Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, Part 2, Chapter 21 summary
Part 2, Chapter 21 of 46 · 12 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 21, Captain Nemo confronts an unidentified warship, prevents his prisoners from escaping, and sinks the vessel by striking beneath its armor. His claim that the enemy destroys his family gives his revenge a personal cause, while the narrator witnesses the crew’s deaths and Nemo’s tears before a family portrait.
What happens
- A warship approaches and fires on the Nautilus, while Ned Land hopes to reach it and escape.
- Nemo knocks Ned down for signaling, raises a black flag, and declares his intention to sink the ship.
- Nemo draws the pursuing ship away and tells the narrator that the enemy destroys his country and family.
- The narrator, Ned, and Conseil plan to escape, but the closed hatch and the submarine’s dive trap them.
- The Nautilus pierces the warship below its armor, then descends beside it as its crew drowns.
- Nemo watches the destruction, then kneels and sobs before a portrait of a woman and two children.
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
In this chapter
What to notice
Nemo gives himself sole authority over punishment. The declaration explains why the narrator’s appeal cannot restrain his revenge.
Quick check
Why does the Nautilus dive before striking the warship?
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
200,000+ classics to read, hear and hold
15-minute summaries today, eBooks and audiobooks as each book opens, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
Try 3 months free
