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. |
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Page xiii
The reader therefore won't be surprised to hear that one morning I was told
without any particular emotion by the padrone of the schooner that the “Rich man
” down there was dead: He had died. in the night. I don't remember ever being so
...
The reader therefore won't be surprised to hear that one morning I was told
without any particular emotion by the padrone of the schooner that the “Rich man
” down there was dead: He had died. in the night. I don't remember ever being so
...
Page xiv
The reader need not be told that I have not forgotten him, though. My contact with
the faithful Pedro was much shorter and my observation of him was less complete
but incomparably more anxious. It ended in a sudden inspiration to get out of ...
The reader need not be told that I have not forgotten him, though. My contact with
the faithful Pedro was much shorter and my observation of him was less complete
but incomparably more anxious. It ended in a sudden inspiration to get out of ...
Page 13
“Upon my word, I don't know why I have been telling you all this. I suppose
seeing a thoroughly white man made it impossible to keep my trouble to myself.
Words can't do it justice; but since I've told you so much I may as well tell you
more.
“Upon my word, I don't know why I have been telling you all this. I suppose
seeing a thoroughly white man made it impossible to keep my trouble to myself.
Words can't do it justice; but since I've told you so much I may as well tell you
more.
Page 23
“He, a baron? Get along with you!” For my part I haven't the slightest doubt that he
was. While he was still drifting amongst the islands, enigmatical and disregarded
like an insignificant ghost, he told me so himself on a certain occasion. It was a ...
“He, a baron? Get along with you!” For my part I haven't the slightest doubt that he
was. While he was still drifting amongst the islands, enigmatical and disregarded
like an insignificant ghost, he told me so himself on a certain occasion. It was a ...
Page 25
... went ashore in a small boat. Heyst, right enough. Put a book into his pocket,
always very polite. Been strolling on the wharf and reading. I remain in
possession here,” he told | Captain Davidson. What I want to know is what he
VICTORY 25.
... went ashore in a small boat. Heyst, right enough. Put a book into his pocket,
always very polite. Been strolling on the wharf and reading. I remain in
possession here,” he told | Captain Davidson. What I want to know is what he
VICTORY 25.
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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
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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 |