62 pages • 2 hours read
The Voyage of the Beagle
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Charles Darwin’s Journal of Researches into the National History and Geology of the Countries Visited During the Voyage Round the World of the HMS Beagle, more commonly known as The Voyage of the Beagle, is a landmark work in the field of natural history. The text draws from the detailed journals Darwin kept during his five-year journey (1831-1836) aboard the HMS Beagle, a British Navy ship sent to survey the coast of South America. First published in 1839, The Voyage of the Beagle was immensely popular in its own time, and an illustrated and updated second edition appeared in 1845. The Voyage of the Beagle helped to establish Darwin as a prominent figure in the global scientific community, and it continues to be studied, cited, and debated by scientists and scholars.
The Voyage of the Beagle falls into the genre of travel literature, a popular genre in the 19th century that combined detailed observation with personal narrative. Darwin’s writing is both descriptive and analytical, providing detailed accounts of the places he visited and the animals he encountered while also reflecting on the broader implications of his findings. The book was widely praised for its scientific accuracy and vivid descriptions, and it remains a classic of the genre to this day, though it has attracted criticism for its Eurocentric Unlock all 62 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
