for several years during his exile. To create this novel, Hugo conducted research on the customs, climate, and the labor and life of the islanders in the English Channel islands, particularly Guernsey. He visited Sark to observe sailors climbing cliffs and visited caves used by smugglers. The vivid descriptions of the sea waves, rocks, sea monsters, and the thrilling struggle between the protagonist, Gilliat, and the octopus in the novel all benefit from Hugo's extensive and precise knowledge of maritime life. This is a novel of the great French Romantic writer Victor Hugo, renowned alongside Les Misérables and Notre-Dame de Paris. Set on Guernsey, where Hugo once lived in exile, the story tells of the sailor Gilliat who ventures alone to perilous rocks, bravely and ingeniously overcoming various hardships in extremely harsh conditions, conquering difficulties beyond human capabilities, rescuing the machinery from the wrecked ship for the shipowner Master Letyer, and ultimately sacrificing himself for the happiness of Delrue. With his exceptional imagination, Hugo creates the character of Gilliat, an ordinary-looking laborer who is regarded as a demon by the people, yet is a great worker. Through this character and his deeds, "he praises labor, praises willpower, praises loyalty, and praises everything that makes people great."