The Sea-Wolf
The Sea-Wolf is a novel written in 1904 by American author Jack London. Of it, Ambrose Bierce wrote: "the great thing—and it is among the greatest of things—is that tremendous creation, Wolf Larsen... the hewing out and setting up of such a figure is enough for a man to do in one lifetime." An immediate bestseller, the first printing of forty thousand copies was sold out before publication.
Plot Summary
Like The Call of the Wild, The Sea-Wolf tells the story of a soft, domesticated creature forced to become tough and self-reliant by exposure to cruelty and brutality. In this case, the creature is human: a literary intellectual named Humphrey van Weyden. Onboard a San Francisco ferry which collides with a ship in the fog and sinks, he is picked up ("rescued" is not the word) by Wolf Larsen. Larsen is the captain of the seal-hunting schooner Ghost, bound for Japan. Brutal and cynical, yet also highly intelligent and intellectual he rules over his ship and terrorizes the crew with the aid of his exceptionally great physical strength. Van Weyden adequately describes him as an individualist, a hedonist and a materialist. As Larsen does not believe in the immortality of the soul he finds no meaning in his life and has come to despise all human life and deny its value. Being interested in someone capable of intellectual disputes he somewhat takes care of "Hump" while forcing him to become a cabin boy, do menial work, and learn to fight to protect himself from a brutal crew. Later, another castaway is picked up, Maud Brewster, a famous woman poet, with whom Hump soon falls in love. After an attempt to escape from the Ghost Maud and Hump are cast away on a lonely island. In inhospitable conditions they are forced to learn to provide for themselves beyond every human civilization. But then, Larsen - meanwhile deserted by his crew - reaches their island.
Background
The name "Wolf Larsen" was that of a real sailor London had known. Nevertheless, London was called "Wolf" by his close friends, used a picture of a wolf on his bookplate, and named his mansion "Wolf House." One may be excused for imagining that the autodidact sailor Wolf Larsen bears some resemblance to the autodidact sailor Jack London. (Hump's experiences also doubtless bear some resemblance to experiences Jack had, or heard told about, when he sailed on the Sophia Sutherland).
Jack London's intention in writing the The Sea-Wolf was "an attack on Nietzsche's super-man philosophy." The novel also contains references to Herbert Spencer, Omar Khayyám, Hippolyte Taine, Shakespeare and John Milton.
From AudioFile
Journey back to the days when men were Men and listen to the sounds of the seas, the mixture of accents and the rule of the Wolf. Bikel combines his years on stage and screen to create a spellbinding rendition of this tale. His clear voice brings chills to the listener as he relates the trials and tribulations of Humphrey Van Weydon, the cruelty of Wolf Larsen and life on the Ghost, their ship. While the abridgment brings out the meat of the story, Bikel captures its essence with strident tones and interesting characterizations. M.B.K.
Book Dimension
Height (mm) 172 Width (mm) 104
發表於2024-07-05
The Sea-Wolf 2024 pdf epub mobi 電子書 下載
據讀完這本書已經過瞭差不多半年瞭,到現在迴憶起來,隻有海狼的大概形象和“魔鬼”這個詞。“再見瞭,魔鬼”這個句話齣現在最後一章,也是主角第一次也是最後一次道齣瞭他對海狼的印象,主角在與海狼漫長的相處中逐漸清晰的印象。 按照主角與海狼的相處過程和深刻交流為綫...
評分 評分海狼的絕對理性和冷血,凡丶衛登和莫德的文明或者說懦弱,在魔鬼號上發生碰撞,凡丶衛登的不斷成長和海狼的不斷削弱。預示著文明必將戰勝野蠻,最終海狼死於疾病,葬於大海,野蠻覆滅的同時,也給瞭海狼最大的尊重。在整本書的中後部,凡丶衛登和莫德在努力島上的生活給我一種...
評分據讀完這本書已經過瞭差不多半年瞭,到現在迴憶起來,隻有海狼的大概形象和“魔鬼”這個詞。“再見瞭,魔鬼”這個句話齣現在最後一章,也是主角第一次也是最後一次道齣瞭他對海狼的印象,主角在與海狼漫長的相處中逐漸清晰的印象。 按照主角與海狼的相處過程和深刻交流為綫...
圖書標籤: 美國文學 Jack 英文原版 London 水手
The Sea-Wolf 2024 pdf epub mobi 電子書 下載