Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

The entire book takes place in the sea, which represents the power of nature. As Captain Nemo proclaims, “The sea is everything” (43). Despite Nemo’s technological advancements and his increasing ability to manipulate his environment, best embodied in the existence of the Nautilus, he and his crew are still forced to reckon with the uncompromising environment of the sea. While the sea offers “wonderful sights” (78) and sustains abundant life—often described in great detail by Professor Aronnax—it also has the power to take life away, as evidenced by the shipwrecks the Nautilus encounters and the lost underwater civilization of Atlantis. The crew of the Nautilus also faces tremendous dangers from weather, ocean conditions, and sea predators: giant poulps, sharks, strong storms, Antarctic ice, and the giant maelstrom at the end of the book, which leaves Captain Nemo’s fate unknown. While the Nautilus is a powerful ship, the sea, with its “awful mysteries” (78), often presents itself as its direct foe, demonstrating that even the most sophisticated technologies in the world can be humbled by nature.

The Nautilus represents the destructive potential of technological innovation when taken to its most extreme point. The ship is a marvel of engineering and is often used for exploration and learning.