VictoryIn Victory (1915) Conrad returns to the Malay Archipelago, to the setting of his first mature novel, Lord Jim, and in Axel Heyst he creates a hero who is in many ways similar to Jim, a noble altruist destroyed by his ideals. Heyst is emotionally crippled by the influence of his dead father, a sceptical philosopher who has bequeathed to Heyst an attitude to life summed up in the father's dying words: 'Look on - make no sound.' Despite this injunction Heyst allows himself to become inextricably involved with an English Cockney girl whom he rescues from Giancomo's Travelling Ladies' Orchestra and carries off to his isolated retreat on the island of Samburan. His action incurs the fatal wrath of Schomberg, the island's innkeeper, who sends in pursuit of Heyst three demonic strangers whose invasion of his island paradise leads rapidly to the novel's violent and tragic close. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 60
Page xii
It was in a little hotel in the Island of St. Thomas in the West Indies (in the year '75
) where we found him one hot afternoon extended on three chairs, all alone in the
loud buzzing of flies to which his immobility and his cadaverous aspect gave a ...
It was in a little hotel in the Island of St. Thomas in the West Indies (in the year '75
) where we found him one hot afternoon extended on three chairs, all alone in the
loud buzzing of flies to which his immobility and his cadaverous aspect gave a ...
Page 3
He was out of everybody's way, as if he were perched on the highest peak of the
Himalayas, and in a sense as conspicuous. Every one in that part of the world
knew him, dwelling on his little island. An island is but the top of a mountain.
He was out of everybody's way, as if he were perched on the highest peak of the
Himalayas, and in a sense as conspicuous. Every one in that part of the world
knew him, dwelling on his little island. An island is but the top of a mountain.
Page 4
On the nights of full moon the silence around Samburan—the “Round Island” of
the charts—was dazzling; and in the flood of cold light Heyst could see his
immediate surroundings, which had the aspect of an abandoned settlement
invaded by ...
On the nights of full moon the silence around Samburan—the “Round Island” of
the charts—was dazzling; and in the flood of cold light Heyst could see his
immediate surroundings, which had the aspect of an abandoned settlement
invaded by ...
Page 5
The company's object had been to get hold of all the outcrops on tropical islands
and exploit them locally. And, Lord knows, there were any amount of outcrops. It
was Heyst who had located most of them in this part of the tropical belt during his
...
The company's object had been to get hold of all the outcrops on tropical islands
and exploit them locally. And, Lord knows, there were any amount of outcrops. It
was Heyst who had located most of them in this part of the tropical belt during his
...
Page 6
islands talking of a “great stride forward for these regions.” The convinced wave
of the hand which accompanied the phrase suggested tropical distances being
impelled onward. In connection with the finished courtesy of his manner, it was ...
islands talking of a “great stride forward for these regions.” The convinced wave
of the hand which accompanied the phrase suggested tropical distances being
impelled onward. In connection with the finished courtesy of his manner, it was ...
What people are saying - Write a review
User ratings
| 5 stars |
| ||
| 4 stars |
| ||
| 3 stars |
| ||
| 2 stars |
| ||
| 1 star |
|
LibraryThing Review
User Review - DanielSTJ - www.librarything.comConrad managed to develop characters, imperfect, that all drove themselves forward on their own agendas to the story's conclusion- facilitating and enabling it along the way. He manages to keep the ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - Cecrow - www.librarything.comIn the first part we get an outsider's view of Axel Heyst's character, actions and motives without being certain who he is or what actually drives him. I found this off-putting until the second part ... Read full review
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Alfuro arms asked believe boat breath bungalow buran can’t chair cheroot Chinaman clairvoyance course dark Davidson didn’t door doorway dunnage eyes face faint feeling fellow felt frightened gaze gentleman gharry girl glance gleam gone governor gunwale hand hanging head hear heard Heyst hotel-keeper I’ve island Java Sea jetty Jones knew laugh Lena light lips looked Malay Martin matter mean mind Morrison moved movement murmured mysterious never night Number once paused Pedro perhaps physiognomy quiet Ricardo round Samburan Schom Schomberg schooner seemed shadow shoulders side sight silence smile sort sound Sourabaya speak staring stood strange suddenly surprised Swede table d'hôte talk tell Tesmans There's thing thought tion told tone Tropical Belt Coal trouble turned verandah voice walked Wang wasn’t watched wharf What's whispered woman wonder words wouldn’t Zangiacomo
Bibliographic information
| Title | Victory Armed Services ed Armed Services editions Penguin modern classics The modern library of the world's best books The modern library |
| Author | Joseph Conrad |
| Edition | 2 |
| Publisher | Random House, 1915 |
| Original from | University of Chicago |
| Digitized | 13 Aug 2015 |
| Length | 385 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |