Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Jules Verne

82 pages 2-hour read

Jules Verne

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1870

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Professor Pierre Aronnax is a 40-year-old Frenchman who works as an Assistant Professor at the Museum of Natural History in Paris. He possesses an adventurous spirit and a deep passion for natural history, having authored a respected book on submarine grounds. His scientific curiosity often clashes with his moral compass as he documents the marvels of the underwater world.

Key Relationships

Employer of Conseil

Friend of Ned Land

Prisoner of Captain Nemo

Conseil is a 30-year-old Flemish servant who has accompanied Professor Pierre Aronnax on his research journeys for ten years. He is highly capable, in excellent health, and extremely obliging to his employer. He remains calm under pressure and uses his sharp memory to help classify the marine life they encounter.

Key Relationships

Friend of Ned Land

Prisoner of Captain Nemo

Ned Land is a 40-year-old Canadian harpooner of tall stature and strong build. He is reserved but possesses a passionate temperament, especially regarding hunting and his personal freedom. He struggles significantly with the isolation and confinement of their underwater captivity, constantly looking for a way to escape.

Key Relationships

Friend of Conseil

Hostile Prisoner of Captain Nemo

Harpooner for Commander Farragut

Captain Nemo is the enigmatic, wealthy, and highly intelligent commander of the Nautilus. Having rejected human society, he lives an isolated existence exploring the ocean's depths in his technologically advanced submarine. He demonstrates deep empathy for the oppressed while harboring intense, undisclosed anger toward the society he left behind.

Key Relationships

Captor of Ned Land

Captor of Conseil

Supporting Characters

Commander Farragut is the dedicated captain of the Abraham Lincoln. He firmly believes that the mysterious object terrorizing the seas is a giant narwhal and makes it his absolute mission to destroy it. He commands his ship with intense focus and offers a large reward to the first person to spot the creature.

Key Relationships